Christopher Nolan's Favorite Comedy Is A Will Ferrell Movie You Might Not Expect

It's no news to any of Christopher Nolan's fans that he's a huge fan of Stanley Kubrick. Nolan has cited the exacting maestro of classics like "The Shining" and "2001: A Space Odyssey" as a beacon of inspiration for his model of personal, idiosyncratic, ambitious filmmaking within the parameters of commercial big-studio production.

On the other hand, it would appear that Nolan's love of "Talladega Nights" — a film made by Adam McKay back when he was still specializing in goofy, cartoon-esque studio comedies — is a brand-new revelation to the world of film. During the interview, a surprised Eisen asked Nolan to confirm what he'd just said, prompting the director to quote a classic line from the Will Ferrell film: "If you ain't first, you're last." Eisen then asked him whether Ferrell knew about Nolan's fondness for the film, and Nolan responded, "He does now!"

Adding to the fun of the reveal is the fact that "Talladega Nights" is a film to which Ferrell lends much of the same zany, over-the-top jerk energy that makes his "Barbie" antagonist such a hoot. Starring as cocky, dim-witted superstar driver Ricky Bobby, whose reign over NASCAR is threatened by the arrival of hotshot French newcomer Jean Girard (Sacha Baron Cohen), Ferrell revels in engendering laughs by eschewing viewer sympathy as only he can. Really, if Nolan adores that loving, gag-filled satire of the world of NASCAR racing so much, one can't help imagining he must also have dug "Barbie."