The Beetlejuice sequel has been a huge hit in theaters, drawing some high praise along with big profits at the box office. It was a remarkable project to be a part of for Justin Theroux, who joined the franchise with his role in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.

In an interview with CBR’s Kevin Polowy, Theroux addressed his experience working on Beetlejuice Beetlejuice. In the sequel, Theroux plays Rory, a television producer who has a romantic relationship with Lydia Deetz (Winona Ryder). Developing a new character who could fit into the world of Beetlejuice was no easy task for the actor and the filmmakers, particularly when it came to Rory’s unique look. That includes Rory’s man bun, which Theroux explained came about after he’d tried on various wigs until they zeroed in on what they were looking for with the character.

“Charlie Chaplin found his cane and his bowler bat… I found that stupid wig, and it did so much work for me,” Theroux said. “We tried on a bunch of different wigs. We had sort of a black Fabio wig. We had sort of a mullet-y looking one. And then when we put that particular – it was sort of a top piece that went on and had this bun hanging off the back – when we put that on, we were just like, ‘Oh, this is so stupid.’ And it made us laugh.”

I found that stupid wig, and it did so much work for me.

It sounds a little mean, but when my mom would bring back a boyfriend or something, that was sort of what I was keying off of. You know, guys who were like, ‘Hey, what’s up little guy! Give me a hug! Let’s bond!‘ And you’re being like, ‘You’re the worst‘. Yeah, that, and then we just thought it would be funny just to have a guy who’s just completely codependent with Lydia, and you know, in a totally toxic relationship.”

While there are some new cast members, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice brought back various original stars, including Lydia (Winona Ryder), Delia (Catherine O’Hara), and, of course, Betelgeuse (Michael Keaton). However, the practical effects that were utilized in the original film were also back on display in the sequel. Theroux spoke with CBR about how it felt to work on a movie using old-school effects, which was completely different from the more modern technique of having actors work with green screens and tennis balls.

Justin Theroux Had “Way More Fun” Working on a Practical Set

“It’s way more fun, because you’re reacting to real things,” Theroux said. “We’ve all done films where [they say] ‘Here’s a tennis ball, but it’s really a dragon, or whatever.’ And you have to sort of react and pretend, which requires a lot more sort of imagination on the day.”

He added, “Having a practical effect is brilliant. It somehow feels more like you’re making a college film, or a student film, or something that’s just you and your friends… That aspect of it was really fun. And it also feels very like old-school filmmaking.”

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is playing in movie theaters.