Flea’s 20 Best TV and Movie Roles

Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea takes an adventurous strategy to his second profession in performing: “When one thing comes up and it’s fascinating and I’ve the time, I’ll do it,” he instructed Grantland in 2014.

He is been performing virtually so long as he is been with the band, which fashioned in 1983 in Los Angeles. Regardless of his fun-loving demeanor, he takes each pursuits fairly significantly: “At this level in my life, I’ve to imagine in it to wish to do it,” Flea added. “It’s not similar to, ‘Performing is enjoyable, it’s enjoyable to go play fake.’ If it’s some those that I respect doing a venture that I imagine in, then I’m down for it, if time permits. However I’m not on the market pursuing performing gigs.”

Born Michael Balzary, Flea has greater than 100 onscreen roles to his identify, and so they’ve run congruently with the Crimson Sizzling Chili Peppers’ recording classes and excursions. They’ve included massive blockbusters in addition to smaller, impartial movies. A few of his best-known turns occurred in The Big Lebowski, My Personal Non-public Idaho and Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, in addition to two Back to the Future motion pictures.

“After I play music, it’s like I’m channeling this — I don’t know what you name it: God? Divine vitality? Simply one thing that’s manner greater than me?” Flea instructed Grantland, including {that a} purpose is to get himself into an “ecstatic trance. … The whole lot that I do, all of the work that I do as a musician, is to get myself right into a place so I can try this, so when the time comes, I can let this factor circulate by means of me.”

The clips beneath spotlight Flea’s 20 biggest performing roles in tv and films, together with the Disney+ sequence Obi-Wan Kenobi.

Suburbia (1983)

Suburbia was one in all two motion pictures that includes Flea as he started discovering his performing potential. He additionally had a small position in The Outsiders as a rival gang member. Requested about his basic strategy as a younger actor, Flea stated: “That was form of like: Hang around with everyone and memorize strains and get into the groove of it and go for it. It was very unschooled and actually enjoyable, however completely different. It was performing and it was being pure in entrance of the digital camera, however it wasn’t being somebody drastically completely different from who I’m.”

Again to the Future II (1989)

It was straightforward to overlook Flea in Again to the Future II as a semi-unrecognizable businessman caked in make-up that aged him by 40 years. The ambition of his character, Douglas J. Needles, was to persuade an growing old Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) to take part in a shady enterprise deal. Needles additionally known as McFly “chicken” at instances to get him to do loopy issues.

Again to the Future III (1990)

Flea regarded a bit edgier in Again to the Future III, which got here out the next 12 months. On this film, his character challenged Michael J. Fox to a drag race and helped form the way forward for the lead character.

My Personal Non-public Idaho (1991)

Portland-based director Gus Van Sant owned a house close to the set and invited star River Phoenix to remain there throughout filming as an alternative of a lodge. Keanu Reeves, Flea and others adopted. Quickly, “the place grew to become an virtually nonstop home social gathering with jam classes each night time,” based on Mental Floss. Flea and Reeves performed bass whereas Phoenix performed the guitar that he picked up at a Portland music store. The fixed noise compelled Van Sant to maneuver out of his personal home and lease an condo downtown.

The Simpsons (1993)

Within the episode “Krusty Will get Kancelled,” Bart received the Crimson Sizzling Chili Peppers to play a TV particular meant to assist Krusty the Clown make a comeback after he fell on arduous instances. Krusty handed the band some “community” ideas to vary the lyrics in “Give It Away” from “What I received I gotta get and put it in you” to “What I’d like is I’d prefer to hug and kiss you,” which the band initially agreed to albeit with a layer of sarcasm from Flea. The animated rockers did not find yourself altering the lyrics, however they did carry out in conventional Flea model – that means, in their underpants.

Psycho (1998)

A quiet clerk within the unique 1960 model of Psycho did not seem within the credit, however Flea’s character was given the name Bob Summerfield within the remake. He works for Viggo Mortenson‘s character, Sam Loomis, within the film and was enticed to go to lunch as Julianne Moore interrogated Mortensen relating to her sister’s disappearance.

Concern and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998)

This Johnny Depp-starring movie, tailored many years after the arrival of Hunter S. Thompson’s e book of the identical identify, was shot primarily in Los Angeles. Co-stars Benicio del Torro and Tobey Maguire appeared with Flea, who joined a multitude of different celebrities with transient roles. Christina Ricci popped up as a disturbed painter, Gary Busey as a lonely freeway patrolman, Penn Jillette as a carnival barker, and Cameron Diaz as a reporter.

The Wild Thornberrys (2002)

Flea spoke only a few precise phrases as Donnie within the ’90s TV sequence and 2002 film, The Wild Thornberrys. The movie script discovered sisters Debbie and Eliza touring the globe speaking to animals as in the event that they had been folks, with Flea offering comedian reduction as their brother. “Donnie is a wild, animal-like five-year-old boy,” Flea stated in a behind-the-scenes video from the present, providing the bassist a main alternative to let high-speed gibberish fly.

Son In Legislation (1993)

Within the Pauly Shore film, Son in Legislation, Flea performed the small position of a tattoo artist who managed to ship a number of memorable lines in his quick time on the display screen. The ink designer famous that getting a tattoo was “higher than getting kicked within the face with a golf shoe.” He additionally dropped the cult basic line, “You decide it, I stick it,” as small-town Midwesterner Rebecca thought of getting a tattoo as she adjusted to life after shifting to California.

The Chase (1994)

“I all the time thought I used to be a reasonably horrible actor,” Flea instructed Rolling Stone in an interview about The Chase. “However I simply lucked into this bizarre, little obscure cameo-esque movie profession. I simply love being part of movie historical past.” This movie starred Charlie Sheen as a person wrongfully convicted of against the law who then kidnapped a rich heiress in an try to flee jail. Flea performed a fearless truck driver who tried to knock Sheen’s car into the guard rail whereas screaming “Time to be heroes!” Crimson Sizzling Chili Peppers lead singer Anthony Kiedis was additionally within the film.

The Large Lebowski (1998)

Flea got here into this venture with a simple purpose: “The preeminent factor in my thoughts is simply working with the Coen Brothers and seeing how these guys work and make motion pictures,” Flea instructed Rolling Stone. “They might end every others’ concepts and sentences. They had been actually a two-headed inventive monster. For me, they’re simply these two stoner brothers who’ve all these inside jokes.” In The Large Lebowski, Jeff Bridges performed an unemployed slacker referred to as “The Dude,” who (together with John Goodman and Steve Buscemi), encountered some German nihilists who aimed to spoil his easy-going perspective. Flea performed Nihilist #2, aka Kieffer, who gave just some strains in a priceless German accent.

Low Down (2014)

This movie about jazz pianist Joe Albany’s struggles with dependancy required a brand new seriousness. Low Down additionally gave Flea an opportunity to return to the trumpet, which he performed as a teen. “I went and studied, which I hadn’t executed earlier than. I spoke with associates of mine who’re actually good actors; I received an performing coach. I actually discovered do it,” Flea instructed Grantland. “With music, I do know you’ve received to follow your scales, you bought to do that, you bought to do this. I do know what I’ve to do to get myself right into a place to develop the ability to channel the emotional, religious stuff. I discovered how to do this for performing on this. It actually felt like a better degree of approaching it, and that was cool.”

Inside Out (2015)

Feelings grew to become characters within the Pixar film Inside Out, because it took a deep dive into the inside workings of the thoughts. As Pleasure (Amy Poehler) and Disappointment (Phyllis Smith) labored their manner by means of the maze of Longterm Reminiscence, they encountered two mind-worker cops alongside the way in which, one in all them voiced by Flea. The film was crammed with tiny appearances by well-known celebrities, and Thoughts-Employee Cop Jake was one which some Crimson Sizzling Chili Pepper followers may need missed.

Sheriff Callie’s Wild West (2014-2016)

Flea provided the voice for an ocelot named the Milk Bandit over 4 episodes of Sheriff Callie’s Wild West, a cartoon Western from Disney Junior aimed toward preschoolers. (In his premiere episode, Flea’s character walks into Ella’s saloon and exclaims: “This can be a milk raid! Gimme all of your milk!”) Sheriff Callie, voiced by Mandy Moore, was charged with defending the city known as Good and Pleasant Corners.

Child Driver (2017)

Flea performed the position of Eddie “No-Nostril” on this movie, which adopted the story of a younger getaway driver named Child (Ansel Elgort) who consistently performed music in an try to drown out a listening to impairment he suffered as a baby. His “nihilistic financial institution robber with no ethical compass” wished to get rid of something that received in his manner, Flea instructed Collider. “My character is a really single-minded man, so I am involved about his lack of presence on this planet as a result of he is received headphones on and he appears form of spacy. However, then, in fact, I am very impressed by his prodigious driving expertise.”

Household Man (2017)

Most of Flea’s elements haven’t concerned his bass guitar, till his featured turn on Household Man. Flea voiced himself within the cameo and managed to ship a cool groove on the bass earlier than being shooed out. “Go away, Flea! You’re not welcome right here. And placed on a shirt – you’re 50!” Stewie yelled. “Truly, 54,” Flea corrected earlier than having the door slammed in his face.

Boy Erased (2018)

The film was primarily based on the true story of Jared, the son of a small-town Baptist pastor who was outed to his dad and mom (Nicole Kidman and Russell Crowe) at age 19. The boy discovered he should both undergo a so-called “homosexual conversion” remedy program or be permanently disowned by his household, associates and religion. Flea performed the position of Brandon, “the creepy boot-camp sergeant who tears down supposedly to construct up.”

American Dad (2019)

Flea voices an orderly in an episode named “Stan-Dan Ship” as an ode to the 1988 film Stand and Ship starring Edward James Olmos as a high-school instructor who impressed his class. Roger does develop into an teacher for a gaggle of inner-city youth – however the similarities, in fact, ended there. Sadly, the classroom dance social gathering doesn’t embrace a sure Crimson Sizzling Chili Peppers band member.

I Coronary heart Arlo (2021)

This Netflix animated sequence was a follow-up to the 2021 animated musical movie, Arlo the Alligator Boy. Within the TV sequence, Arlo and his buddies got down to restore a run-down New York Metropolis neighborhood and add their private contact. Flea performed the position of Ruff, one in all Arlo’s former adversaries who owned a failing swamp museum.

Obi-Wan Kenobi (2022)

Flea took on the position of a bounty hunter within the Disney+ Star Wars sequence Obi-Wan Kenobi. His Vect Nokru character was employed to kidnap a younger Princess Leia, and initially seems to have gotten away together with his crime. The 2022 debut episode rapidly develop into the community’s most-watched premiere globally.