Why Benjamin Bratt Refused to Go Full-Frontal in Balls Up

Benjamin Bratt signed on to Peter Farrelly's new Prime Video comedy Balls Up with one very clear boundary: no full-frontal. The script never asked for it, but once cameras started rolling, someone floated the idea and he shut it down. He talked about it at the Los Angeles premiere on Tuesday, April 14, at the Harmony Gold Theater.

The movie ( and yes, the title tells you the vibe)

Balls Up is an over-the-top, raunchy caper about two marketing guys who decide the World Cup needs a condom sponsor. Their big swing turns into a bigger mess after a hard-partying night in Brazil sets off a global scandal. From there, it is a sprint to stay ahead of enraged fans, criminals, and power-hungry officials, rescue their careers, and make it home in one piece. Subtle? Not remotely.

• Mark Wahlberg plays Brad, a marketing exec with a gift for bad timing
• Paul Walter Hauser is Elijah, Brad's partner in the pitch and the chaos
• Benjamin Bratt is Santos, the chief of the Brazilian delegation who hits the town with them right before everything blows up
• Also along for the ride: Eva de Dominici, Daniela Melchior, Molly Shannon, Sacha Baron Cohen, and Eric Andre
• Directed by Peter Farrelly

Bratt's one no-go

Bratt, 62, said the original script did not call for full-frontal, but on set someone suggested it. His answer:

'Nah, I might not wanna.'

Farrelly backed that up, saying there had been talk of a blink-and-you-miss-it gag with Bratt stripping down, but they dropped it because it was not worth it.

The butt-double conversation that turned into a compliment

Bratt was fine with the idea of a body double for backside shots on one condition: he wanted approval if they used one. He figured they never needed it. Farrelly confirmed they did not. The director joked that with Bratt being 'like 63' and facing a gag that had him effectively naked on a rope-course setup, they considered a double. Then Bratt took his shirt off, and that was that — Farrelly called him 'chiseled' and 'rock solid,' and the double was off the table.

How he plays in a comedy sandbox

Paul Walter Hauser, who knows his way around a punchline, said Bratt shows up with serious dramatic chops and nearly runs away with the movie. In his words, working with people operating at that level makes you raise your game.

Off-camera: very normal, very wholesome

Bratt also made it clear he is happy outside the Hollywood bubble. He just hit 24 years of marriage with Talisa Soto — they celebrated the anniversary the day before and brought their two kids along because that is how tight they are. Bratt and Soto married in 2002, welcomed daughter Sophia that same year, and son Mateo followed in 2005. He owes his wife a trip to Italy, and yes, he says that getaway is on the way.

Balls Up is streaming now on Prime Video.