Finally,Wes Andersonhas heard our prayers. For years, we have clamored forMichael Cera, an actor who shares the beloved writer-director’s unique sensibilities,to be cast in an Anderson picture. Finally, in his 12th feature film,The Phoenician Scheme, Anderson and Cera have finally joined forces. Anderson’s new film features his instantly recognizable visual trademarks and another impressive cast of stellar actors, but the stand-out is undoubtedly Cera. Through his usual hilarity and modest sincerity, the Canadian actor nailed his performance inThe Phoenician Scheme, which could’ve gone disastrously in other hands. Now that he’s teased us,Anderson has no choice but to integrate Cera into his recurring stock company of actors.Trust us, Anderson, he’s certainly a keeper.
Michael Cera Embodies Wes Anderson’s Traits
Since his debut feature,Bottle Rocket, Wes Anderson has loved returning to his old collaborators on and off the screen. Despite being such a distinct visionary, he often co-writes his films withOwen Wilson,Noah Baumbach, andRoman Coppola, who helped penThe Phoenician Scheme. His latest film,centering around the trioofBenicio del Toro,Mia Threapleton, and Michael Cera, also stars returning players likeJeffrey Wright,Scarlett Johansson,Willem Dafoe,Bryan Cranston,Willem Dafoe, andBill Murray. Cera, however, deserves a permanent seat in his troupe more than anyone.
From his early days as anArrested Developmentcast member to his recent hilarious turn as Allan inBarbie, Michael Cera was born to be an Anderson avatar. He became the subject of the Mandela effect, where many of us were convinced that he had been in at least two Anderson films. While his films don’t gross the most money,everyone knows the makeup ofWes Anderson’s tone and style, down to the dollhouse symmetry of his mise-en-scène, to the wry humor. As a result, Cera’s entire persona felt like a creation hand-crafted by the director himself.
Michael Cera’s Greatest Performance Is Still His ‘Twin Peaks’ Cameo
Marlon Brando, is that you?
Across his vast filmography, Michael Cera has more or less played one specific character archetype, but it has never let him down.Embodying a prevalent type of awkward, insecure, but endearingly dorky male millennial, Cera became the voice of a generation in films likeJuno,Superbad, andScott Pilgrim vs. the World. There’s something childlike about his persona without ever feeling dumb and juvenile, as he maintains a level of charm that prevented him from falling prey to the angst of disaffected young white men in the 2000s.
Although more of a champion of Generation X,Wes Anderson’s characters, particularly the ones played by the Wilson brothers andJason Schwartzman, check the same boxes as Cera. The typical Anderson protagonists, even older characters played byGene HackmanandRalph Fiennes, areboth incredibly warm yet filled with repressed sadness, and they seem to be at the top of their social class while, deep down, they are unfulfilled with their self-esteem and connections to their loved ones.
Michael Cera Captures Wes Anderson’s Humor and Warmth in ‘The Phoenician Scheme’
InThe Phoenician Scheme, Michael Cera plays Bjorn Lund, a Norwegian entomologist serving as Zsa Zsa Korda’s (del Toro) secretary during his mission to accrue financing from investors for the titular plan. In this twisty andaction-packed spy caper, the biggest twist comes when Bjorn reveals his true identity: a spy working for the government to undermine Korda’s business dealings. Because he is taking on the affectation of an upper-class erudite,Cera’s heavy accent work never feels gratuitous. Anderson uses the actor’s signature insecure demeanor to capture the essence of someone posing as a figure outside their wheelhouse.
Cera’s turn as the secret spy who dons an elegant suit is as delightful as the film itself. While casting Cera in an Anderson movie felt inevitable, the director proving himself as a worthy genre filmmaker who could construct dazzling action set pieces within his symmetrical 4:3 aspect ratios was not on anyone’s radar. Bjorn is the anchor toThe Phoenician Scheme’s deft comedic touch, asCera’s innate skillsare most effectively utilized as a background player reacting to the chaos that Korda brings everywhere he goes.
Anderson’s latest film brilliantly underlines his balancing act of absurdist and subdued humor, using both slapstick and deadpan line deliveries to tell the story of a rapscallion business tycoon learning how to settle down and rekindle his relationship with his daughter.Cera, who can inspire the loudest laughs and the most heartfelt chuckles in any scene, nails this tightrope walk. Scenes when Bjorn attempts to connect with the distant Sister Liesl (Threapleton), emotionally touching while being understated, are why we’ve been dreaming of a Cera-Anderson team-up all these years.
The Phoenician Scheme, a worthy addition to the canon of great work by Wes Anderson and Michael Cera, should serve as the blueprintfor their future collaborations. Make him a lead, make him a supporting player. All that matters is that Cera is here to stay inside Anderson’s oddball worlds on the screen.
The Phoenician Schemeis now playing in theaters.
The Phoenician Scheme
The Phoenician Scheme: Set within a complex world of espionage, this film explores the tumultuous father-daughter relationship at the heart of a family business. As secrets unravel, the pair navigates personal and professional challenges in a plot infused with intrigue and deception. Released on June 13, 2025.
