Fred Willard Sticks Up For Michael Cera After ‘Arrested Development’ Rumor

Fred Willard spoke up for Michael Cera’s personal character this weekend. Cera was dogged by a story recently that he was the lone holdout of an “Arrested Development” movie, in a supposed dispute over Cera’s wanting more money.

News came finally in February that Cera would in fact join the cast for a feature. Other cast members reportedly said they thought perhaps the trouble wasn’t money, but a scheduling problem, since Cera is in demand after hitting it big with “Juno” and “Superbad.”

Willard — costar in “Best In Show” and other Christopher Guest mockumentaries — costars with Cera and Steve Buscemi later this year in the coming-of-sexual age feature, “Youth In Revolt.”

So I asked Willard about the Cera-wants-more-money rumor. He pooh-poohed it and said that kind of scuttlebutt happens in the business.

“I once was in a project. They were going to do a remake. Somebody started a rumor I wanted more money. Is said, ‘This is ridiculous. I’d kill for this project!’”

Cera was great on the set of “Youth In Revolt,” Willard said.

“We [filmed] it this summer, and he was so sweet. He had his 21st birthday party on the set. His mom was there. So, so far he’s very grounded, very sweet, very soft spoken.”

Cera, meanwhile, had told Canada’s National Post last year he was opposed to an "Arrested" movie on principle: “I don't think I would want to see a movie of the series if I was a fan, anyway. … And I don't really see a need for it if you can get the three seasons on DVD."

By the way, Willard doesn’t have any inside info on if and when Guest (“This is Spinal Tap,” “Waiting for Guffman,” “A Mighty Wind”) will direct another mocumentary with or without Willard and his entourage of Parker Posey, Jennifer Coolidge, Catherine O’Hara, Eugene Levy and the rest.

“There is nothing I know about,” Willard said. “They’re going out on tour — Christopher, Harry Shearer and Michael McKean — are going out, just the three of them, with guitars to sing stuff from ‘Spinal Tap’ and ‘Mighty Wind.’ Maybe they’re planning to come up with a new movie. I hope so.”