BJ Novak Says Putting Ashton Kutcher, John Mayer Together In 'Vengeance' Was 'Very Fun'

B.J. Novak has explained his thought process in assembling the cast for his directorial venture, "Vengeance," noting that he had fun putting Ashton Kutcher and John Mayer together in the film, E! News reported.

"I really wanted not just a great cast but an electric combination of people," he said in an interview for the outlet's "Daily Pop" show.

Novak, who also wrote and stars in the comedy-thriller film that is set to hit theaters Friday, was apparently eager to do away with "the same old boring combo" of actors and wanted an exciting bunch to give life to his new movie.

"I didn't want the same old boring combo. The idea that pop star John Mayer and Ashton Kutcher — these are people from really different worlds. They're all brilliant, but to put them together, it's very fun for me," he said.

"Vengeance" tells the story of Ben Manalowitz (Novak), a New York City-based radio host and aspiring podcaster who travels to Texas to investigate the death of a girl he had been hooking up with (Lio Tipton). Other characters in the movie include Quinten Sellers (Kutcher) and John (Mayer).

In the same interview, Kutcher praised Novak for giving depth to every character in the film. "He wrote such an amazing screenplay. But then, as a director, he brought a nuance to the understanding of every single character that he'd written," he explained.

Meanwhile, Mayer said going to the set felt like a "Mister Rogers field trip." The singer and newbie actor added that he relied heavily on Novak's guidance while working on the project.

"I don't pretend to know anything about filmmaking," Mayer confessed. "I was like, 'Hold my hand. Tell me when. I will adjust to you. Just tell me what you need more or less of.'"

Being new in acting, the "New Light" singer went on to share that though he never pitched ideas to Novak, he volunteered his musical talents to the director's future projects, saying, "If he needed a song for something then I would sort of roll up my sleeves and be me."

Novak said in a separate interview that his character in the movie is a reflection of himself in many ways. "You know, like all comedy, it has to come from a real place," he told Variety. "So I think, you know, it's about being one of those guys who can be a little lost, think he's cooler than he is and smarter than he is and thinks he has real connections when he might not. I think that’s something many of us struggle with."