Rose Byrne Calls Spy a Hidden Gem — and Jason Statham the Surprise Comedy MVP
Jason Statham flexes his funny bone and his fists in Spy, teaming with Rose Byrne and Melissa McCarthy for a barrage of bruising laughs and high-octane action.
Rose Byrne just shouted out the movie from her own filmography that she thinks more people should be talking about, and it is absolutely the right pick. While she is riding a wave of praise for the 2025 comedy-drama 'If I Had Legs I'd Kick You' and now up for Best Actress, Byrne took a beat to call 2015's 'Spy' her personal hidden gem — and to give Jason Statham his flowers for being way funnier than his action-hero resume suggests.
Byrne's hidden gem: 'Spy'
Asked which project of hers deserves the hidden-gem treatment, Byrne did not hesitate. She singled out Paul Feig's action-comedy, where she shares the screen with Melissa McCarthy, Jason Statham, Jude Law, Miranda Hart, and Bobby Cannavale.
'Oh yeah, Spy. Yeah, it's a fantastic comedy directed by Paul Feig. With Jason [Statham], Jude Law, Melissa McCarthy, and myself. It is so funny. And people discover it more and more, and they're like, "This movie?!" And I'm like, "I know." Melissa is so funny. Statham is so funny. It's just a joy.'
For anyone who missed it: McCarthy plays Susan Cooper, a CIA analyst who graduates from headset to fieldwork after a catastrophe, going undercover to catch an arms dealer and avenge the agency's top operative. Byrne is the film's luxuriously vicious villain, Rayna Boyanov. And Statham? He sends up his own tough-guy mythos as Rick Ford, a swaggering superspy who treats bravado like oxygen.
Why Statham steals it
Statham's Ford reads like a fever dream of every action-movie tall tale, delivered with laser-focused deadpan. The boasts are outrageous, but the commitment sells them. Highlights include:
- Claiming immunity to 179 different poisons
- Breaking both legs and still performing in a Cirque du Soleil show
- Reattaching one arm using the other arm
- Convincingly appearing before Congress as Barack Obama
Byrne matches him beat for beat, slicing through scenes with withering elegance. It is a reminder that her comedic timing is as sharp as her dramatic work — which is saying something for someone best known for 'Bridesmaids,' 'Neighbors,' and the 'Insidious' franchise, and now acclaimed for playing a mother navigating her daughter's sudden, mysterious illness in 'If I Had Legs I'd Kick You.'
About that sequel...
A follow-up still has yet to happen, even though the movie keeps picking up new fans every year. During the 2024 Olympics, a pitch started circulating: send Susan Cooper and Rick Ford undercover as breakdancing Olympians in 'Spy 2.' McCarthy jumped on Instagram and replied, 'Ummm YES PLEASE!!!!'
Byrne has said a sequel was in development at one point, but it never came together. The demand is sitting there. The blueprint writes itself. Somebody make a few calls.
Statham's next comedic swing
If you want more of Statham leaning into the funny, keep an eye on the recently announced meta-comedy 'Jason Statham Stole My Bike.' If that title is any indication, he is doubling down on the very specific, very effective deadpan that made Rick Ford a classic.