Brie Larson teases thrilling Super Bowl ad, game day snacks and dream team up

Brie Larson is no stranger to the spotlight or to making waves at the Super Bowl.

In 2019, Larson stole the show when Marvel used the year’s big game as the launching pad to drop a stunning new Captain Marvel spot which set the internet on fire.

The video quickly racked up millions of views on YouTube and fueled further excitement for her character’s historic film. Less than a month later, Captain Marvel would rake in $455 million during its opening weekend to become one of the biggest opening weekends of all time. The film would go on to earn more than $1.1 billion at the box office making it not only one of Marvel’s biggest origin films but most successful films period.

Fast forward to 2022 and Larson is once again primed to make headlines during Super Bowl weekend, this time through her action-packed new Nissan Super Bowl commercial. 

In the new Super Bowl spot, Larson is joined by several familiar faces from the Marvel Cinematic Universe as well as Emmy-winner Eugene Levy in a Fast and Furious-esque commercial sure to emerge as one of the year’s top ads.

Ahead of the Super Bowl, Bam Smack Pow had the chance to catch up with Larson to dicuss the gripping “Thrill Driver” Super Bowl commercial, game day loyalties, go-to snacks and more. Plus, find out which Marvel co-star — who she affectionately referred to as her No. 1 —  Larson would love to team up with next!

Brie Larson on Nissan Super Bowl ad, game day snacks and her dream team up

Let’s talk about the new Nissan Super Bowl commercial “Thrill Driver” which finds you teaming up with a few familiar faces from the MCU as well as a few additional Hollywood A-Listers in an action-packed ad sure to turn heads on game day! Captain Marvel gave you your first brush with a Super Bowl spot back in 2019 with the film’s Super Bowl teaser, but how was the experience of working on your first official Super Bowl ad with Nissan? 

Larson: I feel like I keep overusing this word, but it was a thrill. I mean, we just had such a great time. I have so enjoyed being in the Nissan family and this one just took it to the max. You know, we just ramped everything up.

This has action, it has humor. It also has some of my friends in it in Danai [Gurira] and David [Bautista], who I was so excited to see, and I got to meet one of my heroes, Eugene [Levy], for the first time. Usually, I do these commercials by myself, so to be able to do it with some friends this time was just a dream. So we had an awesome time making it and we’re really excited to share it.

You’ve worked with Nissan in the past for a variety of on and off-screen collaborations, but do you remember your initial reaction to this particular project? Having worked with Marvel you’re no stranger to secrecy surrounding a project, so did you initially know who all was going to be involved with the spot? 

Larson: I started to get pieces. At first, I was told that they were thinking about doing a Super Bowl commercial, but even while we were filming it, building the commercial and I knew who it was in it, I didn’t tell a soul. I didn’t tell anybody, My parents don’t even know about this. I think that Marvel has just scared me to tell anybody anything anymore. [Laughs]

So I’ve just kept it to myself and I’m really excited for people to see it because I think they’re gonna be quite surprised.

You touched on this a little already, but what was it like teaming up with Eugene, Dave and Danai for the project? 

Larson: I feel like they got to experience the fun and joy that I get to have doing these commercials all the time. I get to be around incredible, beautiful cars, great directors, beautiful locations and it’s just such a fun job that I’m so grateful for.

I feel like almost got to be like a host of a dinner party where I was like, “Welcome to this incredible world with all these beautiful things.” And they were all asking me questions about the various Nissans and you know which ones I had driven and which ones I liked. And it was just really fun to be able to share this experience with them.

Danai and Dave are two people that I do get to see from time to time, but not always. You know, actors don’t always get to hang out, we’re always busy and other places doing things. And so this brought us together for a couple of days and so it was just really sweet. It was a real treat.

Super Bowl commercials really are in this unique category and “Thrill Driver,” is definitely such an incredible spot that really cranks the action up to a whole other level. 

Larson: Yeah, well, we knew what we’re in for. We know that this is the time to show what we’ve got. And so we’re firing on all cylinders. That’s why we have such incredible talent. That’s why we have such an incredible director. We really went for it.

And so it made for a really fun couple of days with the action, the humor, the cars. It was just a great time and we’re really excited to share it with everybody and we feel like this will really stand out.

For many people, the Super Bowl ads are almost bigger than the game. Do you gravitate more towards the game itself or the commercials? 

Larson: If you’d have asked me this a couple of years ago, I would have been like I only watch for the commercials but during the pandemic I’ve gotten really into football. I’m excited for both.

I think it’s just going to mean I’m going to have my eyes glued to the TV the whole time. There is no break for me between the game and the commercials. I’m going to make sure I have all my snacks ready

Will you be rooting for a particular team this year? 

Larson: We’re Seahawks fans in this house and so I’m really into the story [this Super Bowl]. I think we’ve got two teams of two incredible stories and I’m excited to see what happens. I’m not the best person to watch sports with because I do always get sad that one team has to lose.

It’s such an incredible sport that requires so much heart and so much intelligence. I’m just excited to see these players play in something that is just historical. It’s a great time, and I’m excited to be part of it in a small way.

This commercial definitely is already generating buzz and has the potential to be one of the most-talked-about commercials of the game. Do you have a favorite Super Bowl ad from over the years? 

Larson: No, not in particular. I think what makes the Super Bowl so exciting is that people bring their all. It’s like the Met Ball of commercials. Everybody’s going full out to show what they’ve got and you just get this incredible amount of creativity.

So you get to watch players that are playing at the top of their field. Then in between, you get to watch little mini-movies of incredibly creative people showing what they’ve got. To me, it’s just an incredible day for humanity to harness what humans can do.

It really is one of those events that truly has something for everyone, no matter whether you’re a sports fan tuning in for the game or someone who loves the food and commercials. Speaking of food, do you have a favorite game day snack? 

Larson: Chips. I eat a lot of chips and a lot of dip. I mean, that’s really my chance to like go hard. I love soft pretzels. I love nacho cheese. I go hard with all of the comfort foods and I can’t wait. I’m already planning it out in my head.

Pivoting back to “Thrill Driver,” this is of course the latest in a string of collaborations between you Nissan. After a massive commercial such as “Thrill Driver,” the sky seems like the limit so I have to ask, what’s next? 

Larson: As you can see, we’re just getting started. The thing that’s been so fun about working with Nissan is that we just want to keep surprising people. Every commercial should feel completely different. We don’t want this to be something that when it comes on, you know what’s going to happen or you’re like “Eh, one of those things again.”

We’re just going to continue to top ourselves and bring ads that are fun to watch and are entertaining and are worth your time. This one is obviously like a huge one for us that we’re really excited about. We’ve got some good things cooking and there’s more to come.

After a spot like “Thrill Driver,” have you had any thoughts about who you’d love to team up with next in any future Nissan spots? 

Larson: I mean, I just always want to work with Sam Jackson. So if I can get Sam to do anything with me and spend time with me, that’s what I want. So he’s always my number one.

Be sure to catch Brie Larson in Nissan’s Super Bowl spot “Thrill Driver” this Super Bowl weekend and be sure to check back for more from our interview with Larson.