Taron Egerton & ‘Tetris’ Cast Talk Bringing the Origins of an Iconic Game to the Big Screen

The newest onscreen video game adaptation has come in the form of Tetris, a Jon S. Braid thriller film about the true story of Henk Rogers, who created the beloved puzzle game in 1988.

Billboard was at the film’s SXSW premiere this week, where host Tetris Kelly surprised the cast with the hilarious coincidence of matching names. “Really?” Taron Egerton, who plays Rogers, said to Kelly upon hearing his name. “Is that real? Well, I’m very glad to meet you.”

Egerton also opened up about taking roles that portray famous stories, as he previously played Elton John in Rocketman. “You try not to dwell on those things too much. You have to divorce yourself from any pressure you feel from playing recognizable people or stories that are well known,” he shared. “If you are nervous at work every day, you wouldn’t be able to do your job.”

Polina, who spearheaded the soundtrack on the film, also shared what it was like to make the movie’s music. “I got to record some of my favorite songs,” she revealed. “I usually write soundtracks but this time around, I performed the soundtracks and it was such an honor to perform Blondie and Pat Benatar. Such legends and iconic songs.”

As for how she ranks when playing Tetris, Polina said with a laugh, “I think I suck at Tetris.”

Watch Tetris Kelly talk to the Tetris cast at SXSW in Austin, Texas, above.