Lauren Sarner
He’s taking a slice of it.
Jason Biggs, best known for “Orange Is the New Black” and “American Pie,” said the latter helped get him his latest gig hosting the Netflix baking competition series, “Blue Ribbon Baking Championship.”
“This opportunity came along, and I thought it was a great idea. Of course, there’s the the obvious connection to baking from my early career,” Biggs, 46, told The Post, referring to the “American Pie” franchise.
He added, “I think there’s a lot of fun to be had with that. I certainly had fun winking at the camera sometimes, and having some of those jokes in my back pocket . . . I also thought it was really cool that we brought 10 incredible amateur bakers from around the country to come in . . . It’s fascinating to see how much talent there is around the country.”
Premiering Aug. 9 on Netflix, “Blue Ribbon Baking Championship” features 10 award-winning pastry masters from various state fairs who compete against each other for the chance to win $100,000. Biggs hosts the show along with food and lifestyle expert Sandra Lee.
Biggs has always been interested in TV hosting, “But it really sort of took off in earnest the last couple of years,” he noted.
Regardless of his other roles, however, he said that his early work in the “American Pie” franchise sticks with him most. Luckily, references to it haven’t gotten old.
“I’m at a stage in my life and my career where I am all about leaning in,” said Biggs. “I’ve always said I love a good pie joke, as long as I’m making it.”
“First of all, I’m so grateful for ‘American Pie,’ ” he went on. “It’s one of the most incredible projects I’ve ever been a part of. It’s given me so much. No matter what else I do in my career, I will always be known for that role, for sure. I’d like to be known for other things as well. But I will never not be the pie guy from the ‘American Pie’ movies, and that’s great. So why not take advantage of that?”
Biggs doesn’t mind being “self-deprecating” and having “some fun” with his “American Pie” legacy.
“Why not make some money on it? What the hell? So here I am, 46 years old and I have a couple of private school tuitions that I have to deal with,” he said.
Biggs and his wife, actress Jenny Mollen, live in Manhattan with their sons Sid, 10, and Lazlo, 6.
Biggs has starred in four “American Pie” movies to date, between 1999 and 2012, alongside a cast including Jennifer Coolidge, Natasha Lyonne, Seann William Scott, Alyson Hannigan and Eugene Levy.
“I would totally do another one. It’s all about obviously the material and the story and making sure that we’re doing right by all of these characters. And it’s obviously about everyone being involved. There’s a lot of moving parts,” Biggs said.
He added, “So it’s been difficult to get another one off the ground. But I’ve never had more fun than I have on a set than I have on, on those movies. So, of course, I would totally be down to do another one.”
Between that movie franchise and “Orange Is the New Black,” Biggs said, “There hasn’t been a whole lot that I’ve done in my career that [my sons] can watch. So I think they’re excited that they can watch this [show] with me.”
This post was originally posted by NYPost
GIPHY App Key not set. Please check settings