Craig Robinson has developed a reputation as a scene-stealer in movies like Knocked Up and Pineapple Express and every Thursday on The Office. His biggest role yet, and the one that might take him from recognizable face to household name, is in Kevin Smith's Zack and Miri Make a Porno, opening this Friday. Just as he has been in everything we've seen him in recently, Robinson is hysterical in Zack and Miri, as the male title character's friend and co-worker and the guy they turn to for production help with "Star Whores" (don't ask, just see it).

Zack and Miri is Smith's best film in years and it's in no small part due to the best cast he's ever assembled, including Robinson, Seth Rogen, Elizabeth Banks, and Justin Long. Having interviewed over a hundred celebrities, I have to say that Craig Robinson was one of the most gracious and appreciative that I've ever spoken to. He's the kind of guy who I really liked before because of what he does on-screen, but it's impossible not to like him even more after speaking to him. Craig was kind enough to give The Deadbolt a call this week and shoot the sh*t about his rising fame, working with Kevin Smith, and even his favorite episode of The Office.

THE DEADBOLT: I'm old enough to remember when Clerks came out and all the controversy surrounding the language in that movie, so I was stunned that Zack and Miri got an R. It's just as raunchy, if not crazier. When you were filming it, did you think to yourself, "This scene or line is never gonna make the final cut"?

CRAIG ROBINSON: No. When I saw it the other day, I thought that. [laughs] It was just business as usual on the set. But when I saw it, I was taken aback and like "Oh, my God." It's raunchy. "That's what everyone was talking about." And the way Kevin can make it look like there was porn going on. He's pretty slick.

THE DEADBOLT: Let's go back to the beginning. How'd you get this part?

ROBINSON: I was called in to audition with Kevin and Seth [Rogen] was in there reading with folks. I read with Seth and the script was top secret. I got there and Kevin was like, "Hey, I'm a big fan of The Office. I love what you do." And I was like, "I love what YOU do." So, he gave me the sides and I came on out and Seth and I did it and we improv'd and had some fun with it.

THE DEADBOLT: Were you a fan of Kevin's movies?

ROBINSON: Absolutely. I always thought he had his finger on the pulse of pop culture. Especially the stuff that we always talk about - the stuff that guys say. Chasing Amy, you know? I always enjoyed his stuff.

THE DEADBOLT: How is Kevin different from, say, David Gordon Green [the director of Pineapple Express]?

ROBINSON: Well, Kevin is real laid back and kind of lets you do your thing. There's a lot of trust in there. I mean, there's trust with everybody. But he's kind of chill. And when he wanted to inspire or step in, he would. For instance, when I had that scene with Tisha Campbell, she came out just improvising on all cylinders, just going. I was like, "Whoa." I just kind of sat there and took it. And Kevin was like, "Are you gonna take that?" And that triggered me to go after her. Gordon Green is just crazy, period. He's a crazy genius, and he's very silly. He would get in there and dance with you and suggest all kinds of crazy things to do such as "stick your hands in the food."

THE DEADBOLT: It sounds to me like both of your huge movies this year allow for a lot of improv.

ROBINSON: Yes, that's true, especially Pineapple. We took some time developing those characters before we put 'em to character. With Zack and Miri, there was improv mostly on the day. So, we had some fun with that. I always looked forward to doing Kevin's words, so I would improv a little less. You see how it came out.

THE DEADBOLT: Do you think you would be uncomfortable if you had a director and writer who said, "You have to stick to the script"?

ROBINSON: Not at all, I can go either way. I'm a hired hand, you know - "What do you need me to do? Okay, I will stand here and say that."

THE DEADBOLT: That brings up an interesting point. The movie is about people desperate for cash. What's the worst gig you ever had just for the money?

ROBINSON: I don't [think] of anything off-hand that was horrible. I was a waitress once. [laughs] I used to be a bouncer. Well, not a bouncer, but the guy who runs and gets people and says, "Hey, they're over there fighting." Then I would collect the money at the door. For whatever reason, they were short on people serving drinks one night and I actually started walking around with an apron.

THE DEADBOLT: Good tips?

ROBINSON: Yeah. I had my legs showing. [laughs]

THE DEADBOLT: With all the improv in the movie, is there any line or anything you're particularly proud of that you can take credit for?

ROBINSON: I can't think of one line but I really like the scene with Seth and I toward the end. I remember doing that scene. I think that was the scene I auditioned with. So that one always stands out for me.

THE DEADBOLT: Have you seen it with an audience yet? Good response?

ROBINSON: They were howling, and my parents were there. It might have been crazy to bring them there but we had a blast. It was well-received. It feels different. This is my biggest role to date and I can feel something different. I can't put my finger on it. Maybe it's the way the girls are looking at me. There's something special about this role. I'm looking forward to seeing this movie come out.

THE DEADBOLT: Are you finding yourself getting more recognized after the big summer you've had?

ROBINSON: Yeah. Well, in terms of The Office, with the repeats on TBS. A lot of people are falling in love with the show and they see you and they think they know you - "Daryl?" I definitely get noticed from The Office, first and foremost, then people start to say Knocked Up and Pineapple. And you got the weird people who will say Sketch Pad or Def Jam.

THE DEADBOLT: Knocked Up, Walk Hard and Pineapple - great movies. How did you get hooked up with the Apatow crew that seems so loyal to the same actors every time?

ROBINSON: I got hooked up with Allison Jones, who is also the casting director for The Office. She brought me in for Knocked Up. The love I got from there, they brought me to the table reads for Pineapple. We did a couple of table reads, we were rehearsing, and I still didn't have an offer! "Okay, am I in this or not?" You just kind of go and see what happens. That's what I did. And, as a result, I was in it.

THE DEADBOLT: Why do you think that crew keeps hitting every time? What are they doing right?

ROBINSON: Judd is SO hard-working. He told Seth and Evan [Goldberg, the co-writer of Pineapple Express], "Come up with a hundred or fifty movie ideas." And they're in the process of making like twenty of 'em. There's no shortage of hard work. And then you got these funny people, and he doesn't skimp on getting the funny people to work with. So you got great writers, the challenge of coming up with great ideas, and people who can execute it.

THE DEADBOLT: Do you ever see yourself not having enough time to do both film and TV?

ROBINSON: I'm not tired at all. It's not SO much going on. There's a lot and I'm very busy, but, at the same time, I'm in The Office seven out of fourteen weeks. So there's time to do other projects. I don't know. If that day comes, I don't know how I would do it because they would have to pry me out of The Office with my cold dead hands.

THE DEADBOLT: So, there's not one you prefer doing?

ROBINSON: I love 'em both. I've been having the time of life just doing these interviews. [laughs] I'm very excited.

THE DEADBOLT: Do you have a favorite episode of The Office?

ROBINSON: I won't be biased. I'll choose one I'm not in. The one where Dwight said he was going to the dentist and that stand-off with him and Steve. I wish I was there that day to watch that. Steve knew he was lying. That one always comes back to me.

THE DEADBOLT: What comedians inspired you to do what you're doing now?

ROBINSON: There's a list - Richard Pryor, Bill Cosby. People that you're just sitting there crying and I wasn't even supposed to be listening to them. Eddie Murphy. This is how I learned to do comedy, studying this man right here. Martin Mull. He did a Live at the Roxy that I'm still trying to get a copy of. A bit of genius, you got to see this thing. Steve Martin. Steve Wright.

THE DEADBOLT: What were your favorite comedies?

ROBINSON: Which Way Is Up. A Fish Called Wanda. Any of the Naked Guns. Airplane! I enjoy the comedy.

THE DEADBOLT: Do you ever see yourself doing something dramatic?

ROBINSON: As a matter of fact, I have a short film that I did that's at this Donkaphant Film Festival in Los Angeles. I play a prisoner on death row. So, yes, I definitely am getting started on that end as well.

THE DEADBOLT: Any other future projects? Playboys?

ROBINSON: Playboys is a film project from two of the guys from The Whitest Kids U'Know. It's silly. I was so glad to get it. It was the first audition I had after Knocked Up came out, so it was cool to get that role. Those guys - Zack and Trevor - couldn't have been cooler. We had a ball shooting it. I got Night at the Museum 2 coming out.

THE DEADBOLT: Tell us something about that.

ROBINSON: I play a Tuskegee Airmen. Keith Powell from 30 Rock and I play Tuskegee Airmen and we have an interesting relationship as he annoys me. Even if we're in battle, he annoys me. I'm in The Goods, directed by Neal Brennan and starring Jeremy Piven. I got a few things happening next year.

Zack and Miri Make a Porno opens this Friday, October 31st.