Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms and Zach Galifianakis talk about repeating the plot of The Hangover in Thailand. Steve Pratt reports.

THERE’S one thing that Bradley Cooper doesn’t want to talk about in relation to The Hangover Part II – Mel Gibson’s guest appearance. Or non-appearance, as he doesn’t actually show up. He was rumoured to be taking a cameo role in the comedy sequel but doesn’t materialise in the finished film. Some stories suggested there was resistance to him appearing from cast and crew because of stories surrounding Gibson’s private life at the time.

“We’re not going to talk about that,” says Cooper, who scored a big hit with his most recent movie Limitless.

There are some surprise appearances but Gibson isn’t one of them.

He was replaced by Liam Neeson.

But when re-shoots were needed, he had to be replaced (by Nick Cassavetes) because Neeson was filming another movie.

This sequel was inevitable after the film became the highest grossing R-rated comedy in the US.

“There was some kind of lightning in a bottle that the first film captured,”

says Ed Helms, who reprises his role as hapless Stu in the sequel.

He’s joined by Cooper (Phil) and Zach Galifianakis (Alan) who, in the first film, had a wild time in Las Vegas. This time they end up hungover and confused in a hotel room in Bangkok on the eve of Stu’s wedding.

Again, the film is directed by Todd Phillips.

“It’s pretty awesome. The Wolfpack being back together again, that’s the most fun part,” says Helms.

Galifianakis adds: “The bottom line is we all enjoy working together and it’s especially good to team up with people you both like and trust.

But this movie makes a bigger thing out of the Wolfpack. It’s really become a media marketing tool.”

The story of The Hangover Part II includes a severed finger, lady boys, a monkey and the return of their Las Vegas “friend” Mr Chow (Ken Jeong).

“It’s a simple story about regular guys looking to have a good time, well, trying not to repeat the same mistakes. But then something happens.

A very bad mistake,” says Galifianakis.

“We wanted aspects we loved from the first film to be in this one, but in a fresh, totally new context,” explains Cooper. “Todd’s idea to set it in Bangkok upped the ante completely.

We had a huge car chase, motorcycles, riots, shootings. There’s a lot of action in this movie – and a lot of nudity.”

“This movie is a celebration of the human body,” says Helms, as Cooper, interrupts: “Male genitalia. Not a lot of female nudity at all actually.”

Galifianakis, an underground comedian who has become mainstream since The Hangover, had few doubts about shaving off his hair for the role.

“We had this idea that my beard was going to catch on fire in the movie, but we couldn’t logistically figure out how to do it. We talked about removing half of my beard, but it would have been too distracting to have a patch of your face off,”

he says. “ So we went with the head instead. It’s a lot easier to shave one’s head. Otherwise, I would have had to wear a beard wig, which would have been difficult.”

Helms particularly loved shooting in Thailand. “It’s just an epic adventure.

To live in Bangkok for nine weeks is an adventure on its own.

Add making a huge Hollywood movie to that and it becomes this ludicrous assault on your senses. It’s fun, exciting, intense, overwhelming and scary all at once,” he recalls.

Cooper is pleased that the friendship between Phil and Alan fills out in the sequel. “That’s my favourite part about this movie, because their relationship becomes really rich – it’s like making a movie with your brothers,” he says. Even though there’s clearly a lot riding on this follow- up movie, the actors deny they are worried about how it will be received.

“I don’t think any of us are nervous at all. We’re just excited, like having something cool you want to show your friend,” says Cooper.

While there’s already talk about a third film, he’s adamant we shouldn’t jump the gun – for now. “We’re just going to wait and see what happens with the second one and not get ahead of ourselves,” he says. “Hopefully people will like it, but right now we’re just focused on getting the second one out there.”

• The Hangover Part II (15) opens in cinemas today Thursday.