Paul Giamatti’s lengthy filmography is filled with treasures, including the broad 2000 comedy “Big Momma’s House.” In the film, Martin Lawrence plays an FBI agent who has to go undercover as a larger-than-life grandma — the eponymous Big Momma — to track down an escaped criminal. Giamatti plays Lawrence’s partner, Agent Jonathan Maxwell, mostly serving as the straight man to Big Momma.

While the film might not be as critically lauded as Giamatti vehicles like “Sideways” and “The Holdovers,” “Big Momma’s House” was a hit that spawned two sequels and endless play on cable television. Variety recently spoke with Giamatti about the project as it approaches its 25th anniversary this summer.

“Holy cow. Twenty-five years, ‘Big Momma’s House,'” Giamatti said. “Nobody has brought up ‘Big Momma’s House’ in a long time. That was fun, it was ridiculous. The memories — it was kind of mayhem. What’s funny about that, whenever I think about that movie,...