Justine Lupe on the unexpected chemistries that power Netflix's ‘Nobody Wants This'
For any good rom-com, chemistry is key, as Netflix's smash hit series Nobody Wants This so delightfully demonstrates. But it isn't just the romantic relationship between leading love interests Joanne (Kristin Bell) and Noah (Adam Brody) that gives the show its spark: The crackling repartee between sisters and podcasting partners Joanne and Morgan (Justine Lupe) — calling each other out with affection, mostly — proved just as crucial to the show's appeal, and that special alchemy was almost instantaneous.
"I've got to be honest: I feel like it happened pretty quickly!" Lupe told Gold Derby at a recent FYC event for the series at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, where she and castmates Bell, Brody, Timothy Simons and Jackie Tohn joined series creator Erin Foster and her sister Sara Foster, also a producer on the show, to record an episode of their own real-life podcast.
More from GoldDerby
'Wicked: For Good' trailer teases more monkeys, a wedding, and Dorothy
Walton Goggins and Aimee Lou Wood: The debunked 'White Lotus' feud explained
'What We Do in the Shadows' cast on alternate series finale endings and the parody that didn't work
"I think Kristen's such an incredible actress, and I kind of just made it my mission: If I focused on her, if I put my attention on her, that everything would kind of fall into place and that it would be easeful and that the chemistry would just be there," said Lupe. "Because she's such an open person, and I know myself and I'm a really open person, so the dialogue was there, the script was in place and the direction was there. So I think just us being present with each other kind of did enough that there was some good chemistry from the very beginning."Lupe also found fertile opportunities to create an unpredictably off-kilter bond — part feud and part fondness — between Morgan and Noah's unfiltered, often socially maladroit brother Sasha, played by Simons; though Sasha is devoted to his domineering wife Esther (Tohn), viewers were left wondering if the pair's chemistry might percolate into something… more.
"You'll have to see what happens this [coming] season in terms of our dynamic, but I think last season we kind of were kept in the dark about what exactly was going on between them," Lupe teased while describing how she and Simons came at crafting their banter.
"We wanted to play the kind of magnetism that was there and the chemistry was there and the attraction that was there without kind of veering it too far into a necessarily romantic attraction," she revealed. "And so living in that gray space was really interesting for both of us, especially because as an adult you really do understand what that dynamic is when you have your own kind of life and your own relationships, but you meet someone later on that brings out a different energy in you."
Lupe pointed out the sparks that fly between several of the show's characters, romantically entangled and otherwise, as the show both leans into and upends romantic comedy traditions.
"There's just incredible chemistry and I think that's a big part of every good rom-com," she said. "I like that they're doing something a little bit different, coming into the romance at a different time than we normally see people coming into a romantic relationship in their lives. I like that these people are in their late thirties and they're finding each other when they're more evolved and they know themselves really well, and yet there's still a lot to learn about each other and themselves and a lot of growing to do."
Erin Foster told Gold Derby that she knows that as the show heads into its second season there's an inherent challenge in adapting the established rom-com formula into a long-form streaming series, finding a steady stream of fresh and believable obstacles to challenge Joanne and Noah's relationship, but "the best way to do it is the real-life small challenges."
"The first year of a relationship is all the tricky stuff of how you merge your friends and what the day-to-day looks like and how you see the next five years," she said. "To me that's the easier way to create challenges instead of the big formulaic stuff. It's really like the small stuff."
"I think that's why Erin, her writing resonates so much with people, because she writes complicated, messy real-life stories" added Sara Foster. "Real-life relationships are not simple. They're multifaceted. They take a long time to get to where you kind of want to go, and so there's a lot to cover."
"There's a lot of small stuff!" the sisters said in unison.
Season 2 of Nobody Wants This will premiere Oct. 23.
Best of GoldDerby
Chloë Sevigny on Kitty Menendez and 'Monsters' fascination: 'People are endlessly curious about those who have privilege and abuse it'
Jason Isaacs relives filming 'The White Lotus' piña colada scene: 'It was one of the reasons I was worried about taking the job'
Kaitlyn Dever on playing 'horrible' characters in 'Last of Us', 'Apple Cider Vinegar': 'I just don't see any other option but to give 100 percent'
Click here to read the full article.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
26 minutes ago
- Yahoo
‘Awards Chatter' Pod: Kate Hudson on ‘Running Point,' Pros and Cons of Rom-Com Success and How Sia Inspired Her to Pursue a Music Career
Kate Hudson, the Golden Globe-winning and Critics Choice, SAG, BAFTA and Academy award-nominated actress who has been a bona fide movie star for 25 years, is getting some of her best reviews in years for her recent pivot to TV with the Netflix comedy series Running Point, on which she serves as an EP and plays a version of Jeanie Buss, the owner of the Los Angeles Lakers. Last week, the inaugural Newport Beach TV Fest honored her with its Performer of the Year Award (Actress) — but first, she sat down at the fest with THR to record an episode of our Awards Chatter podcast. Over the course of the conversation, Hudson, 46, reflected on what she learned from growing up with Goldie Hawn as her mother and Kurt Russell are her stepfather, but also how she sought to distance herself from them as she tried to break into the business. She dished about how she came to Cameron Crowe's 2000 film Almost Famous, first in the role of the protagonist's sister, and then, following the departure of Sarah Polley from the project, the role of a groupie. She expressed gratitude for the success of 2003's How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days but admitted disappointment and frustration at the rom-com box into which it placed her for many years thereafter. And she credited singer/songwriter Sia, who directed her in the controversial 2021 film Music, with inspiring her to pursue a music career of her own. More from The Hollywood Reporter Netflix Reveals First Details of 'Stranger Things' Animated Series, Award Contender 'In Your Dreams' Before Saving the Shop in 'Tires' Season 2, Thomas Haden Church Hadn't Heard of the Show Netflix Reveals First Look at 'Building The Band' Series, Confirms Liam Payne Guest Judge Role In relation to Running Point, she spoke about how her attitude about TV has changed over the course of her career, to the extent that she was willing to commit to an ongoing series for only the second time ever; her long personal history with Buss, and how that has helped her to play the part; her hopes for the future of the show; plus much more. Best of The Hollywood Reporter 'The Studio': 30 Famous Faces Who Play (a Version of) Themselves in the Hollywood-Based Series 22 of the Most Shocking Character Deaths in Television History A 'Star Wars' Timeline: All the Movies and TV Shows in the Franchise
Yahoo
26 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Jason Isaacs on Receiving Equal Pay as ‘White Lotus' Co-Stars: 'I Never Work for Money'
Jason Isaacs is sharing his thoughts on receiving the same pay for The White Lotus as his co-stars. The actor, who played Timothy Ratliff, the patriarch of the Ratliff family, on season three of Mike White's hit series, recently confirmed to Vulture that each actor earned $40,000 an episode. While that's low for a show of this scale, Isaacs said it didn't impact his decision to join the cast. More from The Hollywood Reporter Sam Nivola Would Never Turn Down an Opportunity to Work With Mike White 'Awards Chatter' Live Pod: Sam Rockwell on That 'White Lotus' Monologue, 'Three Billboards' Award Season and Upcoming Martin McDonagh Reunion 'Wild Horse Nine' 'The White Lotus' DP Breaks Down His Favorite Shot of Season 3 'I didn't know that was public knowledge. That's absolutely true,' he admitted. 'Generally actors don't talk about pay in public because it's ridiculously disproportionate to what we do — putting on makeup and funny voices — and just upsets the public. But compared to what people normally get paid for big television shows, that's a very low price. But the fact is, we would have paid to be in it. We probably would have given a body part.' When asked if he minded being paid the same as some of his fellow White Lotus co-stars who have shorter acting résumés, such as Patrick Schwarzenegger and Aimee Lou Wood, Isaacs responded, 'I never work for money.' 'I mean, I've done all right,' he added about his financial status. 'People will think I have huge stockpiles of money but sadly, what I've done rather immaturely is expand my outgoings to match my incomings and pretty much spent everything I've earned over the years.' Following the release of the HBO show's third season, producer David Bernad told The Hollywood Reporter, 'Everyone is treated the same on The White Lotus. They get paid the same, and we do alphabetical billing, so you're getting people who want to do the project for the right reasons, not to quote The Bachelor. It's a system we developed in the first season because there was no money to make the show.' Casting director Meredith Tucker added about the equal pay policy, 'It makes it so much easier. You tell people this is what it is. And some won't do it — and honestly, you can't hold it against people who need to make a living. Our series regulars are pretty much doing this for scale.' Before Isaacs' iconic role as Timothy Ratliff, he had long been capturing audiences' attention with his performances in dozens of other projects, including the Harry Potter franchise, Star Trek: Discovery and his breakout role in 2000's The Patriot, opposite Mel Gibson. Elsewhere in his interview with Vulture, Isaacs also shared where his relationship stands with Gibson, following the actor's antisemitic remarks in 2006 while being arrested for drunk driving. 'He's said and done some things that are unconscionable and unforgivable,' the Peter Pan actor said, admitting that he hasn't had much to do with his former co-star since the whole ordeal. 'I was invited by my friend to some charity cricket event for Australians in film,' Isaacs recalled. 'And he said, 'If you come, Mel will.' And I said, 'I don't want to see Mel.' I hadn't seen him since that terrible antisemitic outburst when he got stopped by the police. And my friend said, 'Come on, mate. We'll get loads of money for charity.'' He continued, 'So I went, and Mel was there, and he called 'Jace' across the room, very friendly. I went, 'Rabbi Gibson, how are we?' He came up and he said, 'I was really drunk, man. I was trying to get him to hit me or shoot me or something. I'm having a terrible time.' And he proceeded to unload some very personal things. He's not my friend, but — maybe to my eternal shame — I forgave him instantly because he was there making himself vulnerable.' Isaacs later clarified that he's 'not saying I forgive Mel,' but 'if he knocked on my door tonight and said, 'Look, my hotel's canceled. Can I stay?' I'd say, 'Yes,' probably.' Best of The Hollywood Reporter 'The Studio': 30 Famous Faces Who Play (a Version of) Themselves in the Hollywood-Based Series 22 of the Most Shocking Character Deaths in Television History A 'Star Wars' Timeline: All the Movies and TV Shows in the Franchise
Yahoo
26 minutes ago
- Yahoo
‘Awards Chatter' Live Pod: Sam Rockwell on That ‘White Lotus' Monologue, ‘Three Billboards' Award Season and Upcoming Martin McDonagh Reunion ‘Wild Horse Nine'
Sam Rockwell, the Academy, Golden Globe, SAG, Critics Choice, BAFTA and Spirit award-winning and Emmy- and Tony award-nominated character actor who has been giving outstanding performances for more than 30 years, was honored last week at the inaugural Newport Beach TV Fest with the Supporting Performance of the Year Award. The prize was given in recognition of Rockwell's showstopping portrayal of Frank, an American sex addict living in Thailand who reconnects with his old friend Rick (Walton Goggins), on the third installment of HBO's The White Lotus. In the middle of a ceremony at Newport Beach's Lido Theatre that began with a clip of Rockwell's hilariously unforgettable White Lotus monologue and that ended with the festival's director presenting him with his award, the 56-year-old sat down in front of an audience of some 300 fest attendees to record an episode of THR's Awards Chatter podcast with yours truly — his second, following one in 2018 — which you can hear below. More from The Hollywood Reporter 'The White Lotus' DP Breaks Down His Favorite Shot of Season 3 'Awards Chatter' Pod: Kate Hudson on 'Running Point,' Pros and Cons of Rom-Com Success and How Sia Inspired Her to Pursue a Music Career Mike White Is Going on 'Survivor 50' Because It's "What I Have to Do to Get a Vacation These Days" Rockwell has been described by the New York Times as a 'one-man gallery of rogues, crooks and oddballs,' by Roger Ebert as 'a latter-day version of Christopher Walken,' by Martin McDonagh as 'the greatest actor of his generation' and by George Clooney as 'easily one of the best actors I've ever seen.' Over the course of this episode, he reflected on early milestones in his career, including 1996's Box of Moonlight, 2002's Confessions of a Dangerous Mind, 2008's Choke, 2009's Moon and 2010's Conviction; his numerous stage and screen collaborations with McDonagh, the most famous being the 2017 film Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, for which he won many of the aforementioned awards, as well as the forthcoming Wild Horse Nine; and how he learned his White Lotus monologue with the assistance of Leslie Bibb, his life partner since 2007 and his co-star in The White Lotus. Best of The Hollywood Reporter 'The Studio': 30 Famous Faces Who Play (a Version of) Themselves in the Hollywood-Based Series 22 of the Most Shocking Character Deaths in Television History A 'Star Wars' Timeline: All the Movies and TV Shows in the Franchise
