KUALA LUMPUR, May 27 — She may be known for comedic roles in television series such as Friends and Web Therapy but actress Lisa Kudrow wouldn’t mind adding a period piece to her resume.
Speaking to South-east Asian press members while promoting her latest project in the Netflix comedy Space Force, Kudrow was asked if there was a role or genre she’d like to attempt but never had the chance.
"No, not really, I don’t feel like there’s something I haven’t done that I’d like to do,” she said at first.
The 56-year-old quickly changed her mind and brought up one of her most iconic film roles, the 1997 cult comedy Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion which she starred alongside Mira Sorvino.
Newcomer Diana Silvers, who plays Erin Naird in the series grew up watching ‘Friends’ and ‘The Office’. — Picture courtesy of Netflix
"I guess I wouldn’t mind a period piece that’s not like Romy and Michele, that period of their life, so yeah I wouldn’t mind,” she said of the cult film about two friends who fake their careers to impress their ex-classmates at their 10-year high school reunion.
The Los Angeles-based actress was joined by her Space Force on-screen daughter, Diana Silvers, during the interview which was conducted on Zoom.
The series, created by Steve Carell and Greg Daniels who worked on The Office, centres on a four-star general (Carell) who is tapped by the White House to lead a new branch of the armed forces with the goal of achieving total space dominance and getting American boots on the moon again by 2024.
Kudrow plays Maggie Naird, the wife of Carell’s character Mark R. Naird while Silvers takes on the role of their daughter Erin.
All it took for Kudrow to sign on to the show was a text from Carell which read: "Play my wife, it’ll be fun.”
Described as a new kind of workplace comedy, Space Force boasts a star-studded cast that includes John Malkovich, Tawny Newsome, Ben Schwartz (Parks and Recreation), Jimmy O. Yang (Crazy Rich Asian), Alex Sparrow and the late Fred Willard.
Given the lineup of comedians in the cast, Kudrow and Silvers found it hard to pick the funniest person in real life.
From left: ‘Space Force’ boasts a star-studded cast which includes John Malkovich, Steve Carell and Ben Schwartz. — Picture courtesy of Netflix
"I didn’t work with everybody, I worked with Steve and Diana — they’re funny,” Kudrow said.
Silvers, on the other hand, gushed about Ben Schwartz’s comedic prowess.
"I don’t know if anyone has seen Middleditch and Schwartz on Netflix but God, that Ben Schwartz really knows how to improv.
"Everyone is really funny in their own way it’s rude to compare but if you haven’t seen Middleditch and Schwartz I really recommend it, he’s just so funny,” the 22-year-old said.
A rising star who grew up watching characters like Phoebe Buffay and Michael Scott immortalised by her Space Force parents, Silvers previously worked with Kudrow on the coming-of-age comedy Booksmart where they bonded instantly.
"It’s great and cool that I get to work with the actors that play those characters — obviously, characters that I grew up watching, it’s fun to work with them,” Silvers said.
"I had a chemistry read with Steve Carell for the final round of auditioning and we hit it off, he’s a really easy person to talk to and be around,” Silvers said.
Space Force streams on Netflix from May 29 onwards.
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