Rose Byrne & Kristen Wiig Reunite 15 Years After 'Bridesmaids' | Vanity Fair

Pick your genre and be like, that's what I want to go to space. Take me to space. Wait, you mean in real life? No, in the movies. Oh, oh, oh, oh. In the movies. You want to go to real life? I was like, I do not want to go to space in real life. Not in space, in real life. No, no, no. I would love to be like, we've got for this. You know what I mean? Like, oh, they're coming. And like, it's going to get me the job. Oh, they're coming. And I'm typing. Kristen, help! I just happened to be walking by. It's so crazy. I'm here. I was just sitting here. And this crew showed up. Sometimes I come to this hotel, I get ready, and I walk around hoping that I run into somebody. I mean, I knew of this incredible angel of a human being. Because I remember you had just done Get Him to the Greek, which Judd Apatow had also produced. I think that's how we met. And then you came in and we, like, read together. Yep. I remember very clearly. I came in and read with you and Paul. Yep. We did a little bit of improv. I was so nervous. I am such a fan of the icon that is Kristen Wiig, no one greater. Stop it. I'm going to be embarrassing you a lot. Please don't. I remember the first time I saw her on Saturday Night Live, I was like, oh, goodness me, this lady's magical. She's a magical lady. So then when I went in and read, I was just real nervous. Well, you couldn't tell. It was so fun. I was real nervous. And Kristen was just cool. She was cool. And she was relaxed and she was lovely. And gosh, I wish I could remember what the scene was that we did. Yeah, because I think we had different scenes for the audition, right? Probably. We didn't have, like, things from the actual movie. Things changed. Yeah, they changed a lot. I think we had to write scenes for the audition. I don't know why I'm even making that up. Because auditions are so weird. They're so weird. Especially when you're in it and you're reading and then you're like, okay, thanks, bye. And then you left and we were just like... I was like, yes! I'm so glad you guys are finally meeting. I know. I know, me too. Well, excuse me, I better go check on the hors d'oeuvres. But it was great to finally meet you. It's a great party. Enjoy. Bye. Well, I was in my third or fourth year at SNL. I'm so bad with time. But a few years in... It was a few years in, yeah. Because I remember it came out and I still had one or two years to go. And I was there for seven years. You do the math. I'm doing a weird subtraction thing that other people have to figure out. But I just remember, because I was on the show and Judd had approached me to do something. And that's when I brought on Annie and we wrote the script together. But I hadn't done... I'd done little parts and it was kind of like that was the thing on the show. You would do the show until the summer and then everyone sort of had a summer job. And this was just that summer job for me that year. And then I came back to the show. And you don't know. We were just like... We didn't know. We just did the movie and then we're like, you know, bye. And then we're like, I hope it does okay. It's like with anything. You never know. And then it comes out and then I went back to work. So... Yeah, yeah. No, no. It's crazy that you had written it, though. That's amazing to get a feature made that you wrote. I would think. Just to put words in your mouth. But you had done mostly... I had done a lot of drama, yeah. I was a serious lady. I'd been doing this show, Damages, for years, which was very... Thriller and a really fun show with Glenn Close, who was extraordinary. And in any case, I'd been dying to try it. Like anything, you'd get pigeonholed and I was like, oh my God, I'd love to try to do something funny. And then I'd started auditioning and then got this role in Get Into the Grape, which was like wildly, you know, ridiculous and fun. You were so good at that movie. So silly and fun. And then got this audition and so... And like Kristen, can never anticipate anything about a job. How it will go, will be received or anything. So it's kind of extraordinary to still be talking about it 15 years later. Oh my God, 15 years is so crazy. You know, the love for the movie and everything. But I get it. People are curious because it's such a beloved thing. But I was dying to do something funny is the answer. And then, as I said, I was such a fan of Kristen. And on the show, she was clearly kind of special. So it was, you know, you get intimidated and all that stuff, but it was... It's crazy. That's how I felt. In good times and bad times, I'll be on your side forevermore. That's what friends are for. We just went off. Yes. The books. Paul was like, just keep going. Just keep going up there. That, to me, was a very sort of gelling scene for me. Where I was like, okay. And even just for me, it was my first big part in a movie. I was just like, I felt a little more comfortable after that scene. Because we got to do it. And we only did that long run like one time or two times or something. And that was it. And then that's what's in the movie. Oh, my God. That was so silly. It was so fun. It's probably a lot. There's probably a much longer episode. It's going to be a whole film of us just going back and forth. But I remember everyone standing there, and they were really fun. Like, people were laughing. And it was just so silly. It just got so competitive and ridiculous. And I'm terrible because I'd start laughing. I was useless. Useless. Like, Wig and Meyer are so incredible. They never break. And I would be just losing it. The crew was so sick of it. But it felt, I don't know. It felt really special when we did it. But you never know. You never know. But it was so silly. So fun. Well, Kristen, we've told this story. She hired a party bus for the whole cast. And we went to a very classy place. To a very classy place. It was really fun. We went to a male strip club. Because I thought it was good for research. Kind of. Well, originally. In the original. Oh, yeah. That's right. In the original version. There was a whole sequence. That's right. We did. That's right. So, um. That's why. No, but it was so. It was a lesson to me, too. In, like, just having that experience where we all get to be together. And, like, shooting something like that with that many women. I'd never had that experience before. And some of us had known each other for a long time. And some of us, they were just, like, literally meeting that night. Or, like, with rehearsals and everything. And it was just a fun, amazing night. It was fun. And it was pretty great. Yeah, it was, like, a bonding fun. Ridiculous. Like, so fun. Yeah. Like, it's a good idea. Yeah. It was a good idea. It was a great idea. It's a party animal. That's the quote that's going to be. But it was fun. It was, like, we just, like, relaxed. Let loose. It was, like, that opportunity to do that. And it was just, like, it was so silly. Yeah. And it was a good call. And even just, like, in between takes and everything, you know, we're thinking of alts for the thing. But we're also just, like, hanging out with each other. And getting to know each other. And learning about each other. And, like, that's, like, the best part about. One of the best parts about what we do is we get to, like, be with each other. And, you know, it was, like, three months? Two and a half months? Yeah. Something like that? Yeah. I don't know what to say. You look. Megan, are you okay? Oh. I think my dress was probably just tight. Oh, my God. You got food poisoning from that restaurant, didn't you? No, I had the same thing that she had. And I feel fine. Oh, my. Okay. Oh, no. That was a sequence that came later in the writing process that we sort of embraced. And, like, okay, well, we'll write our version of this type of thing. And we just kind of made it our own. And it was, like, we don't want to see any. I love that. I don't want to see any vomit. You can find a way. You can find a way to do your version of it. Yeah, I love that. I love that. Yeah. They were right. It was just. It was funny. It was so fun to do that scene. And to see the different, like, Rose was saying, like, different characters. To see everyone's version of, like, just for example, like, not feeling well. Like, trying to hide it. Just the way. Even Ellie just politely. Like, I don't know. It was just kind of. It was fun to watch the ladies just, like, do their thing. Watching these incredible women who were all from improv comedy backgrounds. Whether it was Groundlings or UCB or SNL. Or, like, my character's kind of a straight man in a lot of the movie. But I just, like, learned. I would just watch quietly. It doesn't come across as funny. They're so funny in it. But I would just secretly be banking things. And, like, oh, wow. This and that. And this little bit of that. Or, like, the script changing. Or, like, adjusting things. Or writing to strength. Figuring out what was working. Like, it was an amazing curve for me. And, yeah. I just was. Like, schooling sounds like it's homework or something. And it was the opposite. It was just joyful. I would be, like, watching and all. Like, enjoying too much. Because I would be, like, laughing. As I said. I would be taking everybody out of the scene. And I would be laughing a lot. So, you know. But that's always fun to watch. Which, you know, can be fun for a little bit. So that was my kind of takeaway. I think, in retrospect, a little bit. Yeah. I didn't quite realize, like, how lucky I was. Not that I took advantage of it in any way. But I think, I don't know. Like, looking back, I'm kind of like, I can't believe. I was so, like, I felt very new in the acting world. And we did write it. And I was, you know, starring in it. And producing. And, like, all that stuff. Like, now, I'm like, oh, I wonder. Obviously, having done more of it, do you look back and go, oh, I wish I would have maybe, like, known this thing. Or done this differently. Like, sure. It was a huge learning experience for me. Literally, all of those three things, I did for the first time. In front of everybody. And so, I think, looking back, I'm like, okay. You do have to learn certain things. Whether you're dealing with, you know, like, the studio. Yeah. Heads of department. Yeah, heads of department. And you're just making decisions. How do you manage this? And what's your job? And what's not your job? And it was that for, that was school for me. The secret to a great marriage is not resisting the man. It's living for him. Oh. What the ****? Maxine, you're not that lost. I am not lost, Linda. I am but found. I'm curious with Maxine. Like, what that, I mean, that character is so hysterical. Thank you, Rose. And traffics in such delusion and is so entertaining. She's a little more delusional than I am. I'm like, she's much more ambitious than I am also. Yeah, she is, of course. She's like the whole driving force. Yes. I mean, there's, I will say, like, a similarity. I do have, like, a belief that everything works out. And it is supposed to work out the way it's supposed to work out. And no's are really yes's. Huh? Write that down for me. Yeah, right there. And I do believe that in life. So I think she's like that. But I just think she doesn't take no for an answer. And I do. I'm like, nope, got it, great, okay. Yeah, and obviously she's just a little more, you know, she's kind of, like, scheming in a way. But she's well-intentioned, which I guess I am. But, God, it's kind of hard to think about similarities and differences. I love you in that part. Thank you. No, it's such a, like, you get to stretch and flex and do stuff. And you're so, your physical comedy is just a chef's kiss. You're so, and you look magnificent. The outfits. The outfits are fun. They're so fun. Like, that's so fun. Yeah. That's, like, a fun part of going to work. You get to put on a thing. I know. It helps. It does. You know, to, like, become someone. I don't know. I love that more and more as I get older. Yes, me too. I'm getting into more character-y elements. I think it's, like, so fun. Yeah. But, in terms of legs, I am pretty different. You're, like, I am exhausted. It's so weird. I'm, like, is she okay? Are you, did you get any sleep? I think you should end your relationship with your therapist. Conan should not be your therapist. I know. Not that guy. That guy is terrible. But the main difference was that character. Well, I mean, there's huge differences with that character. I think she's very, very different from me. The character's incredibly hostile, Linda. And she comes from a place of hostility throughout the film. And that, because she's under such stress and trauma, whereas my default is not hostility if I'm under stress or trauma, it is a different thing. I'm, like, I go overboard in another way, but not like that. So that was hard because it was, it's not my natural default. So it was challenging to, like, constantly capture that hostility that she has, fighting everybody and cutting everybody off. And that was hard. That was counterintuitive, but fun, too, because it's like, okay, who is like that in my life? Who can I, you know, draw from? And where does that come from, that threat, that she's under threat all the time? But knowing you and seeing her, I was like, who is this person? Because it's so heartbreaking. And you are, you are hot. That's a great word because it's like everything is just, and you're waiting the whole movie for her to just, like, run over somebody with a car. And I'm just like, because I know you, yeah, no, but also I think that's a testament to your performance. But, like, from go, I was like, oh, this is her. That's who this person is. And it was, it was like, now I'm going to embarrass you. It was, like, truly one of the most amazing performances that I've seen. And I was just, from beginning to end, I was, like, blown away. Sorry, I'm embarrassing her. Let me just get this straight. You aren't going into the program anymore, and you aren't going into our apartment anymore? That's right. Why? How do you expect anything to get back to normal then? It won't. What are you talking about? It won't! Did you have moments before, because this has happened to me, like, before you shot this where you were like, I don't know. Every day. Okay. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Every day. But, like, really, truly, because that's happening and everybody's just like, do I have to pull out? Like, I don't think, I don't think I can do this. Of course. Absolutely. No, like, I didn't want to mess it up. And I was just so, you know, of course. And at the end of every day, I would be calling Mary Bronstein. Did we get this? Like, I became a little bit, like, the character's very paranoid, and I think I was, like, I'm not a method person, but in any case, you do become a little bit consumed with your subject, whether you like it or not. And I was getting, like, did we get this? I don't know if we did. Like, I was so on a track in my mind of what we needed, you know, and try to have faith, but it's like, no, I'm constantly wondering if this is going to come together. And particularly before you start. Once you're in, it's better because you're just in it, you know. But it's the anticipation before. No, I have that, I kind of have that every time. It's kind of boring. Bobby's like, can we be done? But I think it's good, too, because then when you're done, you're like, oh, my gosh, I did it. Also, it's kind of fun to be a little scared about it. I feel like you think if you're not a little bit scared, you know, sometimes then maybe re-examine, I don't know, a little bit what you're doing. Exactly. So, yeah, and I was massively, you know, very scared about doing it. Yeah, there's a lot to tackle. For this, Mary Bronstein put together a playlist and a lot of it, which is really cool, so a lot of the songs in the movie, like the Henry Nielsen song, the Hot Freak song, so all of that, she made me a playlist. So that was really fun. So we shared that, and then we did a lot of research. Like we got five weeks just her and I rehearsing together where we sat at her kitchen table three days a week and just went through. So we went through the script and we had all this prep. We spoke to mothers who had children with special needs. So we did so much. I spoke to a therapist. I did breath work. Mary's really performance-driven, so she's like, let's, like, go for it. We have this time. And that was awesome. It was so fun. I mean, I know it's very different. Some actors don't want to do that. It's, like, very spontaneous, and they don't. And it's whatever works, you know, whatever your process is. So for me, it was good, yeah. You do have to find that balance with a director of, like, you want to know they know what they want but also let you do that, right? Like, I feel a little more stifled, I think, if I know someone's watching literally, like, not, this has never happened, like, don't blink on that line. You know what I mean? Yeah, yeah. Like, that kind of stuff can take me out where I get nervous and I feel like I'm being, like, I can't relax into it. Micromanaged a little bit. Yeah, yeah. I mean, it hasn't happened often. Can I ask, because, like, when you're doing a show, I find, you end up invariably knowing more than the directors about your character, I think, when you're in a long-running series. Like, do you ever find that where you're like, yeah, you know what, I feel like you disagree about a choice because you're like, I don't know this character more intuitively than you do. No, I mean, for this show, no, only because our showrunner, he knew the character so, but also, like, collaborative. Be like, do this and do that and, like, whenever it feels right. And ten times out of ten, when it's over, it's either, like, you were right or just, like, you were right and then, like, you have both. But I do think, especially in, like, the writing, there could be things where it's like, oh, I don't know if she would. Yeah, like, halfway through season two, like, I don't know if she'd say that. And it's like, oh, yeah, you're right. Because you get to know them. You get to know them. Yeah. I feel like it's all pieces from a lot of different directors have been instrumental, whether it was, like, Paul or Nick Stoller or I was lucky enough to work with Sofia Coppola in a tiny part in Marie Antoinette. But even her, like, direction was also something I hadn't done before and discovered new things. So I feel like I've never had that thing where you work with someone again and, like, repeat it. I'm curious about that. I would love to have that relationship with somebody where you're again and again. The closest really is Nick Stoller and that's been lovely because he really gave me my shot at doing something funny and he still does. And he writes so much to Seth and I's Strength and Platonic, so I feel very close. You know, we have a great working relationship and he's really shaped my, you know, relationship with, you know, with comedy. Come on. Yeah. One second. Hey, Pinguine, how's it going? Oh, I love you too, sweetie. Bye. I love you, Pinguine. Hey, Pinguine. What? Come on. I would love to see Kristen Wiig go all out, all out, all in. What? Outer space. No. Oh, my God. I wanted to. Would you like to go to space? Because I'm obsessed with stuff like that. You would? Oh, my God. I would do that in a second. I would love for you to do what? Like, I would love for you to, like, pick your genre and be like, that's what I want to go to space. Take me to space. Wait, you mean in real life? No, in the movies. Oh, oh, oh. In the movies. In real life. You want to go in real life? I was like, I do not want to go to space in real life. Not in space in real life. No. No, no, no. I would love to be like, we've got for the, you know what I mean? Like, oh, they're coming. And like, I think it's going to get me the job. Oh, they're coming. And I'm typing. No, but I would love to just be, like, walking down the corridor and be like, the ship is arriving. I would love to see you. That's dramatic, like in space. But I would love to see you full drama. Full drama. I would love. And I'm going to say. I know you've done some of that, but I would love that. I would like to see you do a comedy in space. I think this is riding itself. I think it's riding itself. Something's in space. We're in space. Where we're going to be in space. And we're in space together. And you're going to be the wackiest. And I'm going to bring the jokes. You're going to be real serious. Typing. I get taken over by some sort of, like, alien being. AI. And you know it. But nobody believes you. Because you're the crazy. Because I'm the. You're the crazy lady. Well, she's crazy. Don't trust. Yes. Genevieve. Yes. You're. I think we're. We might have. Riding itself. Yeah. We're going to make some calls. We don't want to give away the plot, but at the end we both die. That's it. It's written itself.