The original comedy series HBO The Franchise came to the streaming platform Max on Sunday, October 6. The fiction aims to tell the behind-the-scenes of superhero movies in a satirical tone and has as executive producer Sam Mendeswho also directed the first episode.
Daniel Bruhl and Jessica Hynes They talked about their characters “Eric” and “Steph” and their experiences filming the series.
Q: Daniel, to what extent did your character Eric’s struggles as a franchise film director resonate with you as an actor?
DB: A lot of that. And that’s why I was really struggling to get this project, which is usually not the case because I’m too old, proud and lazy. (Laughs) But somehow the script landed on my desk. I read a couple of scenes and thought, ‘Oh God, I know this so well’ because I’ve been there; I’ve been in these franchise movies. Also, I directed a movie that I’m very proud of, but that only a few people have seen. Then I was also on the other side. I appreciate and understand Eric’s struggle and the pressure he feels. No matter how moody, narcissistic and painful he is, I felt deep empathy. So I wanted to play the character. The whole show is such an ingenious idea. It’s not like, ‘Ha ha ha, we’re making fun of these movies,’ but it’s an endearing story about the people who work so hard on them, but in the end they don’t get credit; They are not standing on the red carpet. I found that to be a very strong aspect of the program.
Q: Speaking of crew members who don’t get credit: Jessica, what elements of Steph as a script supervisor were you eager to show?
JH: I was excited to play someone who is really competent at a job that I would never be good at. It’s a very specific type of brain that can do that kind of tippity-tap-tap work, you know? It’s so technical, so complicated and constant. The script also gave me these crazy moments and outlandish ridiculousness. I guess one aspect of people who work behind the scenes is that they are not self-aware. No one ever looks at Steph. So there’s a kind of freedom in that. She is his job. Its importance and value are due to the supervision of its script. It doesn’t matter how you dress or what you look like. Also, something that’s very interesting is that the script supervisor is a one-person department. You don’t answer to anyone. You don’t have minions, but you also technically don’t have a boss beyond your director and your ADs. But most people turn to you because you are the one who has all the knowledge. You are the one who has the power.
Q: How would you describe Steph and Eric’s relationship?
JH: At first, she thinks Eric is a fantastic director. Truly. He wants to support him in every way and feels empathy for him.
DB: She’s my only ally, really. I can’t deny it, when I read the first episodes, I was sure she would be your love interest.
JH: Maybe no one else is reading that. [dinámica]but I’m definitely playing it. I think that when you are so focused on another person and constantly supporting them, you will inevitably start to feel an emotional connection, which could be unwanted. But I do think that maybe she loves Eric.
Q: Daniel, this is one of your first comedic roles. How does this feel at this stage of your career?
DB: Sometimes you have to wait a long time for something like this. I am 46 years old and have been working for 25 years. So it’s an absolute gift. It was like being invited to a wedding with the funniest people in front of and behind the camera.; the best of England and America; from film and television, theater, Broadway and stand-up comedy. So these three creators? It was a silver platter. I learned a lot from watching everyone and absorbing their energy; how they do their job. Ultimately, comedy is a difficult thing; It’s finding the rhythm, you have to find the jazz, the tuning. If you’re a second late, the joke doesn’t work.
JH: There’s an addiction to working with people who absolutely want to find the optimal kind of funny, the optimal joke, the optimal moment. And that happens during pre-production, in writing and creating, then on set, and then in post-production. Comedy is a drug! At some point in my formative life, I made someone laugh and I thought, ‘Oh my God, this feels so good.’ And I love it more and more.
DB: What also gave me a boost of energy is that we were working on something fresh, new and that hadn’t been done before. That made me happy every day.
What is The Franchise like, the new HBO and Max series
The Franchise follows the team of an unloved franchise film fighting for its place in a wild and unruly cinematic universe. The comedy series sheds light on the secret chaos that reigns in the world of superhero cinema, to raise the question: How exactly are these movies made? Because every screw-up has an origin story.
The main characters are Himesh Patel like Daniel, Aya Cash like Anita, Jessica Hynes Like Steph, Billy Magnussen like Adam, Lolly Adefope like Dag, Darren Goldstein like pat e Isaac Powell Like Bryson. Recurring guest stars include Richard E. Grant like Peter and Daniel Bruhl Like Eric.
Executive producers are Sam Mendes, Pippa Harris, Nicolas Brown and Julie Pastor for Neal Street Productions; Armando Iannucci for Dundee Productions; Jon Brown and Jim Kleverweis. The pilot was directed by Sam Mendes and written by Jon Brown, who is also the showrunner.
The Franchise is available on Max and HBO.
Source: Ambito
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