Movies

‘The Studio’ creators say guest stars like Ron Howard helped ground the show in reality

BBG News

For his episode of “The Studio,” Ron Howard really wanted to do his best.

In the comedy series “Hollywood” on Apple TV+, produced by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, the director of “A Beautiful Mind,” who was once a child actor, appeared as a character in the show. This Ron Howard wasn’t the usual, nice Ron Howard; instead, he played a somewhat rude version of himself in this alternate universe portrayal.

Goldberg recalls that he was exceptionally focused on giving an outstanding performance. It had been quite a while since he exhibited such dedication. He enrolled in acting classes and made every effort to present himself in the best possible light.

Rogen adds: “We would rehearse over Zoom; he wanted to read the scenes a bunch of times.”

Howard even suggested movies of his they could make fun of in the script.

In this groundbreaking first season of “The Studio,” I’m proud to be part of an illustrious lineup of celebrities, including the Academy Award winner and iconic “Happy Days” star. Each thrilling half-hour episode presents a unique challenge for my character, Matt Remick, offering a juicy role for esteemed directors or actors to poke fun at themselves. Besides myself, you’ll see Martin Scorsese, Charlize Theron, Nicholas Stoller, Sarah Polley, Greta Lee, and Anthony Mackie grace our screens—and that’s just in the first three episodes! The latest episode is now streaming. In the coming episodes, Zoë Kravitz, Dave Franco, Zac Efron, Olivia Wilde, and Ramy Youssef join us—to name a few. So why are so many famous faces mocking themselves? Well, it’s all part of the fun and excitement that “The Studio” brings!

Goldberg states, “We consistently emphasized a desire to avoid an over-the-top, unrealistic portrayal. Instead, we aimed for something authentic, reflecting real life and the experiences of those in Hollywood. This was our guiding principle.

I’m captivated by the fact that Rogen, Goldberg, Peter Huyck, Alex Gregory, and Frida Perez collaboratively brought “The Studio” to life. While Perez may be a fresh face in the scene, Huyck and Gregory have a rich background in scriptwriting. They drew inspiration from their work on a series that laid the groundwork for how “The Studio” would approach guest appearances – namely, “The Larry Sanders Show.” This iconic program featured Garry Shandling as the lead character, who interviewed real celebrities on his fictional talk show.

According to Huyck, during their first chat with Goldberg and Rogen, they bonded over their shared love for “The Larry Sanders Show.” This mutual interest served as a connection point. Later on, they proposed an idea: “We’ve been binge-watching it during the pandemic, and since you were its writers, would you consider working with us on a show where celebrities play fictionalized versions of themselves? This new series would delve into their personal lives, reflecting our current experiences at that time.

Review

‘The Studio’ lampoons the Hollywood showbiz machine with a deep bench of stars

This Apple TV+ comedy, conceived by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, delights in the world of films while humorously portraying the behind-the-scenes situations that led to their production, resulting in a laugh-out-loud experience.

In collaboration with Perez, they conceptualized a show where every episode addresses a distinct, smaller problem in Hollywood, viewed from the perspective of constantly anxious Matt. They stumbled upon several themes during pre-writing meetings with executives.

In a conversation, Gregory shares a tale about an executive who’s petrified to deliver a note to a director, which he refers to as a significant event in their narrative. Another executive confided in the writers that they would weep the entire car ride home if the performer failed to express gratitude during an award show speech. Later on in the series, Matt experiences this situation at the Golden Globes.

Matching the guest star to the scenario was a meticulous exercise.

To illustrate, consider the case of Howard. In the episode titled “The Note,” Matt finds himself in a position where he must convey to a renowned film director that the closing act of his movie is flawed. The creators, Rogen and Goldberg, sought an individual with a reputation for being exceptionally amiable, so they could challenge this image, as well as someone who had both critical acclaim and commercial success, making them difficult to criticize from a producer’s perspective. Additionally, they required a person who had made a film featuring a surprising ending roughly around the time when Matt would have begun his career in Hollywood. On screen, Matt is grappling with the aftermath of telling Howard years ago that it was a poor idea to save the revelation that Paul Bettany’s character wasn’t real until the end of “A Beautiful Mind.

“The Venn diagram of what we were looking for and who exists was literally Ron Howard,” Rogen says.

If the creators weren’t able to secure the main actor they had tailored the script for, they would simply compose a fresh episode with different characters instead.

Rogen stated that only a handful of individuals worldwide met the criteria for the test screening, but unfortunately, none of them were available.

1. There’s a possibility that the project will be released in the future, especially if there’s a second season: They plan on revisiting then.

2. The suitable candidates were ready and eager to take on the task but found it challenging to coordinate schedules with the given timeline.

During pre-shoot discussions, Goldberg and Rogen often allowed guest stars to influence their character’s development. For example, Polley enhanced her character’s motivation. Later on, Kravitz had unique ideas about her character’s drug knowledge, experiences, and what could seem plausible in that role, as Rogen explains. On the other hand, Howard proposed suggestions for how other characters might try to ingratiate themselves with him.

Television

As a dedicated film enthusiast, I had the privilege of crossing paths with the talented crew behind ‘The Studio,’ Apple TV+’s captivating take on Hollywood’s inner workings, during their visit to the L.A. Times studio at SXSW.

Goldberg recounts, “We suggested he might want someone to flatteringly praise him, and he replied with ‘Five overly flattering comments made to me throughout my career.’

In each episode they directed, Rogen and Goldberg worked with many stars they didn’t have a close relationship or prior acquaintance with. This was advantageous since it allowed them to maintain control over the production.

Goldberg notes that it’s somewhat simpler when we aren’t familiar with someone, for truthfulness sake. They aren’t as likely to instruct us, he suggests.

Indeed, Scorsese, appearing in the initial episode, chose to remain silent when he observed that the duo was making a mistake. “I wish he had intervened and said, ‘Here’s how you should do it, gentlemen,'” Goldberg remarks.

From the start, Scorsese aimed to attract a high caliber of talent, and he certainly did just that with “Goodfellas” director on board. As the story unfolds, a movie enthusiast named Matt manages to persuade Scorsese to direct a film about Kool-Aid, but in Scorsese’s interpretation, the brand serves as a metaphor for the Jonestown massacre. However, when Matt’s superior (Bryan Cranston) objects, Matt is forced to dismiss the esteemed filmmaker.

In a nutshell, Perez explains, “His presence significantly intensifies all aspects, which is why we were eager to have him.” Imagine the ultimate joy of having Martin Scorsese direct the Kool-Aid movie, but then picture the greatest disappointment if he were to be dismissed. However, not everyone would evoke such extreme emotions.

Before the filming, Scorsese hadn’t had a chance to meet Rogen and Goldberg priorly. As Rogen admitted, there was an apprehension that perhaps he wouldn’t make an appearance at all.

When he did arrive, they found he was a surprisingly good improviser.

Rogen notes, “He was incredibly hilarious! Even though I’ve collaborated with Larry David and other top comedic improvisers on ‘Curb Your Enthusiasm’, and had the good fortune to work alongside some of the best in the field, he was just as funny and quick-witted as anyone I’ve ever improvised with on screen.

Goldberg and Rogen have a list of individuals they’d love to see appear in upcoming seasons, and Rogen boldly expressed one particular desire: Vin Diesel. “I’m saying it openly so he can see it,” Rogen says with his distinctive chuckle. “I want Vin Diesel more than anyone.

Why?

He’s fantastic. I adore him, and he plays an essential part in his field. It would be intriguing to witness him outside of a “Fast and Furious” film as well.

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2025-04-02 13:31

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