Author: Sparrow

February 17, 2022

Kat Dennings isn’t living life by milestones

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The Dollface star is recently engaged, pursuing new dreams, and no longer stressed.

When it comes to Kat Dennings’ role as Jules on Dollface, life comes pretty close to imitating art — and not just because her real-life fiancé appears as the object of her affection on the show. Season 2 of the Hulu series offers many parallels to Dennings’ personal life and experiences, and, to hear Dennings tell it, they only deepened her connection to her character.

The new episodes follow Jules as she makes several adjustments to her life as her 30th birthday looms. She finally decides to quit her job as Celeste’s right-hand woman and pursue her passion for graphic design (the Great Resignation has come to Woom) and learns what she needs in a romantic partner (goodbye, veterinarian who can’t cut ties with his ex). “She’s taking steps into being a formed human,” the actor tells Bustle of Jules’ self-actualization.

At 35, Dennings is doing some self-actualizing, too. After entering Hollywood in 2000 with an appearance on Sex and the City and later starring in Marvel blockbusters, she finally mustered the courage to try her hand at writing material of her own. First, she’ll adapt one of her essays into an episode for the upcoming anthology series Girls Can’t Shoot (& Other Lies); she has a few more writing projects that are still under wraps.

Like Jules, Dennings is also still finding the balance between prioritizing adult friendships and romantic relationships. “I have to really remind myself to be on the ball a little bit more because, yeah, I can be absent-minded,” she says of her tendency to go stretches of time without speaking to her equally busy friends. Now that she’s found “the right person” — rock star fiancé Andrew W.K. — she’s no longer caught in a constant juggling act. But she did shock her followers when she announced her engagement to W.K. only a week after going Instagram official with him in May 2021. “It was a wonderful, joyful thing,” she says, politely agreeing to disagree that the post brought the internet to its knees. Even so, Dennings is beaming about the “magical” update to her longtime crush on the musician.

Below, Dennings discusses Dollface Season 2, her relationship with Andrew W.K, and her favorite celebrity baby announcement.

In this season of Dollface, Jules finally gives herself permission to dream big and actually go after what she wants. Did that resonate with you, personally?

Something I’ve always done and wanted to do but I never really had the courage to go for it was writing, and I have a couple of things in development now. I had to talk myself into this thing, like, “You know what? Who said you weren’t good enough? And why do you think that? And why not?” I had to bite the bullet. And it’s very vulnerable. But I’m so glad I did, and now it’s a big new part of my life.

The women in the show are approaching their 30s in drastically different ways: Jules is nonchalant about it, while Madison is determined to have everything in order before hitting the milestone. What was your 30th like?

I remember feeling like it should feel like a huge giant deal, and it just didn’t. I don’t even think I did anything. I felt that pressure, I guess, to have it “together.” What does that even mean anymore? Nothing. It’s like we all have this pressure put on us by some ethereal force about things you have to do or have done by a certain age, and it’s just made up. Especially for women, we’re told stupid things that we have to do or have done by certain ages. Absolutely untrue and false.

On the show, Jules’ friend Izzy overthinks posting a photo of her new boyfriend on Instagram. Did you and Andrew W.K. have a conversation before going Instagram official and posting your engagement?

On one hand, you’re really excited and you want everyone to know certain things or whatever. But on the other hand, you’re like, “Well, as soon as I invite people into this, it’s sort of giving permission to people to know things.” It’s kind of a double-edged sword, but as soon as we were engaged, it was obviously fine to post. It was a wonderful, joyful thing. But yeah, I remember as a youngster, I definitely learned that lesson of like, eh, maybe don’t post everything as it happened. Maybe take a moment and really think about it, and that’s just how I do it.

I love when people post, like, “Surprise, I’m married.”

I love that. I love that. And not to shout anybody out, but when Alexis Bledel was like, “Hey, I’m married and have a kid!” I thought that was the coolest thing anyone has ever done. I just admire that so much. I wish her the best. I always admired that when people kept things really private and then just surprised.

And I love that you sort of manifested this relationship by tweeting at him, calling him a tall drink of milk back in 2014.

I know. I don’t even remember doing that. I’ve always been a huge fan of him and his music — he was obviously just a talented, amazing genius. I’ve just always admired him. And so it is a very strange and magical update to that story.

You previously said that, like Jules, you tend to fall off the face of the Earth when you enter relationships. How would you describe your friendships now and your dynamic with Andrew W.K.?

I, as a person, get overwhelmed really easily. Any time I have something big to focus on, I kind of just drop out. It’s not something I intend to do. I blink and it’s a month later. That’s just my personality, unfortunately. But I’ve actually been a lot better, I think. And it’s probably due to finding the right person and not feeling panicked and stressed out all the time, that’s it. Finding the right person, being really comfortable, and feeling at ease. It’s a tall order, but it can be done.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

Written by Shannon Barbour for Bustle, article published on February 16
February 17, 2022

Dollface season 2 press junket masterpost

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This post unites our links to interviews relating to the second season of Dollface for easy access and your personal convenience. Please let us know of any related articles and/or videos we might be missing.

Release dateInterviewer
Feb. 17The Advocate
Feb. 14Buzzfeed (Article) + (Game)
Feb. 13Collider
Feb. 12ExtraTV
Feb. 11The Hollywood Reporter
Feb. 11Harper’s Bazaar
Feb. 11Out
Feb. 10Entertainment Weekly
Feb. 10TV Insider
Feb. 10ABC7 New York
Feb. 10Boston Herald
Feb. 10The Knockturnal
Feb. 09E! Online
Feb. 08Women’s Health
Feb. 08New York Live
Feb. 06Young Hollywood
Feb 04.Access Hollywood
Feb. 04Screen Rant
Feb. 04Nerds of Color
Feb. 03On the Red Carpet
February 16, 2022

Kat Dennings explains how Margot Robbie convinced her to do “Dollface” after wrapping “2 Broke Girls”

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“It gave everyone this incredible assignment at a point in life where we all needed something good to look forward to.”

Whether you know her as Max from 2 Broke Girls, Darcy from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Jules from Dollface, or one of her other numerous TV shows or movies, Kat Dennings is a comedy force and has put her mark on some pretty special projects over the years.

To celebrate the return of Dollface for a hilarious and often heartfelt Season 2, Kat sat down with BuzzFeed to chat about everything — like how we can thank Margot Robbie for her Dollface role, what it was like watching WandaVision become the biggest TV series of 2021 overnight, why Steve Martin is her idol, and much more. Here’s everything we chatted about: 

There are major spoilers ahead for Dollface Season 2

1. How did you first get involved with Dollface?

After 2 Broke Girls ended, I was a little bit scared to do another TV show, just because I didn’t even know what I wanted to do next. Then, I really loved the pilot script. Basically, my manager said, “Margot Robbie [who is an executive producer on Dollface] wants you to read a script.” And I was like, “Okay! Sounds good! Whatever it is, I’ll do.” 

So, of course, having Margot Robbie involved was a no-brainer. It was such a good jumping off point. I could see so many seasons coming out of it. It just felt like the right thing. It has such a unique vibe. Yeah, that’s how it happened: Margot Robbie wants you to read a script. That was it.

2. And Dollface is also special because you’re an executive producer on the show. How has it been stepping into that role too?

The executive producer thing was SO exciting for me. It felt very long earned because, you know, this is my 25th year of working — like, somehow that happened. You learn a lot as you go, just like in any job, but I felt really ready for that responsibility. I was very heavily involved and it felt really right. It’s so much fun taking on this role too, and I really enjoy it.

3. There was quite some time between Season 1 and Season 2 of Dollface. How was it jumping back into filming during the COVID-19 pandemic?

It was obviously anxiety filled because you go from, like, being home for a year and half to being back on a stage with hundreds of people. So, it’s scary, but the best thing about this show is we have an amazing showrunner, Michelle Nader, who I worked with on 2 Broke Girls. I threw a net over Michelle and brought her in as soon as I could. I trust her with my life, and she cares so much. She wants everything to be as good as it can be and as safe as it can be. 

So I felt very safe. It really was done right. We could have started sooner and it might have been less of Dollface, so we really started filming at a time where we could have all the big scenes with all the extras and do everything safely. We were able to deliver the real season that we wanted to shoot.

4. In the last year, you also had WandaVision, which was a massive success. How was it watching that show become so beloved?

It was wild watching it just take over, all while we were stuck at home. It was incredible. I filmed that right before the pandemic started. My plan was to get home from shooting WandaVision and then go right into Season 2 of Dollface. Of course, it didn’t happen like that. The beautiful thing that happened with WandaVision was everyone was home. Everybody watched it. 

That thing that Disney+ did with their Marvel shows being released once a week and making you wait for the next episode was so smart. Of course, we want to binge-watch everything, but what they did for WandaVision was a gift for everybody to have something they could talk about and look forward to. It gave everyone this incredible assignment at a point in life where we all needed something good to look forward to. It was a special kind of moment. I’m so proud of the show and it has been wonderful to see the show, Lizzie [Olsen], Paul [Bettany], and everyone get so much love. I can’t believe I got to be in it. It’s a gift.

5. Did you ever think you’d come back as Darcy after Thor: The Dark World?

Truly, I had no idea if we’d see Darcy again. The beauty of Marvel is, like, once you’re in, you’re in. You’ll always be part of the Marvel family. So, I was always like, Maybe one day they’ll have a use for Darcy. But I had no idea what they were going to do with her. It was very surreal.

6. Have you ever taken anything from a TV show or movie after you finished filming?

Yes. Yes. Actually, somewhere in this very library where I am sitting, there’s a book I stole from the Thor set. I might’ve asked permission, but I don’t think I did…I took it. It’s true.

7. What’s a role people would be surprised to find out you auditioned for but didn’t get?

I auditioned for everything and never got anything. I swear to god, everything you audition for is a rejection, so if you get like one job, it’s a miracle. When I was little, I auditioned for one of The Exorcist remakes. 

BuzzFeed: No way!

Nora, it was horrible. I had to…ugh…do like a possession scene…you’re never going to stop laughing over this. So, I brought in a feather boa to the audition. First of all, I was like 10. My mom was like, “You’re not watching The Exorcist,” and I was like, “I need to for WORK.” I finally convinced her to let us rent it. So, I put in the tape back then because I’m 100 years old. We did VHS tapes from Blockbuster, kids. Anyway, the tape wasn’t rewound, so it started right on the scene where her head spins around and I freaked out. 

I never watched it and to this day I’ve still never seen it because that scarred me for life. So, I went into the audition being like, I’m gonna do my own thing. It was…not good. If the tape exists, don’t release it. Please.

8. How was it transitioning from 2 Broke Girls, which was a very typical TV network comedy, to a streaming series like Dollface?

That was really exciting because I really wanted something different. Dollface is really interesting and it’s very different from any other comedy I’ve worked on. It has this magical realism element that I haven’t seen very much of. You know, the Cat Lady thing is so weirdly beautiful. It’s been so great. Hulu has been such a great partner. They’re so up for whatever. 

9. How has it been building the friendships both on and off screen with Brenda Song, Shay Mitchell, and Esther Povitsky?

That’s the best part of the show, in my opinion, because we got so close in Season 1. There’s really no bonding activity quite like making a television show together for 15 to 16 hours a day where you’re in weird situations. It’s the most fun. You eat together, you nap together, I mean, within reason, do crazy stuff together. The things we do on the show are not normal. Like, we share these very special activities and it’s sort of an irreplaceable bond that we all have. It’s been awesome and so special.

10. What’s your best fan story?

Oh my god. I never leave the house, so I don’t really meet that many people. But I remember a while ago, a really sweet woman came up to me once and she said her husband had passed recently and that she and her daughters watched 2 Broke Girls together in bed as their comfort show. For some reason, that story has always stuck with me and I thought it was so sweet.

11. Dollface Season 2 really explores a more independent side to Jules and she grows a lot in terms of knowing what she wants out of life and going for it. How was it exploring this side to her?

That’s a really fun thing about this season because Season 1 was all about Jules begging her friends to take her back and essentially proving herself as a friend. Now, she’s already done that. After Season 1, she feels much more confident having her friends behind her and being a good friend. She finally feels like she knows how to do that. Then, the surprise for Jules in Season 2 is instead of being fired from her job, she’s promoted. She’s suddenly thrust into a whole new thing of being a boss. Like, suddenly she’s Izzy’s boss and she has people working under her, and she has to make decisions. It’s very scary for her. 

Jules kind of starts to find her groove. I think that’s one of her main themes of this season, which is great. There’s a very emotional episode where she goes back home to see her parents and that’s a whole other side to Jules we haven’t explored yet. You can see where her anxiety comes from. That’s really interesting. To see why she’s like this and then seeing her come into her own.

12. Speaking of the Jules going home episode, Jennifer Grey guest stars as her mom, which is such a great surprise. How was it working with her?

Okay, well, Jennifer Grey is a dream. It was a dream come true and I’m a huge fan, obviously. Everyone loves Jennifer Grey. She’s brilliant. She’s like a ball of energy. She’s magnificent. 

It’s cool because it’s unexpected because you would kind of think, Oh, Jules’ mom must be like THIS way. But now she’s this little energy-filled person who is very high strung. So that makes a lot of sense for why Jules is so….’AAAHH’ about everything. Then her dad just seems more like a lovable guy just standing there. I think it’s really cute and really revealing. It explains a lot about her.

13. In Season 2, Episode 8, there’s also a great dream sequence that features your fiancé, Andrew W.K. How was it bringing him in to play on your show?

Incredible! A once-in-a-lifetime thing. It felt very special in the moment and like a very special thing for us to look back on, you know, when we’re old. It was really, really wonderful. He was amazing, of course.

14. Which emojis do you use the most?

[checks phone] It appears to be the heart emoji (❤️). Awwww. Followed by the crying one (😭). So, figure that one out.

15. What’s the last TV show you binge-watched?

Oh, okay. [Andrew and I] binge-watched Dopesick, which was incredible. And, we can’t binge it because it’s weekly, but The Righteous Gemstones Season 2. It’s so good and hilarious.

16. Is there a movie or TV show that made you want to become an actor?

Well, Steve Martin was the thing that happened to me as a kid that made me want to be whatever he does. Of course, I don’t do what he does, but you know. I think I saw The Jerk when I was really young and it completely, like, changed my brain chemistry. I didn’t know what was happening and I had never seen anything like that. I just kept getting his movies from the library and watching them over and over. Yeah, Steve Martin is the reason that I’m an actor.

17. Who have you been the most starstruck by?

[laughs] Steve Martin. I met him once in passing and it was so embarrassing, and I didn’t know what to say. I was like, If you don’t say something, you’re going to regret it! So, I was like, “Blah, blah, blah, blah,” and he was like, “Really? Hahaha,” and I was like, Oh god. For context, we were backstage somewhere and it was dark. He was about to go on stage, so it was a bad time. He was very polite, but I made no sense while talking to him. Hopefully one day I’ll be able to make up for that.

18. Do you have a favorite Jules moment from Dollface Season 2?

Oh man. There are so many great scenes this season. [laughs] I get a really fun little scene with Esther Povitsky, who plays Izzy. I think it was our first scene just the two of us, like away from everybody and not at work. We get to do a really fun scene together in a car and I really enjoyed that day just as a person because I love Esther so much. We got to just hang out in a car together the whole day. So that was a special memory from filming this season, but there are so many to choose from.

BuzzFeed: I also love the moment where Jules, Madison, and Stella road trip to go get Izzy back.

Yes! It’s so good. I love all those kind of group scenes with us too. They are always a blast to film and are so funny.

19. Have you ever caught someone watching a TV show or movie you’ve been in on a flight or anywhere else?

Ah. Yes, I actually have. Somebody was watching 2 Broke Girls on a plane I was on once. I was like, Oh, god. Don’t look at me. How am I supposed to pee? Guess I’m not getting up this flight. Like, I can’t walk by this person. It’s kind of embarrassing seeing other people watch something you’re in, but obviously it’s what I dreamed about as a little kid.

20. Jules and Fender’s relationship is such a great storyline in Dollface Season 2. How was it working with Luke Cook?

Luke Cook is the sweetest guy. So funny. I was actually a huge fan of his before Dollface. If you follow him on TikTok or Instagram, he’s hilarious. Actually, he reached out to me on Instagram saying he thought he read for Dollface. I was like, “Hold, please.” And I was like, “We have to hire Luke Cook now!” Of course, he got it on his own because he’s brilliant. He’s amazing. 

With Jules and Wes they have this like “Ehhh” vibe. She’ll be like, “Okay, let’s do this,” and he’s always hung up on something. Jules still isn’t able to stand up for herself with Wes, and that’s something she eventually does because she meets this great guy who actually seems to like her. It seems pretty straightforward. So then the question is, is she mature enough for this yet? The answer’s no, but almost. She’s getting there. 

21. Who was your childhood celebrity crush?

Is it sad to say that it was King Arthur from The Sword in the Stone? It was him. He was a cute animated boy. He was age appropriate at least.

22. What’s your favorite behind-the-scenes memory from filming Dollface Season 2?

Oh my god, Nora, this is the hardest question. I’m not kidding that we made memories every step of the way. I think anytime where all the girls get to be together in a scene is always something really special. 

Like, we have a scene where all of us are in a restaurant and it’s such a simple scene, but it was so much fun. Anytime we just get to hang out is the best. Like, we all got to spend the whole day together. That’s my favorite, but I know that’s everyone’s favorite because we get to just take our shoes off, hang out, have some food, and show each other everything on our phones. It’s the best.

23. If you could guest-star on any TV show, either currently airing or not, what would it be?

The Righteous Gemstones. Or a season of American Horror Story.

BuzzFeed: You and Evan Peters can have a little WandaVision reunion on AHS.

Oh god. That’s right! That would be funny.

24. Do you ever listen to music in order to get into character?

Yeah, that’s something I used to do a lot. I have playlists on my phone for previous characters. I used to do it a ton. It’s a great way to set the tone for a character.

25. Who has been your favorite Dollface guest star?

Oh my god. Owen Thiele. He’s so great. 

26. What’s your dream for Dollface Season 3?

Oh my god. Well, the cool thing about Season 2 is that everybody gets their own show. Like, Stella and Liv have their own thing, Madison has her new career starting, and Izzy has her relationship and she’s becoming more and more confident. Then, with Jules, it could kind of go anywhere. 

Personally, I would like to see Jules really understand herself and really decide what she wants, instead of just reacting to things happening to her, because that is Jules’ pattern. I’m guilty of this, too. It’s like things just occur and Jules reacts. It would be nice if she were able to take stock of her life and go for it. Go for what she wants, not just what’s in front of her.

27. And finally, what’s something on your bucket list?

I’ve always wanted to see the bioluminescence plankton. You know, the beautiful glowing bioluminescence that you can see in some parts of the world. I’ve always wanted to see that. So wherever I can see that, I’d like to go there.

 

Written by Nora Dominick for Buzzfeed, article published on February 14
February 14, 2022

Kat Dennings on today’s Ellen

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TheEllenShow has just uploaded the bit with Kat from today’s episode of Ellen. Watch it below in 1080p.

Kat Dennings’ fiancé Andrew W.K. is the only partner her beloved cat Millie has ever liked — and she knows this because Millie showed her bathroom-related hatred to every single one of her ex-boyfriends. The actress also explained why she and Andrew both have rings even though they’re not officially married yet, and how she got out of a dance scene on the new season of “Dollface.”

February 14, 2022

Kat Dennings, Brenda Song, Shay Mitchell and Esther Povitsky take the BFF test

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Buzzfeed has just shared the following video with Kat and the girls. Watch below in 1080p.

The gals from “Dollface” (Kat Dennings, Brenda Song, Esther Povitsky, and Shay Mitchell) hopped on Zoom to take our BFF test! They play besties on TV, so, let’s see how well they know each other IRL. Who’s Kat’s celeb crush? And what’s Shay’s favorite on set snack? Watch to find out! #Dollface #BFFTest #Hulu

February 14, 2022

Dollface cast gushes over Britney Spears & Sam Asghari

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Sam Asghari, Britney Spears’ fiancé, appears in Season 2 of Dollface… and the cast loved it!

Brenda Song, Kat Dennings, Shay Mitchell and Esther Povitsky gushed over the duo in a new interview with Extra’s Katie Krause.

Kat shared some scenes with Sam, who she described as being “so nice.” She added, “He was so game to talk to all of us, and I sprayed him in the face with champagne.”

Dennings clarified that it was “not scripted,” saying, “It was an accident and he was such a gentleman… He’s so funny and very talented.”

Shay and Brenda also praised Sam for being a “gentleman.” Recalling Sam and Kat’s scene, Shay elaborated, “There was one part where they’re shaking the champagne and unexpectedly it went all over him and he was such a good sport about it and completely went along, such a pro.”

Brenda admitted, “It was really hard not to be like, ‘Please tell us everything about Britney.’”

Esther, a “super fan” of Britney,” was all for her dating Sam. She said, “I really felt good as a fan of hers, like this guy is a good guy, she’s in good hands. It made me happy.”

Sam and Britney started dating after meeting on the set of her 2016 music video “Slumber Party.” He popped the question a few months ago.

In the post, Britney and Sam appear in short video clips, with Britney excitedly showing off her sparkler. Sam says, “Look at that. You like  it?” to which Britney exclaims, “Yes!”

The pair have been open about their desire to have children together.

In December, Sam opened up about their Christmas plans, telling TMZ that they would be “baby-making.”

A month before, Spears expressed wanting to have a child with Sam. She wrote on Instagram, “I’m thinking about having another baby!!!”

While Esther didn’t talk to Sam about her love for Britney, she stressed, “He’s a sweetheart. He’s such a sweet guy with great values.”

As for his role on the show, Kat dished, “Sam plays a server who is giving champagne to a newly engaged couple and we have a really amazing moment.”

Esther chimed in, “Expect a funny scene.”

Calling it a “fun day” on set with Sam, Shay said he was “such a pleasure for all of us to be able to hang with and talk to.”

Along with his being down to have fun, Brenda appreciated Sam’s willingness to “try everything” for the show, which has a lot of improv.

The new season of Dollface is streaming now on Hulu.

ExtraTV, article and video published on February 12
February 13, 2022

Kat Dennings on ‘Dollface’ season 2, the Cat Lady, and her love for her co-stars

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She also discusses how they made the music festival scene happen with the same pool of background performers.

In its second season, the Hulu series Dollface continues to follow Jules (Kat Dennings) and her best friends, Madison (Brenda Song), Stella (Shay Mitchell) and Izzy (Esther Povitsky), as they navigate post-pandemic life. Heading toward turning 30 has them all re-evaluating their careers and romance and trying to figure out what’s next, while the ups and downs and bumps along the way bring them closer with each other.

During this 1-on-1 interview with Collider, which you can both watch and read, Dennings talked about the shenanigans Jules gets up to this season, the Cat Lady, how the dance class sequence came about, safely shooting a music festival, loving her co-stars, the importance of a collaborative relationship between actor and showrunner, and her hope they’ll get to continue doing the show.

Collider: This show is so much fun. What did you most enjoy when it came to the shenanigans that Jules gets up to this season, and what are you most excited about fans getting to see with these new episodes?

KAT DENNINGS: I’m really excited, personally, for people who liked season one to see all of the Dollface girls going into the magical realism element of the show. In season one, the Cat Lady is a way for Jules to act out her anxieties and her worst-case scenarios. Whereas this season, all the girls come into it and it becomes cathartic, not just for Jules, but for Izzy and Stella and Madison. So, I’m really excited for people to see that.

When you started talking to the Cat Lady, did you have any idea what that would develop into and how important of a role it would play? Were you ever worried that it wouldn’t work?

DENNINGS: I’m so lucky that I get to work with Beth Grant, the absolute genius icon that she is. I will take credit for this because I said, “We need to get Beth Grant.” From the very beginning, before anyone was cast, it was just, “Find a way to get Beth Grant because she’s the only person who can do this.” Somehow she agreed and we have her. With Beth, it’s so real, if you can believe that a huge cat head person can be real. She throws herself into all of her roles and she just takes you there with her in these scenes. I knew that we had something very special happening and that she would evolve, and the writers are always trying to give her lots of things to do, so that’s just incredible for me.

You have some fun moments this season. Two moments in particular that stood out for me were the music festival and the dance class. With the dance class, was there ever a moment where you considered trying to do the performance of the dance routine yourself, or were you always just like, “No, I’m not going to do it”?

DENNINGS: Interestingly, Jules was scripted to do the dance. What happened was, I was filming other scenes while all the other girls got to do dance rehearsal. So, I had to have a moment with our showrunner, Michelle Nader, and just be like, “I cannot do this dance. Either you’re gonna have to cut away from me or you just have to write that Jules is really bad at this dance.” She was like, “You know what? I think we can find a really funny way to do this.” And it ended up being one of my favorite moments in the entire season. Spoiler alert, Jules gives the dance instructor a doctor’s note to get out of dancing. It’s a very relatable moment. I think it’s more Jules than doing the dance, and I think that’s what I would do too.

How was it to shoot the whole music festival? What was it like to pull all of that off and make it seem like such a big moment, done in a more intimate way, so that everybody would stay safe doing it?

DENNINGS: Exactly. That was a real feat for our amazing DP and the crew. Not to give away the Hollywood magic, but as you said, it was about staying safe. We had our safe group of background performers, and they would maybe change clothes and come back, or walk through a few times. They made it look really packed and busy while only using our safe extras. It was really amazing. They did such a great job. Everybody was all about safety – the cast, the background performers, and the crew. It was a group effort, but I think it paid off really well.

It looked amazing. I thought it was a really genius way to pull all of that off.

DENNINGS: Thank you.

I absolutely love the friendship between these characters. The dynamic between these four is so fun to watch. What have you enjoyed about finding that, as characters and as co-stars, working with these other actresses?

DENNINGS: I love them all so much, and we really have a real friendship going on. Part of the magic of the show is seeing four real friends interacting because you really can’t fake that chemistry. Obviously, in season one, we got to know each other really well, and we all missed each other so much because something happened in between season one and season two, and we didn’t get to see each other at all. It was so amazing to finally see them all again, and it was a really special bonding experience. Brenda [Song] describes it as summer camp, and it was like that. We see each other for 15 hours a day, and we’re in little pods together. Brenda and I text each other from the same room. We’re all very close.

Were there conversations about how to handle the pandemic in the show and whether to address it at all? How do you feel about the way that it actually gets incorporated?

DENNINGS: Yeah, definitely. Of course. I think some shows may have chosen to just not do it at all, but that didn’t feel authentic. Our showrunner, Michelle Nader, who is a brilliant genius that I love more than anything, took the helm on, “Okay, how do we do this?” We actually had a different opening and she changed it close to the season wrap, to make it what it was. It became, “Let’s see all the girls during the pandemic, and what was that like? Were they together in a pod? What were they doing?” I think it was really important to show that Jules and Madison and the girls got to be together during all that. Their friendship got even more strong. And of course, there’s the comedy of Jules spraying her mail and stuff like that, which I did do. So, it’s dealt with, with a light hand, but we did not want to ignore it. Dollface, in its own way, is sort of a fantasy. The pandemic going away, of course, is not realistic, but for the show, it seemed like the right path.

How involved are you, as a producer on the show? Are there are aspects where you’re really involved and give a lot of input? Are there things that you found that you enjoy that you didn’t know you would enjoy before doing it?

DENNINGS: Yeah. Season one, especially, I was extremely hands-on and involved, just because this was my first big thing since my last show (2 Broke Girls) I was on. I wanted to really make sure that this was gonna be great, as my first big executive producing a thing that I was doing. I wanted to do the best job that I could, mainly finding the best actors for the roles, which of course everybody was involved in, but I’m so proud of being able to do that. As an actor, casting is terrifying. I’m really proud of how everybody came together. And season two, I still am very involved, but because Michelle Nader is there as our showrunner, and she’s somebody that I have worked with since the beginning of 2 Broke Girls, for 11 years, I trust her completely and she’s like another arm. I could calm down and relax a little bit this season.

What is it like to establish that collaboration between showrunner and the writers and the directors? How is it to find a voice among all that?

DENNINGS: It’s really, really important. A showrunner is the most important element of a show sometimes. That’s the person who’s the go-between with all the departments. That’s a hard job, and Michelle’s just unbelievable. She and I have a secret language shorthand already, so I don’t even have to worry about that. She’ll just text me and be like, “Okay, what do you think of this?” And I’ll be like, “Okay, great.” And then, it’s done. She has tentacles going into every single aspect of the show and I completely trust her. It’s a very rare relationship. It’s very lucky. It’s almost like a Ben Affleck/Matt Damon relationship, except on a way different scale. She’s the Ben Affleck. No, wait, she’s the Matt Damon. I don’t know. We switch off.

Even though Jules isn’t 100% sure of what she does want, by the end of this season, do you feel like she’s at least more centered and more sure about what she doesn’t want?

DENNINGS: Yes. That’s a really good way of looking at it. In season one, things are being hurled at her, and she’s just trying to get through it. She’s done all that work and I think she’s more ready to let things in, in season two, but so much is happening to her that’s good that she doesn’t know what to do again. Even though she’s made all this progress, she can’t fully work through it. She has definitely grown, and she’s more confident, especially at work, and more confident in herself, but she has a long way to go.

Have you already started our conversations about where she could go for season three? Do you try not to think that far ahead?

DENNINGS: I’m superstitious. I always assume one and done, for everything. I don’t think I decorated my dressing room at 2 Broke Girls until season five. I always assumed I just had to have my bag packed. I don’t really think about it. But of course, that would be incredible and there are all sorts of dream scenarios I’d love to see.

Dollface is available to stream at Hulu.

Written by Christina Radish for Collider, article published on February 13