Elisha Cuthbert on being “the funny one” and not competing with 24
Elisha Cuthbert got her start as a teen actor in her native Canada, but she received her big break as the daughter of Kiefer Sutherland’s counter-terrorist operative on 24. Her run on that show coincided with a few “scream queen” turns in Captivity and the 2005 remake of House Of Wax, but a starring role in The Girl Next Door and a bit part in Old School pointed toward a future in comedy. In 2011, Cuthbert took up the role of Alex Kerkovich on ABC’s Happy Endings, initiating the show by leaving her fiancé (Zachary Knighton) at the altar. As the show garnered critical praise and a strong cult following, Alex transitioned from jilting would-be bride to the show’s secret comedic weapon, a development aided by Cuthbert’s spirited performance and her unique approach to playing a character that, on any other show, would just be another spacey blonde. WithHappy Endings expanding to fill an hourlong Tuesday-night block in the wake of Don’t Trust The B—- In Apartment23’s cancellation, The A.V. Club spoke with Cuthbert about her character’s evolution, how the fear of being unable to top Kim Bauer pushed her toward trying a TV comedy, and why she can thank some invisible hula hoops for taking her Happy Endings persona to the next level.
The A.V. Club: Is the production cycle going into overdrive because the episodes are being doubled up?
Elisha Cuthbert: No, I think because we’re getting the break in February, it gives us time to finish up the season. We’ll be doing full production, which would normally take place the second week of March, and we’re doubling up in March. So we’ll be way done before it goes through. The only difference is the show will end quicker than it probably would’ve if it’d been taken into April. But, you know, it’s good. When you get two episodes back to back it gives you a better sense of what we are as a show and what we represent. We’ve been on different nights in different slots and it’s a shame we’re not on during sweeps, but people are watching other things, so I think they’re smart in putting us in March and doubling up so that people get a big dose of us—and if they like us, they can keep watching.
Eliza Coupe watches awards shows for the ‘accidental nudity’
Fashion is pain… and humiliation. Just ask Eliza Coupe.
“I cannot feel my legs from the waist down any longer. But who cares? I look good and that’s all that matters,” the Happy Endings star told EW at our pre-SAG Awards party on Saturday night. “And when I die of hypothermia for wearing formal shorts in winter, tell them to put that on my tombstone.”
Coupe isn’t just willing to suffer personally for the sake of looking good, she’s also what you might call a sartorial sadist.
“I also like awards shows for the danger. I wait and hope for fashion emergencies,” the actress admitted. “I love a good nip slip. I want a boob to fall out.” And she’s always on the lookout for a flash of some rarely seen part of the male celebrity anatomy.
“While this never happens, I would not be opposed to a guy having a testicle fall out. Considering they are usually wearing tuxedo pants, that would have to be one huge testicle,” she joked. “And in that case, that sounds like a medical problem and that guy should go see a doctor.”
Though dressing for the red carpet may be the fashion equivalent of a blood sport, Coupe was careful to note that she wouldn’t want to see any actual bloodshed.
“I don’t want anyone to get seriously hurt,” she explained. ”But I do watch awards shows to critique the clothes while I sit around eating chips in my sweat pants and in hopes of seeing some hilarious accidental nudity.”
Penny is my favorite character on “Happy Endings.” I already loved Casey Wilson on “Saturday Night Live,” whenever they’d give her something to do at least. So an entire series with episodes centered around her and her crazy shenanigans in each one was a treat.
I got to meet Wilson at the ABC party for the Television Critics Association Winter Press Tour and I asked her three years worth of Penny questions. CraveOnline: How do you like committing yourself to just acting on the show and not worrying about the writing side of things?
Casey Wilson: I love it. I could never love anything more. It’s great. Writing is wonderful and I love it but I love to show up and we have amazing writers. Our writers are writing such funny jokes and scenarios for us that I don’t have to worry about anything. It’s great.
CraveOnline: Are you game for anything they ask you to do?
Casey Wilson: I am game for anything, to my own detriment. I have no shame. I wish I did. I really wish I had more dignity.
Sundance: Casey Wilson Kind of Regrets Scripting Her Own Nude Scene
Last night at the Grey Goose Lounge at Park City, Casey Wilson and June Diane Raphael were celebrating the premiere of Ass Backwards, the dark, Romy and Michele–ish comedy they wrote and star in. Did they ever pen something so outrageous that once they found themselves on set, they had second thoughts about performing it? “You took the words right out of my mouth,” said Wilson. “We wrote that the movie opens on a shot of our bare asses, and when we were on all fours in a van on the side of the road, with our makeup artist lovingly touching up our asses with ass makeup, I thought, Why did we write this? And I needed an ass double, but we didn’t have the budget!”
Are they happy with how the final result looks on the big screen? “I always say that June is a badass with a good ass. She’s looking good. Me? Eh, it is what it is. I’m a Method actress, and I had to put my ass out there.” As for Wilson’s beloved but indifferently rated sitcom Happy Endings, the actress is just happy that the network is no longer airing episodes on Sundays at ten. “Now they’re gonna double us up on Tuesdays,” she said. “I think the network really loves the show, but we just have to attract more viewers. I think the Sunday thing was more of an experiment, but I’m excited that we’re doubling up on Tuesdays. Two for one!”
Happy Endings is about to ID the guy (at least partly) responsible for Penny’s considerable man issues: her dad!
The ABC comedy has tapped former universe controller Andy Richter to play Casey Wilson’s (relatively young) onscreen father, TVLine has learned exclusively.
Conan O’Brien’s longtime sidekick will appear in a spring episode that I’m told will address the pair’s relatively tiny age difference (Richer is only 14 years older than Wilson).
According to an insider, Richter’s Roy and Megan Mullally’s Dana had Penny when they were really, really, really, really young.
Roy reappears in his daughter’s life as things are getting very serious between her and first-ever steady beau Pete (Nick Zano).
The Guys of “Happy Endings” Answer Relationship Questions
The male stars of the hit ABC show Happy Endings—Damon Wayans Jr., Zach Knighton, and Adam Pally—answer all your puzzling male-behavior questions. In detail!
Why are guys so afraid of the phone? What’s up with texting only? —Caitlin, 25 DAMON: It’s just easier. ZACH: It’s more efficient. ADAM: I hate getting a voice mail. I’m not going to listen to your message so I can hear what you’re about to tell me when I call you back. I mean, when you’re starting to date, you’re on the phone; you put your best foot forward. But if a guy is only texting you, that doesn’t mean he doesn’t like you. DAMON: Unless there’s a top-out to the number of words. If he just says, “Hey,” “OK,” “Yeah,” “You up?”—no good. Just say, “I’d rather you call me.” If he likes you, he’ll adjust.
Is my husband thinking of me when he’s masturbating? And when does he even have time to? —Julie, 38 ZACH: There’s always time. ADAM: I’ve had the flu, with a 105-degree fever, and I’ve said to my wife, “Can you please go out for cough syrup?” And when she did, I jerked off. Twice. Do I think of my wife? Most of the time, no. Sometimes, yes. But, really, no. DAMON: No. Unless you haven’t seen her for a long time, you’re not going to “use” her. ADAM: And you have to masturbate. If I couldn’t, I’d be, like, a crazy person with a machete. DAMON: And an erection. A machete and a boner. ADAM: Not good.
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Elisha Cuthbert got her start as a teen actor in her native Canada, but she received her big break as the daughter of Kiefer Sutherland’s counter-terrorist operative on 24. Her run on that show coincided with a few “scream queen” turns in Captivity and the 2005 remake of House Of Wax, but a starring role in The Girl Next Door and a bit part in Old School pointed toward a future in comedy. In 2011, Cuthbert took up the role of Alex Kerkovich on ABC’s Happy Endings, initiating the show by leaving her fiancé (Zachary Knighton) at the altar. As the show garnered critical praise and a strong cult following, Alex transitioned from jilting would-be bride to the show’s secret comedic weapon, a development aided by Cuthbert’s spirited performance and her unique approach to playing a character that, on any other show, would just be another spacey blonde. WithHappy Endings expanding to fill an hourlong Tuesday-night block in the wake of Don’t Trust The B—- In Apartment
Fashion is pain… and humiliation. Just ask Eliza Coupe.
Penny is my favorite character on “Happy Endings.” I already loved Casey Wilson on “Saturday Night Live,” whenever they’d give her something to do at least. So an entire series with episodes centered around her and her crazy shenanigans in each one was a treat.
Last night at the Grey Goose Lounge at Park City, Casey Wilson and June Diane Raphael were celebrating the premiere of Ass Backwards, the dark, Romy and Michele–ish comedy they wrote and star in. Did they ever pen something so outrageous that once they found themselves on set, they had second thoughts about performing it? “You took the words right out of my mouth,” said Wilson. “We wrote that the movie opens on a shot of our bare asses, and when we were on all fours in a van on the side of the road, with our makeup artist lovingly touching up our asses with ass makeup, I thought, Why did we write this? And I needed an ass double, but we didn’t have the budget!”
Happy Endings is about to ID the guy (at least partly) responsible for Penny’s considerable man issues: her dad!
The male stars of the hit ABC show Happy Endings—Damon Wayans Jr., Zach Knighton, and Adam Pally—answer all your puzzling male-behavior questions. In detail!
