Ketamine trips, electric scooters, bucket hats. Seth Rogen and Rose Byrne get physical
Seth Rogen and Rose Byrne don’t remember the exact date or location of their first introduction more than a decade ago — it was either via a chance backstage encounter at a talk show, according to Byrne, or through one of their many mutual friends, according to Rogen — but a real-life friendship and a successful working relationship were forged when they played a married couple in 2014’s hit comedy “Neighbors.”
“I remember the ‘Neighbors’ audition very clearly,” Byrne says.
“I don’t remember anything that clearly, if I’m being honest, but I do remember that,” Rogen quips. “We did an extensive round of looking for people to co-star. [Director] Nick Stoller had worked with Rose on ‘Get Him to the Greek’ and was always saying how funny she was. She came in and read and it was no contest. There was no one else [we wanted].”
Ten years and a “Neighbors” sequel later, they’ve brought their comedic chemistry to the small screen via AppleTV+’s half-hour “Platonic.” The series, co-created by Stoller, revolves around estranged college friends who reconnect at pivotal points in midlife. It premiered last May and received a Season 2 renewal in December.
“I never dreamed I’d have this great kind of partnership in comedy with someone,” Byrne says.
“We definitely understand each other’s rhythms better,” Rogen adds. “I’d say the comfort [between us] has only grown, which made it easier and hopefully funnier for audiences.”
Over a recent video call, the two stars, who also serve as executive producers of “Platonic,” discussed the joy of doing physical comedy, coveting Rogen’s colorful wardrobe and those pesky scooters.
You both got to lean into some physical comedy. Rose, I read that you found some unique videos in your research about ketamine trips.
Byrne: Oh my God, yeah. These [YouTube] videos, they’re really wild because it’s a lot of footage from convenience stores where they’ve recorded people, and it’s really pretty disturbing. That was one of those [scenes] that was really, really fun to do. And then Seth’s just game. I was all over the place. He kept having to prop me up, and I was kicking him in the face, his wine is everywhere.
Rogen: Yeah, that was something where it was helpful to know each other well. And YouTube is an amazing resource for comedy. I think that’s the first place to stop if you’re going to do a physical gag.
Seth, you had some physical work with those electric scooters that are everywhere in L.A. Do you or Nick or someone on the writing staff have a personal vendetta against them?
Rogen: No, I don’t hate the scooters. I don’t love them either. I lived in West Hollywood for a long time and I would come outside and there would be a pile of them outside my front door. It’s impossible not to feel some sort of resentment toward them. What’s funny, my father-in-law actually hates them. He tried to throw one and majorly f— up his shoulder for a year and a half. I also hurt my shoulder throwing them pretty early on in the shoot. It hurt for quite a while. Those things are a lot heavier than they look.
A hopefully less painful subject: You got to keep your character’s clothes. How are you wearing them?
Rogen: I do wear them. The clothes were a strong choice; it was an idea I had. The character was not scripted as dressing any specific way, but to me this guy is desperately trying to be cool and hang onto his youth and also trying to assert himself as a unique individual in this downtown Arts District world. He’s also someone who’s probably just friends with a lot of people with clothing companies, and I know people who work in this type of field, so it was representative of things I’ve seen, but mostly it was a way to look like a sad old man trying to be young.
Byrne: I loved it. And it also gave me an opportunity to make fun of you. It was always like a good warmup joke [for Sylvia], being like, “What are you wearing?” It’s just such a specific kind of needle that you were threading. It was really fun.
You’re also one of the few that pulls off the bucket hat really well. It’s not a good look for everyone.
Rogen: I actually do wear bucket hats. We went out for dinner yesterday, and my sister was like, “You’re really sticking with the bucket hat?” I’ve never left them. I went with it in the ’90s when it started and I never left the bucket hat. I don’t know if it’s back or not, but it’s back with me. I’ve been a consistent believer of the bucket hat.
Byrne: It is a hard one to pull off. I look ridiculous in a bucket hat.
Rogen: You could argue that I also look ridiculous, but I embrace it.
Is there a specific line that fans quote to you or something that people want to talk to you about regarding this show?
Rogen: I get a lot of talk from people who hate the scooters.
Byrne: People have strong feelings about the scooters.
Rogen: Very strong. And guys who bleached their hair. I got a lot of middle-aged men [coming up to me] like, “I saw you, thought it looked pretty good.”
Byrne: I’ve had a lot of [positive feedback] from mothers trying to get back in the workforce. It’s a passage in life for a lot of women, and that was definitely part of this character. And then also people who’ve had similar friendships with a guy or a girl and have this history of a great friendship that is not the same anymore and how that is. I hadn’t really seen a show like this before where it really is about a friendship, and that was nice.
Looking ahead, what can you share about your hopes for Season 2?
Rogen: I don’t know what I can say. I’m looking forward to it.
Byrne: I’m kind of in the same camp. It’s great to get a second go. You really can lean into more of what was working and leave what wasn’t.
Rogen: Yeah. I think especially with TV, there’s a sense that it gets better as you do it. There’s probably the wave, probably crests, but I know as you’re shooting the sixth episode, I’m always like, oh, we’re all so much funnier than we were when on the second episode. That’s what I’m looking forward to is, to Rose’s point, knowing each other, knowing what works a little bit better and having a little less concern that people will just massively reject what we are doing.
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