6 days Ago By Ruben V. Nepales
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rapplerAds.displayAd( "mobile-middle-1" );LOS ANGELES, USA – “I have found it incredibly liberating to be nude on camera. It has actually been healing in many ways,” Hacks star Hannah Einbinder declared in a recent press conference for Season 4 of her award-winning series with Jean Smart.
In its new season on HBO Max, Hacks tackles the continued tension between Jean’s Deborah Vance, who’s about to launch her first late-night talk show gig, and Hannah’s Ava, who is the show’s head writer. Ava blackmailed Deborah to get the position, so the would-be host is giving her top writer a tough time.In the media conference held at The London Hotel in West Hollywood, Hannah, answering a journalist’s question about a scene that shows Ava’s relationship with a married straight couple, brought up her views on onscreen nudity.
“I think it has helped me, it’s quite simple when you say it this way, but like to normalize the female form,” said Hannah, who is bisexual and talks about her sexuality in her standup performances. “Obviously, this form takes many genders, of course, but it’s like a man or a cis guy takes his shirt off, and that’s cool.”“It’s like what is actually stopping that from applying to women, like a puritanical societal code.
What do any of these codes even mean?”The actress, who earned several Emmy and Golden Globe nominations for her portrayal of Ava, added, “So in doing that, I have started to think about that and deconstruct that. Obviously, I’m not going to take my frickin’ shirt off right now, but you know what I mean?”Saying that doing nudity has made her “feel cooler and freer,” the daughter of actor Chad Einbinder and original Saturday Night Live cast member Larraine Newman declared, “Just like, this is my body, and I’m alive. It was really liberating.
”She cited actresses Mikey Madison and Emma Stone. “I’ve heard them talk about it in a similar way. They have similar experiences where it does feel freeing and empowering.
”On that scene with a straight couple, the Los Angeles native said, “We have a great intimacy coordinator this year. I loved working with her. And.
..the other actors in the scene are so wonderful.
We got to know each other and really got comfortable...
”Jean quickly teased, “I bet you did.”Hannah, composed, continued, “They’re such great actors and really cool people. I was just lucky.
I’m in a really safe environment.”“So it’s a good environment and really beautiful writing. Obviously, you’re at work, it’s a job.
Like my boys are around me, all the camera guys. It’s not like that. Like, it’s cool.
..I have a lot of queer people around me, a lot of women around me.
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rapplerAds.displayAd( "mobile-middle-2" );LEADS. Jean Smart (left) and Hannah Einbinder in Season 4 of ‘Hacks.
’ – All still images from MaxThe actress and standup comedian, who turns 30 in May, explained that what she likes about Hacks’ sex scenes is that they are penned with humor. “Nothing is just gratuitous at all,” she pointed out. “There’s always a comedic angle, which I enjoy.
”Hannah stressed it was “very meaningful” to have multiple queer characters in the show launched by HBO Max in 2021. “I’m sure that will always be a part of all of our work. Jean’s first acting role, (Last) Summer at Bluefish Cove, was a lesbian play.
”Jean confirmed, “It started my whole career. Yeah, kissing a girl.”Referring to US President Trump’s Executive Actions that are impacting LGBTQ rights, Hannah shared, “It’s important now more than ever (to depict queer characters).
”“I really do think in the face of such horrendous fascist crackdown on our community, it’s really important for people to be able to see themselves fully and in a way that is fully realized. It is really meaningful to be a part of it.”Rappler visited the Hacks set at the Universal Studios back lot late last year when they shot this new season’s opening sequence.
Deborah and Ava, followed by their late night show crew, walked in the office hallway, then the latter went into her room, smiling triumphantly as she closed the door.But it was a momentary grin of confidence. Deborah called to say she was coming to Ava’s room.
What followed was a terse exchange between the two protagonists, with Deborah forcing Ava into a corner, resulting in a tense faceoff.Deborah threateningly hissed, “Well, aren’t you a big, brave girl,” complete with a jerking motion like she was about to hit Ava.They shot this scene for several takes, and each time, it was mesmerizing to watch Jean and Hannah, two fine actresses, internalize their characters’ tense relationship.
And on each take, the two women acted with subtle changes but were always riveting.Hannah did this hallway-to-office sequence with a few words but compellingly with her eyes and body. Jean was entrancing as the ever intimidating dowager Deborah with her swagger and years of experience.
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rapplerAds.displayAd( "mobile-middle-3" );Watching the two women act in person reminded why Hacks has drawn viewers and won awards since it premiered. The comedy-drama about two unlikely collaborators, disparate in age and attitude – a formerly rising young writer and an aging comedian on the Strip – continues to captivate.
Now, the duo find themselves prepping for a late night show in La La Land, a trailblazing move for Deborah who, in age-obsessed Hollywood, is considered past her prime. But she is determined to succeed and make history.Rappler asked Jean, Hannah, and Lucia Aniello, one of the show’s writers and directors who was also in the press conference panel, about this scene and how the leads’ actor’s instincts kicked in.
Jean began, “It’s a moment that’s been coming. You think, that kind of makes sense that it comes to this point. But yeah, it is a very kind of threatening moment.
”“As an actor, you play the scene. And to play opposite Hannah, everything’s easy because it’s true. It’s in her eyes.
She’s right there.”Hannah, for her part, said, “I learn from the best, and my great team lifts me up. We are so locked into where we leave off in Season 3.
We all have such a palpable sense memory of that.”Recalling that “walking through the hallway and getting to the office” sequence, Hannah said, “That last moment is so real. Because also, we’ve watched it a million times.
”“Like the first time we saw it, I was over hanging with the writers, and I think we rewound it like nine times because they’re just like, ‘Crazy.’ So it is super fresh still, like, leaving off there.”The actress added, “And especially, the brilliant direction and the camera moves on that shot.
It is continuous. And so, you really are able to track walking through the hallway, walking into the door, sitting at the desk hearing the knock, Jean coming in like everything is happening in real time.”“You’re not breaking it up.
So, it has a beautiful flow in that way, and that helps to really have that continuous shot. To Jean’s point, I feel the same way about her obviously being face to face with her.”Better, meaner, nastierEven with the cameras and crew hovering around Jean and Hannah in the office set, the scene felt real.
Hannah observed, “We are so deeply close to these characters, and it really does just come naturally, and the dialogue, of course, leads the way. And so we’re able to just embody that and it frickin’ rips.”Lucia, who is one of Hacks’ showrunners, along with her fellow Emmy winners Paul W.
Downs and Jen Statsky, said, “Something that we sometimes do in the writing is feel like we have to explain how people feel and try to make sure that the audience is connecting with the characters.”“But once, especially Jean and Hannah, and all of our actors start to embody it, all of a sudden, you realize so much of that was superfluous because they’re able to show such vulnerability. That really makes it easier for us.
”The creator, who also produced Awkwafina is Nora from Queens, continued about the two actresses: “They do so much of the heavy lifting in terms of helping the audience get into the emotional perspective of the character. So, it is really easy to write and direct for them in that way. They do a lot of the hard work for us.
”As for Deborah making history as a woman landing a late-night show host job at this late stage in her career, Jean said, “Yes, it’s sort of a bucket list to pretend to be a talk show host.”But Deborah is having some panic attacks. “She definitely has something,” Jean agreed.
“It’s sort of be careful what you wish for. I mean, the pressure gets to her. Definitely.
”On still showing new sides of Deborah and winning two Golden Globes and three Emmys, Jean gave “credit to the to the writing...
It continually amazes me that they are able to find more and more for us and also to keep this dynamic going.”“A lot of the fun for the audience is this relationship and the fact that they’ve been able to keep that the way they have. My biggest fear after the first season was that now that they’re kind of friendly and working together, is that going to be as much fun for the audience to see them butting heads?”She added, “But it’s amazing to me that it continues in the same vein, and it just gets better, and meaner and nastier.
”Speaking of meaner and nastier, Jean commented about Deborah, “There’s a lot of characters throughout history that were fun – we love to hate them. It might be partly that, too, but hopefully, you see the part of her that’s also a little bit more vulnerable.”Adversarial thingHannah, asked about Ava’s new position as a head writer and if she has changed, answered, “I think her hand has kind of been forced.
A lot of people ask me, has Ava turned bad or like, is she? No, I think she has to kind of speak Deborah’s language.”“But she still has her core. She retains that spirit but has to play ball.
And it’s been really cool to get to play the adversarial thing.”“It’s obviously like when we have to fight, Lucia calls cut, and we’re just like hugging, like, I’m sorry. It is fun to traverse this windy road with the two of them.
”“We’ve all had that in our own lives,” Jean replied about the show’s mastery of combining comedy and drama. “You know, tragedy and comedy. That’s just what life is.
”“And so to be able to do that and to still have the tone of the show be essentially fun and joyous. But then the reality of there’s always the flip side of the coin.”An extra treat this new season is the appearance of surprise guest stars.
Asked about the sexist convention that women in the workplace become adversaries, Jean countered, “I’ve always found it a little bit insulting that people have this idea that women can’t get along and that men do. I’ve found that strange.”“I remember a million years ago when I was doing Designing Women, people used to ask us that constantly.
‘Wow. What’s it like on the set with four women?’ Oh, boy, that must be..
.oh!’ ”“We’d think, what? I said, ‘Do you guys ask the Barney Miller cast that question?’ I find that really bizarre.”Jean remarked, “Who said I was grounded?” when asked the usual question about what keeps her grounded.
“It’s a dreadful thing to say!” she exclaimed.“I used to say, especially when my kids were younger, I just sort of think of myself as a housewife with a really weird job. But I know certainly that’s naive to say that in a way.
”“I know that the outside world, as we put it, the civilian world, they look at our job as being very exciting. God knows it is sometimes. No, it’s just we had kids and a house that kept you grounded.
”The Seattle, Washington-born performer added that she was “lucky” and grateful to her parents. “I was brought up by really wonderful parents. We didn’t have much.
My dad was a school teacher. He worked two jobs, just because he had four kids.”“And my mom made our clothes.
I didn’t feel like I lacked for a thing but we didn’t have extras. I’m glad that I was not spoiled.”“I’m actually very grateful for my childhood.
Everything nice that’s happened to me in my adult life, I don’t take for granted.”‘Hacks’ mansion burned downOn the growing number of senior characters in television, Jean quipped, “I think it’s happening because of me.” She complemented her joking statement with a dramatic pose.
But the 73-year-old actress admitted, “I get a little uncomfortable when the subject comes up because I feel like I don’t want to be the poster child for older actresses.”“But certainly, it’s nice to be able to play a character where you show that people have the same kinds of hopes, dreams, and desires and everything that they do when they’re 30.”“So, for people to be able to see that and get used to that is just because it’s not something we used to see in film and television.
But why not? That’s part of real life. And no, it’s great. And if our show has helped with that a little bit, then bravo.
”Jean cited her Deborah character as a welcome character on the screen. “That’s been a great thing to see on the show because she was a person who just hung on to anger, bitterness, and resentment.”“And to see her being able to maybe let go or at least recognize that, it’s important because it’s shocking how long it takes you in life to learn stuff.
”She emphasized, “It really is true. You think, oh, God, why didn’t I figure that out 30 years ago?”A sad footnote is that the mansion that was used as Deborah’s home in Hacks burned down, one of several famous estates that were razed in the LA wildfires last January.“The beautiful mansion that was built in 1930 (actually 1915), I think,” Jean confirmed.
“It’s been sitting there for 100 years almost. And it burns. And it was really sad.
”“We had just finished shooting there, I think the week before (the fires). And to envision those beautiful rooms, that beautiful fountain, the backyard, and the couple that lived there and their dog. They’re safe, thank God.
But that was shocking.” – Rappler.com.
