The Oscar-nominated Bridesmaids co-writer takes the spotlight with her and Kristen Wiigs zany new comedy.
It’s a sunny, unpredictable delight, and it also marks a new spotlight for Mumolo.
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: When did you and Kristen first start talking about this?
Cate Cameron/Lionsgate
How long have these characters of Barb and Star been in your heads?
But more and more we’re realizing how much they’re us.
[Laughs] We are these people when we’re in our private conversations.
It was something we liked to do always.
We liked to inhabit these people and give them a voice.
We find so much fun and delight in these women.
When we were writingBridesmaids,it kind of took another step forward.
They had nothing to do with the movie.
But it takes years.
It takes years and years to get a movie made.
It’s not an overnight process.
So this one started maybe five-and-a-half or six years ago.
This andBridesmaidsare obviously two totally different tones, but they’re both such a lovely ode to female friendship.
What is it about that theme that you love to explore?
I think that the relationships and bonds that women have are quite amazing.
Growing up, my mom had this group of friends, and they’re still all very close.
They’re these women who have survived so much together, and they call themselves the Babes.
I feel very fortunate with my female friends, too.
It’s very special to me, and I just think there’s something about female friendships.
You survive things together.
It’s important, and it’s significant.
You and Kristen have obviously known each other and worked together for such a long time.
What was different about working together onBarb and Star?
Let’s write the most fun version we can, and let’s see where we end up."
Sometimes as a writer, you know the notes you’re going to get.
You know what they’re going to want you to change.
On this one, we put it all in there, like, let’s see what happens!
[Laughs] We didn’t want to censor ourselves as we went.
And that’s not to say it was easy to write this movie.
It’s very hard to write a movie!
We had a lot of rewriting.
We worked on this movie for about five years.
The tone is so delightful and bizarre.
How did you want to navigate that sort of silly, campy vibe?
My dad had this woman who worked in his office and ran the front desk.
He’s a dentist, and she was obsessed with Fabio.
She entered a contest to win a ski trip with Fabio.
She had the walls papered with Fabio.
But it’s like that: These characters take joy in things things that we take for granted.
So as far as the tone for the movie, I think that’s where we sort of started.
We knew that the joy aspect was key.
What was your most memorable day on set?
We shot this montage scene at like 4 in the morning.
We were laughing so hard, and sand was going everywhere.
[Laughs] That was one of my favorites.
And also being on the jet ski.
That was exhilarating, I would say, although Kristen would say it was terrifying.
I was driving it, and she was holding on to me on the back.
I was like, “We’re fine!
Let’s go!”
and she was like, “Ahh, I don’t want to!”
We have to talk about Jamie Dornan, who is just phenomenal.
Why was he the right person to play this sort of goofy romantic interest?
I can’t say enough about Jamie.
He was sort of everything we dreamed of and more.
Jamie had to do something that was so difficult: He had to walk this very fine line.
It’s almost like walking a tightrope.
The way he did that so effortlessly was so fun to experience and watch.
You feel lucky to get to be there for that.
To have someone with that history of dramatic roles show up and be overflowing with comedic instincts and timing…
He’s one of the funniest people.
I couldn’t say enough about that guy.
When did you guys decide, “You know what this movie really needs?
[Laughs] Even in the script, we didn’t really think it was going to happen.
And we moved past it.
[Laughs] We were so excited.
We love writing musical numbers.
You filmed on location at a beach resort in Mexico.
What was it like to take over that beach and film there?
It was Caribbean temperatures in July.
We put wigs on, and you get under the lights, and that adds 10 to 15 degrees.
And then you put screens up and that blocks out the wind.
So it was hot.
All I see is like a whiteout.”
It was so hot and so bright, and we were cooking.
How do you feel about the movie getting released now?
I mean, this year’s been crazy.
Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Maris available on demand now.
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