Missy has found her voice.
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: How are you feeling as your prepare for an exciting next month with bothBig MouthandDickinsonpremiering?
[Laughs] It’s a lot of like, “Okay, so, I login?”
Credit: Myles Loftin; Netflix
I want to talk to you about both shows, but let’s start withBig Mouth.
It’s about something that is so universal and has happened to mostly everyone unless you’re Benjamin Buttoning.
And also it’s fun and funny and dumb and stupid sometimes, and that’s also nice.
Sometimes you need that, and maybe now more than ever.
I always just want to laugh at poop, pee, and periods.
And I get to write for a show that does that… and other stuff!
It has beautiful moments in the midst of that.
When you were hired as a writer, had Jenny stepped down yet as Missy?
No, not yet.
So, as you entered the world ofBig Mouth, what were your thoughts on Jenny voicing Missy?
And then what was your reaction when she decided to step down?
I’ve thinking about a lot about how so much has changed, like even in my lifetime.
We discovered that this was wrong and we’ve corrected it.
And so I think, to me, this is a faster version of that in a way.
How did you end up taking over?
And was there any hesitation on your part?
I auditioned like everyone else.
I had been doing small voiceover work before and auditioning for things.
In my head I was like, “I’m very excited for Angela Bassett to get it!”
Or Dame Judi Dench if she was Black.
So Dame Angela Bassett.
And they were like, “Yeah, you got the part, good job.”
I was very excited.
What appealed to you about the character of Missy?
Was there anything specific with her that you really related to?
I think Missy is one of the characters that I relate to the most.
I’m very anxious and kind of dorky and weird, and definitely was that as a kid.
Also, the buckteeth, the buckteeth gang!
I mean, Jenny was getting started on some of season 5 as well.
And now I’m talking about stuff I don’t even know about because I’m not an animator.
It’s all very overwhelming."
What did you make of the journey they had already sent Missy on and how they handled it?
A very good joke.
[Laughs] To be honest, I was like, “Good.”
I think this is the right thing that should have happened.
I think no matter what there are always going to be things that don’t age well.
Moving on toDickinson, what was that experience like, and what should we expect in the new season?
Writing for that show was awesome.
Alena [Smith] is a really incredible showrunner.
That is my little tease.
There’s some incredible performances and really dope music as usual.
What’s that been like?
Yeah, it’s really cool.
And, honestly, it was not something that I was angling myself to do in any way.
I really can’t stress that enough.
[Laughs] I’m lucky that that happened.
It was like I had a tool in my toolkit.
It was really cool in both instances.
Big Mouthreturns to Netflix on Friday, whileDickinsonseason 2 premieres Jan. 8 on Apple TV+.
