The Lovebirdswas never supposed to happen this way.
ButThe Lovebirdsis also one of the lucky ones.
KUMAIL NANJIANI:I feel like Ive had the same, its been up and down.
Credit: NETFLIX
So the only way to get through it is to not think about it.
Are you able to be productive or feel creative?
But its like, you dont even know if were going to be able to shoot these anytime soon.
NETFLIX
So now Im like, am I working for nothing?
Im trying to get back into my groove again.
None of this means anything.
Sometimes when Im writing it feels like Im on a Fisher-Price computer, likeooh Im writing a screenplay!
It doesnt feel like its connected to anything.
Can you explainThe Lovebirds' journey from a theatrical release to Netflix?
NANJIANI:As corona was approaching, Issa and I had been talking the entire time.
So we pursued it immediately.
RAE:We got lucky because it was everyones immediate strategy.
Is it weird to bepromotinga movie remotely?
NANJIANI:[Press tours] are going to be a lot more convenient now!
RAE:Sure, convenient, but I get anxiety about it.
I feel like internet connections are gonna have to step up.
Thats not appealing to me.
NANJIANI:I think were going to be doing a lot of these.
Hes so smart and a great listener.
I dont even remember us getting to know each other or anything.
We just jumped into it.
We got to know each other really quickly, really well, through that.
Did anything out of those relationship conversations make it into the movie’s script?
Can you talk about reworking parts of the story to fit the realities of an interracial couple?
RAE:We put ourselves in the casting.
But were not ignoring it either.
NANJIANI:We didnt want it to be a message movie.
I think putting those sorts of things in there was important.
We wanted it to feel like only we could play these characters.
Theres action here, too.
How did you prepare for the fight scenes?
RAE:First of all, there was no problem on my side.
I think that the most choreographed scene I had was the horse fight in the barn.
There was no training required to make me terrible at fighting, especially in heels.
NANJIANI:[Laughs] That came naturally.
I would do a take and think, “Oh wow I nailed that.”
Then I looked at the footage and I realized how awful I was.
I think they did a good job editing around some of my stunt failings.
RAE:Sorry, Im taking a question from you here.
But did you feel likeLovebirdsprepared you for the Marvel thing or was it a whole different ball game?
InLovebirds,were bad at fighting in the Marvel movies, Im supposed to be this amazing fighter.
I begged them to train me a lot more than I would have.
Ultimately it did help me and I knew where my weaknesses were in that area because ofLovebirds.
How did you survive the night shoot aspect?
RAE:Im still a little bit traumatized.
I think Im generally pretty easy-going, I dont have drastic moods.
But everything just feels more intense at night because your entire schedule is off.
NANJIANI:Its so hard.
We didnt shoot during Mardi Gras but the week leading up to it is also very intense.
But wed be shooting something, do you remember…
RAE:That four-person parade!
NANJIANI:With like an 11-piece band!
I would see the same people at the bar.
As people use your movie for quarantine escapism, what pop culture are you turning to right now?
RAE:Yesterday in my depression I was like, “What can I watch right now?”
I thinkGroundhog Dayis my comfort movie.
I think thats gonna be my happy place but it may feel too familiar.
NANJIANI:For me, Ive been watching oldSeinfeldepisodes.
RAE:High Maintenanceis great.
Im gonna download Hulu.
Im just paying for it.
F— it.
