But she doesn’t want to talk about it.
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: You work so steadily, but were you looking for a lead role like this?
[Laughs] I had just finished a show in Philadelphia
Mare of Easttown, I assume?
Jean Smart on ‘Hacks’.HBO Max
And then not too long before that, I was shootingWatchmenin Atlanta.
So this is nice; I’m home every night for dinner.
How does comedy get you revved up in ways that drama doesn’t, and vice versa?
Jean Smart and Hannah Einbinder on ‘Hacks.'.Anne Marie Fox/HBO Max
Comedy if it works and you get that laugh, there’s nothing like the feeling.
You previously told me about idolizing Phyllis Dillerwhen you were younger and wanting to be like her.
But when did your focus switch from stand-up to acting?
Jean Smart and Kate Winslet on ‘Mare of Easttown’.HBO
Definitely in high school.
Well, you are now getting to be a stand-up onHacks.
I think you have to have the audience or a semblance of an audience for that to work.
So I never had the full experience of a full house hopefully next season [crosses fingers].
But I loved it, it was great fun.
It’s all the fun of stand-up with none of the danger because…they have to laugh.
A necessary one, even.
I remember saying it’s almost like we’re in a madcap comedy here!
It’s fine."
I said, “You know what would be really great?
But that wouldn’t work because we were shooting scenes from different episodes every day.
But my makeup artist did a great job with that amazing.
But yes, that episode has a little bit of everything.
So do you have personal experience with edibles?
Were you unlocking some memories for those scenes?
[Laughs] I knew you were going to ask me that!
I am not a marijuana fan.
It was the best.
Did you have to pose for a wax figure for that episode?
Wait, that was actually you.
It wasn’t a wax figure.
It’s a very extensive process, and very expensive.
Would you equate that to playing dead?
That’s really hard.
And, of course, I didn’t know what [Hannah] was going to do.
[Laughs]
Let’s talk about the mother-daughter relationship and your scenes with Kaitlin Olson.
There’s such tension there, and the slow reveal of things there has been really compelling.
What have you enjoyed about that dynamic between Deborah and DJ?
Well, first of all, Kaitlin is amazing.
Just love her, love working with her, think she’s a real pro.
You do too much, or you do too little.
You give them too much freedom; you don’t give them enough freedom.
It seems like you never hit that sweet spot.
To Deborah, it was love.
It’s always mom.
Everything comes back to that number one, primal relationship.
[Laughs] Another dysfunctional mother-daughter relationship.
Kate is just one of the most impressive gals I’ve met.
She couldn’t be kinder and smarter and nicer and more fun to work with.
I didn’t know what to expect.
We had a great time.
She always called me “mum.”
It’s funny because I got hurt on the set and had to go to the hospital.
Broke a rib in half, got a concussion.
It’s all right, mummy.”
I said, “My daughter isn’t here.What?”
He pointed to Kate.
I was like, “Ohhhh, no no no, that’s not my daughter.
That’s Kate Winslet!
Don’t you recognize her?”
So he’s like, “No, I missed meeting Kate Winslet!”
I’m like, “Uh, excuse me, the morphine, like!”
You just need a lead actress in a comedy trophy to complete the collection.
A tiara to go with the earrings and the broach.
[Laughs] But I don’t wanna talk about it.
Whenever people talk about it they get jinxed.
