April 9, 2012 • 37 mins
Alec talks with Kristen Wiig -- who catered, did floral design, answered phones at a law firm and handed out peach samples at a farmer’s market -- all before landing her current gig, as a cast member on Saturday Night Live.
Kristen says she loves performing, but admits there’s also a “big part of me that’s just like: don’t look at me.” Kristen talks about auditioning for SNL, and the prospect of life beyond SNL: “I mean that’s my family, it’s my heart, it’s New York to me.”
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
This is Alec Baldwin and you're listening to here's the thing?
Are we rolling? Hi? Welcome, Welcome to confession. I'm father
al What saw your mind? Kristen? I've done a lot
of things. Kristen Wigg has indeed done a lot of things.
She was a caterer, a waiter, the lady who gave
(00:20):
out peach samples at a farmer's market. She's done floral design.
She's answered phones at a law firm that lasted a day.
But one thing she has done with astounding consistency for
much of the past seven years is make me laugh
until tears are streaming down my face. What was your name?
Kristin Wiggs? Characters on Saturday Night Live are exercises in juxtaposition.
(00:45):
The repulsively friendly target cashier, let's see soundscreen, nose plugs.
I wear nose plugs around the house when my neighbor
cooks bractoli, the revolting sexpot. One time, when I got
really scute, I just read my shirt open and did
tons of two any little bounces in a row. Judy
(01:05):
the pathologically nervous travel expert. I'm not nervous. I just
changed my mind about doing this. Just getting. I didn't
change my mind. I changed my clothes, just getting my clothes,
and change my addressed and I live it. Twenty one street,
just getting job, one two street, just getting. I didn't
move and I can move my body. Look just kidding.
Lorne Michael's called Wig one of the top three or
four performers in his show's history. Kristen inhabits her characters
(01:25):
with the fierce commitment of a veteran film actor. It's
no wonder her transition into movies was so smooth. Well
you're kid, and you'll be my maid of honor. God,
of course, of course I will. Perhaps Wig is best
known for her starring role in Bridesmaids, which she also
co wrote, earning her an Oscar nomination for Best Screenplay.
(01:49):
This spring, she's appearing in Jennifer Westfeld's new movie Friends
with Kids. With all this success, it's hard to believe
Whigg's career in comedy almost didn't happen. She grew up
in upstate New York and Pennsylvania, never dreaming of making
a living in the entertainment industry. When it was time
for college, performing didn't even cross her mind. I was
(02:10):
an art major. It wasn't really for me. I was
kind of in my I hate the word party phase.
I hate that word. I was having fun, I guess
at that time, and I taking it easy. I was
taking it easy, and then I didn't really know what
I was having, Like what am I going to do
with my life? You're in your ring ding ding peg.
(02:33):
I've never used that term, but I'm going to And
then I went back to Rochester because I wasn't sure
what I wanted to do. And then I just started
like taking classes at the local community college. And then
I was like, I want to travel art art classes
and there's no performance element of you're doing and more
people saying to you, God, you're funny. I don't think
(02:54):
people wake up when they're you know what. I never
really did plays. I mean, if I had to give
a speech in class, I would try anything to get
out of it. I hated talking in front of people.
I still actually don't really like doing that. If I
myself and it's a group of people, it still makes
me nervous. Anyway, after I was back in Rochester, I
(03:14):
did a Knolls semester. Do you know what that is?
It's like outward bound where you like live outside and learned.
Is it like meaningful or is it ring ding ding? No,
it's meaningful, yeah, soul searching and yes, oh yes, of
course for three months there was a little bit of that.
It's called what knowles National Outdoor Leadership School. You're laughing
in me, it's like outward outdoor Leadership. Yeah. It was
(03:37):
like you learn how to live outside and like just
incase apocalypse and if you get lost in the woods,
like I wouldn't know what to do. And if I
was with you, I would bring up this conversation and say,
you're on your own, you go get lost in I'm
gonna be in the hotel watching Bridesmaids on pay per view. Anyway,
long story short after that, went back to Rochester and
then applied to the University of Arizona. Went there for
(03:58):
a year. Why they're um, it was a boyfriend thing.
And then you're pretty normal up until now, pretty normal. Yeah,
And then then I took an acting class. Where at
University of Arizona, my major was studio art and you
could pick three different types of art for that major,
and it was like sculpture, painting, and I just tried
(04:20):
this class called performance Art, which was very like writing
poems and doing kind of yes, like very weird light
changes and things like that, which was like my first
experience of being on a stage. Even though it was
like this tiny little box in front of a class.
It was literally acting one on one that was one
class one class, and I was terrified to take it
(04:44):
because I, like I said, I hate standing up in
front of people and performing. But something about this class
we learned about improv and my teacher was really supportive,
and at the end of the class he was just like,
have you ever considered doing this? And I was like, no, yeah, right,
was my teacher. Yeah. I just kept thinking about it,
(05:05):
and I wasn't really happy there. I didn't really like
the art program wasn't really for me. I don't want
to say I had an epiphany, but I did have
one of those moments where I was like looking at
myself in the mirror and I was like, what are
you doing? What do you want to do? If you
could do anything in this world, what would it be?
And I was like, I want to move to l
A and try to be an actor, which was crazy,
(05:29):
but I didn't stop myself. I packed my car like
the next day and my roommate at the time in
Arizona lived in Beverly Hills, and she said I could
come stay with her. Started flowing in that direction. I
didn't tell my parents that I was leaving arit office,
and I just kept saying, God, it's really hot here.
There's much sand everywhere, exactly West Hollywood, Arizona. Um. And
(05:57):
when you got there, how quickly did you get into
the down things thing? Not quickly because I moved there
and I was like, kind of paste, don't you kind
of you're kind of creeping up on this. I got
there and I was like, what a slow motion epiphany?
It was in a pivo. I got there and I
was like, what am I doing? Because l A is
(06:18):
a city of actors and performers and writers and filmmakers
for the most part, I mean, that's where they all go.
And I had zero experience. I wasn't, you know, nineteen
and I just got a job and like, wasn't really
doing anything job doing what I worked at anthropology? Did
(06:40):
your story? You're so close an anthropology? Yeah? And I
did like, were you security? I wasn't security, No, But
I did a lot of like visual stuff because of
my art background. I had help with like the displays
and stuff. But when you say you you weren't sure
what you were doing, there's something about you. In the
time I've known you have been around, you were You're
still kind of that way. Oh yeah, I don't think
(07:01):
I'm ever going to figure it out. I don't know,
do you ever? I don't know. I mean I think
that there's two types of people in the business and
I've met. That is the ones that have that very
Mickey Rooney kind of I'm going to be in show business.
You know, they're kids and they just wanted to eat, sleep,
and drink it. Then there's people who are, if not accidental,
they certainly have a sense that they're visiting. I'll do
(07:25):
this for now. You know. Yeah, I love performing, but
there's such a big part of me that's like, don't
look at me, do you know what I mean? It's
hard to find that balance. I think also, like people
assume if you're an actor, that you just like walk
into a room and you're like, hello, listen to this story.
I want everyone to gather out. The exact opposite. If
(07:48):
I'm in a room full of people and someone says like, hey, Kristen,
what happened at that thing. I'll just be like, oh,
I'll start sweating and your dreaming going to dinner and
someone else does all the talking. Yeah, that's why I
like going to dinner with you. So when you're there
and you get into the Groundlings, Groundlings opened everything up.
How so because for you you're thinking acting and it
was a performing on class. You said I'm gonna go
(08:10):
to l to be an actress. And do you feel
that you crossed the line and it was I'm a
comedian or I'm a comedy actress. You never felt that way. No,
I think it was it was improv. It was watching
people be on stage acting without a script. There was
something in me that was like, I want to do that.
I know that I can do that. For some reason,
(08:30):
it was less scary to me than having words in
front of me, because I think when you're handed a script,
you know that you're supposed to do it in a
certain way, and people will think like, how is she
reading this? But when you're improvising, there's nothing to compare
it to and you can do whatever. Yeah. But when
I started taking classes at the Groundlings and taking improv,
(08:52):
it was like something just like clicked and I felt like, all,
this is what I want to do. And but at
the same time, did you get a sense of what
you're doing? It was working. You were pretty good at it.
I mean, yeah, I think so, but you were good no,
I mean it was something. It was nice to have
(09:13):
that thing that I knew that I was good at. Finally,
besides art, which is very personal and quiet, and you know,
that was just sort of something I did by myself.
You don't talk to anybody when you're drawing or painting.
It's very um isolating. And for me, doing the Groundings
(09:34):
was the exact opposite of that, because it's such a
community and you're you improvise with other people and you
have to connect with other people to make it work.
Audition to get in it's like a school. I mean
you have to go and take the first class, and
then after the first class, your teacher tells you if
you can move on or if you should repeat it,
(09:54):
or if this isn't for you, and then you just
keep going. And then the third level is like it's
writing intensive. So that's that's like where I learned how
to write was at the Groundlings. And the Groundlings was
how long probably like four or five years. I guess
a few years. Yeah, I mean there's time in between
(10:16):
some of the levels because there's such a long waiting list.
And then once I got into the main company, I
was only in it for a handful of months before
I got Now, when SNL comes knocking, for those we knocked,
I don't know if they not, well, we sent it im.
My manager sent a tape in. So you had an
agent and a manager. I had playing the whole thing
(10:38):
out there. I had a manager working. I've done a
few pilots, I guess, and a few commercials. She weren't
cloistered over there on the groundlings. You were, you were working,
I was, yeah, I mean I still was had odd jobs.
And when you connected with the SNL people, you sent
material to them. Naomi sent a tape in. And then
(11:00):
your manager, Yes, sorry, my manager, Naomi Odenkirk, whose I
wouldn't have any of my career if it wasn't for her.
I used to babysit for her, and then I asked
her to come see my groundling show and she was
like okay, um, yeah anyway, So that's how she signed
me was from seeing me there. But she just kind
of set my tape in and then you know, you
(11:20):
don't hear anything, and then you just get a call.
We'd liked her to audition this summer. Five characters, three impressions,
five minutes, and I was like, Okay, I don't really
have any impressions, so I'm gonna have to Like I'd
never done impressions on stage at the groundings, it was
just kind of like joking around with my friends. Flew
(11:41):
out there. It was the most terrifying experience. Who are
you doing it for? I don't even remember deceived darkness.
I don't even I just remember Lauren was there, and
and Seth and Marcy Tina, you know friends I had
met it. No. I went to New York once when
I was in eighth grade and like went to to
(12:06):
like hard rock cafe or something. When I was in
the eighth grade. No, I came to New York and
I was like what. I bought a stopwatch because I
really thought they were going to just turn the lights
off at five minutes, because they said, like it's five minutes,
please don't go over. So I was like electric. Yeah,
So I practiced in the with like a stopwatch, trying
to get it under five minutes, exactly five minutes, and
(12:28):
I don't do stand up, so the idea of performing
by myself, I felt okay, I felt pretty good. They
laughed a little bit. I was warned, you know, like
it's going to be quiet, just do it. It's a
tough crowd, just do it and go. If anything, I
just felt happy that I did it because I was
(12:50):
so terrified and shaking. I couldn't sleep, I couldn't eat,
and it was over. I didn't hear anything, and I
was like, okay, well that was an experience. And then
like a month and a half later, we got a
call saying can she come back, you know, and if
she has new stuff or other stuff that would be
(13:10):
great too. And I was like, I've crammed everything I've
ever done in that five minutes. But then I just
I came up with some new stuff, went back and
did it again. Then they asked me to stay and
meet with Lauren. I don't remember what I said, I
do you have kind of an Alzheimer's problem now because
you don't remember a lot. I don't remember because I
was I was I do have a horrible memory. But
(13:32):
also I was so nervous and probably didn't say much anyway,
and then he was like, you know, well we don't
really have room for you right now, but you know,
your audition was great. I mean he was so sweet,
and I was like okay, and then I left. I
was so confused, and then I went home and then
the season started, and I remember watching the first show
(13:54):
and being like, well, I didn't get it. And then
after the fourth show, we got a call saying can
she come? So then I started, like fifth show in
I started, which was even more nerve wracking because you
feel a call you when they said get out here. Yeah,
had you watched the show prior to yeah? Oh yeah, yeah,
I'd grown up watching oh yeah, especially high school. I
(14:17):
remember it was like people would watch it and then
remember of high school. Yeah, I don't really remember. So
you you you had an awareness of the show when
you were a fan of the show, so when they
called you and asked you to come, you felt nervous.
Other than nervous, I I don't know if there was
even much more than nervous. I was happy. I was
(14:39):
so happy. I was like, this is too good to
be true. And in my mind I'm thinking I'm moving
to New York City? Where do I live? How do
I get around? How do I move my stuff? What
if I get there and none of my stuff works?
You know it's getting us And I was a huge
It's a huge deal. I mean I jumped up and down.
(15:00):
I was I couldn't believe it. And I think the
difference with SNL's if I had gotten my big break
whatever you want to call it, if it was a
pilot or a TV show got picked up or a movie,
you kind of know what to expect, And with SNL
you have no ideas written yet hasn't been written, Like
(15:21):
what am I going to do on the show? How
how does it's live? It's an hour and a half.
But for you, in terms of that open field running,
so to speak, in terms of there being a blank canvas,
you went in there and you've created all these this
incredible range of characters. You have a woman that's your
writing partner, yes, Annie Mamolo and Annie Mamola. Where did
(15:43):
you meet her at the ground when you went? Did
they bring her along with you? When did she come along? Well?
I mean I wrote Brides Means with her, but she's
not she's not understand Who do you write with on SNL.
I write a lot with James Anderson and Kent Sublet,
who came from Groundling, to describe how that works, because
people who don't know Wes and L don't know that
there are these pairings. People kind of find something they
(16:04):
dig right for you. Just find the people that you
have they want to write for you. Yeah, and it's
a similar sense of humor. It's easy, and people just
naturally gravitate towards to give me a character that one
of them wrote for you. The secret word sketch, I'm
thrilled to be here. Look at me. Mindy Grayson is
her name that like old Hollywood. They write that I
(16:26):
have nothing to do with that, and it's such a gift,
no secret words to an actress. I see the word
and I explore it. And the movie reviewer Linda she
was the Groundlings. I hated one and love the other.
Gas so that you brought in your baggage with you. Yeah,
and then I write that with Paula. Yeah. Yeah. My
(16:47):
next film is Tim Burton's adaptation of Alice in Wonderland
or what I like to call it, Alice and wonder
if someone put LSD in my crystal like she originally was.
I was doing her I think in the show maybe
that that I was in when I got SNL and
the most distracting thing along Helen Obama Carter, how would
(17:09):
it Linda review Bridesmans would in Linda Sex, She'd probably like,
there's too many women in it. When when I originally
did that character, it was a sketch at the Groundlings
and it was a woman who was on the plane
who was watching the in flight movie, which was the Matrix,
and she was so confused by it and she didn't
(17:29):
understand anything, and she just kept talking to the people
and like what is going on? And I tried it
as a sketch at SNL like five times. It went
to dress maybe three times, and finally someone was like,
why don't you just try or an update, and so
that's how she eventually got on the show. Recently, you
did the news segment with Seth. We were that blonde
bimbo who had her legs. Who is that woman? Rebecca LaRue?
(17:53):
I think is her name? Here to tell us how
we can meet a significant other by New Year's Flirting Expert,
Rebecca LaRue. I want to tell you that I've never
laughed so hard in my life, and like the last
year then when I watched you do that, if you
want to explain what you're doing right now, just like
body language stuff you know that people can do. There's
these women you play who have that kind of it
(18:17):
doesn't mean to do with femininity or sexuality, it's just
more of their psychological jaggedness, if you will. And Linda,
that could be Uncle Bob. You take a character that
it has there's no really no gender specifics to it.
Then you turn around you play a woman who was
very gender specific. It looks like, you know, you started
flirting already. I'm just listening to you. I'm just really
(18:41):
hearing you. You play the super hot, horny actress and
you were so funny. I mean, there are some people
in comedy who can't do both that. I have to say.
One of the greatest gifts that I've gotten from SNL
is getting out of my comfort zone. I realized, I
think Lauren realized probably the first handful of years that
(19:03):
I was there. Most of my characters were ladies in
their forties with like short hair and weird sweaters that
nobody Barbara Bush, no one wanted at the dinner party
and The good thing about being at S n L
for me creatively is to think, Okay, I'm comfortable enough,
I really want to try something that's not some you know,
(19:26):
something that I normally do. And that's when I actually
first came up with the character, Um Shannah. One time,
I need a bunch of peanuts and I had a pain.
You're made billy button. So the doctor to me he
needed to still simple and I need to poop when
the dainty's cutest little void cup, the one that's like
sexy but then does like gross things. Because I was like,
(19:49):
I really want to write a character that looks kind
of good but blank. And that's kind of where the
Flirting Lady came from too. I was like, I just
want to try, you know, i'd really know what that
was going to be. I mean, none of it was
really on the page when we wrote it. But for you,
do you feel like, when there's a quotient of a
character which is a sensuous quotient and you're sending it up,
(20:14):
do you realize that you could walk out the door
tomorrow and probably play that character for real in a
straight film. I mean, have you ever wanted to do
play a leading lady in a dramatic film a love story. Yeah,
period film. I would love to do that straight film. Yes,
I hope, I hope I get the opportunity to do that.
(20:34):
I was just actually talking to someone about this the
other day that the audience very quickly puts you in
uh folder, like they know you how they first knew you.
I'm Kristen from SNL or comedic actress, and people are
always so surprised when I want to do dramatic stuff. Really, like,
(20:55):
you really want to do that? Have you had any
offers for that? Um? I mean there's a couple of
things that I'm looking at doing next that aren't comedies
at all. One of them is really not at all,
and I'm horrible movie. I just want to be in
a town. Do you ever want to do a harm
movie with me? Are you kick a paranormal Blair? Which thing?
(21:15):
We're just completely Lucy Goosey, just cameras and we improve
we could shoot it in here. We're on the radio
and then we just hear voice a dad announcer who's
in here, in lacks in here, you know, let's talk
about that later on. Okay, I love that. Talk about
Jennifer Westfeld's film. It was it like for you acting
in the film, Um, it was amazing. It's it was
a much more dramatic part than I've had the opportunity
(21:39):
to do that. I loved it. I loved it. It
was so part of it was satisfying to me. Yeah,
but it was. But what part of it was hard?
As far as the performing part. There were a lot
of kids around. It's like, oh, you're not supposed to
be crying, you know how it is when you've got
(22:00):
and she had all of that. Actually put the dog's
bed against the wall and then we'll have the dog
will Can I go here? Rex? Rex gets one signal?
Let me send courtesy van for Rex back to the hotel.
Wrap on Rex, or just give a bird? Yeah, well
they can be you know, but it's raw. Even the
birds that don't talk, say your name. Just pigeons outside
(22:24):
clam shells on the beach, Alec. Can that be in
our horror movie? Can that be the end of the
horror movie where we just zoom in on a clam
shell on the beach. It's called the mollusks. I love it.
Let's get shut out. Someone's got to be listening to
somebody really good with a typewriter, not a computer typewriter.
(22:46):
Brold School. Yeah, this is Alec Baldwin and you're listening
to here's the Thing. More coming up in a minute.
(23:12):
This is not like Baldwin and you're listening to here's
the Thing. So you wrote Bridesmaids as everybody knows. Okay,
An Mama. I don't know Annie, but I know you.
And there really is something in this business when you
see somebody who is as lovely as you are, and
as pleasant as you are, and as talented as you are,
and kind of unassuming. I mean, you're not a very
(23:34):
self important artist in this business, and then all of
a sudden you go, wow, you know, if you make
a movie that's just this huge success. We look back
on it, now, what do you think. When we were
making the movie, it was like, we wrote this thing,
we hope it works. Whose idea was it? Everyone's having fun?
(23:56):
What's going to happen? The original just the idea of
the story was Annie. Jed asked me to write something
for myself after I did Knocked Up, and he's like,
you can write by yourself. You can have a writing partner.
Most of the sketches that I wrote at Groundlings with
someone else where with Annie. So I just called her
and we'd kind of talk loosely, like someday we should
(24:17):
maybe write a movie, but that's so daunting. I don't
know how to write. He said, let's write twenty sketches,
sketches we can do. Yeah, and then just I kind
of put them together. So she had this idea and
I was in New York, and so she actually went
to Jed's office and you know, I was like him,
Annie's our idea, and He's like, okay, yeah, start writing it.
(24:39):
So every hiatus, I would come to l A because
that was the only way we really worked together was
being in the same room together. We discovered Skype later,
but we like to do everything together. We're not one
of those teams that just says like, hey, write this
and send it to me. We like to do everything together.
You like working together. I love working with It's so easy.
(25:01):
We've never gotten in an argument. Yeah, she's in the movie.
She she plays the woman next to me on the
plane that's like freaking out, says that the woman got
sucked in the toilet. She's the best, she's so she's
one of the fun Yeah, and then what happened? And
then how much note did you give from somebody else?
Was it all like it was there? Well, it's a
(25:22):
different process, I think than you would have with other producers,
and that we were writing every day on set, writing
all lines, writing new jokes, and we would have scenes written.
He'd be like, Okay, write this scene again, but maybe
this happens, or how about instead of these two characters,
(25:42):
maybe it's the other two girls that are there. So
it was constant writing, rewriting. Every day. We would get
a packet of scenes from old drafts, scenes that we loved,
scenes that other people's ideas. Yeah, yeah, I mean it
was a lot of it, a lot writing, and then
you shot the movie where and l a yeah, And
(26:05):
in terms of the casting, it looks to me like
you got everybody you wanted. True. Yeah. One of the
reasons why Annie and I wanted to write this movie
was that we know so many funny women from the groundings.
And you know which of those were in the film,
Wendy and Melissa and Maya's a former groundling. We wrote
(26:27):
the part for Wendy and Melissa we were so lucky
to have her come in and read and improvise with
me forever. And Ellie and Rose were the only ones
that I didn't know and talk about Rose Burne who
I saw her at the SAG Awards, And of course
she looks um yeah, I saw at the SAG Awards,
(26:47):
and she definitely is dear in the headlights when you
meet her. She's very sweet, but she is divine and
she's so game. Do you find that all you need
to be as a good actor to get the comedy thing?
Or didn't there something special to comedy to play? I
think you just said, I mean to be game, you
have to be willing to not look good, to put
(27:08):
it out there, poke fun at yourself. You kind of
just have to do it. And and Rose is like
it's like when you meet her. First of all, she's
drop dead gorgeous. I stared at her for like the
first three days of rehearsal and was just like, what
the hell, where did you come from? And she's funny.
She has no improv experience, and she improvised like crazy
(27:32):
in this movie. I don't know. I think she's play
that Cotillion kind of broad. It's that we've seen that
a lot of manifestations but you've got to stay with it,
you know, you've got to never comment on it. And
that's what I love. Wash. She was like it was acting.
She's like playing this really a stick up her, you
know what? Yeah, and Annie and I've always said the
hell and character that she played was the toughest to
(27:56):
figure out because and for her, I think the toughest
to play because she's this person that my character instantly
hates and as an audience member, you have to get that.
But my best friend is very close with her, so
you have to see what she sees in her too.
So Rose was that perfect thing of like, oh God,
she's driving me crazy, but oh I kind of want
(28:16):
to hang out with her. And she did that women
like if men are friends and then you have a friend,
I can't stand. But with men, they understand just don't
bring right. But with women it's like, you know, you know,
come on, yeah, bring her over. He's not so bad. Yeah,
And then she comes over and you're like, Hi, talk
(28:37):
about Melissa. Melissa at the Groundlings was a little ahead
of me. From the moment I met her. I just
was like looked up to her and had never seen
anyone in my life not only embrace characters like she does,
but creates them. The stuff she does at the Groundlings,
(28:58):
I mean, people see her Inbrise Me and obviously are
talking about her, but the stuff that she's done at
the Groundings is insane, like shows sold out when she's
you know, doing her stuff. When she came into audition
for this, it was absolutely perfect. There's something very maternal
(29:18):
about Melissa, which was very important in that character. And
also she's just can I swear on the show? I
think of a metaphor? Okay, she's effing brilliant. Can I
just say that she brought life to that character and
we're like so lucky that she's in the movie. What
are you doing next? Have you any movies in the can?
(29:40):
I have one movie that's in the can right now
called Imagine that um Bermin and Paulcini directed. They did
American Splendor, and they did one of my favorite was
The Extra Man. Yes they did. They're they're married, They're great,
so yeah, but that's we're actually doing. Um. I'm a
writer in New York. My relationship has just ended. Without
(30:04):
giving too much away, people think that I tried to
kill myself and drama. It's it's a drama with comedy
in it. Um and then I have to be released
to a family member when I'm in the hospital because
they don't have enough room in the hospital, and so
I have to go home to my mom, who in
that bending plays I'm seeing her or talk to her,
and you know, eight ten years so it's sort of
(30:27):
going back home finding out what's important, that whole kind
of thing. I love the script. I'm really excited. I
haven't seen the finished product yet, but I'm really excited
about it. This is a trite question, but I often
think about this myself, being older than you and coming
from a different generation. When I would come in and
(30:47):
I would meet people that were not peers of mine,
but people that I really admired. But I didn't always
work with people that were, you know, on Turner classic movies,
so to speak. I wasn't making movies with John Garfield
but the and William Holden. But when I would meet
these people that I deeply admired, it was just such
an amazingly resonating experience. And on SNL you've got a
(31:09):
different person every week, presumably, who were some of the
ones that are most memorable to you? That you work with.
You were like, I can't believe I'm standing here doing
my thing with blank well SNL side and neut bending
on this movie. I completely had that with her. I
couldn't believe I was doing scenes with her and she
was playing my mother. I mean, I can't even just
very gifted. Yeah, um, I got SNL. It's like every
(31:31):
week there's different Can you think of even one or
two that you just went holy, no, no, come on true? Um.
Steve Martin, when I first met him, I was like,
oh my gosh, I've I've watched you and worship yeah
for most of my life and that was pretty crazy.
(31:52):
And de Niro when he posted when it was it
was amazing less you know what it is because you
meet people, you go out to parties whatever, and you
meet people. But when people come to sn L, you're
seeing such a different side to them because they're not
in their element. Some of the more dramatic actors don't
have comedy experience, so they're kind of in there like
(32:17):
what do I do you know? Someone like Robert de Niro,
I'm sure he came in the first time he hosted
and was like, what, it's interesting to see people not
in their element, come on the show and be sort
of like, tell me what to do. SNL is winding
down for you now, Um, I've I don't know, um
(32:43):
when your contract up this year? Yeah, this is this
is the last season you're contracted for. And I guess
it would be safe to say that although people there
are crying and sobbing and unhappy, that they don't want
you to leave twas ever, Thus, yes, I mean everyone
has to leave, uh, And I will say that when
I do leave, it's not because I not because I'm
(33:10):
sick of it, and not because I see something better
or anything like that. It's just that it's time. When
I do leave, it will be the hardest thing. I mean,
you know, you're there for a week and then and
on Saturday night you're you're sad because you leave these people.
And people ask me why did you do it fifteen times?
And I look at it, my go if you could
(33:32):
do it fifteen times, trust me, you would. Yeah. This
is my seventh year, and I mean that's my family,
it's my heart, it's New York to me, and it's
your history. Yeah, but you know, you have to leave
things that you love. But what would you miss? Most
about us and now, um yeah, it's a two parter.
(33:55):
At the people. I'm going to miss that camaraderie and
I'm going to miss seeing all those faces every day
and what the people bring out in me, that creative
muscle that you have when you're at SNL. You know,
it's so fast paced. You're putting a puzzle together and
it has to be put together by Saturday, and you're
(34:19):
trying to create something that you It's like you have
to figure it out by that day, whether you're writing
it on Tuesday or Thursday, and being surrounded by creative
people and knowing that you're all in it together and
you're putting on a show and you're all like pushing
this huge boulder together. Every Saturday you do something that
(34:41):
you're scared to do. I think I will miss that feeling.
And of course you have absolutely no prospects whatsoever. I mean, really,
it's a really ballsy move on your part, because who
the f can hire you? I don't know. I may
go back to open up a canoe shop. Do you
say to yourself the goal, to the extent that you
want to say or you can say, is the goal
(35:04):
for you? Films you like the long breaks and the
more deliberate, thoughtful process of writing, and it's less, you know,
kind of factory work like assembly line work like TV
can be. Yeah, I mean temporarily. I mean I I
don't know. I don't like the word goal because I
feel like those are always changing for me. You don't
(35:25):
like having goals. I don't like having goals. That's why,
you know, do what I do? I don't know. I
want to direct, I want to live in Paris and paint.
I want to do like I don't know. I want
to do a lot of different things. Seriously, if you
live in Paris and do what I don't know, you'd
last in Paris for about two months. Well maybe, but
(35:45):
then I live in Paris for two months. There you go.
You and I are going to have dinner when we
talk about the Haunted Studio movie that John is going
to give us notes on. We'll get together. Also, we'll
have another lunch of separates to talk about healthy goal
making healthy right, you know what I mean? It's not
that I don't think you should have goals. Let me
go back. What I'm saying is my life right now
(36:06):
is not what I thought it would be six months ago.
But you never know what's going to happen, and it's
so day to day and I don't know. I just
I don't know. I wake up every day and trying
to just. But I love that you're so blithe about it,
but in a healthy way where you're like, you know,
I'm gonna leave myself because that's artist right to me. No,
I never want to stop doing creative things, whatever they
(36:29):
may be. Christin Wig. Next year you may find her
baking bread in a corner boulongerie in Paris. Oh, I'm
not gonna bake it. I'm gonna have someone buy it
for me. I forgot your movie start out, bring it
to minivered, have someone put the butter on it for me.
Open my mouth. It's all going well. I can't complain.
(36:49):
I'm very happy, happy, and seriously funny. Christin Wig. This
is Alec Baldwin and you're listening to here's the
This is Alec Baldwin and you're listening to here's the thing?
Are we rolling? Hi? Welcome, Welcome to confession. I'm father
al What saw your mind? Kristen? I've done a lot
of things. Kristen Wigg has indeed done a lot of things.
She was a caterer, a waiter, the lady who gave
(00:20):
out peach samples at a farmer's market. She's done floral design.
She's answered phones at a law firm that lasted a day.
But one thing she has done with astounding consistency for
much of the past seven years is make me laugh
until tears are streaming down my face. What was your name?
Kristin Wiggs? Characters on Saturday Night Live are exercises in juxtaposition.
(00:45):
The repulsively friendly target cashier, let's see soundscreen, nose plugs.
I wear nose plugs around the house when my neighbor
cooks bractoli, the revolting sexpot. One time, when I got
really scute, I just read my shirt open and did
tons of two any little bounces in a row. Judy
(01:05):
the pathologically nervous travel expert. I'm not nervous. I just
changed my mind about doing this. Just getting. I didn't
change my mind. I changed my clothes, just getting my clothes,
and change my addressed and I live it. Twenty one street,
just getting job, one two street, just getting. I didn't
move and I can move my body. Look just kidding.
Lorne Michael's called Wig one of the top three or
four performers in his show's history. Kristen inhabits her characters
(01:25):
with the fierce commitment of a veteran film actor. It's
no wonder her transition into movies was so smooth. Well
you're kid, and you'll be my maid of honor. God,
of course, of course I will. Perhaps Wig is best
known for her starring role in Bridesmaids, which she also
co wrote, earning her an Oscar nomination for Best Screenplay.
(01:49):
This spring, she's appearing in Jennifer Westfeld's new movie Friends
with Kids. With all this success, it's hard to believe
Whigg's career in comedy almost didn't happen. She grew up
in upstate New York and Pennsylvania, never dreaming of making
a living in the entertainment industry. When it was time
for college, performing didn't even cross her mind. I was
(02:10):
an art major. It wasn't really for me. I was
kind of in my I hate the word party phase.
I hate that word. I was having fun, I guess
at that time, and I taking it easy. I was
taking it easy, and then I didn't really know what
I was having, Like what am I going to do
with my life? You're in your ring ding ding peg.
(02:33):
I've never used that term, but I'm going to And
then I went back to Rochester because I wasn't sure
what I wanted to do. And then I just started
like taking classes at the local community college. And then
I was like, I want to travel art art classes
and there's no performance element of you're doing and more
people saying to you, God, you're funny. I don't think
(02:54):
people wake up when they're you know what. I never
really did plays. I mean, if I had to give
a speech in class, I would try anything to get
out of it. I hated talking in front of people.
I still actually don't really like doing that. If I
myself and it's a group of people, it still makes
me nervous. Anyway, after I was back in Rochester, I
(03:14):
did a Knolls semester. Do you know what that is?
It's like outward bound where you like live outside and learned.
Is it like meaningful or is it ring ding ding? No,
it's meaningful, yeah, soul searching and yes, oh yes, of
course for three months there was a little bit of that.
It's called what knowles National Outdoor Leadership School. You're laughing
in me, it's like outward outdoor Leadership. Yeah. It was
(03:37):
like you learn how to live outside and like just
incase apocalypse and if you get lost in the woods,
like I wouldn't know what to do. And if I
was with you, I would bring up this conversation and say,
you're on your own, you go get lost in I'm
gonna be in the hotel watching Bridesmaids on pay per view. Anyway,
long story short after that, went back to Rochester and
then applied to the University of Arizona. Went there for
(03:58):
a year. Why they're um, it was a boyfriend thing.
And then you're pretty normal up until now, pretty normal. Yeah,
And then then I took an acting class. Where at
University of Arizona, my major was studio art and you
could pick three different types of art for that major,
and it was like sculpture, painting, and I just tried
(04:20):
this class called performance Art, which was very like writing
poems and doing kind of yes, like very weird light
changes and things like that, which was like my first
experience of being on a stage. Even though it was
like this tiny little box in front of a class.
It was literally acting one on one that was one
class one class, and I was terrified to take it
(04:44):
because I, like I said, I hate standing up in
front of people and performing. But something about this class
we learned about improv and my teacher was really supportive,
and at the end of the class he was just like,
have you ever considered doing this? And I was like, no, yeah, right,
was my teacher. Yeah. I just kept thinking about it,
(05:05):
and I wasn't really happy there. I didn't really like
the art program wasn't really for me. I don't want
to say I had an epiphany, but I did have
one of those moments where I was like looking at
myself in the mirror and I was like, what are
you doing? What do you want to do? If you
could do anything in this world, what would it be?
And I was like, I want to move to l
A and try to be an actor, which was crazy,
(05:29):
but I didn't stop myself. I packed my car like
the next day and my roommate at the time in
Arizona lived in Beverly Hills, and she said I could
come stay with her. Started flowing in that direction. I
didn't tell my parents that I was leaving arit office,
and I just kept saying, God, it's really hot here.
There's much sand everywhere, exactly West Hollywood, Arizona. Um. And
(05:57):
when you got there, how quickly did you get into
the down things thing? Not quickly because I moved there
and I was like, kind of paste, don't you kind
of you're kind of creeping up on this. I got
there and I was like, what a slow motion epiphany?
It was in a pivo. I got there and I
was like, what am I doing? Because l A is
(06:18):
a city of actors and performers and writers and filmmakers
for the most part, I mean, that's where they all go.
And I had zero experience. I wasn't, you know, nineteen
and I just got a job and like, wasn't really
doing anything job doing what I worked at anthropology? Did
(06:40):
your story? You're so close an anthropology? Yeah? And I
did like, were you security? I wasn't security, No, But
I did a lot of like visual stuff because of
my art background. I had help with like the displays
and stuff. But when you say you you weren't sure
what you were doing, there's something about you. In the
time I've known you have been around, you were You're
still kind of that way. Oh yeah, I don't think
(07:01):
I'm ever going to figure it out. I don't know,
do you ever? I don't know. I mean I think
that there's two types of people in the business and
I've met. That is the ones that have that very
Mickey Rooney kind of I'm going to be in show business.
You know, they're kids and they just wanted to eat, sleep,
and drink it. Then there's people who are, if not accidental,
they certainly have a sense that they're visiting. I'll do
(07:25):
this for now. You know. Yeah, I love performing, but
there's such a big part of me that's like, don't
look at me, do you know what I mean? It's
hard to find that balance. I think also, like people
assume if you're an actor, that you just like walk
into a room and you're like, hello, listen to this story.
I want everyone to gather out. The exact opposite. If
(07:48):
I'm in a room full of people and someone says like, hey, Kristen,
what happened at that thing. I'll just be like, oh,
I'll start sweating and your dreaming going to dinner and
someone else does all the talking. Yeah, that's why I
like going to dinner with you. So when you're there
and you get into the Groundlings, Groundlings opened everything up.
How so because for you you're thinking acting and it
was a performing on class. You said I'm gonna go
(08:10):
to l to be an actress. And do you feel
that you crossed the line and it was I'm a
comedian or I'm a comedy actress. You never felt that way. No,
I think it was it was improv. It was watching
people be on stage acting without a script. There was
something in me that was like, I want to do that.
I know that I can do that. For some reason,
(08:30):
it was less scary to me than having words in
front of me, because I think when you're handed a script,
you know that you're supposed to do it in a
certain way, and people will think like, how is she
reading this? But when you're improvising, there's nothing to compare
it to and you can do whatever. Yeah. But when
I started taking classes at the Groundlings and taking improv,
(08:52):
it was like something just like clicked and I felt like, all,
this is what I want to do. And but at
the same time, did you get a sense of what
you're doing? It was working. You were pretty good at it.
I mean, yeah, I think so, but you were good no,
I mean it was something. It was nice to have
(09:13):
that thing that I knew that I was good at. Finally,
besides art, which is very personal and quiet, and you know,
that was just sort of something I did by myself.
You don't talk to anybody when you're drawing or painting.
It's very um isolating. And for me, doing the Groundings
(09:34):
was the exact opposite of that, because it's such a
community and you're you improvise with other people and you
have to connect with other people to make it work.
Audition to get in it's like a school. I mean
you have to go and take the first class, and
then after the first class, your teacher tells you if
you can move on or if you should repeat it,
(09:54):
or if this isn't for you, and then you just
keep going. And then the third level is like it's
writing intensive. So that's that's like where I learned how
to write was at the Groundlings. And the Groundlings was
how long probably like four or five years. I guess
a few years. Yeah, I mean there's time in between
(10:16):
some of the levels because there's such a long waiting list.
And then once I got into the main company, I
was only in it for a handful of months before
I got Now, when SNL comes knocking, for those we knocked,
I don't know if they not, well, we sent it im.
My manager sent a tape in. So you had an
agent and a manager. I had playing the whole thing
(10:38):
out there. I had a manager working. I've done a
few pilots, I guess, and a few commercials. She weren't
cloistered over there on the groundlings. You were, you were working,
I was, yeah, I mean I still was had odd jobs.
And when you connected with the SNL people, you sent
material to them. Naomi sent a tape in. And then
(11:00):
your manager, Yes, sorry, my manager, Naomi Odenkirk, whose I
wouldn't have any of my career if it wasn't for her.
I used to babysit for her, and then I asked
her to come see my groundling show and she was
like okay, um, yeah anyway, So that's how she signed
me was from seeing me there. But she just kind
of set my tape in and then you know, you
(11:20):
don't hear anything, and then you just get a call.
We'd liked her to audition this summer. Five characters, three impressions,
five minutes, and I was like, Okay, I don't really
have any impressions, so I'm gonna have to Like I'd
never done impressions on stage at the groundings, it was
just kind of like joking around with my friends. Flew
(11:41):
out there. It was the most terrifying experience. Who are
you doing it for? I don't even remember deceived darkness.
I don't even I just remember Lauren was there, and
and Seth and Marcy Tina, you know friends I had
met it. No. I went to New York once when
I was in eighth grade and like went to to
(12:06):
like hard rock cafe or something. When I was in
the eighth grade. No, I came to New York and
I was like what. I bought a stopwatch because I
really thought they were going to just turn the lights
off at five minutes, because they said, like it's five minutes,
please don't go over. So I was like electric. Yeah,
So I practiced in the with like a stopwatch, trying
to get it under five minutes, exactly five minutes, and
(12:28):
I don't do stand up, so the idea of performing
by myself, I felt okay, I felt pretty good. They
laughed a little bit. I was warned, you know, like
it's going to be quiet, just do it. It's a
tough crowd, just do it and go. If anything, I
just felt happy that I did it because I was
(12:50):
so terrified and shaking. I couldn't sleep, I couldn't eat,
and it was over. I didn't hear anything, and I
was like, okay, well that was an experience. And then
like a month and a half later, we got a
call saying can she come back, you know, and if
she has new stuff or other stuff that would be
(13:10):
great too. And I was like, I've crammed everything I've
ever done in that five minutes. But then I just
I came up with some new stuff, went back and
did it again. Then they asked me to stay and
meet with Lauren. I don't remember what I said, I
do you have kind of an Alzheimer's problem now because
you don't remember a lot. I don't remember because I
was I was I do have a horrible memory. But
(13:32):
also I was so nervous and probably didn't say much anyway,
and then he was like, you know, well we don't
really have room for you right now, but you know,
your audition was great. I mean he was so sweet,
and I was like okay, and then I left. I
was so confused, and then I went home and then
the season started, and I remember watching the first show
(13:54):
and being like, well, I didn't get it. And then
after the fourth show, we got a call saying can
she come? So then I started, like fifth show in
I started, which was even more nerve wracking because you
feel a call you when they said get out here. Yeah,
had you watched the show prior to yeah? Oh yeah, yeah,
I'd grown up watching oh yeah, especially high school. I
(14:17):
remember it was like people would watch it and then
remember of high school. Yeah, I don't really remember. So
you you you had an awareness of the show when
you were a fan of the show, so when they
called you and asked you to come, you felt nervous.
Other than nervous, I I don't know if there was
even much more than nervous. I was happy. I was
(14:39):
so happy. I was like, this is too good to
be true. And in my mind I'm thinking I'm moving
to New York City? Where do I live? How do
I get around? How do I move my stuff? What
if I get there and none of my stuff works?
You know it's getting us And I was a huge
It's a huge deal. I mean I jumped up and down.
(15:00):
I was I couldn't believe it. And I think the
difference with SNL's if I had gotten my big break
whatever you want to call it, if it was a
pilot or a TV show got picked up or a movie,
you kind of know what to expect, And with SNL
you have no ideas written yet hasn't been written, Like
(15:21):
what am I going to do on the show? How
how does it's live? It's an hour and a half.
But for you, in terms of that open field running,
so to speak, in terms of there being a blank canvas,
you went in there and you've created all these this
incredible range of characters. You have a woman that's your
writing partner, yes, Annie Mamolo and Annie Mamola. Where did
(15:43):
you meet her at the ground when you went? Did
they bring her along with you? When did she come along? Well?
I mean I wrote Brides Means with her, but she's
not she's not understand Who do you write with on SNL.
I write a lot with James Anderson and Kent Sublet,
who came from Groundling, to describe how that works, because
people who don't know Wes and L don't know that
there are these pairings. People kind of find something they
(16:04):
dig right for you. Just find the people that you
have they want to write for you. Yeah, and it's
a similar sense of humor. It's easy, and people just
naturally gravitate towards to give me a character that one
of them wrote for you. The secret word sketch, I'm
thrilled to be here. Look at me. Mindy Grayson is
her name that like old Hollywood. They write that I
(16:26):
have nothing to do with that, and it's such a gift,
no secret words to an actress. I see the word
and I explore it. And the movie reviewer Linda she
was the Groundlings. I hated one and love the other.
Gas so that you brought in your baggage with you. Yeah,
and then I write that with Paula. Yeah. Yeah. My
(16:47):
next film is Tim Burton's adaptation of Alice in Wonderland
or what I like to call it, Alice and wonder
if someone put LSD in my crystal like she originally was.
I was doing her I think in the show maybe
that that I was in when I got SNL and
the most distracting thing along Helen Obama Carter, how would
(17:09):
it Linda review Bridesmans would in Linda Sex, She'd probably like,
there's too many women in it. When when I originally
did that character, it was a sketch at the Groundlings
and it was a woman who was on the plane
who was watching the in flight movie, which was the Matrix,
and she was so confused by it and she didn't
(17:29):
understand anything, and she just kept talking to the people
and like what is going on? And I tried it
as a sketch at SNL like five times. It went
to dress maybe three times, and finally someone was like,
why don't you just try or an update, and so
that's how she eventually got on the show. Recently, you
did the news segment with Seth. We were that blonde
bimbo who had her legs. Who is that woman? Rebecca LaRue?
(17:53):
I think is her name? Here to tell us how
we can meet a significant other by New Year's Flirting Expert,
Rebecca LaRue. I want to tell you that I've never
laughed so hard in my life, and like the last
year then when I watched you do that, if you
want to explain what you're doing right now, just like
body language stuff you know that people can do. There's
these women you play who have that kind of it
(18:17):
doesn't mean to do with femininity or sexuality, it's just
more of their psychological jaggedness, if you will. And Linda,
that could be Uncle Bob. You take a character that
it has there's no really no gender specifics to it.
Then you turn around you play a woman who was
very gender specific. It looks like, you know, you started
flirting already. I'm just listening to you. I'm just really
(18:41):
hearing you. You play the super hot, horny actress and
you were so funny. I mean, there are some people
in comedy who can't do both that. I have to say.
One of the greatest gifts that I've gotten from SNL
is getting out of my comfort zone. I realized, I
think Lauren realized probably the first handful of years that
(19:03):
I was there. Most of my characters were ladies in
their forties with like short hair and weird sweaters that
nobody Barbara Bush, no one wanted at the dinner party
and The good thing about being at S n L
for me creatively is to think, Okay, I'm comfortable enough,
I really want to try something that's not some you know,
(19:26):
something that I normally do. And that's when I actually
first came up with the character, Um Shannah. One time,
I need a bunch of peanuts and I had a pain.
You're made billy button. So the doctor to me he
needed to still simple and I need to poop when
the dainty's cutest little void cup, the one that's like
sexy but then does like gross things. Because I was like,
(19:49):
I really want to write a character that looks kind
of good but blank. And that's kind of where the
Flirting Lady came from too. I was like, I just
want to try, you know, i'd really know what that
was going to be. I mean, none of it was
really on the page when we wrote it. But for you,
do you feel like, when there's a quotient of a
character which is a sensuous quotient and you're sending it up,
(20:14):
do you realize that you could walk out the door
tomorrow and probably play that character for real in a
straight film. I mean, have you ever wanted to do
play a leading lady in a dramatic film a love story. Yeah,
period film. I would love to do that straight film. Yes,
I hope, I hope I get the opportunity to do that.
(20:34):
I was just actually talking to someone about this the
other day that the audience very quickly puts you in
uh folder, like they know you how they first knew you.
I'm Kristen from SNL or comedic actress, and people are
always so surprised when I want to do dramatic stuff. Really, like,
(20:55):
you really want to do that? Have you had any
offers for that? Um? I mean there's a couple of
things that I'm looking at doing next that aren't comedies
at all. One of them is really not at all,
and I'm horrible movie. I just want to be in
a town. Do you ever want to do a harm
movie with me? Are you kick a paranormal Blair? Which thing?
(21:15):
We're just completely Lucy Goosey, just cameras and we improve
we could shoot it in here. We're on the radio
and then we just hear voice a dad announcer who's
in here, in lacks in here, you know, let's talk
about that later on. Okay, I love that. Talk about
Jennifer Westfeld's film. It was it like for you acting
in the film, Um, it was amazing. It's it was
a much more dramatic part than I've had the opportunity
(21:39):
to do that. I loved it. I loved it. It
was so part of it was satisfying to me. Yeah,
but it was. But what part of it was hard?
As far as the performing part. There were a lot
of kids around. It's like, oh, you're not supposed to
be crying, you know how it is when you've got
(22:00):
and she had all of that. Actually put the dog's
bed against the wall and then we'll have the dog
will Can I go here? Rex? Rex gets one signal?
Let me send courtesy van for Rex back to the hotel.
Wrap on Rex, or just give a bird? Yeah, well
they can be you know, but it's raw. Even the
birds that don't talk, say your name. Just pigeons outside
(22:24):
clam shells on the beach, Alec. Can that be in
our horror movie? Can that be the end of the
horror movie where we just zoom in on a clam
shell on the beach. It's called the mollusks. I love it.
Let's get shut out. Someone's got to be listening to
somebody really good with a typewriter, not a computer typewriter.
(22:46):
Brold School. Yeah, this is Alec Baldwin and you're listening
to here's the Thing. More coming up in a minute.
(23:12):
This is not like Baldwin and you're listening to here's
the Thing. So you wrote Bridesmaids as everybody knows. Okay,
An Mama. I don't know Annie, but I know you.
And there really is something in this business when you
see somebody who is as lovely as you are, and
as pleasant as you are, and as talented as you are,
and kind of unassuming. I mean, you're not a very
(23:34):
self important artist in this business, and then all of
a sudden you go, wow, you know, if you make
a movie that's just this huge success. We look back
on it, now, what do you think. When we were
making the movie, it was like, we wrote this thing,
we hope it works. Whose idea was it? Everyone's having fun?
(23:56):
What's going to happen? The original just the idea of
the story was Annie. Jed asked me to write something
for myself after I did Knocked Up, and he's like,
you can write by yourself. You can have a writing partner.
Most of the sketches that I wrote at Groundlings with
someone else where with Annie. So I just called her
and we'd kind of talk loosely, like someday we should
(24:17):
maybe write a movie, but that's so daunting. I don't
know how to write. He said, let's write twenty sketches,
sketches we can do. Yeah, and then just I kind
of put them together. So she had this idea and
I was in New York, and so she actually went
to Jed's office and you know, I was like him,
Annie's our idea, and He's like, okay, yeah, start writing it.
(24:39):
So every hiatus, I would come to l A because
that was the only way we really worked together was
being in the same room together. We discovered Skype later,
but we like to do everything together. We're not one
of those teams that just says like, hey, write this
and send it to me. We like to do everything together.
You like working together. I love working with It's so easy.
(25:01):
We've never gotten in an argument. Yeah, she's in the movie.
She she plays the woman next to me on the
plane that's like freaking out, says that the woman got
sucked in the toilet. She's the best, she's so she's
one of the fun Yeah, and then what happened? And
then how much note did you give from somebody else?
Was it all like it was there? Well, it's a
(25:22):
different process, I think than you would have with other producers,
and that we were writing every day on set, writing
all lines, writing new jokes, and we would have scenes written.
He'd be like, Okay, write this scene again, but maybe
this happens, or how about instead of these two characters,
(25:42):
maybe it's the other two girls that are there. So
it was constant writing, rewriting. Every day. We would get
a packet of scenes from old drafts, scenes that we loved,
scenes that other people's ideas. Yeah, yeah, I mean it
was a lot of it, a lot writing, and then
you shot the movie where and l a yeah, And
(26:05):
in terms of the casting, it looks to me like
you got everybody you wanted. True. Yeah. One of the
reasons why Annie and I wanted to write this movie
was that we know so many funny women from the groundings.
And you know which of those were in the film,
Wendy and Melissa and Maya's a former groundling. We wrote
(26:27):
the part for Wendy and Melissa we were so lucky
to have her come in and read and improvise with
me forever. And Ellie and Rose were the only ones
that I didn't know and talk about Rose Burne who
I saw her at the SAG Awards, And of course
she looks um yeah, I saw at the SAG Awards,
(26:47):
and she definitely is dear in the headlights when you
meet her. She's very sweet, but she is divine and
she's so game. Do you find that all you need
to be as a good actor to get the comedy thing?
Or didn't there something special to comedy to play? I
think you just said, I mean to be game, you
have to be willing to not look good, to put
(27:08):
it out there, poke fun at yourself. You kind of
just have to do it. And and Rose is like
it's like when you meet her. First of all, she's
drop dead gorgeous. I stared at her for like the
first three days of rehearsal and was just like, what
the hell, where did you come from? And she's funny.
She has no improv experience, and she improvised like crazy
(27:32):
in this movie. I don't know. I think she's play
that Cotillion kind of broad. It's that we've seen that
a lot of manifestations but you've got to stay with it,
you know, you've got to never comment on it. And
that's what I love. Wash. She was like it was acting.
She's like playing this really a stick up her, you
know what? Yeah, and Annie and I've always said the
hell and character that she played was the toughest to
(27:56):
figure out because and for her, I think the toughest
to play because she's this person that my character instantly
hates and as an audience member, you have to get that.
But my best friend is very close with her, so
you have to see what she sees in her too.
So Rose was that perfect thing of like, oh God,
she's driving me crazy, but oh I kind of want
(28:16):
to hang out with her. And she did that women
like if men are friends and then you have a friend,
I can't stand. But with men, they understand just don't
bring right. But with women it's like, you know, you know,
come on, yeah, bring her over. He's not so bad. Yeah,
And then she comes over and you're like, Hi, talk
(28:37):
about Melissa. Melissa at the Groundlings was a little ahead
of me. From the moment I met her. I just
was like looked up to her and had never seen
anyone in my life not only embrace characters like she does,
but creates them. The stuff she does at the Groundlings,
(28:58):
I mean, people see her Inbrise Me and obviously are
talking about her, but the stuff that she's done at
the Groundings is insane, like shows sold out when she's
you know, doing her stuff. When she came into audition
for this, it was absolutely perfect. There's something very maternal
(29:18):
about Melissa, which was very important in that character. And
also she's just can I swear on the show? I
think of a metaphor? Okay, she's effing brilliant. Can I
just say that she brought life to that character and
we're like so lucky that she's in the movie. What
are you doing next? Have you any movies in the can?
(29:40):
I have one movie that's in the can right now
called Imagine that um Bermin and Paulcini directed. They did
American Splendor, and they did one of my favorite was
The Extra Man. Yes they did. They're they're married, They're great,
so yeah, but that's we're actually doing. Um. I'm a
writer in New York. My relationship has just ended. Without
(30:04):
giving too much away, people think that I tried to
kill myself and drama. It's it's a drama with comedy
in it. Um and then I have to be released
to a family member when I'm in the hospital because
they don't have enough room in the hospital, and so
I have to go home to my mom, who in
that bending plays I'm seeing her or talk to her,
and you know, eight ten years so it's sort of
(30:27):
going back home finding out what's important, that whole kind
of thing. I love the script. I'm really excited. I
haven't seen the finished product yet, but I'm really excited
about it. This is a trite question, but I often
think about this myself, being older than you and coming
from a different generation. When I would come in and
(30:47):
I would meet people that were not peers of mine,
but people that I really admired. But I didn't always
work with people that were, you know, on Turner classic movies,
so to speak. I wasn't making movies with John Garfield
but the and William Holden. But when I would meet
these people that I deeply admired, it was just such
an amazingly resonating experience. And on SNL you've got a
(31:09):
different person every week, presumably, who were some of the
ones that are most memorable to you? That you work with.
You were like, I can't believe I'm standing here doing
my thing with blank well SNL side and neut bending
on this movie. I completely had that with her. I
couldn't believe I was doing scenes with her and she
was playing my mother. I mean, I can't even just
very gifted. Yeah, um, I got SNL. It's like every
(31:31):
week there's different Can you think of even one or
two that you just went holy, no, no, come on true? Um.
Steve Martin, when I first met him, I was like,
oh my gosh, I've I've watched you and worship yeah
for most of my life and that was pretty crazy.
(31:52):
And de Niro when he posted when it was it
was amazing less you know what it is because you
meet people, you go out to parties whatever, and you
meet people. But when people come to sn L, you're
seeing such a different side to them because they're not
in their element. Some of the more dramatic actors don't
have comedy experience, so they're kind of in there like
(32:17):
what do I do you know? Someone like Robert de Niro,
I'm sure he came in the first time he hosted
and was like, what, it's interesting to see people not
in their element, come on the show and be sort
of like, tell me what to do. SNL is winding
down for you now, Um, I've I don't know, um
(32:43):
when your contract up this year? Yeah, this is this
is the last season you're contracted for. And I guess
it would be safe to say that although people there
are crying and sobbing and unhappy, that they don't want
you to leave twas ever, Thus, yes, I mean everyone
has to leave, uh, And I will say that when
I do leave, it's not because I not because I'm
(33:10):
sick of it, and not because I see something better
or anything like that. It's just that it's time. When
I do leave, it will be the hardest thing. I mean,
you know, you're there for a week and then and
on Saturday night you're you're sad because you leave these people.
And people ask me why did you do it fifteen times?
And I look at it, my go if you could
(33:32):
do it fifteen times, trust me, you would. Yeah. This
is my seventh year, and I mean that's my family,
it's my heart, it's New York to me, and it's
your history. Yeah, but you know, you have to leave
things that you love. But what would you miss? Most
about us and now, um yeah, it's a two parter.
(33:55):
At the people. I'm going to miss that camaraderie and
I'm going to miss seeing all those faces every day
and what the people bring out in me, that creative
muscle that you have when you're at SNL. You know,
it's so fast paced. You're putting a puzzle together and
it has to be put together by Saturday, and you're
(34:19):
trying to create something that you It's like you have
to figure it out by that day, whether you're writing
it on Tuesday or Thursday, and being surrounded by creative
people and knowing that you're all in it together and
you're putting on a show and you're all like pushing
this huge boulder together. Every Saturday you do something that
(34:41):
you're scared to do. I think I will miss that feeling.
And of course you have absolutely no prospects whatsoever. I mean, really,
it's a really ballsy move on your part, because who
the f can hire you? I don't know. I may
go back to open up a canoe shop. Do you
say to yourself the goal, to the extent that you
want to say or you can say, is the goal
(35:04):
for you? Films you like the long breaks and the
more deliberate, thoughtful process of writing, and it's less, you know,
kind of factory work like assembly line work like TV
can be. Yeah, I mean temporarily. I mean I I
don't know. I don't like the word goal because I
feel like those are always changing for me. You don't
(35:25):
like having goals. I don't like having goals. That's why,
you know, do what I do? I don't know. I
want to direct, I want to live in Paris and paint.
I want to do like I don't know. I want
to do a lot of different things. Seriously, if you
live in Paris and do what I don't know, you'd
last in Paris for about two months. Well maybe, but
(35:45):
then I live in Paris for two months. There you go.
You and I are going to have dinner when we
talk about the Haunted Studio movie that John is going
to give us notes on. We'll get together. Also, we'll
have another lunch of separates to talk about healthy goal
making healthy right, you know what I mean? It's not
that I don't think you should have goals. Let me
go back. What I'm saying is my life right now
(36:06):
is not what I thought it would be six months ago.
But you never know what's going to happen, and it's
so day to day and I don't know. I just
I don't know. I wake up every day and trying
to just. But I love that you're so blithe about it,
but in a healthy way where you're like, you know,
I'm gonna leave myself because that's artist right to me. No,
I never want to stop doing creative things, whatever they
(36:29):
may be. Christin Wig. Next year you may find her
baking bread in a corner boulongerie in Paris. Oh, I'm
not gonna bake it. I'm gonna have someone buy it
for me. I forgot your movie start out, bring it
to minivered, have someone put the butter on it for me.
Open my mouth. It's all going well. I can't complain.
(36:49):
I'm very happy, happy, and seriously funny. Christin Wig. This
is Alec Baldwin and you're listening to here's the
Host
Alec Baldwin
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