No, they sort of sprung it on me that she was there. But she was really kind of generous and yeah, I was just happy she didnt spit on me. Lenny Bruce has flown off into the sunset. Midge is the one to bring it up, promising to Lenny that she isn't going to blow it, which he says he will hold her to. Yeah. Were still figuring everything out.. I think because Lenny has a kid at that time and sort of balancing all that comes with that, I think theres something there that made him feel a kind of warmth that he wanted to lean into more with her. MC: Theres a brief moment in the finale when Midge stumbles across Lennys drugs. Even her suit-wearing ex, Joel Maisel (Michael Zegen), reinvents himself as a nightclub owner in Chinatown. To prepare for it, Kirby flipped the video of the performance so that he could mirror Bruces precise choreography. We were just trying to figure out from the very minute that we knew that Lenny was going to be a bigger part of the series. But as Beyer would soon realize, Finchs past wasnt what she claimedand Beyers own difficult history was up for the taking. They finally acted on their undeniable chemistry in the season 4 finale. But I have to say, kind of getting more into it, just by virtue of being this way, I started to obsess over it and continually come to Amy and say, Well, you know, at this time Its more of a broad brushstroke of a character than whatever the opposite of a broad brushstroke is. Luke Kirby is a Canadian-American actor known for his work in TV, film and stage. "Under the heft of all of that litigation, it's another level of exhaustion. There have been biopics and documentaries and biographies dedicated to Lenny Bruce, the groundbreaking, eternally-on-the-wrong-side-of-the-law comedian who died too young in 1966, but inspired generations of comedians who came after him. Marie Claire is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. MC: Have you ever or since getting cast as Lenny tried to do standup, just to put yourself in his shoes? We may be doing a little jump within the season, but when we first start up we want to [start after the season 3 finale], the Gilmore Girls creator, 56, told The Hollywood Reporter in August 2020. But yeah, it is a little peculiar. 2023 The Hollywood Reporter, LLC. You get to the end of this season and its not just that in this final episode youre performing this real appearance that you can look up on YouTube, him doing the actual All Alone song. For access to all our exclusive celebrity videos and interviews Subscribe on YouTube! She came to set. I thought it was just in my best interest to show up and do this one [episode]. MC: What else do you think Lenny hopes for Miriam, in your capacity as her "fairy godmother, as you said? Everything We Know. Cybill Shepherd and Bruce Willis always had this tension. How much did the tragic end of his life influence the way you played the character? Yeah, I kind of tried to ignore it as best as I could when there was sort of grumbles or whispers around it. I was able to access that [bit] on YouTube and spent 48 hours just trying to absorb somethingbut it wasn't presented as a role that would come back. All of the current comics bow to Lenny Bruce as the guy who kind of paid the price and paved the way for a new standard of comedy. Of course it changed something, but it actually didn't feel like it changed anything. LK: I bought that album the first time I went to Los Angeles. It complicates the spell and then it leads to Carnegie Hall. No, its just by chance. Luke Kirby as Lenny Bruce in "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel," and the real comedian in the 1950s (inset). Was it always planned that Lenny and Midge would become an item? My biggest concern going in was, you know, oh, people who knew him are still around. Unpacking all your questions about the second season of the Hulu hit. He appears in moments that she needs him most. Rachel Brosnahan As Midge Maisel: See Photos Of Her Filming Season 5, Click to Subscribe to Get Our Free HollywoodLife Daily Newsletter, Rachel Brosnahans Husband: Get To Know Her Maisel Co-Star Jason Ralph, 'The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel' Season 5: New Cast Members & More You Need To Know, Paige Anne: 5 Things To Know About The 16-Year-Old Idol Contestant Who Returned To The Show, All the Very Best Photos From Queen Elizabeth II's Coronation, What Is the STAR Interview Method? I think hes smarter than that, but I do think that his words are true, Luke told HollywoodLife. Thats just great . Even on a Zoom call from Savannahwhere the 43-year-old actor is on production ("The azaleas are in bloom! So where we leave off at the end of Season 4 is that Lenny and Midge have finally . From the moment they shared their first scene in The Marvelous Mrs. Maisels pilot episode, Midge Maisel and Lenny Bruce have had a magnetic connection. But because Kirby is playing the real-life comic Lenny Bruce, who died in 1966 at age 40 of an overdose, its impossible to imagine this union ending happily. On a deeper level, the show is about the choice to suppress your own voice or to let it out. The fifth season jumps back and forth through . MC: It's safe to assume, based on how Lenny's life ended, that he and Midge aren't endgame. Kirby: I wouldnt put it past [show creator Amy Sherman-Palladino and her husband, executive producer Daniel Palladino]. Kildare.. I actually switched the, I sort of flipped the screen so I could watch it like a mirror. But frankly, as soon as I saw the scene and how it actually happened, it felt worthy of the relationship that had been created between the two of them. June 1, 2022 6:45 AM PT Luke Kirby plays real-life comic Lenny Bruce to Rachel Brosnahan's Midge Maisel in "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel." "We all know how it plays out. While his drug use is already a plot point in the series, his death is not likely to occur during season 5 unless there's a time jump. It sparks an appetite for them to venture out into something. MC: Was there any pressure going into filming that scene, that you had to get it right? "Midge has certainly found her way into his wheel of love. So, it really has been trying to adhere to [Lennys take] as much as I can. Well, this is going to make for an awkward segue, but Bruces story ends in tragedy. Kirby: I like balled better. MC: How familiar were you with Lenny Bruce before you got those sides for the audition? But I do get to hang out with the other cast occasionally. She's worked in media for more than 10 years and her bylines about pop culture, film & tv, and fashion have appeared on Glamour, Vanity Fair, GQ, Allure, Teen Vogue, Brides, and Architectural Digest. Luke Kirby is a phenomenal tease. We wanted to leave with the moments that Midge would take with her and lean back on. By clicking Sign Up, you agree to our Terms and Conditions and that you have read our Privacy Policy. Thats not why we were put on Earth. Lenny Bruce has flown off into the sunset. The casting directors find the best actors to do background and be in these clubs. Trying to find every way, every little tick and hmm and uh. [I can] get all in there and really try to replicate what he's doing because I don't have a visual most of the time, except for when I did the all alone bit on The Steve Allen Showbut trying to imagine what his body would've been doing. Theyve been so generous with including me in dinners and the odd awards show. Shes the one person I would hate to upset.. Tits Up! He had a lot of successful years, and the years that were depicting him, he was really, really at the top. Did that feel like kind of the most work youd had to do to embody him at that point? By Emma Dibdin December 12, 2019 9:15am Amazon Studios The. HollywoodLife spoke EXCLUSIVELY with Luke Kirby about Lennys feelings for Midge. Rachel Brosnahan as Midge Maisel and Luke Kirby as Lenny Bruce. New York, But what was that feeling kind of going in thinking it might happen and then finding out you got nominated? All rights reserved. We wanted the audience to know the power of Lenny Bruce; he was very important. but the person I was most worried about was Kitty, he says. You know, whats the point of saying goodbye? Amazon; Everett Collection Luke Kirby bears an uncanny resemblance to Lenny. Luke Kirby: [Lenny] has a mythic presence in spite of whatever I do, so hes treated with care inside the show. Yes, definitely. In speaking with The Hollywood Reporter, Amy Sherman-Palladino explains that the story of Lenny Bruce is a personal one which made writing it into The Marvelous Mrs. Maiselan easy decision. Amy Sherman-Palladino and Dan Palladino speak to The Hollywood Reporter about how the relationship with Luke Kirby's comedian will "inform Midges journey" in season five of the Amazon comedy. I mean, he was a real person. We just dont know how we get there, Kirby says of the onscreen romance between the two. Read more from THRs chat with the Palladinos and an interview with Brosnahan here. [Lenny and Midge] live in a bubble. Subscribe for full access to The Hollywood Reporter. My name became public 25 years ago this week. I hope that we brought not that specifically but that energy to him., Related: It always is really super nerve-racking. In 2017, Kirby joined the cast of the Golden Globe-winning Amazon series The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, portraying comedian Lenny Bruce, for which he received a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series. Whatever happens with Midges love life in season 4, show runner Amy Sherman-Palladino previously hinted that there will still be plenty of heartbreak and emotion. Maisel.]. Yes, because it was so specific. Lenny opens the bitthis isn't in the finalebut he opens the bit talking about how hard he had to fight to get a flight into the city during an ice and snowstorm. Ive gotten some good time with everyone. Copyright 2023 Meredith Corporation. And ready to talk about life, love, and learning to be a feminist. Luke Kirby and Rachel Brosnahan in Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. And it felt like youre never going to go wrong, and we always wanted to do Lenny at Carnegie Hall. Entertainment Weekly is a registered trademark of Meredith Corporation All Rights Reserved. He has a heavyweight presence on the show, no matter what happens. The season four finale of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel finally gave viewers what they've been waiting for: Miriam "Midge" Maisel ( Rachel Brosnahan) and Lenny Bruce ( Luke Kirby) took their. See Which Stars Have Gotten Engaged in 2023, Taylor Swift Sings About 'Falling Back in Love' on New Duet After Split, Meghan King Wears 'Fk You' Sweatshirt to Kids School, Jim Edmonds Reacts, Tits Up! There was talk that it would be canceled. What does that mean? LK: We did fly in some snow. Scene Stealer: The True Lies of Elisabeth Finch, Part 1, Where to Watch the Biggest 2023 Awards Contenders. Luke Kirby - Lenny Bruce There's no doubt about it, the Carnegie Hall scene that ends Maisel's fourth season is one of the most iconic scenes in the entire show. Its just that mysterious thing that we all know exists, he noted. If we had been doing a biopic, I would have a lot stronger feelings about what story we would need to tell. We just don't know how. We didn't want to leave with the sadness of Lenny. Right. Or did it evolve because you two play so well together? LK: Rachel [Brosnahan] will sometimes say, Do you know what they're saying? And I go like, What? I figured I was in the firing line with anybody whos a fan of his . How can he not be somewhat stirred by it? He didnt live through the 60s, when it really was going down, so to have that voice in comedy silenced was truly a loss, especially at the time that it happened. They do like to keep us on our toes. This was quickly followed by the role of Patroclus in Theatre for a New Audience's 2001 production of Troilus and Cressida, directed by Peter Hall in New York City. Ive gone to see it a few times. LK: Somewhere inside of this season Amy pulled me aside and said, This is where we're going. It sort of always felt like my response would've been Yeah. Because we're just tracking the truth of a relationship. ", For his part, Kirby wasn't sure if this airport scene was his goodbye to Midge. It's the smallest moment. That happens. I wanted it to have some kind of essence. Titled toile, the show which features Maisel vets Luke Kirby (aka Lenny Bruce; pictured right) and Gideon Glick (aka Susie's magician-client Alfie; pictured below) as part of the full-time . From the moment that Miriam "Midge" Maisel ( Rachel Brosnahan) meets the smooth, suave, but troubled legendary comic Lenny Bruce (Luke Kirby) he becomes a major supporter who fills her with . Occasionally well hear from people who were around or, you know, definitely from fans of Lenny Bruce. The season four finale ofThe Marvelous Mrs. Maiselfinally gave viewers what theyve been waiting for: Miriam Midge Maisel (Rachel Brosnahan) and Lenny Bruce (Luke Kirby) took their relationship to the next level, in a very blue room. It was fun. Maisel] with the airplane glue bit, so I had a reference for it, says Kirby, alluding to archival footage of Bruces appearance with Steve Allen. The Canadian-born Kirby didnt campaign for the role, but was familiar with Bruces work when he was tapped, in his words, to be kind of like a fairy godmother to aspiring standup comedienne Miriam Midge Maisel (Emmy winning series star Rachel Brosnahan) in 1959 New York City. I dont think that its entirely the wrong place for me to be. Luke is only a guest star in season 5, so HollywoodLife asked if the photo thats been released of the two of them is their final goodbye. There is the facsimile aspect of doing something thats already been done and kind of wanting toit was a fun exercise to get to adhere to all of the choreography that was there. (Image credit: Kai Shuman/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images), The Ultimate Guide to Stylish PJs for Moms: Heres What to Buy and Gift This Mothers Day, Examining the Lengthy Fallout Between the Once Close Prince Harry and Kate Middleton, Three Mishaps You May Have Missed from Prince William and Kate Middletons Royal Wedding on This Day in 2011. LK: Any time I'm doing Lenny's bitsalmost every single one of them that's been on the show has been sourced from a recording. On this weeks Little Gold Men podcast, Kirby joins to talk about the scary parts of playing Lenny Bruce, but also the great partswhich now includes his first Emmy nomination, for guest actor in a comedy series. Sign up for THR news straight to your inbox every day, Inside the business of TV with breaking news, expert analysis and showrunner interviews. Rachel Brosnahan as Miriam Midge Maisel and Luke Kirby as Lenny Bruce in Season 4 of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.. I may never recover from this, oh my goodness. But it does seem clear that you did a lot of work on the mannerisms in the way of speaking and the, in some, you know, actual of his actual comedy line. Is that how it works?