Rose Byrne

Summary

Fresh Air | Rose Byrne

Date: May 21, 2026
Host: Ann Marie Baldonado (for most of the interview), with Terry Gross
Guest: Rose Byrne, actor
Episode Focus: Exploring Rose Byrne’s multifaceted acting career, with discussions on her Tony-nominated role in "Fallen Angels," her Oscar-nominated performance in "If I Had Legs, I’d Kick You," and a look back at her comedy milestones in "Bridesmaids" and "Neighbors."

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Episode Overview

This episode is an in-depth, lively conversation with Rose Byrne, celebrating her exceptional range across drama and comedy. Byrne discusses her current Broadway run in Noël Coward’s “Fallen Angels” (for which she’s Tony-nominated), reflects on the craft of comedic and dramatic performance, dives into her raw turn in the film “If I Had Legs, I’d Kick You” (Oscar-nominated), and provides behind-the-scenes insights into iconic comedy roles. The discussion is candid, sparkling, and loaded with advice for actors and fans alike.

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Highlights & Key Discussion Points

1. Discovering and Performing Noël Coward’s Fallen Angels

[01:51–09:38]

• Byrne had not performed in nor was she familiar with "Fallen Angels" before (02:16), discovering the show through a Roundabout Theatre benefit with co-star Kelli O’Hara.
• She praises Coward’s witty, “linguistic gymnastics” and relishes working the nuances of an upper-crust British accent, honed with acclaimed vocal coach Kate Wilson.

  "It is the language...the extraordinary vocabulary of Noël Coward is a delight." – Rose Byrne, [04:06]

• The play’s humor comes partly from the escalating drunkenness of two women—an acting challenge Byrne loves, noting the importance of physicality and timing.

  “It’s a real tightrope. I never tire of sitting backstage and constantly rediscovering the words…” – Rose Byrne, [04:51]

• She draws connections between her stagework and classic comedians: “We stand on the shoulders of those women—Carol Burnett, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Maya Rudolph…John Cleese…” [07:24]
• On the technical challenge of eight shows a week: projecting honestly without amplification and keeping comedic timing fresh.

  "To perform in a bigger arena like that and to still remain truthful...the theatricality of that, leaning into that too. So it’s been a learning curve again." – [08:07]

Notable Moment:
— "It was a bitter time. I say in the morning to my children and they’re like, what?" (05:25)
(A running joke about language spilling into real life.)

2. Physical Comedy & Props

[09:01–10:59]

• The use of hair, food, and champagne as comedic props is deliberate, and even the “oysters” are actually lemon-flavored Jell-O.
• Careful timing is required for comedic beats, balancing lines, prop use, and physical bits.

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3. “If I Had Legs, I’d Kick You”—Portraying Darkness and Desperation

[11:07–26:10]

• Byrne describes the harrowing tone of the film: a fever dream mixing “gallows humor,” horror, and parental anxiety (12:07).

  "It really is...It sort of defies generalization or description because it’s sort of like a fever dream." – Rose Byrne, [12:07]

• Preparation with writer-director Mary Bronstein included weeks of discussion, journal sharing, and digging deep into both their experiences as mothers (13:32).

  "We just started from page one and just went through every single comma and syllable and dialogue and everything, just carving through and sharing stories." – Rose Byrne, [13:32]

• Byrne wanted to avoid playing Linda (her character) as “hysterical from the start,” instead tracking isolation and the slow unraveling under relentless caregiving pressure.

  “How do we, you know, track that sort of slow decline? And also the isolation the character has put upon herself…she does not want anyone reflecting back her choices…” – [15:14]

• Film aesthetic choices: never fully seeing the daughter, amplifying hospital sounds to build anxiety (24:14).

  “Mary Bronstein made those louder...all those things were louder because they are in her point of view...it’s relentless.” – [24:14]

• Discusses how the mother-daughter empathy is forced on the viewer by not showing the child’s face, keeping focus on the “monster within” and the limits of parental love (25:01).
• Rose explores the difference between her own coping and the “hostility” her character exudes—a key to unlocking Linda.

Notable Scene (Film Excerpt):
— “You should know, right? You’re her best friend. It’s weird that you don’t know…Perry never really wants to talk to me, either. He travels a lot. Like, all the year. I’m, I’m basically just by myself.” (From Bridesmaids; actual timestamp [32:01]—see below in the comedy section.)

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4. The Endurance of Caregiving / Parental Guilt

[22:09–24:41]

• Byrne relates to the all-consuming guilt and fear familiar to so many caregivers and parents, amplified by societal judgement.
• “[It] was fascinating to examine that and examine it in my own life…I spoke to parents of children with special needs and the whole spectrum…heart-wrenching…” – [22:36]
• Praise for Bronstein’s sound design magnifying the “constant beeping” and background stress:

  “It’s relentless. And she wanted to capture that claustrophobia…” – [24:14]

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5. Balancing Craft and Real Life

[26:01–26:42]

• On returning from intense roles to home life:

  “Kids are so in the moment and grounding…It’s so wonderful because you immediately snap into your role as mum—the greatest role, the most challenging…” – [26:10]

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6. Early Career – From Australian Soaps to International Stardom

[28:10–29:59]

• Byrne credits her start on "Echo Point" (age 15) as invaluable technical training: learning lines rapidly, mastering the technical aspects of camera, and being constantly on set.

  "It’s brilliant how much you learn about the camera—all the machinations of making a show or a film." – [28:24]

• On rushing the soap opera ending:

  “I did find out [who my character’s father was]...I think they were hoping it would be season, you know, 25, that I’d find out, but it was, in fact, season one.” – [29:22]

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7. Comedy Chops – Bridesmaids & Neighbors

[30:09–38:31]

“Bridesmaids” (2011)

[30:09–34:22]

• Byrne landed the role of Helen via audition after working with producer Judd Apatow on “Get Him to the Greek.”
• The all-female cast was a rarity; Byrne reflects on being surrounded by comedic genius: Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Melissa McCarthy, and others.

  "We had no idea that it would go on to become such a beloved movie. And it was...an education in the brilliance of these comedic actresses..." – [33:38]

• Improvisation: Byrne learned a lot from castmates but says her own comedy is “character driven.”

  “The more character driven I can make it, it feels like the comedy can be more specific, but…improv...is just like a skill set that is still—I marvel at…” – [34:30]

• Memorable Helen line:

  "It’s just, this is the first time I’ve ever seen you look ugly. Makes me kind of happy." – Helen (Rose Byrne), Bridesmaids, [32:01]

“Neighbors” (2014)

[35:33–38:31]

• The married-couple dynamic in “Neighbors”—playing opposite Seth Rogen—was consciously written to break the nagging-wife/hapless-husband comedy trope.

  “We wanted to break those typical ideas and have, like, two wildly irresponsible people who are trying to be parents…It was really fun and an intentional thing we were trying to address…” – [37:41]

• On improvising with Seth Rogen:

  “It was a really big bonding exercise for Seth and I, and it felt sort of fresh, which was nice.” – [38:31]

• Highlight quote (from film scene):

  “It’s offensive that I have to be the smart one all the time. I’m allowed to be just as irresponsible as you.” – [36:53]

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Selected Memorable Quotes

• “It is the language—he uses sort of linguistic gymnastics. And the extraordinary vocabulary of Noël Coward is a delight.” – Rose Byrne on Coward, [04:06]
• “As soon as you put a child on screen, your empathy, as it should, goes to the child…so she [Mary Bronstein] takes that choice away from the viewer.” – [25:01]
• “Kids are so in the moment and grounding and in the best way…You immediately snap into your role as mum—the greatest role, the most challenging…” – [26:10]
• “We had no idea [Bridesmaids] would go on to be such a beloved movie. And it was…an education in the brilliance of these comedic actresses…” – [33:38]
• “We wanted to break…old tropes that are extremely boring…have two wildly irresponsible people who are trying to be parents.” – [37:41]

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Timestamps for Key Segments

| Segment | Timestamp | |----------------------------------------------|:-------------:| | Childhood, theater & accent in Coward | 01:51–05:43 | | Acting physical comedy & playing “drunk” | 06:06–09:01 | | Food/prop comedy on stage | 09:31–10:59 | | "If I Had Legs, I'd Kick You" – prep & role | 11:07–15:14 | | Parental guilt and film sound design | 22:09–24:41 | | Switching from “mum” to dramatic characters | 26:01–26:42 | | Early career in Australia’s "Echo Point" | 28:10–29:59 | | “Bridesmaids” and working with comedians | 30:09–34:22 | | “Neighbors” and breaking comedy stereotypes | 35:33–38:31 |

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Episode Tone & Atmosphere

The conversation is warm, humorous, deeply respectful, and peppered with delightfully self-deprecating asides from Byrne. The tone is engagingly reflective, with a strong sense of craft, camaraderie, and gratitude for creative collaboration.

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For Listeners: Why This Episode Matters

This episode is a must-listen for fans of Rose Byrne and anyone fascinated by acting as both art and discipline. Byrne’s openness about craft, failure, serendipity, and joy offers an intimate window into contemporary stage and screen performance. The discussions about parental anxiety and guilt are especially resonant for caregivers, while insights about comedy and breaking old stereotypes make this a standout for anyone interested in the evolution of women in film and TV comedy.

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Transcript

[Announcer]

This message comes from Capella University. That spark you feel, that's your drive.

[Ann Marie Baldonado]

For more.

[Announcer]

Capella University's Flexpath learning format lets you earn your degree at your pace without putting life on pause. Learn more at capella. Edu.

[Terry Gross]

This is FRESH air. I'm Terry Gross. Our guest today is actor Rose Byrne. Known for both drama and comedy. She's now one of the few actresses to be nominated for an Oscar and a Tony in in the same year. She's currently on Broadway in the revival of the Noel Coward play Fallen Angels. She spoke with Fresh Airs Anne Marie Boldonado.

[Ann Marie Baldonado]

When Rose Byrne appeared on American TV in 2007 in the show Damages, it was clear she was a dramatic force. Playing opposite Glenn Close. She was nominated for two Emmys and two Golden Globe Awards. Then she starred in a series of comedies, Get Em to the Greek Bur Bridesmaids and Neighbors. And it became apparent that she's also one of our most gifted comedic actors. Her work in the last year alone shows that she's so good at playing complex characters in any genre. She stars opposite Seth Rogen in the Apple TV comedy Platonic. And she received an Oscar nomination for her raw performance in the film if I Had Legs, I'd Kick youk. Now Rose Byrne is on Broadway in the play Fallen Angels. It's a revival of the 1925 Noel Coward play, a farce about two wealthy women, married English, who go a bit crazy when they hear that the man they had both been involved with before they were married is coming to town. Both Byrne and her co star, Kelli o', Hara, have been nominated for Tonys for best actress in a play. Rose Byrne, welcome to FRESH air.

[Rose Byrne]

Hi. Thanks so much.

[Ann Marie Baldonado]

Now this play is from the 1920s. It was scandalous back then because it was about two women talking about having affair with the same man before they were married. Had you known this play or had you performed Noel Coward before? And I'll say that Coward is a British playwright known for writing sophisticated, witty comedies about the upper class, you know, funny with a lot going on underneath.

[Rose Byrne]

I wasn't familiar with the play. Scott Ellis, who's the artistic director of the Roundabout Theatre, brought it to me and Kelly o' Hara for a benefit reading for the Roundabout. So that's how I discovered the play, obviously. But I was familiar with Noel Coward. I'd seen productions of his more popular plays, I guess, that are done sort of very frequently. Like I'd seen Private Lives, I'd seen Hay Fever. Like I've seen productions of his other plays But Fallen Angels was. No, I didn't know it. It was a lesser done play. So it was a really interesting discovery.

[Ann Marie Baldonado]

I want to play a scene from the play. Here you and your co star Kelli o' Hara are discussing your ex lover Maurice, who's French, who you haven't seen in years. You're both excited about the of him visiting Kelly. O' Hara speaks first.

[Rose Byrne]

I say, wouldn't it be too wonderful if he arrived suddenly now? Oh, I should choke. You're sure you left a thoroughly clear message at your flat in case he went there first? Of course. We're bound to get a frightful shock when we do see him. Oh, I don't see why. He's bound to have gotten bald or gone fat or something. No, no, he won't have changed at all. He wouldn't come if he had because he's far too conceited. No, not conceited. A little vain perhaps. Naturally. With those eyes, who can blame him? And those hair and those teeth and those legs.

[Ann Marie Baldonado]

That's a scene from the play Fallen Angels. Rose Byrne, you're Australian, you live in the US now. Can you talk about your accent in this play? I would think it's that some of this dialogue is fun to say and some of the words, the syllables get drawn out. Like the way you say eyes, blame even teeth in this clip.

[Rose Byrne]

I mean, yeah, it is the language he uses sort of linguistic gymnastics. And the extraordinary vocabulary of Noel Coward is a delight. Yeah. We work with Kate Wilson, who's the head of voice at Juilliard and I've been working with her now for nearly 10 years. And she's extraordinary because she's just like consonants, consonants, consonants. You've got to hit the consonants, stick the landing. Like it's the langu that sort of is everything in a way. It is this brilliant sort of use of language that he had at the age of 25, I believe, when he wrote this play. It's all in the delivery and the kind of the pacing of it and just staying very lightly on all of the language. It's a real tightrope. Yeah. I never tire of sitting backstage and constantly rediscovering the words that. And he peppers throughout, like the word callous is throughout, which I just love. It's so delicious and just brilliant. And bitterly is used a lot. It was a bitter time, bitterly. And it's just these brilliant words that he uses that I've started to use in my day to day as I walk around in my life now.

[Ann Marie Baldonado]

You're Doing everything bitterly now.

[Rose Byrne]

Exactly. It was a bitter time. I say in the morning to my children and they're like, what?

[Ann Marie Baldonado]

Well, it's interesting you said that thing about consonants, but in that clip we just heard too. It's like the vowels too. It's like what happens to the vowels in an upper crusty British accent maybe.

[Rose Byrne]

Yeah. And also, you know, the lover, his name is Maurice, which is a wonderful name. Cause it's like more. More ease. She's like hidden truths in there and a hidden kind of subtext that is we just dig and mine for every night and vulgarity was like that. It's just brilliant. It's so fun for a lot of the show.

[Ann Marie Baldonado]

You and your co star Kelli o' Hara are playing drunk.

[Rose Byrne]

Both of your kids, like an hour. Yes. She's getting drunk.

[Male Actor (Neighbors scene)]

Yes.

[Ann Marie Baldonado]

Slowly but surely you're getting drunk over the course of the evening. And so much of the comedy comes from that. How do you prepare to act drunk and how do you actually do it?

[Rose Byrne]

It's interesting. Well, his writing is so brilliant with the drunke, you know, the switching of words and the slow decline and the volume. It's very specific in the stage directions. My character gets louder continually throughout this sequence of them drinking, which is very funny and very true about drunk people. They often get louder and louder and louder. And that's what happens to Jane. And then it's referred to in the third act that she was much worse than Julia and she really is. She sort of unravels. And then there's a violence that comes out in the. That is very dark and can also happen. I've seen with people when they get too inebriated sometimes it can really, you know, it can be not. Not reveal the best part of them.

[Ann Marie Baldonado]

Yeah, there's a lot of physical comedy in this play. It reminded me actually of kind of Lucy and Ethel and I Love Lucy as far as the physicality of it. Or maybe you're both Lucy as far

[Rose Byrne]

as over the top. I think it's such an honor, I mean that, you know, we stand on the shoulders of those women, you know, of those extra. And like Carol Burnett, like they're just pedestal. Kristen Wiig, you know, the physical comedy of those performances. Julia Louis Dreyfus, I mean, John Cleese. These are the people I put on pedestals. Maya Rudolph, you know, just brilliant physical comedians. So we've definitely pushed that side of things, which has been very fun.

[Ann Marie Baldonado]

How does performing in a Broadway show, eight shows a week, how does it compare to shooting a movie? You Know, even like something so kind of adrenaline pumped as your last film. If I had legs, I'd kick you. I was just wondering how it feels differently, those different kinds of performance.

[Rose Byrne]

No, it's a great question. Something I'm sort of wrestling with because it's kind of a little bit hard to describe in any erudite fashion, but it feels we are trying to reach the back row, you know, so it's a. Physically. It's just bigger. It is a bigger experience. And then. So to perform in a bigger arena like that and to still remain truthful in that sense of, like, you know, I felt like I was screaming when I first got up. Cause we're not wearing mics either. There's mics on the stage. But we get up there and I'm like, what? You know, hello, Jane. You know, to yell. Like, how do I translate that in a way that still feels authentic, but the theatricality of that leaning into that too. So it's been a learning curve again to do that. But I had long wanted to do a true comedic piece on stage. Like, it's been one of my dreams. So this has been extraordinary to have this experience.

[Ann Marie Baldonado]

I also like that you do some hair acting in this play, like, at one point.

[Rose Byrne]

Oh, yeah.

[Ann Marie Baldonado]

Your hair shows how drunk you are and, like, what may have happened to you over the course of the evening. Because your hair is really big. And it actually reminded me of your hair acting in the movie Spy from 2015, which.

[Rose Byrne]

I'm glad you threaded that needle, Ann Marie. Appreciate that.

[Ann Marie Baldonado]

There are so many fun things like your hair, what you do with a napkin. And you and your co star, Kelli o' Hara are constantly repouring yourself. Champagne. So there's, you know, there's champagne all over. So it's just interesting, all the different kind of props that you use.

[Rose Byrne]

Yeah. And that's listening to that clip. The main thing about that clip is timing when I drink and when I eat. Cause you're. You're constantly drinking, and I'm constantly eating throughout that sequence, which is fine. But it did take a minute through the previews to really figure out how to time that technically. So it's funny, you know, to get the breath on the beats for the comedy and also to establish how much they're drinking. You know, so it's. That was, again, sort of a technical physical feat to figure that out.

[Ann Marie Baldonado]

Do you eat the same things? Every. Like, are you ingesting the same amount?

[Rose Byrne]

Yeah. That was also a process of, like, figuring out. Yeah, what could be an oyster? What can we eat that is, you know, described in the play of what they're eating and then figure out. Yes, that was also a process of figuring out all of that stuff and. But also really fun. I mean, it's so fun and delicious.

[Ann Marie Baldonado]

Well, what are you eating? You're not eating oysters.

[Rose Byrne]

So the oysters is a jello. It's a yellow lemon flavored jello, which is actually good. It's like very bland. And then there's one chicken sausage that we, you know, kind of nibble on. And then these like weird sort of like potato things with the steak. And then we have like donut holes when we're eating. It's supposed to be profiteroles.

[Ann Marie Baldonado]

Yeah, yeah. You eat a lot of those profiteroles throughout.

[Rose Byrne]

I'm eating a lot of them. And they've sort of become, again, a source of some of the comedy, like playing with the food and all that kind of stuff.

[Ann Marie Baldonado]

Now I want to ask about the film. If I had legs, I'd kick you. And I have to say I feel a little bad about asking you about it because you talked about it for so long. It premiered in Sundance back in January of 20, and, you know, it seems like you've been talking about it. It came out late last year and then you were nominated for the Oscar earlier this year. And it's such a great film and you're so great in it, but it's kind of relentless. And I wondered if speaking about it was also relentless.

[Rose Byrne]

No, I mean, it was an extraordinary experience for me, honestly, that Mary Bronstein wrote this incendiary screenplay and I just did not want to mess it up. And it was such a creative opportunity. And her and I have just. We hit it and had this a real experience, you know, one of those experiences in life that, you know, sort of creatively has kind of changed me.

[Ann Marie Baldonado]

How would you describe the film and your character? Linda?

[Rose Byrne]

I've loved speaking to other people about the film because it really is. It sort of defies generalization or description because it's. It's sort of like a fever dream in a way. It has Gallo's humor in there. It's also obviously extremely. There's horror kind of tropes in the film, too. I think Mary Bronstein really kind of broke the mold with the tone of the film in many ways. And she really sort of plays with the edge of consciousness, I think, in many ways, and tapped into sort of like the monster within and the fear of being a parent and the horror of being a parent and some of the joy, too. But obviously she's in a really extraordinarily difficult situation, this. This. This woman. But I. I still can't believe the film kind of got as far as it did, just. Cause it was, you know, it's a small independent film, so it was. It was just extraordinary.

[Ann Marie Baldonado]

Yes. The film is written and directed by Mary Bronstein, and it's based on some of her own experiences. Her daughter had become ill when she was younger, and she had that similar experience about trying to get her well and feeling trapped or the. The weight of. And I read that you both did a lot to prepare for the role, that the two of you would meet after dropping off your kids at school and just talk about the script, about motherhood. Did any of the stories that you shared make it into the movie?

[Rose Byrne]

Yeah, we were really lucky. We had a period of really like five or six weeks where I would go to her apartment and we just started from page one and just went through every single, you know, comma and syllable and dialogue and everything, just carving through and sharing stories. And as to your point, yeah, Mary Bronstein has shared that too, was based on a, you know, something she went through with. With her own child. And obviously she didn't behave like my character does in the film, but the fears behind that and what went into it. And she shared her journals from that time and. Yeah, and I shared my own personal experience of being a parent and how that feels and struggles. And it was really incredible period we had there. So then when we got to set, obviously it was a short shoot. It was only 25 or six days or something. We sort of had every conversation so we could really leap off and play the scene and discover stuff. And as an actress, I can't make any sort of decision until the other actor's in front of me and I'm, you know, responding to what's happening. So I'm so grateful we had that period.

[Ann Marie Baldonado]

Mary Bronstein has said that she wanted to capture that visceral feeling of desperation, that mental state when you feel everything is falling apart because all these things. She has a child who's ill, and then there are all these other things that are happening, too. And as these things feel like they're falling apart, you feel like it's your fault. Like it's this state of where you're so stressed that all these problems become equal. Then that felt real to me. And I was wondering how you and Mary Bronstein wanted to convey that. And if you've ever had that kind

[Rose Byrne]

of feeling before yourself, what Linda's going through. Of having a seriously critically ill child, you know. You know, knock on wood. Most parents won't have to go through that. You know, 99% of it isn't. It's a very extraordinary specific illness that she has too. But I was sort of obsessed with, like, how do. What happened before this, like, what led to this moment of who was she? Like, what. You know, because very little information is given. And I was like. I wanted to, like, discover this sort of. Cause she's got such a sort of streak of distrust of authority. You know, she's very defiant and, like, prickly. And why, like, where did that come. So that was sort of our boring, like, actor homework that, you know, I was really interested in as a point of entry for the story. And Mary was. She's come from an acting background. She went to NYU to train as an actress. So she. She loves character and the details of that. So that was something we sort. We discussed a lot of and sort of. And just also tracking the downfall, because the trap would be she's hysterical from the start, you know, and how do we, you know, and sort of track that sort of slow decline? And also the isolation the character has put upon herself because she does not want anyone reflecting back her choices, which are becoming increasingly unhinged and irresponsible. And so she's. She just has her therapist, really, and he is telling her, you need to get a good night's sleep and don't smoke pot. You know, these basic things. And she's ignoring that. She just completely goes off the rails. She has no. She has no guardrails anymore. So that. That sort of sense of isolation that I've seen with people in my life, if they've. They're in a situation they don't want commented on or they don't want to acknowledge, they slowly remove from your life because they. They can't have that reflected back.

[Ann Marie Baldonado]

I want to play a scene from the film, and Mary Bronstein, the writer director, is actually in it. She plays the daughter's do who's really hard on your character, Linda. In this scene here, the doctor is trying to talk to Linda about how treatment isn't working, and she doesn't think Linda is doing enough to help.

[Mary Bronstein]

You've missed the last few weeks of family sessions.

[Rose Byrne]

Yeah, I told you what happened. Our entire ceiling fell down. And with all that chaos, and we're living out of the hotel, so we

[Mary Bronstein]

need to schedule something as soon as possible to talk about her goals and the treatment process.

[Rose Byrne]

Yeah, okay. Yeah. Duh. Yeah. Oh, you meant now. Okay. All right, well, let me look at my schedule. I should probably do that.

[Mary Bronstein]

I know that you already know this, but you can't start letting feelings of guilt and control about this illness and treatment affect you. It's no one's fault.

[Rose Byrne]

That's right. That's what I keep hearing.

[Mary Bronstein]

Also, I really need you to start taking care of yourself.

[Rose Byrne]

Yes. No. Put my oxygen mask on first.

[Announcer]

Mm.

[Rose Byrne]

Mm.

[Mary Bronstein]

I'm just gonna have to get blunt here. So she needs to reach her weight goal in the next week. If she does that, then we can put tube removal and discharge dates on the books. But if she doesn't do that, I'm gonna have to reassess the level of care because obviously something is not working here. And this is what I need to talk to you about. When can we sit down properly?

[Rose Byrne]

Yeah, fine. September 7th.

[Mary Bronstein]

It's September 15th.

[Rose Byrne]

September 20th. I mean, September. September 20th.

[Ann Marie Baldonado]

That's a scene from the film. If I had legs, I'd kill.

[Rose Byrne]

I think it's hilarious. That's funny.

[Ann Marie Baldonado]

Well, you know, it's funny because, yes, there's a lot in the movie that's funny, but, you know, when you are nominated for the Golden Globe for best actress in a musical or comedy, people were like, that was supposed to be a comedy. It feels like horror to me.

[Rose Byrne]

It's not exactly. Yeah, no, totally. It's. It's not Bridesmaids. No, it's a different sort of comedy. Totally. But that. That seems so funny hearing it, especially because Mary's so serious and she's my friend, and I'm, like, just dying because she's. She also looks like she's 12 years old, Mary, and she's playing the doctor. But that's what happens. All of a sudden. You get to a certain age and there's all these younger people telling you what to do, and you're like, oh, my God. And so that was really. She was so stern and kind of scary as that talked.

[Ann Marie Baldonado]

Yes. Let's take a short break here, and we'll talk some more. My guest is actor Rose Byrne. She's currently on Broadway in the revival of the play Fallen Angels. She just got nominated for best actor in a play for the role. Her films and series include Damages, Bridesmaids, Neighbors, Insidious, Platonic, and if I had Legs, I'd kick you. More after a break. I'm Annemarie Baldonado, and this is Fresh Air.

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[Ann Marie Baldonado]

Each story you hear on Planet Money starts with a question. What happens if we refund tariffs?

[Rose Byrne]

Why are groceries so expensive?

[Ann Marie Baldonado]

At npr, we stand for your right to be curious because the forces shaping our world can be hard to see. Follow NPR's Planet Money wherever you get

[Announcer]

your podcasts and start seeing how the economy really works.

[Rose Byrne]

Hi, this is Molly Sivi Nesper, digital producer at Fresh air.

[Terry Gross]

And this is Terry Gross, host of the show.

[Rose Byrne]

One of the things I do is

[Terry Gross]

write the weekly newsletter, and I'm a newsletter fan. I read it every Saturday after breakfast. The newsletter includes all the week shows, staff recommendations and Molly Picks timely highlights from the archive. It's a fun read.

[Ann Marie Baldonado]

It's also the only place where we tell you what's coming up next week, an exclusive.

[Terry Gross]

So [e-mail] fresh air. And look for an email from Molly every Saturday morning.

[Ann Marie Baldonado]

Even though she maybe knows that it's not her fault, it's hard to not feel like it is. And it's hard to not feel judged. And I think that speaks to what can happen to parents, to moms that, you know, you blame for your yourself for things that are beyond your control or you think people are judging you about your parental decisions even when there's nothing you can really do. And I was wondering if you related to that feeling of guilt.

[Rose Byrne]

No, of course. I mean, it's like it was fascinating to examine that and examine it in my own life. And also I spoke to parents of children with special needs and the whole spectrum of that of, you know, how it had affected their life and their marriage and their self esteem and the cost of that. And it is just heart wrenching. And but what Linda, the hostility that Linda has is something that I had to discover that was very different from how I, Rose, would respond to something like that. And that was really fun to kind of figure that out and figure out where that hostility came from and why she has that for every you Know, anyone approaching her, telling her what to do, whether it's the doctor or the therapist or her patient or anyone or her husband or even the child for that matter. And her resentment around that was very fun because it was far more interesting than something. How I would have approached a situation, a crisis like that. And I think that was the key to me figuring out that aspect of the character.

[Ann Marie Baldonado]

Yeah. And I think something that the film does so well is convey that pressure of what it's like to be a caretaker. Like the darkness of it, because it feels relentless. Like you never stop worrying. And, you know, there are these decisions that the director makes. For example, there's this constant beeping of the machine that happens through the film. And, you know, it's the machine that feeds the daughter through the feeding tube. And you can hear that throughout the movie. And that adds to the anxiety. And I think that's also what happens when you're a caregiver. Like there's that constant beeping in the background.

[Rose Byrne]

Yeah. These noises get magnified and actually Mary Bronstein made those louder, just a bit like the clock on the wall, the beeping of the machine. All those things were louder because they are in her point of view, and it is as a parent, those things become overstimulating. It's relentless. And she wanted to capture that. Claustrophobia and the sound design was really extraordinary in that sense too. Really captured that.

[Ann Marie Baldonado]

One thing I should add is that we never fully know as viewers what kind of illness the daughter has, nor do we see the daughter's face through most of the movie.

[Rose Byrne]

Yes, again, she sort of provides more questions than answers and the conceit of not seeing the daughter. And Mary's spoken to this many times, but sort of a two pronged thing in that, you know, I don't think Linda, my character, can see her daughter at this point. She's so drowning and beginning this sort of real descent into her crisis, her mental health crisis, that she can't even see this little. She sort of lost her shape, which can happen with your family or, you know, when you're in a day in and day out and you just. They lose their physical shape in front of you, your kids or your husband or wife or whomever. And I feel like we sort of. That's Linda's perspective. And also for the audience to have that choice taken away, to not see the daughter, you're forced to reckon with the mother. Because as soon as you put a child on screen, your empathy, as it should, goes to the child. They're so vulnerable. And it's, you know, immediately your concern will go to them. And so she takes that choice away from the viewer. So you're, you know, you're forced to be in the perspective of the mother.

[Ann Marie Baldonado]

What was it like making a film about motherhood and anxiety and then going home after work and then being a parent at home?

[Rose Byrne]

Well, kids are so in the moment and grounding and in the best way. They're not particularly interested in if you've had a hard day. But it's so wonderful because you immediately snap into your role as mum, the greatest role, the most challenging, the most fun. And so for me, it was it's church and stay. You sort of leave it at work. And I mean, obviously there were days when I was more exhausted or tired or, you know, harder to let things go. But children are the great equalizer as a parent, you know.

[Ann Marie Baldonado]

Let's take a short break here and we'll talk some more. My guest is actor Rose Byrne. She's currently on Broadway in the revival of the play Fallen Angels. She just got nominated for best actor in a play for the role. Her films and series include Damages, Bridesmaids, Neighbors, Insidious, Platonic and if I Had Legs, I'd Kick you. More after a break. This is FRESH AIR.

[Announcer]

This message comes from DonorsChoose. Every day on DonorsChoose.org, teachers ask for the books, supplies and learning materials their students need because every day teachers show up for their students. But who's going to show up for teachers? Because appreciation shouldn't stop at thank you. It means taking action. Books for the classroom, supplies for students, support teachers can count on show classroom heroes the appreciation they deserve. Donate [e-mail] local. This message comes from Jerry. Many people are overpaying on car insurance. Why? Switching providers can be a pain. Jerry helps make the process painless. Jerry is the only app that compares rates from over 50 insurers in minutes and helps you switch fast with no spam calls or hidden fees. Drivers who save with Jeri could save over $1,300 a year. Before you renew your car insurance policy, download the Jerry app or head to Jerry AI, npr.

[Ann Marie Baldonado]

One of your early acting jobs was working on a soap opera and you

[Rose Byrne]

say that you got a lot of

[Ann Marie Baldonado]

good training from that. What was the show like and what was your part? If you were a kid, what kind of role did you play?

[Rose Byrne]

It was called Echo Point and I played Billy, whose setup of the show was. Who is her father? Unknown. She didn't know it was like the overarching storyline, plot of the soap opera. And I was very young, I was 15, I think, when I got that part. So still, you know, I would be at school and then going there and then getting tutoring. And it was an incredible technical training. It's amazing what you learn. You just learn how to learn lines very regularly and quickly because you are doing so much. You're filming so much all that. You're doing like 15 pages a day or something. You're like. It's intense. And the technicality, you just. It's brilliant how much you learn about the camera, all of the machinations of making a show or a film. So it's a brilliant training ground, I must say, for the technical aspect of acting.

[Ann Marie Baldonado]

Did Billie ever find out who her father was?

[Rose Byrne]

Well, I think so. I think what happened was that we quickly. We did not. It was not a successful show. Oh, I'm sorry. It's okay. Who Quickly was deemed was not gonna be picked up for after six months. So they rushed the ending. And I did find out. I did find out who my father was. I think they were hoping it would be season, you know, 25, that I'd find out, but it was, in fact, season one, so I did. She did find out.

[Ann Marie Baldonado]

Thank you. Yes. Thank God.

[Rose Byrne]

I think they told me already. I think it was pretty obvious who it was. I'm pretty sure they told me as well. Yeah.

[Ann Marie Baldonado]

I want to ask about Bridesmaids, which came out in 2011. It came out 15 years ago this month. It was May 2011.

[Terry Gross]

Yeah.

[Rose Byrne]

Oh, my God.

[Ann Marie Baldonado]

How did you get that role? It's crazy, right?

[Rose Byrne]

15. That's wild. I had done get him to the Greek and Judd had produced that and he was producing Bridesmaids. Yeah. So he had been working with Kristen Wiggin and Annie Mumolo on the script for a while, I think. And I went in and I auditioned with Kristen and Paul Feig, the wonderful, gorgeous director.

[Ann Marie Baldonado]

I want to play a scene from the film just to remind people this film is about Annie, played by Kristen Wiig, her best friend. Lillian, who was her friend since childhood, played by Maya Rudolph, is getting married. You play Helen, a new, very put together wealthy friend of Maya Rudolph's character. And you've tried to step in as a new best friend, kind of taking over things like the shower, the bachelorette party, even the wedding itself. Taking that from Kristen Wiig's character, this scene is near the end of the film, the Bride, Maya Rudolph's character has gone missing, and your character is trying to find her. And get her back to the wedding. And she has asked Annie for help. You're both in the car, driving.

[Rose Byrne]

I just don't know what could have possibly gone wrong. Everything was going smoothly. The dress looked fantastic. It had come in from Paris. Dougie was. Was being great and very helpful. I had organized everything to the, you know, last final detail. I just. I don't know what's happened to her. I don't know. You should know, right? You're her best friend. It's weird that you don't know. You guys are so close. Annie, I want to apologize to you personally for all of the things that have gone down. I know that I hurt you, and then I created a distance between you and Lillian, and I want to apologize. You know what? I don't want to hear everything that

[Ann Marie Baldonado]

happened at the shower.

[Rose Byrne]

And with Las Vegas. Okay? I don't want to hear anymore. Honestly, I just. I don't even want to talk to you. Perry never really wants to talk to me, either. He travels a lot. Like, all the year. I'm. I'm basically just by myself. I don't want to. I don't feel sorry for you. You know, I really like that original dress you picked at the bridal store. I thought it was beautiful. You have really lovely taste. Thanks, but that's a little too late for that. And I know. I don't think that Brazilian food really gave us food poisoning. No, I. It did. I think people just asked me to their wedding because I'm good at organizing parties. I don't have any female friends. Oh, you're smiling. It's just. It's just, this is the first time I've ever seen you look ugly. Makes me kind of happy. I look ugly. No, I don't. I don't really look ugly. You're an ugly crier. But that's okay. I'm not really an ugly car. Okay, maybe just a little bit. No. Just a little bit. This is my makeup. I still look pretty good.

[Ann Marie Baldonado]

That's a scene from Bridesmaids. It's hard to remember that back when this movie came out, there were articles in the press. People were still asking, can women be funny? Can they be raunchy? Can comedies starring women make money? What was it like making this film surrounded by so many female comedians?

[Rose Byrne]

It was so fun. Oh, my gosh. We had such a fun time. I mean, it was a great group of actresses. I was like, this is incredible. It's already extraordinary to have that many scenes with just women. I've had that once since then, when I did Mrs. America, a show for FX about the second wave feminism playing Gloria Steinem. But this was really, really special. And we had no idea that it would go on to become such a beloved movie. And it was, again, like an education. An education in the brilliance of these comedic actresses and the performances and me trying to. I mean, but Helen's really the straight man in the film. But it changed my life in so many ways.

[Ann Marie Baldonado]

Helen gets off some good zingers, though.

[Rose Byrne]

She's seriously.

[Ann Marie Baldonado]

Even in that scene. Did you learn any specific techniques from these actors who were well versed in improv?

[Rose Byrne]

I didn't know. Yeah, that's so. I mean, what. What wig does is so different from what Melissa does to Maia to Wendy to Ellie. They're all so brilliant in their different ways. And, I don't know, improv for me is still a little mercurial and a little. Like, sometimes I'll come up with something funny, but sometimes, often I don't like it. It feels for me intuitively. I'm always, like, character driven. Who's the character? How is the character? You know, what would they. Helen was so different from me. Like, that's such a Different. So fun to play. Cause it's completely opposite to myself in every kind of possible way. So that entitlement and the presentation and all those sorts of fun things and what means something to that, to a person like that? The more character driven I can make. It feels like the comedy can be more specific, but the improv stuff, I mean, it's just like a skill set that is still. I marvel at when I'm working with someone like Seth Rogen. He's also the same. Just naturally they make it look effortless, but it's actually really incredibly hard.

[Ann Marie Baldonado]

Since we're talking about Seth Rogen, I want to play a scene from the first time. I think you worked together on the movie Neighbors, which came out in 2014. You play a young married couple, you just had a baby, and you happen to be living next door to a frat house at a university. And it kind of escalates. You sort of have battles between each other. And here's a scene later in the movie, you're fighting with your neighbors has sort of escalated and kind of gone too far. And the two of you are fighting.

[Rose Byrne]

We went too far now. This is dangerous.

[Male Actor (Neighbors scene)]

Oh, we did not go too far. Now is when we get them back even more. You see what they did to me? We don't stop now.

[Rose Byrne]

What's gonna be next? They're gonna break into the House.

[Male Actor (Neighbors scene)]

No, no.

[Rose Byrne]

You need to grow up. The day a family is in danger.

[Male Actor (Neighbors scene)]

I need to grow up?

[Rose Byrne]

Yes, you need to grow up. One of us has gotta be the adult in this relationship.

[Male Actor (Neighbors scene)]

You should take responsibility.

[Rose Byrne]

It's not only offensive, but it's stupid.

[Male Actor (Neighbors scene)]

It's offensive that I'm saying that you should be smart?

[Rose Byrne]

Yes, it's offensive that I have to be the smart one all the time. I'm allowed to be just as irresponsible as you.

[Male Actor (Neighbors scene)]

Well, that's how it works. I'm the dumb guy and you're the woman who's supposed to stop the dumb guy from doing dumb. Haven't you ever seen a Kevin James movie? We can't both be Kevin James. I'm Kevin James.

[Rose Byrne]

Well, I have a little bit of Kevin James in me.

[Male Actor (Neighbors scene)]

Well, we can't both. Clearly, you're the one who knows better, so you should know better.

[Rose Byrne]

You know that I'm not like that, and I've never been like that.

[Male Actor (Neighbors scene)]

Well, maybe you should.

[Rose Byrne]

There's never been me. And just because I'm a mom doesn't mean that I'm gonna change who I am.

[Male Actor (Neighbors scene)]

Well, just cause I'm a father, it doesn't mean I can stop doing mushrooms with teenagers.

[Rose Byrne]

Fine.

[Male Actor (Neighbors scene)]

Fine.

[Rose Byrne]

Good.

[Male Actor (Neighbors scene)]

Good.

[Rose Byrne]

Okay, Kevin, I don't think we're a good team anymore.

[Male Actor (Neighbors scene)]

Team's breaking up.

[Rose Byrne]

Yep. This worked before we had Stella, but now it doesn't.

[Male Actor (Neighbors scene)]

It doesn't work anymore because someone refuses to grow up.

[Rose Byrne]

Fine.

[Male Actor (Neighbors scene)]

Okay.

[Rose Byrne]

You go find your nagging wife that you want to find, and I'll go find a real man.

[Male Actor (Neighbors scene)]

Fine.

[Rose Byrne]

Fine.

[Ann Marie Baldonado]

That's a scene from Neighbors. And, you know, this is pretty, like, raunchy, like funny, slapsticky kind of film. But one of the great things about it is this portrayal of a married couple. Cause it doesn't follow those tropes that you make fun of in this clip.

[Rose Byrne]

Yes, they really wanted to break those stereotypes of like, in these typical sort of broad comedies, is it is the nagging wife who's like, you can't have fun. You can't do this. So it's like this very, like, old tropes that are extremely boring. So we wanted to break those typical ideas and have, like, two wildly irresponsible people who are trying to be parents, who are trying to, like, be parents and also party with the, you know, the ridiculous frat house next door. So it was. It was really fun and an intentional thing that we were trying to address and do and be sort of conscious about it. You know, it was a really big bonding exercise for Seth and I, and it felt sort of fresh, which was nice.

[Ann Marie Baldonado]

Rose Byrne, congrats on the Tony nomination, and thank you so much for joining us.

[Rose Byrne]

Thank you, Emery. Thank you so much.

[Terry Gross]

Rose Byrne spoke with FRESH AIR producer Ann Marie Boldonado. Byrne is starring in the Broadway revival of the Noel Coward play Fallen Angels. It will be live streamed on Broadway HD on June 5th. Its limited run ends on June 7th after we take a short break. TV critic David Biancooli reflects on the end of the Late show with Stephen Colbert. The final episode airs tonight. This is FRESH AIR.

[Announcer]

This message comes from DonorsChoose. Every day on DonorsChoose.org, teachers ask for the books, supplies and learning materials their students need. Because every day teachers show up for their students. But who's going to show up for teachers? Because appreciation shouldn't stop at thank you. It means taking action. Books for the classroom, supplies for students, support. Teachers can count on show classroom heroes the appreciation they deserve. Donate [e-mail] local this message comes from Jerry Are you tired of your car insurance rate going up even with a clean driving record? That's why there's Jerry, your proactive insurance assistant. Jerry compares rates side by side from over 50 top insurers and helps you switch with ease. Jerry even tracks market rates and alerts you when it's best to shop. No spam calls, no hidden fees. Drivers who save with Jerry could save over $1,300 a year. Switch with confidence. Download the Jerry app or visit Jerry AI, NPR Today, the Late show with

[Terry Gross]

David Letterman ran on CBS from 1993 until he retired in 2015. And after that, in the same Broadway space now known as the Ed Sullivan Theater, it became the Late show with Stephen Colbert. Tonight, after 11 years at the helm, the show's second host steps down, but not of his own volition. And the franchise itself is ending, too. Those are decisions made by CBS and its corporate owner, Paramount. But our TV critic David Biancooli says Colbert is very much going out on his own terms.

[David Biancooli]

Stephen Colbert has approached the last weeks of his show with what seems to be a mixture of defiance and celebration. He's defiant in that he's doing pretty much whatever he wants to. When he hosted David Letterman, the man who launched the Late show and who himself was famous for gleefully throwing watermelons and other projectiles from the roof of the Ed Sullivan Theater, Colbert joined Letterman on the rooftop. The two of them threw things, including Colbert's desk and guest chairs, off the Roof. And then Colbert gave Letterman the last word. Letterman quoted the familiar send off of one of CBS's respected news icons, Edward R. Murrow. But Letterman's last word added an expletive.

[Stephen Colbert]

Well, Dave.

[Rose Byrne]

Yes, sir.

[Stephen Colbert]

Hey, thanks so much for creating The Late Show 33 years ago. It's been a pleasure having you back. Destroy some stuff.

[Rose Byrne]

The pleasure is all mine. I enjoyed destroying stuff. It's great, great fun. Thank you for everything you've done for our country.

[Stephen Colbert]

Feeling is mutual, Dave. Thank you. Anything you'd like to say to the audience before we go?

[Rose Byrne]

Well, not necessarily to the audience, but

[Male Actor (Neighbors scene)]

to the folks at cbs.

[Rose Byrne]

In the words of the great

[David Biancooli]

Good

[Rose Byrne]

night and good luck.

[David Biancooli]

It was a show of support and a sentiment and a phrase that caught on days later on HBO's Last Week Tonight with John Oliver. Oliver used Letterman's phrase as the sign off for his own show after giving Colbert a quick plug. Oliver also showed up on Colbert's Late show in solidarity, along with fellow late night host Jimmy Kimmel, Jimmy Fallon, and Seth Meyers. The defiance was on display there too, as Colbert asked his guests about late night TV in general. Jimmy Kimmel, a survivor of his own politically electrified corporate battles, gave the best reply. Seth Meyers, seated next to Kimmel with an iPad, provided comic sound effects.

[Stephen Colbert]

Late Night is in a bit of a weird spot right now.

[Terry Gross]

Spoiler alert.

[Stephen Colbert]

And people questioning its future. I've been asked this question more like three times over the last ten months in various interviews. Like, they go like, make a case for late night. I'm like, what do you mean? And I go like, make, make a case for it. Like, why should it continue to exist? I'm like, we like. People like it. I enjoy doing it. Why would you say that? Make a case for late Night?

[Male Actor (Neighbors scene)]

Well, I would say that I, in my. Well, I look at the figures and the fact of the matter is more people are watching late night television now than, and I know everybody gets crazy than when Johnny Carson went out. Obviously Johnny Carson had a lot of people watching one show, but we have a lot of shows with like 30,000 people watching each one, right? And it adds up. And people watch us on YouTube now and people have a lot of different options and yet they still, they keep coming to us. And I will tell you, when I got knocked off the air for a few days, people, thank you. People press the hi hat. People canceled. People canceled Disney. Why isn't, why, why aren't you people canceling Paramount plus? Cause you didn't have it in the first place.

[David Biancooli]

Stephen Colbert also showed defiance in planning his final shows. One program presenting sketches and ideas that didn't make the air pretty much was an inside joke aimed at his staffers, who were the only ones seated in that night's audience. It wasn't that entertaining to watch, but I suspect that may have been the point. Colbert made that show with and for the co workers he loved so much because he could. And on other shows, Colbert's musical guests and song selections were statements too. He got Bernadette Peters and other Broadway musical stars to sing Putting It Together from Stephen Sondheim's Sunday in the park with George, a song that's all about the joys and difficulties of making art. And David Byrne came on to perform a highly charged version of Burning down the House. In the context of Colbert and his show both leaving cbs, those lyrics were amazingly spot on and Colbert joined in at the end, singing and dancing with Ed Grimley type glee. And of course, Colbert was ruthless to the end in his monologues, diving deeply into political topics instead of avoiding them like this joke from earlier this week.

[Stephen Colbert]

Today the Justice Department posted an addendum to the original settlement which says that the IRS is forever barred and precluded from pursuing examinations of Trump related or affiliated individuals and related trusts in businesses. So he just gave himself a get out of jail free card and a way better one than Jeffrey Epstein got.

[David Biancooli]

The celebratory element of these final shows has been reflected in the A list, guests who showed up and how Colbert interacted with them. Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks showed up separately with projects to plug, but also brought stories and perspective. And Tom brought gifts including a vintage typewriter. One of his well known passions, John Stewart, who like Letterman was one of Colbert's former employers, had a great time comparing getting fired stories. Several of these shows and guests could have been the finale. David Letterman, Jon Stewart, the gaggle of late night cronies, and Barack Obama who appeared in a pre taped segment to answer the Colbert questionnaire.

[Stephen Colbert]

What is the scariest animal?

[Rose Byrne]

This is a scientific nerd question, but

[Stephen Colbert]

mosquitoes are the scariest animal. Yeah, yeah, because they bring a lot of bad diseases.

[Male Actor (Neighbors scene)]

There you go.

[David Biancooli]

Yeah, tonight is the real last show and the final guests and contents are a mystery. Meanwhile, it's still a mystery to me why CBS and Paramount are being so short sighted and stupid. Stupid. Firing Colbert, that's bad enough, but he'll do fine ending the Late show franchise. That's the worst mistake CBS has made with its entertainment lineup since firing the Smothers Brothers.

[Terry Gross]

David Biancooli is Fresh Airs TV critic I'm sure the show will be great tonight and Colbert will probably make us laugh, but when his show is over, it's going to be really sad. I'll miss you, Stephen Colbert.

[Stephen Colbert]

And now, performing Burning down the House, David Byrne,

[Terry Gross]

Fresh Air's executive producer is Sam Brigger. Our technical director and engineer is Audrey Bentham. Our interviews and reviews are produced and edited by Phyllis Myers, Roberta Shorrock, Ann Marie Boldonado, Lauren Krenzel, Teresa Madden, Monique Nazareth, Susan Yakundi, Anna Bauman and Nico Gonzalez Wisley. Our digital media producer is Molly Sievine Esper. Thea Chaloner directed today's show. Our co host is Tanya Mosley. I'm Terry Gross.

[Rose Byrne]

Watch out, you might get what you're after. Cool babies.

[Male Actor (Neighbors scene)]

Strange, but not a stranger.

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