Spoiler alert: She’s a natural.
Speaking withVariety, Sherman-Palladino recalled how her father’s stand-up comedian friends would often visit her family’s home.
“It was like Broadway Danny Rose a lot of the time at my house,” she joked.
She continued, “All of New York City was in awe to me at that time.
“[It’s] all very dramatic.”
She continued, saying, “I thought, ‘Maybe I should listen to [the criticism].’
She continued, “I just want to go back to a time where there wasn’t any.”
“I rallied, but I honestly was so sick during the camera test,” Brosnahan revealed.
She continued, saying, “[At] best, that test was a beautiful disaster!
But Midge is kind of a disaster sometimes.”
Fortunately, it all worked out in the end.
According to Rachel Brosnahan, however, Midge isn’t quitethatfar ahead of her time.
“What I love about Midge is that she is so not afeminist.
She’s a creature of her time,” Brosnahan toldThe New York Times.
Still, the actress applauded her character for always reaching for more.
“[She’s] curious.
If she doesn’t know things, she wants to know them.
And she doesn’t know any other way than forward,” Brosnahan told the publication.
Take some time.'”
However, Amy Sherman-Palladino and Dan Palladino revealed toRolling Stonethat the timing of their show was completely incidental.
“Once the series came out, everybody was reading into it,” Dan Palladino told the publication.
Joel was also one of the first people to recognize and support Midge’s comedic talent.
“I think that there’s something really interesting about that,” she explained.
Sherman-Palladino continued, saying, “He’s with us for life.
However, according to Brosnahan herself, that couldn’t be farther from the truth.
“I had never really done comedy, let alone standup,” Brosnahan revealed toVariety.
She continued, “It’s one of the bravest things I can possibly imagine.
I will never be that brave.”
From New York City to the Catskills to Paris the Amazon series serves up an abundance of awe-inspiring backdrops.
Added Amy Sherman-Palladino, “It’s a tragically expensive show.
We’re kind of surprised [Amazon] let us into the building.”
As Sherman-Palladino explained toDeadline, it’s not just the extravagant sets that cost a pretty penny.
“[Amazon will say], ‘OK, it’s really expensive.
“I find some of that criticism valid at times but also frustrating,” Brosnahan revealed toScript.
I don’t know what part of that makes Midge a bad person.”
However, Lenny Bruce was very much a real person.
In fact, Bruce is considered by many to be one of the mostinfluential stand-up comediansof all time.
While Brucetragically passed awayin 1966, his daughter, Kitty Bruce, is alive and well.
“It’s obvious that Luke has taken this role very seriously.
Brosnahan also revealed that she drew inspiration from her own grandmother to fully embody Midge Maisel.
The actress told InStyle, “My grandmother and Midge shared a lot of traits.
My grandmother is a fabulous, fabulous woman.
And I think her and Midge would have shared a fashion sense, for sure.”
Nevertheless, as Brosnahan told theChicago Tribune, “[The role] felt very familiar to me.
I grew up happily immersed in Jewish culture and community.”
In fact, she toldVanity Fairthat she’d attended “hundreds of Bar Mitzvahs, Bat Mitzvahs.”
Jewish comedian and actor Sarah Silverman is among those to call out this trend.
“Is it the biggest injustice in the world?”
shetold interviewer Howard Stern.
“No, but I’m noticing it.”
“At best it is meaningless, at worst it is offensive.”
Series creator Amy Sherman-Palladino had always envisioned using Streisand’s poignant song to add emotion to that key scene.
“To me, there was no second choice.”
After watching how her music was used in those scenes, Streisand agreed.
“I’m not just the guy in the suit in the classroom,” Shalhoub toldVulture.
“I’m not just the guy sitting in my den reading in my cardigan sweater.
I’m also the guy who exercises in a onesie at sunup on the dock.”
In fact, sharp-eyed viewers may have noticed that Midge’s hair changed early in the first season.
“She has a perky quality as a character, so we wanted the wig to match.”
“Women in that time didn’t change their hair on a daily basis.”
“She’s evolved a little bit, but we haven’t changed her too much.”
“It’s a lot of talking.”
“Midge is a lot!”
But as we went on, it definitely involved digging pretty deep, and a lot of coffee.
Lots and lots and lots of coffee.”
Nevertheless, Palladino added, the predominant source for the character is actually the actor who plays her.
“She’s a pit bull,” Borstein told theLos Angeles Timesof her character.
After reading the script, however, she felt she had no choice.
“A role for a woman my age and what I look like?”
“How could I not do it?”
“It’s just been wild and crazy and incomprehensible.
It’s a dream I didn’t know I had.”
“Midge has a journey she has to take.
