Rogen also discusses directing Martin Scorsese and Ron Howard as actors on the series.
“What’s funny is the role was originally written much more straight,” Rogen tellsEntertainment Weekly.
“It was written more like a Michael Lyntontype guy a boring, scary suit kind of guy.”
Bryan Cranston on ‘The Studio’.Credit:Apple TV+
Discovery president who has courted controversy bypermanently shelvingnear-complete projects likeBatgirlandCoyote vs. Acmefor tax write-offs.
“He’s much more like Bryan in this.
But the things he’s saying are anything but!”
Seth Rogen in ‘The Studio’.Apple TV+
Griffin’s combination of lighthearted comedy and threatening drama made Cranston the perfect fit for the role.
“His ability to be both funny and intimidating was very important,” Rogen says.
And that became a very important part of the character."
Ike Barinholtz, Seth Rogen, and Martin Scorsese in ‘The Studio’.Apple TV+
“I had barely ever met him.
We sent him the script and we just heard, ‘He loves it.
He’s in.'”
Seth Rogen and Ron Howard on ‘The Studio’.Apple TV+
Rogen’s nerves inspired him to hire a redundant camera crew so theGoodfellasfilmmaker wouldn’t question his judgment.
You’re doing oners?’
that I actually had a second camera crew sequestered away in another room,” Rogen says.
Rogen notes that Scorsese didn’t actually disapprove of his creative decisions.
“I was like, ‘We do everything in one shot.’
As soon as he saw it, he’s like, ‘Great.
It’s like French New Wave.
It’s perfect.'”
Scorsese’s presence on set ultimately proved extremely reassuring.
“But my mom called me that morning and was like, ‘You have to direct Martin Scorsese today.
That must be terrifying.
Oh my God, how nervous are you?’
I was like, ‘Very!
None of this is helping!'”
The show’s second episode features a similarly iconic filmmaker playing a version of himself:Ron Howard.
“We just thought, ‘Who’s the funniest person that is secretly a terrible asshole?'”
“And we sent him the script and he really responded to it.
And he was just like, ‘Honestly, I do have these moments.
Rogen clarifies that Howard doesn’t think he ever goes to such extremes as theStudioversion of him.
And he just really wanted to do a good job.
And he was so funny, and he nailed it.”
And so that was honestly one of the most fun days because it was so challenging.
The first two episodes ofThe Studioare now streaming on AppleTV+.
New episodes will premiere every Wednesday through May 21.
