Gwen Hollander Kidding Interview

Marriage Material

Hollander is best known for her role as Sheryl on the hit Showtime series Kidding. The show chronicles the life of Jeff Piccirillo, the host of the popular children's television show Mr. Pickles' Puppet Time. Sheryl is a puppeteer on the series who brings life to the character of Astronotter, a transgender otter who is an astronaut. The cast also includes Jim Carrey, Catherine Keener, Frank Langella, and Judy Greer. Season 2 is set to premiere February 9th.

She has also made a name for herself in the world of film with her lead role in the musical comedy short Marriage Material. The film follows Hollander's character Leah as she embarks on a quest to make herself suitable for marriage after her boyfriend rejects her marriage proposal. It has made a name for itself on the festival circuit as a Student Academy Award finalist, earning awards for Best Musical Film at the Rhode Island International Film Festival as well as the Manhattan Film Festival. It is available now on Fox Searchlight Shorts and you can watch it here.  

Interview with Gwen Hollander

Question: Can you tell us about Kidding?

Gwen Hollander: The show follows Jeff Piccirillo (played by Jim Carrey), the star of a beloved children's television show called Mr. Pickles' Puppet Time, as he struggles to pick up the pieces of his personal life after the tragic loss of his son. The show kind of splits its focus between the real life Jeff who is grieving and trying desperately to maintain his sanity, and his public persona of "Mr. Pickles" who is forced to wear a happy face for his young viewers. Dave Holstein, the creator/showrunner of Kidding, said this in an interview, which I think really sums it up nicely: "I wanted to write a show about a kind man in a cruel world. I wanted to take a character with the depth of kindness and real genuine honesty of a Mr. Rogers type and then just see what it would take to just destroy them. In doing so, we try to find this universal theme of, 'Can we be good, ourselves, in a world that is so increasingly dark?'"


Question: What can we expect from Season 2 of Kidding?

Gwen Hollander: So much amazing stuff. There's more music, more puppets, and more incredible guest stars, including Ariana Grande. Season 2 picks up right where Season 1 left off. Mr. Pickles' Puppet Time is off the air for the first time in 30 years, and Jeff is trying to figure out a way to reach his fans who still need him. The solution he comes up with is very controversial and there's a lot of fallout from that.


Question: Do you share any similarities with your character Sheryl?

Gwen Hollander: Well, we both work with puppets! Sheryl plays the Puppet Pal Astronotter, who's a giant otter and also an astronaut. Most of my time on the show is as Astronotter, with whom I may not seem to have much in common… but Astronotter gets frustrated sometimes and feels misunderstood. She doesn't speak English, but communicates through a sort of beep-boop otter language, and I think that feeling frustrated and misunderstood is something we can probably all relate to!


Question: What's it like being on set for Kidding?

Gwen Hollander: It's so incredibly cool. Everyone is amazing at what they do: the actors, the directors, the composer, the writer, the puppeteers, and every single member of the crew. It's really exciting to be surrounded by people who are, literally, masters of their respective crafts. It's also one of the best and most unique shows I've ever seen, and I'd say that even if I had nothing to do with it… so it's pretty awesome to work on a show that I'm genuinely such a huge fan of.


Question: What originally attracted you to the script of Marriage Material?

Gwen Hollander: So many things. Initially, the main draw was the fact that it's a musical. I'm a musical theatre actor, and I've always wanted to work on a musical film or TV show. Beyond that, the story was really compelling and the character of Leah felt really familiar to me… and I loved that we got to see such a huge transformation in her. It also just felt really relevant and important, especially as there's so much focus right now on what it means to be a "strong woman" who has a voice.


Question: Who or what originally inspired your inspiration for acting?

Gwen Hollander: I was always into performing as a kid, but my real "aha" moment was when I was 13 and went on a field trip with my drama class to see the touring production of The Phantom of the Opera. It blew me away. I couldn't get up from my seat when it was over; I was just sitting there staring at the empty stage. The ushers finally had to move me along! From that moment forward, I knew exactly what I wanted to do. And I haven't looked back since!


Question: How does it feel to see your work on the big screen?

Gwen Hollander: It's definitely cool and exciting, but it's also really hard for me! I'm extremely critical of myself (as most performers are), and I find it difficult to watch without picking myself apart in every possible way: my appearance, my choices, my voice"everything. Especially in a room full of (mostly) strangers. Since I come from theatre, I'm not really accustomed to seeing my own performances… it definitely takes some getting used to! But I want to reiterate that of course it's cool! I just hope I can learn to be a little less self-critical… it's so funny what we do to ourselves; I would NEVER be so critical of anyone else's performance!


Question: If you could collaborate with another actor who would it be?

Gwen Hollander: Oh, that's so hard! There are so many people I'd just love to work with. If I absolutely had to pick one, I'd have to say Tom Hanks; he's been my favorite since I was a kid. I've always dreamed of working with him. I love him in dramatic roles, but I'm mostly in love with his comedy. Also, I just want to hang out with him.

Question: What's a typical day like for you?

Gwen Hollander: Every single day is different if I'm not working on something specific! One thing they all have in common: they all start with coffee and walking my dogs, Watson and Merlin. After that, it's anyone's guess! Sometimes I'll have a rehearsal for something I'm working on, sometimes a commercial audition or something like that. There's always something I'm working on, whether it's a writing project or something I'm preparing for. I'm a homebody, so when I have some free time I love to hang at home with my pups and my husband, watch movies, or go over to a friend's place and play games.


Question: What advice do you have for aspiring actresses and performers?

Gwen Hollander: Just keep going. Take classes, always be studying. Have things outside of acting that you love. Surround yourself with people who inspire you and lift you up. Be aware that it's a job; it often starts out as a hobby so it's easy to forget, but it requires a lot of hard work that (hopefully) results in the fun part where you get to play. So be ready to work hard! And be kind. I mean, that goes for anyone doing anything, but I'm going to say it anyway!


Question: What's next for you?

Gwen Hollander: My husband and I produce a show every few months with a couple of our friends called The Astonishing Show Show; it's an evening of puppetry, magic, and music at Rockwell Table and Stage in Los Angeles. Our next show is March 8th, and it's so much fun! At some point this year my next episode of Future Man will be on Hulu; they haven't announced a drop date for their third and final season yet. And hopefully just writing and creating more!


Question: Can you share your socials?

Gwen Hollander: @gwennyh811
@gwenstagram811


Interview by Brooke Hunter Photographer: Birdie Thompson 
Hair and Makeup: Lisa Truong