Carol Kane – Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt

By: Lisa Steinberg

Q) What do you think it is about “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt” that has made it such an instant hit?

A) I just think Tina Fey and Robert Carlock are such brilliant writers. They are so up to the minute, so current that they are practically beyond current. [laughs] What they are writing for us on the show, people really get a kick out of it because it is so current. We know how funny they are because they are the team from “30 Rock,” but I think that also the imagination of this how is very unusual. It’s got no rules. [laughs] And I think people get a kick out of the freedom with the show. I think the characters are all really brave and they are sort of “underdogs,” but that’s not how they think of themselves. I think that spirit that they all share is something that makes people feel good when they watch it. That’s my guess as to what makes it so popular. I think they are very relatable, too, these characters. They are all struggling with something, but they are all fighters.

Q) The cast has such great chemistry as well.

A) Again, I think that’s a certain brilliance on Tina and Robert’s parts because I think the way they cast it is just instinctively fantastic. I mean, we’re all so different and I think you’re right. We were very fortunate to have a connection with each other for real.

Q) And we’ve gotten to see a great evolution of Evelyn as a character and how she has become friends with Jacqueline the last couple of seasons.

A) I know! I love that! Jane [Krakowski] and I really get a big kick when we get to do scenes together because I guess it is so opposite that it is really fun.

Q) What kind of makes this unlikely pair work?

A) That’s a good question. Maybe the fact that we’re so different is kind of intriguing to each of us. And I think that as time has sort of gone by that we have gotten an inkling that we could take a tip from each other. We could learn something. In the episode where we dress each other up it was so much fun to suddenly be sporting her style, but I must say it makes me very admiring of Jane (as I always have been) in a new way. Just to walk around in clothes like that and high heels like that to me is just like hell on earth. [laughs] She’s just so comfortable that way. She wears high heels to work! That I admire very much. I, myself, wear my Doc Martins.

Q) What were some of your most memorable moments this season? Maybe even some improvised moments from Lemonade’ing?

A) That was so much fun! They write a very clear structure for it and then of course we did get to play around with some of the dancing. But for instance, I don’t know if you notice my quick little thing when Titus is outside in his fabulous yellow dress and there is just a cutaway shot of me lifting my knees up and being happy. They showed me film of this little kid in the real “Lemonade” doing that and Tina was there on set. She gave me lots of different ways to do it. It’s so great! Of course, Tituss [Burgess] is such a genius singer and actor. So, we have a lot of freedom in a written structure. They always have a vision in mind of what needs to be accomplished, but not necessarily how it is to be accomplished. So, that’s kind of great.

Q) What have you enjoyed the most from Lillian’s growth and journey?

A) I love that we have really become a family; Kimmy, Titus and me. But I also love that this season I have a real love in my life. I think that is a wonderful thing for Lillian. It’s sort of a hard fought love since we’re so opposites. We find the truth of each other and fall in love. That’s been a great thing, I think, this year. He’s such a great guy, but now we find out he’s dying so we’ll find out what happens with that. Thank goodness there is another season so we can figure out what is going on!

Q) The show and there is kind of a boundary less aspect to it. What think about the show being on Netflix or the writers that allows it to push boundaries politically?

A) I think that it is funny because I don’t think the content has changed all that much since we originally shot the pilot for NBC. But certainly I think there is a freedom afforded to us. I also think it is really nice for the stories that people can revisit it any time they want to remind themselves of each storyline for each character. I think that Tina and Robert are not shy, no matter who they are writing for. But certainly Netflix brings a new kind of freedom for everybody.

Q) With our current political climate, why do you think it is important for a show like “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt” to poke fun at what is happening socially or even poke at what is going on in our society?

A) I think people have to be thinking really deeply right now about what is going on in the country. I think the writing in the show really roots out a lot of political questions. When we shot the season we didn’t know who was going to be President so there would have been more. So, there will obviously be more next season I’m sure. But I think that anything that exercises your brain to actively think about what is going on and definitely their writing does that. I think that’s really important. We can’t be passive right now. It’s too important a time. We have to be on top of everything and active in our beliefs. This is an important time for people to be honest and to tell the truth. As I mentioned before, I think the fact that Robert and Tina aren’t shy about telling people what they think and feel about things is really important for this time – the honesty of it.