Mike Carlsen – Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt

By: Lisa Steinberg

Q) What was your favorite moment to film this season of “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt” and why?

A) My favorite moment for myself was singing Biz Markie’s “Just a friend” to Titus (Tituss Burgess) when Mikey is trying to convince him that Jeff is in fact, just a friend. I also was on set for a couple days during the Lemonade shoot and watching Tituss work on that I knew it was going to be something magical.

Q) You have such great comedic timing, has that always come naturally or is it something you have studied and honed?

A) I think timing is something that is natural, but the best way to find out is to do theatre and improv. If you’re really listening to your scene partners, the situation and the audience you can figure out what feels right.

Q) How was your role of Michael originally broken down and have you added anything that may not have been scripted?

A) I’m still not sure if this part was specifically written for me or I just wowed them twice at the audition, but I like to think I add a nice amount of sweetness and groundedness to Mikey. He’s not dumb. Very much like Kimmy (Ellie Kemper) he has a great deal of “emotional intelligence.”

Q)  What do you think it is about Titus that Mike admires the most?

A) I think Mikey admires Titus’s drive and belief in himself and all he puts his mind to. There’s something very sexy about someone who knows what they want and what they put out into the world. Mikey knows Titus isn’t perfect, but deep down Titus has a good heart and Mikey is drawn to that.

Q) What is the best part about working with Tina Fey?

A) Other than her being a genius? [smile] The thing I really respect about Tina is she’s able to get people to do what she wants without any drama. She’s usually the calmest person on set and that permeates through the cast and crew. She’s very specific and doesn’t mince words. She’s very giving and she truly cares about the people she works with. She always bringing in gifts and treats for the cast and crew. I have so much respect for her and the way she goes about her business. I try to learn from her and take away as much as I can.

Q) What do you hope that fans to take away from watching this season?

A) I hope they take away the amount of love and joy we are really trying to bring into the world. The show is littered with jokes, but underneath it all it’s a show about people that have been through some horrible things and they’ve had to deal with feeling like they were an outsider. I think the great thing about the show and something that everyone can relate to is that it’s important to put yourself out there. Show people who you really are because then you’re unbreakable.