Tymberlee Hill – Perfect Harmony

By starrymag | October 31, 2019

By: Jamie Steinberg

 

 

Q) What are the recent projects you have been busy working on?

A) No time for anything other than “Perfect Harmony.” I shot Season 3 of “Search Party” last year and that will start airing on HBO Max. It’s a new streaming service. I’ll have more stuff airing.

Q) For “Perfect Harmony,” how was your character Adams Adams originally described to you?

A) They told me originally, she was going to be the richest woman in town and she was supposed to be the alpha to Arthur (Bradley Whitford). She’s already the town alpha and she already knows the things he knows, just so he would have somebody in the town to relate to.

Q) What made you want to be a part of this series?

A) The thing is, this came up during pilot season (where you are getting three scripts a day). Because there are so many, I don’t do well if I try to do all of the auditions. A lot of people do great – like the more auditions they go on the better their chances. For me, it’s better if I localize my storm – pick the things I like and then go in on those. I had a bunch of scripts that I was sorting through and then this at first said, “Untitled Bradley Whitford project.” So, I was like, “Oo! Bradley Whitford. What is this?” Then, I open it and it’s got music and they are Southern. And the woman’s name is Adams Adams and she’s the richest woman in town. Then, she may or may not have killed her husband. I was like, “This woman is incredible! I just want to be a woman with the same name twice.” I can’t even believe that’s a real thing. I fell in love with that. Then, I read it and then absolutely loved it. It’s very familiar to me. It’s a lot about how I was raised in the South.

Q) Was there anything you’ve added to Adams that wasn’t in the initial breakdown for her?

A) We pulled away whether or not she killed her husband. We still don’t know, but we stopped playing with that as much because we didn’t want people to not like her. Like, if you don’t know somebody and the first thing you hear about them is they may be a murderer you might not warm to them. [laughs] That was one of the things in there that we pulled back from. I added to her the warbling soprano. The way she sings was really important to me because I know a person like that. So, the warbling soprano I added and just my behaviors – more of a debutante quality and a physicality.

Q) Outside of Bradley, were you familiar with any of your costars?

A) I’d seen Riz [Manji], of course. I loved him on “Schitt’s Creek.” That was something I’d watched a ton of. Then, Will Greenberg I’d see on “Wrecked” because my family loved that show and we’d watch it. I loved it! Then, I knew Anna [Camp], but I didn’t know her from Pitch Perfect. I knew her from independent films – this movie Egg and guest stars. I’d seen her on “The Office” and “Key and Peele,” but I hadn’t seen Pitch Perfect. Geno [Segers], I was entirely unfamiliar with but absolutely adore now. I think that’s everybody. I didn’t know any of the rest of the people in our choir, but now we are straight up family.

Q) Talk about working with costar Bradley Whitford.

A) Initially it was nerve wracking. First of all, the man is the reason I have this job. He was at all of my tests and he read with me at all of my tests. He even gave me a pep talk before the third one. That was a really huge deal coming from a man who I’m a really big fan of. I’ve watched Bradley for like half my life on television. So, initially I was nervous. I was really, really nervous because I’m watching this guy on “Handmaid’s Tale,” “Unicorn Store” and Godzilla and Get Out. And I’m a fan of all of those things. Then, we have this great audition scenario where I feel like this person that I admire and adore believes in me and would like to work with me. By the first day, I was really hoping to live up to…just try to meet him anywhere near his level. And it was really, really nerve-wracking. He made it very, very clear that he’s just an actor at work and for us to just be actors at work. Now, it’s fantastic. I’m not nervous and weirded out anymore.

Q) You have great comedic timing. Was it something you’ve always been good at or have you had to work at it?

A) I mean, I’m not trying to sound snotty or anything. But it must be innate because I have never worked on it and I’m completely unaware of it. I’m not even sure I understand what it means. Like, people say that to me and I always say “thank you,” but I’m not sure I even understand it. So, I’m going to say it must be innate because I’m unaware of it. Then, again, it’s not a “toot your own horn” thing. I just have no idea what is going on with it.

Q) Is there much room to improv during scenes?

A) Absolutely! Everybody let us improv. You can improv any time you want, as long as you get in the lines in. You can improv around it as much want, but they are going to want the first second one clean – meaning as it is written. And you can throw a little something in there, but they want the bulk of the first one to be the words. Then, once you get a couple takes with the words and they have that, then you can do what you want. Then, literally as you are doing it, they’ll say “I like that thing” and you’ll incorporate it into the rest of your takes.

Q) What can you tease are some upcoming moments or episodes that fans should look out or?

A) Any time we sing and dance I’m having the time of my life. Most recently I had a blast learning that compound bow. I really learned that bow and I really shot it and I really hit the bullseyes every time. It was super exciting to find out I could even do something like that. Also, I’m excited for an upcoming episode where Will and I have a song together and I really cannot wait for people to see us do this duet.

Q) What do you think it is about “Perfect Harmony” that will make it a fast fan favorite new series?

A) It’s everything that people would super, super enjoy. You have music. It’s cliché, but music is the one thing we all have in common. There is no culture, no person. Human beings. Even animals respond to music! If you have music that people can latch on to, that is inspiration and that is lovely they are going to want to see it. Then, when you put singing and dancing to music and then add the heart of a man who has lost his wife and is searching for a purpose in his life and is finding the purpose for his life in this small town with this motley crew of people in this wildly unlikely place…He finds this purpose for his life. I think a lot of people struggle with what to do with themselves. Why am I here? What is my purpose? What’s the point? I think that just resonates with a lot of people.

Q) You are a part of social media. Are you looking forward to the instant fan feedback you’ll receive to episodes?

A) I don’t know so much if I enjoy it. It is a weird feeling. I will say that I appreciate it and I am super happy that people are watching. And because I appreciate it and because I am so happy, I make it a point to reach out to everyone who reached out to me and to engage. Because I do like the social aspect of going back and forth with people, but as far as getting my posting done, those are all things that Anna Camp is very good about helping me with. Just social media as a thing, I’m not great with it. But I do love the communication back and forth with people.

Q) We love seeing you on “Drunk History!” What has been your favorite episode to film?

A) Oh man! My favorite episode was the Patty Hearst one with Kristen Wiig and Terry Crews. That was one of the most fun days at work ever. I have loved all of the “Drunk History” episodes. And I did love being with Bryan Tyree Henry and playing Diana Ross, but as far as just the best day…That day that we ran around the fake bank with our fake guns and afros and Kristen and everyone…It was the most fun! I can’t even describe how much fun we had.

Q) What do you think it is about this series makes it such a stand out?

A) It’s one of the last original ideas what Derek has come up with. It’s legitimately one of the last originally ideas for television. Television isn’t interested in what is new and different. So, first of all, to have such an original idea and have it take hold in a medium that rejects anything that is formulaic – that right there is like Emmy worthy in itself. On top of it, you have these incredible A-list stars. These people are coming from film and television and they are already loved. Also, the stories are crazy interesting. Most of them are stories you don’t know or you think you know. Then, you watch it and you’re like, “Oh! I had no idea that was happening.” Also, it’s just funny to hear drunk people legitimately try to recount stories. There is a lot to latch on to with “Drunk History.”

Q) Is there anything else about “Perfect Harmony” that you want to share with our readers?

A) I Just want people to know that it is legitimately my dream job – to act and sing and dance on television. It’s not something that comes around very often and it finally did come around and it’s not corny or cheesy. It’s really, really lovely and it has heart. And I get to be a part of it and I do feel exceedingly lucky. I really am, right now, with this show living my dream.

Q) What would you like to say to everyone who is a fan and supporter of you and the work you do?

A) Oh! I want to tell them to keep watching “Perfect Harmony.” You are going to learn so much more about everybody. This is just the beginning. The storylines coming really connect us and you get to see how we’re a family and why we’re a family. It’s just a really, really sweet show. I think if you’re looking for your own reflection, you’re bound to be able to find it in our cast and our storyline.