That’s just what happened with the Apple TV+ series “The Afterparty,” which stars an ensemble cast that includes Tiffany Haddish, Ilana Glazer and Dave Franco.
It’s also an opportunity to improve your craft, Haddish told CNN.
“When you work with people that you admire and they are up to the standard of what you believe them to be then it makes you have to bring your game up a notch,” she said. “That’s how you become great.”
The brainchild of director Christopher Miller, each of the eight episodes is focuses on a different character and a different genre from rom-com to a musical.
Miller said “We just got so lucky with getting this amazing group of super funny people” for the cast.
“But what is really surprising about it is the range that they have,” he said. “You know all these people are really funny, they are some of the funniest people in the world, but the fact that they were able to perform their character eight different ways throughout the season with all these different nuances and subtleties and vulnerabilities. They all have amazing acting chops.”
Some of them seemed born to play their roles.
Ilana Glazer, who plays former valedictorian and class president Chelsea, told CNN she actually was class president in high school. She even had a falling out with her best friend senior year, like her character.
“I couldn’t believe it when I read the script,” said Glazer, known for her work in her hit sitcom, “Broad City.” “I’m grateful I didn’t become a train wreck like my character.”
Working on “The Afterparty” was “a dream” she said.
“It was a dream because we were really playful in a comedic way just joking around and playing off of each other as much off screen as onscreen,” she said. “But also just to get the chance to know the cast.”
Franco said shooting during the height of the pandemic also helped with the closeness.
“A lot of us hadn’t really seen other people in a long time,” he said. “So for us to all be there…for me to be surrounded by some of the funniest people today is definitely like intimidating at first. But when you are surrounded by so many talented people they actually bring you up to their level.”
“The Afterparty” starts streaming on Apple TV+ on January 28.
