Annie's pretty young, we try not to sexualize her
June 23, 2012 4:58 AM Subscribe
Alison Brie gives a candid interview [YT, 29:41] with film critic David Poland as part of his DP/30 series. Topics covered include her schooling and early career, landing roles on Mad Men [YT, 0:54] and Community [YT, 4:52], developing as a comedy actress, interacting with a cult audience, what it's like to be the internet's favorite subject of titillating animated GIFs, and how to pronounce "GIF" for that matter.
Alison Brie is a good actress, and a funny lady, and an all-around gosh darn cutie patootie.
posted by Guy Smiley at 5:49 AM on June 23, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by Guy Smiley at 5:49 AM on June 23, 2012 [1 favorite]
Underrated Allison Brie role: the venal literary agent from Scream 4.
posted by Sticherbeast at 6:02 AM on June 23, 2012 [3 favorites]
posted by Sticherbeast at 6:02 AM on June 23, 2012 [3 favorites]
She's such a talented, intelligent, natural actress who can do it all. And she has that rarest of acting gifts, the Alec Guinness Effect of being able to disappear into a character so completely, that you cannot honestly believe that they are the same person, despite looking exactly the same. (Which is not to say that she's Sir Alec good yet -- give it time -- but she's definitely occupying the cultural space of the late, great Madeline Kahn.)
And on top of all that, it seems that as a person, she's just a delight. Plus, you know, a gen-u-wine cutie patootie.
Sorry. I try not to get all fan-boy about Alison Brie, but it's a losing battle. She opens up my heart chakra a million degrees whenever I see her. Sixseasonsandamovie!
posted by Capt. Renault at 6:19 AM on June 23, 2012 [8 favorites]
And on top of all that, it seems that as a person, she's just a delight. Plus, you know, a gen-u-wine cutie patootie.
Sorry. I try not to get all fan-boy about Alison Brie, but it's a losing battle. She opens up my heart chakra a million degrees whenever I see her. Sixseasonsandamovie!
posted by Capt. Renault at 6:19 AM on June 23, 2012 [8 favorites]
Effigy2000: "Oh good. We get to have the GIF/JIF argument all over again"
I just don't get why people have such difficulty figuring out how to pronounce an abbreviation of "jraphics interchange format."
posted by DoctorFedora at 6:28 AM on June 23, 2012 [34 favorites]
I just don't get why people have such difficulty figuring out how to pronounce an abbreviation of "jraphics interchange format."
posted by DoctorFedora at 6:28 AM on June 23, 2012 [34 favorites]
I was a fanboy until I heard her use a hard g on GIF. Be still, my heart.
You haven't heard a hard g until you hear a dutch hard g. GGGGGGGIF!!!!!
posted by Pendragon at 6:37 AM on June 23, 2012 [5 favorites]
You haven't heard a hard g until you hear a dutch hard g. GGGGGGGIF!!!!!
posted by Pendragon at 6:37 AM on June 23, 2012 [5 favorites]
titillating animated GIFs
I see what was done there.
Annie's pretty young, we try not to sexualize her
http://alison-brie.net/gifs/Breathing.gif suggests they are not trying very hard.
posted by Mezentian at 6:39 AM on June 23, 2012
I see what was done there.
Annie's pretty young, we try not to sexualize her
http://alison-brie.net/gifs/Breathing.gif suggests they are not trying very hard.
posted by Mezentian at 6:39 AM on June 23, 2012
Mezentian: "http://alison-brie.net/gifs/Breathing.gif"
I'm pretty sure that was not from Community, but a web production she was on.
Also, I neglect to see the whole hoofrah about how you pronounce the acronym for the Girafferic Interchange format.
posted by Samizdata at 7:07 AM on June 23, 2012
I'm pretty sure that was not from Community, but a web production she was on.
Also, I neglect to see the whole hoofrah about how you pronounce the acronym for the Girafferic Interchange format.
posted by Samizdata at 7:07 AM on June 23, 2012
C'mon guys. If I want to read a bunch of drooling, adolescent comments about Allison Brie, I have the AV Club.
Regarding the interview: Very entertaining, as per usual with Brie. Once Mad Men wraps up, and if Community doesn't make it past the next half-season, I doubt she'll be hurting for work--something I fear could happen with the other cast members.
posted by Cash4Lead at 7:10 AM on June 23, 2012
Regarding the interview: Very entertaining, as per usual with Brie. Once Mad Men wraps up, and if Community doesn't make it past the next half-season, I doubt she'll be hurting for work--something I fear could happen with the other cast members.
posted by Cash4Lead at 7:10 AM on June 23, 2012
something I fear could happen with the other cast members.
HAHAHAHAHA... eh, no.
There will be plenty of work for them too.
posted by Pendragon at 7:19 AM on June 23, 2012
HAHAHAHAHA... eh, no.
There will be plenty of work for them too.
posted by Pendragon at 7:19 AM on June 23, 2012
Because being talented means you're going to be successful? Joel McHale knows he's only one bad role away from being John Henson, that's why he has so many jobs.
posted by Roman Graves at 7:30 AM on June 23, 2012
posted by Roman Graves at 7:30 AM on June 23, 2012
There will be plenty of work for them too.
Well, Joel McHale will do fine. So will Donald Glover. Chevy Chase, too, if anyone is willing to work with him again. Things get iffy with Gillian Jacobs, who doesn't have a great filmography outside Community, and I really worry about Danny Pudi and Yvette-Nicole Brown, who could easily end up playing stock South Asian and black characters, respectively, without the nuance and complexity they get to play as Abed and Shirley. They're all great actors, of course, but Hollywood has a pretty awful track record with developing roles for people of color with the same level of depth that white actors get to play. And guys like Dan Harmon who are willing to buck that trend are all too rare.
posted by Cash4Lead at 7:31 AM on June 23, 2012 [11 favorites]
Well, Joel McHale will do fine. So will Donald Glover. Chevy Chase, too, if anyone is willing to work with him again. Things get iffy with Gillian Jacobs, who doesn't have a great filmography outside Community, and I really worry about Danny Pudi and Yvette-Nicole Brown, who could easily end up playing stock South Asian and black characters, respectively, without the nuance and complexity they get to play as Abed and Shirley. They're all great actors, of course, but Hollywood has a pretty awful track record with developing roles for people of color with the same level of depth that white actors get to play. And guys like Dan Harmon who are willing to buck that trend are all too rare.
posted by Cash4Lead at 7:31 AM on June 23, 2012 [11 favorites]
Things get iffy with Gillian Jacobs, who doesn't have a great filmography outside Community
Gillian Jacobs seems to be fairly entrenched with the LA Comedy scene, as she shows up on like every other podcast and on stage quite often, so who knows. And I see her in more and more film roles (she's got a great cameo in Revenge for Jolly, coming up). Also, speaking of Gifs and Jifs, as far as I've heard she pronounces her name GILLian instead of JILLian, unlike Gillian Anderson (who goes by 'Jill'ian), finally settling an argument I had as a 12 year old.
posted by SmileyChewtrain at 7:39 AM on June 23, 2012 [1 favorite]
Gillian Jacobs seems to be fairly entrenched with the LA Comedy scene, as she shows up on like every other podcast and on stage quite often, so who knows. And I see her in more and more film roles (she's got a great cameo in Revenge for Jolly, coming up). Also, speaking of Gifs and Jifs, as far as I've heard she pronounces her name GILLian instead of JILLian, unlike Gillian Anderson (who goes by 'Jill'ian), finally settling an argument I had as a 12 year old.
posted by SmileyChewtrain at 7:39 AM on June 23, 2012 [1 favorite]
Oops, "comedy" not "Comedy." It's not a "thing."
posted by SmileyChewtrain at 7:40 AM on June 23, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by SmileyChewtrain at 7:40 AM on June 23, 2012 [1 favorite]
Which is not to say that she's Sir Alec
I bet her Alec Guinness slays.
posted by echocollate at 7:45 AM on June 23, 2012 [2 favorites]
I bet her Alec Guinness slays.
posted by echocollate at 7:45 AM on June 23, 2012 [2 favorites]
Things get iffy with Gillian Jacobs, who doesn't have a great filmography outside Community
Gillian Jacobs has a major role in the excellent, deadly serious movie Gardens of the Night. But! Even though she's the nominal star, with herself on the poster, she only appears in the second half, and her half is by far the weakest half. It's not really her fault. Gardens of the Night is the Full Metal Jacket of child abuse movies, where the first half is so soul-crushingly good that the second half needn't bother.
posted by Sticherbeast at 7:58 AM on June 23, 2012
Gillian Jacobs has a major role in the excellent, deadly serious movie Gardens of the Night. But! Even though she's the nominal star, with herself on the poster, she only appears in the second half, and her half is by far the weakest half. It's not really her fault. Gardens of the Night is the Full Metal Jacket of child abuse movies, where the first half is so soul-crushingly good that the second half needn't bother.
posted by Sticherbeast at 7:58 AM on June 23, 2012
So, hmm, where does one find episodes of the web show "Hot Sluts"? So, you know, I can fully appreciate the full talents of Allison Brie?
posted by Vindaloo at 8:46 AM on June 23, 2012
posted by Vindaloo at 8:46 AM on June 23, 2012
As far as I can tell from my extensive research into comedy podcasts half the male comedians in LA are in love with Gillian Jacobs. I'm sure she'll have another gig quickly.
Danny Pudi is the real tragedy. Such a good mimick!
posted by gerryblog at 8:47 AM on June 23, 2012 [2 favorites]
Danny Pudi is the real tragedy. Such a good mimick!
posted by gerryblog at 8:47 AM on June 23, 2012 [2 favorites]
Danny = Donald. God, I do that every frigging time.
He's getting too old for this shit, man.
posted by mightygodking at 9:17 AM on June 23, 2012 [7 favorites]
He's getting too old for this shit, man.
posted by mightygodking at 9:17 AM on June 23, 2012 [7 favorites]
Has anybody else noticed that the actors in Community look (and their characters act) exactly like their names?
(anybody?)
posted by caryatid at 9:22 AM on June 23, 2012
(anybody?)
posted by caryatid at 9:22 AM on June 23, 2012
Has anybody else noticed that the actors in Community look (and their characters act) exactly like their names?
What does that mean?
posted by sweetkid at 9:47 AM on June 23, 2012 [2 favorites]
What does that mean?
posted by sweetkid at 9:47 AM on June 23, 2012 [2 favorites]
I saw Gillian Jacobs at SF Sketchfest this year and she was really funny and natural on stage in skit form. I don't think she'll have too much trouble.
posted by rhizome at 10:37 AM on June 23, 2012
posted by rhizome at 10:37 AM on June 23, 2012
That GIF page is creepy.
posted by Think_Long at 10:39 AM on June 23, 2012 [3 favorites]
posted by Think_Long at 10:39 AM on June 23, 2012 [3 favorites]
Gillian Jacobs also appears in the first season of Fringe in one of the creepiest roles imaginable.
posted by Navelgazer at 11:07 AM on June 23, 2012
posted by Navelgazer at 11:07 AM on June 23, 2012
Can't wait for Donglover to get his shot at being Peter Parker for the reboot to the reboot of the Spider-Man franchise.
posted by Apocryphon at 12:04 PM on June 23, 2012 [5 favorites]
posted by Apocryphon at 12:04 PM on June 23, 2012 [5 favorites]
Donglover. Hah.
posted by Justinian at 12:25 PM on June 23, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by Justinian at 12:25 PM on June 23, 2012 [1 favorite]
*blink*
Okay, I've seen every episode Mad Men, and while I don't watch Community I've seen lots of videos people have posted links to around the web, lots of pictures of Brie and her doing other things.
I had no idea that Trudy was played by her. I mean until just now. Crazy.
posted by delmoi at 12:57 PM on June 23, 2012
Okay, I've seen every episode Mad Men, and while I don't watch Community I've seen lots of videos people have posted links to around the web, lots of pictures of Brie and her doing other things.
I had no idea that Trudy was played by her. I mean until just now. Crazy.
posted by delmoi at 12:57 PM on June 23, 2012
Has anybody else noticed that the actors in Community look (and their characters act) exactly like their names?
I play this game with the beginning credits of every ensemble cast tv show I watch. But I pretty much always lose. For instance: I assumed Idris Elba was the woman who played Kima for a long time.
posted by condour75 at 7:53 PM on June 23, 2012 [1 favorite]
I play this game with the beginning credits of every ensemble cast tv show I watch. But I pretty much always lose. For instance: I assumed Idris Elba was the woman who played Kima for a long time.
posted by condour75 at 7:53 PM on June 23, 2012 [1 favorite]
I play this game with the beginning credits of every ensemble cast tv show I watch. But I pretty much always lose. For instance: I assumed Idris Elba was the woman who played Kima for a long time.
You can't lose this game with Community.
What I'm saying, sweetkid, is that you could substitute "Alison Brie" for "Annie Edison." She looks and acts (in Community) like a person named Alison Brie. Same with Gillian Jacobs, Donald Glover, Danny Pudi, Joel McHale, Yvette-Nicole Brown. You can easily guess who's who in the cast by their names in the beginning credits. Annie Edison does NOT look like an actress named Gillian Jacobs, and vice versa.
Chevy Chase, not so much.
(I am just so grateful at least one person understands what I'm saying)
posted by caryatid at 10:29 PM on June 23, 2012
You can't lose this game with Community.
What I'm saying, sweetkid, is that you could substitute "Alison Brie" for "Annie Edison." She looks and acts (in Community) like a person named Alison Brie. Same with Gillian Jacobs, Donald Glover, Danny Pudi, Joel McHale, Yvette-Nicole Brown. You can easily guess who's who in the cast by their names in the beginning credits. Annie Edison does NOT look like an actress named Gillian Jacobs, and vice versa.
Chevy Chase, not so much.
(I am just so grateful at least one person understands what I'm saying)
posted by caryatid at 10:29 PM on June 23, 2012
Alison Brie is a very talented actress but her makeup in that interview is frightening.
posted by bleep at 12:01 PM on June 24, 2012
posted by bleep at 12:01 PM on June 24, 2012
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posted by Effigy2000 at 5:27 AM on June 23, 2012