Article on PopWrap
Lizzy Caplan
No matter what project she’s been a part of — “Mean Girls,” “Related,” “Cloverfield” — I have always been drawn to the wry wit of Lizzy Caplan. She comes across on screen like the kind of smart-ass you would really enjoy knocking back a few beers with.
So I’m thrilled to report that is 100% true. After a few minutes talking with the actress about her new series, “Party Down,” I felt like I was chatting with an old friend. Not only do we share a love of “Saved By The Bell,” but she is also wary of anyone who has never waited tables.
Fortuitous considering her new show is all about a team of cater waiters — “Wet Hot American Summer’s” Ken Marino and “Best in Show’s” Jane Lynch lead the charge — that would make for an awful party but a fantastic TV show.
Adding to the awesome-ness are “Party Down” creators Rob Thomas, the “Veronica Mars” boss, and PopWrap fave Paul Rudd. I mean, what else do you need to know? If you’re Lizzy, nothing!
PopWrap: With the pedigree behind “Party Down,” was signing on an easy decision?
Lizzy Caplan: Yeah, for sure. The people behind the scenes as well as the cast they assembled kind of made it a no-brainer. Obviously, I wanted to do this show.
PW: So much of the cast comes from an improv background — how is the show scripted?
Lizzy: We get full scripts that are always hilarious. It’s so refreshing as an actor to get consistently amazing TV show scripts — it’s crazy. There’s no fighting against saying things, and everyone on set is very open to suggestions.
PW: How are you with improv?
Lizzy: I’m a big fan — you hear about certain TV writers who are so married to their words that you can’t say “ya know” when they’ve written “you know.” It’s ridiculous because, like, why are you hiring certain actors if you don’t want them to bring elements of their own style to it. Here, we can do as many takes as we want and the attitude on set is, the more ridiculous the better!
PW: The show really drives the point home that all waiters are just actors waiting for their big break — is that true?
Lizzy: Yeah, it’s totally true, especially here in LA. Every waiter is like the most gorgeous guy you’ve ever seen and they’re all trying to be actors. Which sucks, because I’m a big fan of career waiters. You know, the ones that take real pride in their job — they own it! They love it! And you don’t see that in LA.
PW: Had you been a waitress growing up?
Lizzy: I totally was a waitress — and I don’t know that I’ve hit it big necessarily. But actually, I wasn’t even a waitress, I was the bus boy. It was a small, intimate restaurant though, so I got to wait tables occasionally.
PW: So you played a waitress on “True Blood” and are doing it again now. Maybe somewhere deep inside, you’re dying to pick up a shift?
Lizzy: Maybe I should! I asked at the restaurant I used to work at but they don’t take me seriously. But I really liked working there.
PW: I’ve always felt like there were two kinds of people in this world — ones that used to be waiters and ones that never have.
Lizzy: Oh, absolutely! I don’t think you should be allowed to eat in a restaurant if you haven’t waited tables at least once. It’s so irritating when I see people being rude to waiters, like, it makes me want to slit their throats! Like, really? You’re really this inconsiderate?
PW: So were you waiting tables when you hit it big?
Lizzy: Well, I’m still waiting to hit it big. But there was the moment when I didn’t have to work at the restaurant anymore, which is the milestone for every actor. When your job is just to be an actor and not to have to do anything else.
PW: Was that job “Freaks & Geeks”?
Lizzy: Yeah, that was the very first thing I did. That was total luck man, and that has helped me more than anything else. People just think it’s so cool even though I barely did anything on that show. It’s such a cult classic now because everybody was in that show.
PW: Do people ever approach you about “Related”?
Lizzy: Actually, it’s strange, a lot of people talk about that show, which is weird, because no one watched it.
PW: Is it like, “where were you when I needed you?!?”
Lizzy: Exactly. It was like a knife through the heart man [when the show was canceled]. I know it’s cliche, but you do become like a family because you see your co-workers more than your friends or family. And they [the network] string you along, make you think it’s going to come back, but in my case, it never does. It sucks, but that’s part of the game. As actors, we sign up for this gypsy, nomadic kind of lifestyle.
PW: But had those shows not been canceled, maybe you wouldn’t have been a part of “True Blood,” one of my favorite shows going right now.
Lizzy: That’s right! It was weird though because I was supposed to do this little indie movie but I passed on it to do “True Blood.” I figured it was a day job that shot near my home — and it ended up being such an amazing experience.
PW: Did you know going in that Amy would die?
Lizzy: Yeah, I went in knowing she would be killed, but by the time we actually got to that part, I was super bummed about it.
PW: Maybe that’s the cost for spending so much time naked with Ryan Kwanten?
Lizzy: He’s got muscles that I didn’t even know existed! For somebody who looks like they just work out every second of every day, he’s just like this totally down to earth nice guy. Nothing like Jason Stackhouse.
PW: So how does it work with Starz and ratings? Are they a factor in bringing back the show for a second season?
Lizzy: Well, we’ve shot 10 episodes and we’re their only new series, but I’m not entirely sure how ratings work since it’s a pay channel. I know that we don’t need to pull in the same numbers as a network would, which is really nice because it kind of allows you to relax. Plus, we get to try material that would never fly on the networks!
PW: I have to ask, I am a huge “Saved By The Bell” fan and read that your cat is named Lisa Turtle. Is that true?
Lizzy: It is! She’s awesome, also African-American and so beautiful.
PW: What makes Lisa Turtle a better name than, say, Kelly Kapowski?
Lizzy: Well, Kelly Kapowski would be kind of a great name for a cat, but my girl just kind of looked like Miss Lark Voorhies. They have the same gorgeous, feline face.
PW: And does your cat have a spending problem as well?
Lizzy: She is a shopaholic! It’s really terrible, she’s bleeding us dry!
