When Jen D’Angelo’s screenplay for the Hulu TV movie “Quiz Lady” first came to Awkwafina, she knew exactly who she wanted as her costar: Sandra Oh. The two actors are longtime friends and the story seemed tailor-made for them: Anne, a tightly wound accountant and trivia whiz, reunites with her semi-estranged, free-spirited older sister and becomes a contestant on a “Jeopardy!”-style game show. Initially, the plan was for Awkwafina (whose real name is Nora Lum) to play Jenny and for Oh to play Anne. But Oh had a better idea.
“I really wanted to do a comedy with a k,” Oh said. “I just thought, ‘If Nora is playing the straight part and I’m playing the really, really unhinged part, that’s new.’ And that was something that I wanted to explore in a physical comedy way. I just knew we could be funny together.”
“And I was like, ‘I don’t care which one you play, as long as you’re down!” Awkwafina said, laughing. “Just pick one!’”
In a joint interview, the friends (who also produced the movie) talked about finally working together.
A lot has been made about you “playing against type” in “Quiz Lady.” Did it feel like an opportunity to show your range?
SANDRA OH I’m not interested in, like, “Oh, I’m gonna show my range.” One, I like comedy. And this was something different, (where) I could see that I could explore character, but also in an extremely broad way.
AWKWAFINA Against type… I think it’s [more] the evolution of how we tell Asian-American stories. And you can see that with the characters and the ways that you have to explain their backgrounds versus the ways in which you really don’t have to. I’ve always wanted to play someone within this kind of neurotic, awkward universe of Asian-American women that I feel like I am, that also you don’t see [on screen].
The sister relationship felt very real. We see them working through memories of childhood experiences that helped define their relationship. What was it like to play off of each other and build up their bond?
AWKWAFINA Working with Sandra is like working with a powerhouse — one that in itself is so unpredictable. Every take is unpredictable. And then there’s an insane physical presence that you have, but then also a generosity of, like, come with me, you know?
OH Both Nora and I can improvise. For that flow to happen, you need to trust the person. You don’t even have to like the person — we happen to really like each other. I will say, one of the scenes I’m most proud of is when we’re at the Ben Franklin [Hotel] and we’re arguing about [who gets] the bed. I really felt locked in as sisters. “I’m not gonna f—ing sleep on the floor! I’m gonna sleep on the bed!” I felt like, We are really in sisterhood here.
Anne’s memory of relieving herself in the cousins’ backyard is a comedic Chekhov’s gun, if you will, (SPOILER ALERT!) since it ends up helping them win the game show. Your director, Jessica Yu, has said that the idea came from you, Awkwafina?
AWKWAFINA She pointed that Chekhov’s gun right at me, huh? [Laughs]
OH The script came to Nora and it was really Jen’s experience of herself and her siblings. But then we worked on it a year before we shot —
AWKWAFINA We shat.
OH [Laughs] She said that. I didn’t say that. All of us were sharing stories and personal stories, and that’s ultimately what Jen chose as key to Anne’s character. But I think that story is profoundly universal. And it sets up why her character is so neurotic and the stakes of why Jenny needs to step in for her sister.
AWKWAFINA The wall that you build around yourself. It all does tie back to embarrassment and humiliation and shame. And it’s like, how do sisters really arrive for one another?
I think we’ve all felt some sort of anxiety about being a guest in someone’s house and clogging the bathroom. So, yes. I agree it’s very universal.
AWKWAFINA You could pull a “Dumb and Dumber.”
OH [Shakes head] I don’t know…
AWKWAFINA [Laughs] Someone puts a laxative in his [Jeff Daniels’ character’s] drink… [Stops to catch her breath through laughter] And then he, like, blows up the toilet.
Who knew there was such strong intertextuality between your movie and the Farrellys’? So you two know each other and are very fond of each other, but you haven’t worked together before in this capacity. Was there something that you discovered about the other in terms of their acting or their approach that surprised you?
OH Oh, sure, tons because we have not worked together, right? All through working together and discovering each other, I would say that one of Nora’s extremely unique qualities is she does really understand comedy. So I’m always interested in what is what’s going to fall all out of your mouth.
AWKAWAFINA I think Sandra taught me about process. She really blew my mind with some of the things that she does. And to see how hard she works to prepare and the way that she’s conscious about how everything is affecting the story at all times — your costume, everything. So I feel like I was taught by the masters.
I have to ask about the quiz show audition scene, which is just so funny. Anne is flying high on a drug trip and Jenny is trying to help her along and fix the situation. Some of the payoff came via post-production, with the special effects of psychedelic animals and flowers. But first you had to sell it, Awkwafina, in the moment when you were shooting. Did you know how funny it would be when you were making it?
AWKWAFINA I wish that I could have made it funnier. But it was fun. And then to see the set — and they brought in all the pug puppies.
OH It’s hard. When you’re on set, Nora is not seeing anything. She’s just gotta imagine it all. But I think you did a great job. There’s nothing funnier than, like, the straight character who’s on a drug trip. But then you get to see a part of Nora’s persona actually come out, and the way that she can attack comedy. It’s so funny.
AWKWAFINA Everyone loves that, right? They’re like, “Oooh, the wall is so fluffy.”
Since “Quiz Lady” is about a game show, which one would you want to team up on together?
AWKWAFINA Any game show? So is that like, “Wheel of Fortune,” “Price is Right”?
Yeah. “Jeopardy!” Or “The Amazing Race.“
OH Oh, my god! If Nora and I went on “The Amazing Race,” it would be a comedy rollercoaster.
AWKWAFINA You just gave us our new project.
OH Oh, my god. Jenny and Anne go on “The Amazing Race.”
I’d watch that.
OH I would totally do that. (Stands up, walks around, stares at the wall.) Jenny is trying to find a map. (Squealing as Jenny) I don’t know! I don’t know! What am I supposed to do?
AWKWAFINA No, we would be dead. If we really had to go on “The Amazing Race” —
OH And then we’d get lost in the Amazon somewhere…
AWKWAFINA That would be funny. We would go straight to drinking our own pee, like, real quick.
OH I would suggest that. You would be like, “I’m not drinking your pee, Jenny!” [Mimes holding a cup, assumes a serious voice] Drink my pee if you want to survive.
AWKWAFINA I’d rather take the cess water.
Switching gears, I wanted to ask about Paul Reubens’ cameo, which turned out to be his last on-screen appearance. What is it like to be a part of that?
OH So, so, so special. And I’m so glad that you brought up Paul because we want to talk about Paul all the time. He just sailed in, was just so lovely, so elegant, hilarious, willing, open. It was our first day.
AWKWAFINA I was obsessed with Pee-wee Herman in a way that was ridiculous. Meeting him, I remember being so starstruck. And I remember how graciously he accepted (the role). Sandra was the one who got in contact with him. And he was down. That in itself showed how generous with his time he was.
OH I just reached out and said, “Paul, what about doing something?” And he was totally open and game. And it was wonderful.
