Real-life couple Alison Brie and Dave Franco teamed for ‘Somebody I Used to Know’ — here’s their 1 con about working together

Alison Brie and Dave Franco attend the Los Angeles premiere of ‘Someone I Used to Know’ in Culver Metropolis, Calif. (Picture: Amy Sussman/Getty Photos)

In contrast to many showbiz twosomes, it wasn’t a movie or TV collection that introduced Alison Brie and Dave Franco collectively. As an alternative, the prolific actors met in New Orleans throughout Mardi Gras in 2011.

They married in 2017, immediately turning into one in all Hollywood’s most affable performing {couples}. And whereas they’ve since co-starred within the occasional venture (see 2017’s The Little Hours and The Catastrophe Artist), now they’re creating motion pictures collectively from the bottom up.

After collaborating on the low-budget 2020 thriller The Rental (Franco co-wrote and directed, Brie starred), they mind-melded to write down Somebody I Used to Know — once more with Franco directing and Brie starring.

The artful, amusing and introspective romantic comedy finds Brie as a Los Angeles reality-television producer who returns to her small Washington state hometown after her collection Dessert Island is unceremoniously canceled. There, she rekindles a flame with the ex (Jay Ellis) she deserted for Tinseltown, solely to search out out he’s solely days away from marrying a musician (Kiersey Clemons).

Alison Brie and Jay Ellis in 'Somebody I Used to Know' (Prime Video)

Alison Brie and Jay Ellis in ‘Someone I Used to Know’ (Picture: Prime Video)

Impressed by the rom-coms of the ’80s and ’90s (suppose When Harry Met Sally…, Sleepless in Seattle, My Finest Good friend’s Wedding ceremony, and many others.), the pair dreamed up Someone whereas quarantining in the course of the early COVID lockdowns.

“These are consolation motion pictures that you simply return to time and again,” says Brie, 40. “We have been in that mode. We wished to keep away from the darkness as a lot as attainable. … So we simply wished to make one thing like that had that very same nostalgic really feel for these motion pictures that we all know and love, and attempt to replace the characters for now and sort of attempt to shock individuals.”

“All we might abdomen [at the time] was joyful motion pictures,” Franco, 37, provides. “However we love romantic comedies a lot, so we actually used what we find out about them to steer the viewers down a sure path, after which actually attempt to pull the rug out from them each step of the best way and actually attempt to subvert expectations and offer you one thing that you simply haven’t seen earlier than.”

Given their comedic and improv chops — Brie in favorites like Neighborhood and Happiest Season, Franco in Neighbors and The Afterparty — the couple are mainly their very own strolling romantic comedy. And so they clearly relish in working collectively.

“As actors we now have spent a lot of our lives aside, taking pictures jobs which can be in several cities,” Brie says. “So a part of this, I believe, was simply making an attempt to be round one another a bit of bit extra.”

Franco says their home partnership was significantly helpful when he’d spend months within the enhancing bay engaged on the film, and Brie was his “secret weapon” who would pop in each few weeks to present him suggestions with recent eyes.

These are among the professionals. Any cons?

“Nope,” cracks Brie.

“The one con,” begins Franco (drawing a playful “Go on…” from Brie), “is that if you’re engaged on one thing, if you’re this enmeshed in one thing, it is laborious to speak about something aside from the venture itself.”

“Generally the work turns into every little thing,” Brie agrees. “And it is laborious for us to tug ourselves again and take boundary breaks and sort of go like, ‘How was your day?’ Like, ‘What else is happening?’ Generally it will get a bit of insular, versus like leaving and going to work, then coming again and debriefing with each other.”

“And that’s it,” emphasizes Franco. “That’s it!” seconds Brie.

“I believe that a part of the explanation why it additionally works is simply that Dave and I’ve the identical sensibilities,” Brie continues. “We’ve the identical style. We watch motion pictures collectively virtually each night time of our lives. So we converse the identical language when it comes to the issues that we’re referencing. … So there’s not a variety of disagreeing with regards to the factor that we’re making.”

Jay Ellis and Kiersey Clemons in 'Somebody I Used to Know' (Prime Video)

Jay Ellis and Kiersey Clemons in ‘Someone I Used to Know’ (Picture: Prime Video)

The individuals they made Someone I Used to Know with — the ensemble forged consists of Ellis, Clemons, Danny Pudi (Neighborhood reunion!), Haley Joel Osment, Julie Hagerty, Amy Sedaris and Sam Richardson and Zoe Chao (The Afterparty reunion!) — actually liked spending time with the fortunately married couple.

“No one’s screaming and hollering at one another,” laughs Ellis (Insecure, High Gun: Maverick), who famous he was an enormous fan of each Brie and Franco as actors, and Franco because the director of The Rental. “Dave simply actually wished to create a chill household vibe, with the crew, with the forged, with everybody. … It was nice, it was enjoyable. You recognize, it was bizarre to be doing a scene together with your costar, after which she walks over and kisses the director. … You neglect, ‘Oh yeah, they’re married.’”

“It makes for simply extra free-flowing and enjoyable [set],” says Clemons (Dope, the upcoming The Flash). “I have been doing issues currently which have been on this heightened world, so it was good to be in the actual world. And dealing with individuals who have a lot appeal.”

Ellis did should share a kiss with Brie, which you suppose could be awkward given the person directing the shot is her real-life husband.

“Fortunately, I didn’t have a variety of that on this film,” Ellis cracks. “However nah. They’re professionals, man. They’re professionals. They’ve performed this a lot. If there was any considered weirdness, it instantly goes away if you see how skilled they’re, and so caring and protecting of the method. There have been no bizarre vibes on set in any respect.”

Someone I Used to Know is now streaming on Prime Video.

Watch the trailer:

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