A few weeks before this year's
Golden Globes, Kristen Wiig visited Will Ferrell at his Los Angeles home to
brainstorm how they could co-present an acting award at the show. The Golden
Globes were rebranding themselves as new and improved following a series of
scandals.
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| “There is no one but you who could run with this,” Palm Royale executive producer Laura Dern told Kristen Wiig, who was photographed March 6 at Sunbeam Studio in Los Angeles. PHOTOGRAPHED BY JONNY MARLOW; STYLING BY ERIN WALSH ISABEL MARANT VEST, CELINE PANTS, ALEXIS BITTAR EARRINGS; HAIR: ADIR ABERGEL AT A-FRAME. MAKEUP: JO BAKER AT FORWARD ARTISTS |
This event was one of the first major Hollywood gatherings since the actors' strike ended in November. The guest list included stars hoping to condense six months of delayed awards campaigning into one night, and Wiig and Ferrell were expected to bring a light-hearted touch.
"We wrote things down, and then we'd ask ourselves, 'Wait, how does this
end? Is this funny?'" Wiig recalls. "And then I thought, 'I have this song on my phone that really makes me
laugh. Can I just play it for you?'"
Wiig played a catchy tune called
"Fluffing a Duck," known
from some apps and video games. Ferrell described their reaction: "We simultaneously started moving our bodies
in the most silly, stupid way. We're like, 'Oh my gosh, what if this keeps
playing and it has a special power over us?' We threw everything out that we
had previously talked about for three hours and just pivoted to building
something around this dumb little music cue."
Wiig was unsure if the idea would
be successful, but she and Ferrell pretended to be confident when facing
skeptical Globes producers, resisting a request to shorten the sketch. "It's like, 'This is so dumb, but it makes us
laugh. Who cares? Let's just try it,'" Wiig said. The simple bit,
rooted in the performers' shared commitment to silliness, broke the serious
tone of the revamped awards show and became one of the night's funniest
moments.
In the Beverly Hilton room, where comedian Jo Koy was struggling to entertain stars like Taylor Swift and Ben Affleck, the audience appeared delighted and relieved by a joke that didn't target them. "That audience really wanted to laugh," said Lorne Michaels, executive producer and creator of Saturday Night Live. "They weren't even sure they should be there. What you saw was the sheer joy of [Ferrell and Wiig] making each other laugh. It was so reassuring."
The "Fluffing a Duck" incident reflects Wiig's style. In an age of
algorithm-driven entertainment and preplanned viral content, her "Who cares? Let's just try it"
attitude feels refreshingly spontaneous. Wiig has thrived on improvisation,
starting when she left the University of Arizona and moved to L.A. to pursue
acting on a whim. At 50, she still feels comfortable improvising. When asked
about her career plan, Wiig is clear: "Hell,
no. Oh my God, no. I believe things just fall into place when they're supposed
to. SNL — you can't plan for that. I was living day to day and had ideas of
things I wanted to do, but with this business, you can't predict. I don't know
what I'm going to do for the next year."
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| Kristen Wiig PHOTOGRAPHED BY JONNY MARLOW |
Wiig's latest venture into
serendipity is Apple TV+'s "Palm
Royale," a comedy series set in the 1960s, premiering on March 20. In
the show, she portrays the lead character, Maxine, a social climber aiming to
infiltrate Palm Beach high society, where many seem unaware of the women’s
movement and societal shifts. Laura Dern, who initially developed the series
with the intention of playing Maxine herself, enlisted Wiig when her own
post-COVID scheduling conflicts threatened the production.
(Dern, now an executive producer, takes on a supporting role.) "Palm Royale," which Wiig also executive produces, capitalizes on some of the SNL alumna's strengths, such as her talent for physical comedy and her ability to humanize characters engaging in unsympathetic behavior, like lying and scheming to gain acceptance from wealthy peers. "I pondered, how does she navigate life and maintain a positive demeanor while pursuing this superficial goal?" Wiig reflects. "We all experience moments when we desire to be someone else or fit in with a particular group. It's always deeper than merely seeking approval. There's always a deeper need."
Wiig shares these thoughts during a
leisurely stroll through Descanso Gardens, a botanical sanctuary in La Cañada,
nestled in the foothills of L.A.'s Verdugo Mountains, near her residence with
her husband, comedian Avi Rothman, and their 4-year-old twins, Shiloh and Luna.
Clad in a beanie, sweater, jeans, and boots, she mostly blends into the crowd,
even as we traverse the Japanese garden and camellia forest, occasionally
retracing our steps, reminiscent of the Griswold family's adventures in "National Lampoon's European Vacation."
"Hold on, I think we've been here
before," Wiig remarks, guiding us through a familiar oak grove. "This might not be an actual trail."
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| Wiig played fan-favorite SNL character Dooneese (with Jon Hamm). DANA EDELSON/NBC/COURTESY EVERETT COLLECTION |
Wiig comes across as you'd expect —
funny and warm. "Let me walk on the wet side," she jokes, choosing
the muddier path to protect my shoes. Having never been to Descanso Gardens,
I've packed as if we're camping in the Sierra Nevadas instead of doing an
interview in L.A., bringing multiple layers of clothing, two liters of water,
and several snacks. "Do we need a pocket knife?" Wiig teases about my
preparedness. "A tarp?"
As I attempt to ask a series of journalistic questions in a linear fashion, Wiig absorbs the world around us. "Oooh, what do you think they're talking about?" she wonders about a pair of women having a secretive conversation near the rose garden. Pointing to a green plant on the trail, she asks, "Is this sage? It smells sagey."
Wiig's life has taken unexpected
twists and turns. While she was building a successful career, she was also
quietly navigating the path to starting a family. In January 2020, after years
of IVF, she and Rothman welcomed their twins via surrogate. "It was such a
struggle," Wiig reflects. "When you go through it, you meet other
people who are going through it, and it's almost like this secret little
conversation at a party. It feels like not a lot of people talk about it."
Although Wiig typically keeps her personal life private and isn't active on
social media, she has chosen to share a bit about her fertility journey.
"It is such a private thing, but maybe it doesn't have to be," she
says. "It's part of my story and part of how I got my amazing
family."
Wiig grew up in western New York and central Pennsylvania without any aspirations for show business. Her dad, who worked in the boat business, had a great sense of humor and loved puns, which influenced her own comedic style. Her mother, an artist, was loving but not particularly funny, according to Wiig. Wiig initially planned to become an art teacher and was studying art at the University of Arizona when she had a revelation after taking an acting class. She decided to drop out and move to Los Angeles without informing her parents. When she eventually called them, they were understandably concerned. "Do you know how many people try to do what you're doing? Do you know how many people actually make a living?" they asked. With no prior acting experience, they were puzzled by her sudden career shift.
In the late '90s, while living in
Los Angeles and taking acting classes, Wiig attended a Groundlings show
featuring Jennifer Coolidge, Michael Hitchcock, and Holly Mandel. She was
immediately drawn to improv comedy and decided to enroll in Groundlings
classes. At Groundlings, Wiig found a sense of belonging and discovered a love
for writing. "I love that putting-on-a-show-in-your-garage type
feeling," she says. One of the key lessons she learned at Groundlings was
the importance of making your scene partner look good. This principle has
guided her career and earned her the respect of her co-stars. "When in
doubt, if you're scared to do an improv or whatever, make the other person look
good," Wiig says. "The audience knows you're having fun. The audience
knows you actually like each other, and it just creates a bigger joy
bubble."
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| Wiig played a self-destructive best friend of the bride in Bridesmaids. SUZANNE HANOVER/UNIVERSAL PICTURES/COURTESY EVERETT COLLECTION |
Pedro Pascal, who worked with Wiig
in "Wonder Woman 1984," describes the experience of acting alongside
her as being in a "joy bubble." "She would make you feel like
you're not alone and she's just as nervous about a scene," Pascal says.
"And so then you can link yourselves together with that vulnerability and
just have fun. In an organic way, you suddenly realize that you're dancing with
somebody."
Wiig's audition tape featuring her Groundlings character, the Target Lady, caught the attention of Lorne Michaels, leading to an audition and a meeting that eventually landed her a spot on "Saturday Night Live" in 2005, with her official debut in 2006. Michaels notes that some of Wiig's most memorable characters, like Surprised Sue, were based on the simplest of concepts, such as a woman who is constantly surprised, leaving room for improvisation in the performances.
"SNL" was an intense
creative environment, and Wiig thrived in it, creating beloved characters like
Dooneese, a member of a singing quartet on "The Lawrence Welk Show"
with a giant forehead, tiny hands, and a penchant for inappropriate behavior.
Her characters often teetered on the edge of a nervous breakdown, adding depth
and humor to their portrayals.
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| Kristen Wiig PHOTOGRAPHED BY JONNY MARLOW |
Wiig describes the pace of
"SNL" as akin to riding water rapids, with sketches moving quickly
and costume changes happening in a flash. Despite the pressure, Wiig found
solace in the fact that if a sketch didn't work, there was always next week.
She also had her own ways of managing nerves, like listening to Whitney
Houston's "I Wanna Dance With Somebody" before going onstage.
Despite the seemingly spontaneous nature of Wiig's performances on "SNL," Michaels reveals that there was meticulous preparation behind them, with Wiig's talent making the effort invisible. Michaels compares her precision to that of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, noting that she makes it all look effortless.
Wiig was one of the most prolific
and capable cast members in "SNL" history, with none of the offstage
drama that plagued some of the show's other major stars. Although it's been
over a decade since she left the show, Wiig still considers it home. Her sendoff
from "SNL" was a star-studded affair, with Mick Jagger singing
"Goodbye, Ruby Tuesday," Steve Martin and Amy Poehler making
appearances, and Michaels dancing with Wiig onstage in a touching moment
reminiscent of a father-daughter dance at a wedding. When asked about who might
take over "SNL" when Michaels retires, Wiig prefers not to think
about that day.
Before leaving "SNL" in 2012, Wiig starred in the 2011 hit film "Bridesmaids," which was a massive success, grossing $306 million worldwide and earning two Oscar nominations. Pascal recalls finding inspiration in a scene from "Bridesmaids" where Wiig's character, Annie, drunkenly confronts her friend Lillian (Maya Rudolph) and her snobby bridesmaid Helen (Rose Byrne) in first class on an airplane. Dern also praises Wiig's performance in "Bridesmaids," citing a dramatic scene where Annie is crying alone on her sofa after alienating her friends. She sees the movie as being about Annie's longing to belong and matter.
"Bridesmaids" appeared
poised to herald a new era of female-driven comedies at the box office, but
that trend never fully materialized, despite the success of films like
"Barbie." Wiig reflects on the reluctance in Hollywood to embrace big
female casts, questioning why this is perceived as intimidating. While a
"Bridesmaids" sequel might seem like a natural choice, Wiig is not
interested in pursuing one. "That story had an end, and it’s so beloved to
me for 10 million reasons, and I think it’s OK to just have it exist in the world
as it is," she says.
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| Wiig as Maxine in Apple TV+’s Palm Royale, with Josh Lucas, who plays her husband. ERICA PARISE/APPLE TV+ |
Wiig transitioned into her post-"SNL" film career at the age of 39, an age when Hollywood often struggles to find roles for women beyond the role of wife. Despite this, Wiig has enjoyed a steady and diverse range of roles, from the indie drama "The Skeleton Twins" in 2014, where she played Bill Hader's estranged sister, to "Wonder Woman 1984," where she portrayed a socially awkward friend who transforms into the villainess Cheetah, to "Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar" in 2021, a whimsical buddy movie that she co-wrote and produced with Annie Mumolo.
Her character in "Palm
Royale," Maxine, shares similarities with Wiig's previous creations — an
outsider longing for acceptance, reminiscent of Annie in
"Bridesmaids" or Penelope, the SNL character who constantly outdoes
others with absurd claims. The show, adapted from Juliet McDaniel's 2018 novel
"Mr. and Mrs. American Pie," satirizes the social striving of the
1960s era. Dern, who plays a feminist activist with a mysterious past in the
series, describes the characters as still stuck in a middle school mentality, a
time she considers one of the most challenging in anyone's life, unless they
are part of a country club.
When Dern realized "Palm Royale" might move forward without her, she knew Wiig was the perfect fit for the role. "I have put my heart into finding this character," Dern recalls telling Wiig. "There is no one but you who could run with this."
Wiig is thrilled about the ensemble
cast of "Palm Royale," which includes Allison Janney, Ricky Martin,
Kaia Gerber, and the legendary Carol Burnett, whom Wiig met at their initial
table read. Wiig, a longtime fan of Burnett from watching "The Carol
Burnett Show" as a child, feels a deep connection to her. Burnett's work
has been a significant inspiration for Wiig, particularly in creating
characters for "SNL." Wiig admires Burnett not just for her comedic
talent but also for her storytelling ability, especially regarding her
experiences as a woman leading her own show.
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| Kristen Wiig PHOTOGRAPHED BY JONNY MARLOW |
The production design and costume direction of "Palm Royale," led by Alix Friedberg and Jon Carlos respectively, give the series a lavish, vintage feel reminiscent of Slim Aarons photography and classic handbags. As a producer, Wiig brought a meticulous attention to detail and a genuine passion for these aspects of the production, according to Dern. She describes Wiig as exuding excitement both on and off the screen.
Wiig is also contemplating a new
challenge: directing. She feels that directing is the next natural step for her
career, despite feeling both excited and nervous about it. Currently, she is
focused on a solo writing project, a departure from her usual collaborative
work. Wiig acknowledges that the biggest challenge in writing solo is
maintaining discipline and setting aside dedicated time for writing. Despite
her outgoing nature onscreen, Wiig has a level of introversion. As a teenager,
she worked at her grandfather's nursery and seed company, where her favorite
task was watering plants alone.
When the pandemic hit and the world went into lockdown, Wiig found herself in nesting mode with her twins. She humorously remarks, "It was like, 'Oh, you mean just stay home and look at my newborns? OK.'" Currently, when she's not working, Wiig's life revolves around motherhood, including getting her kids to school and other everyday tasks. She enjoys relatable pastimes, such as watching almost every show in the Real Housewives franchise, with her favorite character being New Jersey's Dolores Catania, whom she sees as someone who would be a great hang and friend.
As we finally reach the garden cafe
— where the pocket knife was never needed — Wiig opts for a single
string-cheese stick, only to find out it's buy-one-get-one-free day for that
item. She's genuinely amused by the stroke of luck and hands me one for the
road. Michaels believes that Wiig's appeal to audiences stems from the evident
joy she brings to everything she does. Wiig is set to return to host
"SNL" on April 6, and Michaels notes, "When Kristen’s
performing, you see she’s really happy doing it. The lightness is what I love
most."
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