I will say that I feel like that was the one to be trapped in.
Im really thankful for the time I worked on it.
At its core, it was certainly a case by case procedural show.
So, I guess Ill say that one because I was, and Im here.
I wanna be trapped in a comedy show.
Does it have to be a procedural?
Image via Hulu
It can be any show or any key in of show.
CHIENG: Id wanna be trapped inMad About You.
That sounds like a cool world to be in.
BENNET: Okay, I take my answer back.
CHIENG: You could have picked anything.
BENNET: I dont know.
What would I wanna be trapped in?Succession.
Thats a dark world.
Go toThe O.C., thats fun.
Image via Hulu
Get trapped inGossip Girl.
BENNET: No, theres too much drama.
There are so many options.
Oh, I would get trapped inThe Great British Bake-Off.
CHIENG: Thats a good one.
Thats a fun show.
Interior Chinatown, adapted from Charles Yu’s novel, follows Willis Wu, a background character in a TV police procedural. After witnessing a crime, he uncovers a criminal conspiracy in Chinatown and his family’s hidden past while exploring what it means to take the lead in his own story.
That would be the life.
CHIENG: Can I be trapped in60 Minutes?
Youd always know about whats going on.
‘Interior Chinatown’ premieres November 19 on Hulu.
When this came your way, how was it presented to you?
Unless youre familiar with the book, it seems like this would have been very confusing on paper.
This is now an easy show to explain.
BENNET: It certainly is not.
I think it was actually easier to read and understand.
Its not even film.
And theres a lot of satire.
A lot of it is meta.
There was a lot of navigating how each world is lit differently and how each world is shot differently.
We have very playful camera movements.
Its very handheld when were interior Chinatown, but then itll lock off into either steadicam or dolly shots.
For any cinephiles or film nerds, theres a lot of stuff to dissect and appreciate.
Did we do it?
I think we did.
Ronny, how did you find the experience of playing comic relief to Jimmy O. Yang?
Did you guys find that dynamic pretty easily?
Working with him is very easy for me.
And being comedic relief is easier for me than vice versa.
Were all those insults scripted?
Did you improvise any of that?
Charles Yu is probably the smartest writer in Hollywood right now.
We hadTaika [Waititi]on this, whos a goddamn genius.
We also had a writers room writing scripts.
Everybody put a little bit in.
I honestly cant even remember who wrote what.
I welcomed the opportunity to play an actual character.
What was it like to make that shift?
BENNET: Its interesting.
Thats a great question.
One, Im older and I kicked so much that all my bones are aching and Im injured everywhere.
I always felt incredibly awkward having to play very powerful because I didnt feel it at all.
CHIENG: It didnt show.
BENNET: I really struggled with having to navigate that.
I think they worked that into that show in its own way.
But for this, it was nice to play a character that actually felt more realistic to me.
We watch Lana realize how much that has affected her.
I was really happy and it was very therapeutic.
CHIENG: Its also fun to subvert the trope and to go backwards.
BENNET: During a panel not that long ago.
I did not know that at all.
I was not there that day.
I was not in that scene.
He didnt tell me that, even while we were shooting.
I didnt know at all.
That was a surprise to me.
Its a really fun switch.
Im really happy for him.
Interior Chinatownis available to stream on Hulu.
Check out the trailer:
Watch on Hulu
