Nick Offerman gets an emotional arc
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What is the premise of Nick Offerman's new series 'Margo's Got Money Troubles'?
And thanks.
This is Fresh Air. I'm Terry Gross. Our guest is actor, writer, and woodworker Nick Offerman. He's best known for his role in Parks and Recreation and for his Emmy Award-winning role in the show The Last of Us. His new series, Margot's Got Money Troubles, is based on the book of the same name. He spoke with Fresh Air's Anne-Marie Baldonado.
The new Apple TV series, Margo's Got Money Troubles, is about Margo, a bright college freshman who ill-advisedly has an affair with her English professor. She ends up getting pregnant and decides to have and keep the baby. Margot herself was raised by a single mom.
How did Nick Offerman prepare for his role as a former professional wrestler?
Her dad, Jinx, played by Nick Offerman, was a popular professional wrestler when she was born and has been pretty absent from her life. Now, his career is in the past, and his injuries have caused him chronic pain. He turns to painkillers, then heroin, and then rehab. He's there when he hears about Margot and decides to come back into her life after years of being away. In this scene, he comes to Margot's door and meets the baby for the first time. Margot is played by Elle Fanning.
You're a grandpa. Everyone says he's beautiful, so I'm going with that.
He's the most beautiful. Oh, I brought you a check.
What challenges did Nick Offerman face while portraying Jinx's emotional journey?
Sold an old bike. It's not much, but I'm sorry I wasn't able to call you back.
Where are you staying?
Um, well, for tonight I gotta figure, and then starting tomorrow, I guess I gotta figure that too. Can I hold him?
He's a little fussy.
Hey, little man.
He likes you.
Jinx moves in with Margo, the baby, and Margo's roommate, creating an unconventional family unit. Jinx is there for Margo in a way he wasn't in the past, but the pain and struggle of addiction persist.
What insights does Nick Offerman share about addiction in his character's story?
Nick Offerman played the beloved character Ron Swanson in the comedy series Parks and Recreation. He won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor and in a drama series for his role in a heartbreaking episode of the series The Last of Us. In addition to Margo's Got Money Troubles, he stars in the Netflix show Death by Lightning. Nick Offerman, welcome back to Fresh Air.
Thank you so much for having me.
This series is great and you're so good in it. You said that playing this role really scared you. What was so scary about it?
Well, I suppose I've had a really lucky career.
How does Nick Offerman compare his roles in 'Parks and Recreation' and 'The Last of Us'?
I've gotten to work a lot, which for an actor, just getting jobs is wild. The numbers are so stacked against you. And with the good fortune of getting to work consistently, I also fell into a a certain category of like dependable supporting actor, you know, journeyman, bus driver slash plumber, you know, slash guy manning the grill. And so one thing I haven't been called on to do a lot of is have like a complicated emotional relationship or have an inner emotional arc that we want the audience to care about. And so that part of the show, not only having two of those relationships with Al Fanning and with Michelle Pfeiffer, not only having that for the first time kind of, but to have them with these like world-class Mount Rushmore, like A-list actresses, you know, it was like, well, I wanted a challenge.
Here you go, buddy.
Well, I've read when you're preparing for a role, you think a lot about facial hair, maybe all of your hair, but facial hair in particular. And I imagine, too, you think a lot about physicality, like how would this character carry himself? What does he look like physically?
What advice does Nick Offerman give to aspiring woodworkers?
Can you talk about what you thought about in terms of your look when you were playing Jinx, who was, you know, had been a wrestler, a little past his prime?
I love transforming things. One thing I love about my job is sinking into the material deeply enough that sometimes the audience will say, oh, I didn't realize that's the guy from the other thing. And that's sort of my favorite compliment to get if I get one. And so because I'm blessed with a healthy crop of facial hair and hair on my head, that's kind of just my jumping off point. Like, okay, which version of Lon Chaney will I bring next? to bat in this game. And then also I worked with a great trainer named Grant Roberts to make my body look more like a former pro wrestler.
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Chapters
8 chapters
1
What is the premise of Nick Offerman's new series 'Margo's Got Money Troubles'?
0:00–1:04
2
How did Nick Offerman prepare for his role as a former professional wrestler?
1:04–1:54
3
What challenges did Nick Offerman face while portraying Jinx's emotional journey?
1:54–3:01
4
What insights does Nick Offerman share about addiction in his character's story?
3:01–3:40
5
How does Nick Offerman compare his roles in 'Parks and Recreation' and 'The Last of Us'?
3:40–5:10
6
What advice does Nick Offerman give to aspiring woodworkers?
5:10–6:15
7
How does Nick Offerman view the intersection of acting and woodworking?
6:15–7:18
8
What are the themes explored in John Powers' review of 'Big Mistakes'?
7:18–46:38
Speakers
8 identifiedMore from Fresh Air
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