One of the funniest ongoing jokes in the Awkwafina and Sandra Oh-led comedy Quiz Lady is Holland Taylor’s character's inability to tell the difference between Alan Cumming and Paul Reubens. Throughout the film, her character Francine claims that she adores Cumming, but, the images she's always referring to are of the actor behind Pee Wee Herman. So, when she meets Reubens, she thinks it's Cumming, and he pretends to be The Traitors' host. This scene was more than just a funny moment, it was also incredibly touching because it marks Reubens’ final role. So, when I had the chance to interview the creative team behind the comedy on the 2023 movie schedule, I had to ask about the incredible actor and his hilarious cameo.
The Surprising Story Behind How Paul Reubens Ended Up In Quiz Lady
Jen D'Angelo, the writer and producer of Quiz Lady, told me the story behind how Reubens’ cameo came to be. Honestly, hearing how she came up with the idea makes the situation even funnier, because this actor-mix-up wasn’t the original plan.
The Surprising Story Behind How Paul Reubens Ended Up In Quiz Lady
Jen D'Angelo, the writer and producer of Quiz Lady, told me the story behind how Reubens’ cameo came to be. Honestly, hearing how she came up with the idea makes the situation even funnier, because this actor-mix-up wasn’t the original plan.
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Short filmTranscript
00:00 The other person I really wanted to ask about was the Alan Cumming, Pee-wee Herman joke
00:06 comparison situation.
00:07 How did you come up with that idea when you were writing the script?
00:10 And then what was it like when you heard that Paul Reubens was down to come do a cameo?
00:14 I mean, it was amazing.
00:16 I, so originally in the script, again, when I wrote it, just sort of like, I'm just writing
00:22 this alone at home for myself.
00:25 Francine's original crush, she was obsessed with Ray Donovan, and so she originally was
00:30 supposed to run into Liev Schreiber at the very end.
00:34 And then when Liev was unavailable, I was just sort of thinking of like, what is a satisfying
00:42 celebrity cameo that we can pay off?
00:44 And I just have always, I love Alan Cumming and I love Paul Reubens.
00:50 They're both amazing.
00:51 And that idea just sort of came to me that I was like, I think it's really funny if Francine
00:57 is just completely wrong about who she loves and just refuses to admit it and never sees
01:02 it.
01:03 And so, yeah, we put that Alan Cumming, Pee-wee Herman joke in there.
01:08 And then when Paul Reubens agreed to do it, I mean, I was ecstatic.
01:13 I couldn't believe that we were going to get him.
01:14 And obviously, you know, I'm so honored that I was able to work with him and it's so sad
01:22 that he's since passed away.
01:25 But that day on set, he was only on set for one day, but he was such a big part of the
01:30 movie and so lovely and just so happy to be there.
01:33 And watching him just improvise with Holland was incredible.
01:39 So it's such an honor that he's in the movie.
01:42 [BLANK_AUDIO]