Getting More Better - The Melissa Fumero Interview Part 2

Welcome back to do some Amingos podcast.

This is Freddy Rodriguez and I'm Wilmer Valderama and we are here.

With the incomparable Melissa Famero and I am I'm so interested in hearing about your directing about Mobeta, your your great podcast.

But let's let's dive into it.

The nucleus of that show was when we were on Brooklyn. We were always in each other's dressing rooms, like during lunch or breaks, and we would just be talking like forever, and most of our conversations were like I'm struggling with this and like giving each other advice or like what are you how are you handling this?

Or like what are you doing lately? It's making you feel good? And so like the podcast kind of came from that.

It's like it's like a like a spin off of our dressing room.

You were already experienced.

It was already like part of our dynamic. It was already part of search. Friendship is like and you know, and even like now like you know, I mean, we see each other quite often, so we don't talk on the phone all the time, but when we do talk on the phone, it's a two or three hour conversation, like it's one of those friendships, you know, we can just talk forever.

So, yeah, it's when I when I hung out with you guys in Austin.

This is before I even heard your podcast.

Oh yeah, I haven't even come out yet.

Turn to women and going like, these two need their own show.

Man, and.

That's why.

That's why they're here. Buddy.

I know, but but it didn't like I knew that witnessing it firsthand, Yeah I was. I was like, Wow, these two the chemistry is like nothing I've seen before.

You know, I would love to see that like on screen, on screen. Yeah, I know.

We're always talking about it. Yeah, I'm always trying to cook up something.

What's like that that you know, like you know, like a like a like a duo.

Yeah, yeah, I have. It's weird.

I have some ideas for us, but I'm like, we have to be older, like like I got this great idea, but it's for like when we're in our like late fifties or you.

Know, so we're just gonna like sit on. Yeah, but so done.

So a little bit more about more better, because more Better has been a very wonderful success story for iHeart and you know, by the way, More Better is available anywhere you get your podcast. It's also part of the Michael Tuda Podcast Network family.

But but one of.

The things that was very fascinating is that voices like you, voices that speak to all communities and all cultures, you haven't had really the kind of the space to really kind of explore, you know, the many boxes you check for not just humanity but as strong family women. You both are amazing moms, and you're incredible uh professionals. You're also an amazing director and you're directing someone really amazing stuff, which I want to talk a little bit more about

Yeah, so on more and Better.

We tackle a different topic every episode. Some of them are kind of deep and heartfelt, and some of them are like what wine goes best with Cheetos? Really run the gammet, you know, and yeah, and we halfway through this first season.

You shouldn't talking, like you should stop talking.

I just stop talking.

That's the show. Check us out, get your podcast Wine and Cheetos.

We literally did do that, and yeah, and it's really fun and it's and it's you know, like I said,

Buddhist monks, like you know, like never have it all figured out.

And so yeah, just exploring that in in in tackling like one topic big or small each episode, and we started getting suggestions from our audience, which was like the best, most unexpected kind of turn for the show because we got the best questions and stories and it was such a beautiful way to connect with the people that were listening to the show.

And also it just like really gave.

Us ideas, like because we might have went out of ideas a lot of episodes.

It's a lot of episodes on a podcast. I was like, how many episodes are doing Yeah.

But I was like, that's the standard in which it is and yeah, and it's so it's been really fun and I'm excited to bring season two.

Yeah.

So how many seasons were Brooklyn n nine?

We did eight seasons?

Eight seasons. Yeah.

How many episodes of the season.

First five seasons were twenty three episodes?

Wow?

Six was I think eighteen?

Yeah?

Seven was thirteen and eight was ten? Okay, I think yeah.

I mean that's when people were really cranking episodes.

You know.

It's like, oh, yeah, I was seven months out of the year, and yeah, it was.

It was a lot. It was the first season.

I was that's what you do, right, we do twenty two, twenty two, we are doing twenty now, okay, but when I got there, we were doing twenty four. Yeah, and bro by episode twenty, I'm You're like, yeah, you're literally beat up.

Oh my god.

And when you walk into like table reads and the writers just they look rough.

Especially in nineteen it's.

Usually like after Christmas, New Year's right January, you just like.

An episode eight.

I think about it like a hour about your health.

Like the one hour dramas.

That one hour dramas are crazy because you're really putting out an hour of television. Well, you're putting forty two minutes, which is double the comedies, which is comedies twenty two minutes. But it is still amount of pages and work that you've got to come up with, you know, and you need to do this many.

Crimes in one year. That's really good, you know.

But also I went into into your directing career because you've been able to successfully direct multiple prime time shows, and.

That's something that guy.

I haven't directed prime I directed other stuff, you know, but I look forward today that I get to, you know, kind of produce and direct at the same time. I know you're a director as well and producer. When did you get the bug to direct?

I think I always secretly had it, but it all sort of came about.

I did this one job that long story short.

The director was all over the place and I like had a heart out because of childcare, and he almost blew the heart out, and it was frustrating because I was like, well, if you and so. On the ride home, I was called my manager and I was like, if he had done this, if he had done that, if he had done this, if he hadn't taken so long to make this decision, if he had shot it from this, you know, we would have made the day. And my manager goes.

I think you should direct, and I was like, what this all with this conversation is about. I'm really mad. So he set up the low stakes.

There was like a little web series that he had some friends doing or that he knew of. It was called Front Seat Chronicles and every episode takes place in the front seat of a car and it's a different scene, and so he put me in touch with them. They were like, yeah, we'd love for you to come direct one, and they had a writer that wrote this great scene. They let me cast my two friends because that was like, I need to direct some people that are going to like love me and.

Support me doing this, and they did and.

It was just like a It was kind of like for me to dip my toe in and be like would I enjoy this and would I know how to do it? And then that thing that happens when you spend so many hours on a television set you have no idea the wealth of knowledge that you know that's.

Already in your brain.

And I was like, Oh, I know how to do this, and I'm enjoying doing this and I'm not getting flustered by any of it, and I know what I want my shots to be. I know how this is going

Yes, yes, how was it directing yourself?

Did you I hated it?

Did you go back and watch?

Never want to do it again? Never going to do it again.

I hated the feeling. I think some people can just split their brain that way. I felt like I couldn't. I felt like I wasn't one hundred percent present in the scene the way I normally were.

You watch and then you were like, ah.

No, I wasn't watching playback because there's no time to really do that, especially on a comedy set, and you're like moving.

Yeah, first thing they needed to Yeah, Well, I.

Got really lucky.

The writer of that episode was Phil Augusta Jackson, who created went on to create Grand Crew, who actually really helped my directing career kind of move forward. And he had already directed an episode of Brooklyn and I uh because at one point I told him like, I think you're extraordinarily talented and if you ever need me to act in anything, I will be there. And he was like, I got this short film that I'm going to do

Well, because you felt like you were two in your head when you were acting in the scene, Like.

Well, yeah, I couldn't figure out how to mentally like be in the scene the way I would be as an actor and also have part of my brain thinking of what adjustment I mean, I can adjust myself, but what adjustments do I want my scene partner to make?

What is the camera doing? Do you know what I mean?

Like, and then like checking off all the things like, oh, I hope they pulsed in at this part or did it? Like I just couldn't do all that math in my head while I was performing, and I I kind of could, but I didn't like the feeling of it.

I felt like I was.

Doing each job at like sixty percent. I get what you're bat and I didn't like that feeling.

Myself to do.

And I think some people can just do that.

I think I've watched America Ferra direct and scene she's in, and she does it bleavy, beautifully and flawlessly, Like I think some people just have that brain, and I.

Don't, so I won't ever be doing that again.

I mean, and someone explained it to me, as you know, once you put your once you set up your cameras and you know how you're going to cover your scene. Once you're in the scene, you take the hat off and just make sure the scene works as a perform as.

An actor, and then once the scene is done, then you go back.

I also didn't love the feeling of like being an actor in a scene with another actor and being like, hey, so you know in that part, you know what I mean, like noting an.

Actor while you're also the actor in the scene.

With them, because normally, like you would never you know, and.

It just especially an actor who's like, you're you're a fellow series regularly.

Right right, That's yeah, it's weird, you know.

And yeah, so I didn't. It was fine when I wasn't in the scene and I was approaching my my castmates, like as a director, and they all were like very beautifully like supportive, even Andre, like but not even Andre. Andrea was beautifully gracious to everyone. Actually I probably was like I thought Andy would give not a hard time, but I thought he would like tease me throughout the whole thing, and he did.

He took it seriously.

He took it very seriously. He was very professional, which like a little part of me.

Was that's what you want to but I was like, come.

On, I'm not gonna rasp me at all.

But no, he was like very everybody was like very sweet and professional. And the cool thing about that experience, which you know, you never really get again because it's impossible, it was so nice to direct actors knowing exactly how they like to hear notes exactly, like what their langua or unique little languages are. And I think that was also like important to remember when I went to other shows.

Ask ahead of time before you start on another show?

Would you always? Yeah?

Act yeah, Like is there anything you can tell me about how actors like to hear notes or like you know, you know, because some people, you know, there's actors that like like really actory kind of note, you know, like intention and verbs and da da da, And then there's some actors that are just like faster, like you can you know what I mean, like higher stake, like you know, like short things, you know, like so I try to find that out as much as I can before.

What about you as an actress? How do you like to be addressed? How do I?

How do I like to be addressed? Yes, queen miss? How do I like to hear? Notes?

I definitely like the theater kid and me appreciates like a beautiful, well thought out note that like has depth or intention in it.

What about season six? New director?

Give it to me quick?

What is it? Oh?

Yeah, but they're definitely there. Definitely is I do, especially when you worked in comedy right with somebody's like so just like more energy and like the stakes higher, and you're like faster, you want it faster?

Just say faster, Just say.

Faster to tie it up a little bit.

Yeah, just taint it up. Yeah, that's it. You can say that, you know.

Yeah? What about you?

What do you?

What do you?

What do you? Yeah?

Well, so it's two things like drama and comedy.

For me, had two are phones that I love so much, right, And I would say that as as when I was wearing my comedy hat I had.

You know, I was very.

When I was playing Fez on seventy show. I had this director named David Trainer, who they directed one hundred and ninety nine episodes wow, the exception of the pilot and David Trainer. You know, I had created this accent, right, but I also created this vibe which was like such an ambiguous in his saying, yet like you can get away a character. So so like, no matter how I did it, it was like a choice that people are like.

You're gonna do it like that. Yeah, you're gonna do it. So but because I was still committed, they're like, he's gonna do it like that.

He's gonna do it like that. So they kind of would let me cook by myself sometimes. But he was like the Wilmer whisperer because sometimes my accent will get a little too strong and really hard to understand, and so he will come into the scene and he'll be like, well, just like a little mover of the fingers. And he didn't want to tell me in front of everybody that like that, like it's hard to understand you.

Yeah, he didn't want to say that. Yeah, So he was just like, I don't see it a little.

More and then okay, we're gonna go again, and just like an so he will steer the boat.

Yeah, and I love which is so much of what it is, especially in comedy.

Yes, so in comedy and you know, but I also like a showrunner running in and be like, here's five lines.

We're gonna this is the new joke. I love that, Like I'm just okay, it's a sport. To me.

It's like, Okay, that one wasn't as funny. This is I'm gonna nail this right now. Okay, there are two hundred and thirty people are waiting to laugh. Okay, cool ready, okay said, and you know, so I'm very good with attention in that.

In drama.

Season eight Fancis, it's a little bit of like, you know, there's so much to shoot in a drama and a crime investigation show.

I don't like. I don't know what it is.

But I don't like when when a director says like, you know it will be funny.

Oh yeah, don't say you know it would be funny the funny guy.

Yeah, do you get all like.

No, no, I make them feel like I listened. Yea, mm hmm, Okay, let's try that. I like to try that.

Yeah, oh cool, cool, Yeah, we'll run it again, you know. But I learned so much a lot of the directors that come in, and this is like basically a big tribute to all the directors that come into well machines, like the machines that are like just cranking out episodes. Like I would say, like, you know, sometimes they have the thankless job of inherent it in a DP that knows how to just shoot the show by itself, right, and then a director's coming to kind of.

Steer the pace and steer the whatever, you know.

But there are those directors who really want to collaborate with the actor, and I think that's always super welcoming, really exciting. But you know, at NCIAS is an interesting thing because the actors have you know, double Bachelor degrees on their characters. Yeah, they've done seven hundred episodes as this character.

No one's going to know it more than yes, you know, so.

They kind of it was a little bit, but you know, I would say I had this. I appreciate when somebody can can explain to me in feelings, like you know, as opposed to like quite literally like some writers want to say it as scripted, and I have a tough time saying like I don't know how to sell it like that, Like I think I'll sell it better this way. But long story short, I think like comedy, it could either be like steer the boat or like it could be like try this different way, you know.

Uh?

And I love that sport and in drama I like it. I don't. I don't need silk gloves. I can take it.

But it's just like it's like you got to come with a very specific direction where you want if you want to steer the scene to go into different pace or a different thing, like just just say that ship.

Just say that ship.

Yeah.

What about if a director comes in is like be better.

Be better, try not to suck on this, be better? Does that give me that direction? Yeah?

So Wimmer, that was great. That was great, just as an option. Be better?

Okay, yes, uh, give me a line reading.

Oh you like line readings.

No, I'm just saying I want you to tell me that you can do my job better. I can do better. Show me show show be better, show me better, tell me better, show me more better.

You know what it is.

Yeah, you know it's coming giming. So what do you want me? How do you want me to? You know, but nobody actually has the boss to say that should allowed. It's like, just be better.

I'm like, im now, be pitching myself hard for your show, just so I can come in on every time.

I love for you to direct show. Yeah, and I will literally take it very serious. I'd definitely be andy, you know, I'd be like.

I'm not going to dreg your show. You that ship you have to it would jump the sharks. The tone would be completely different.

What happened? We have jumped the show?

Why are they doing jokes?

They jokes? Why are they so over the top? Why is he wearing the hat? Wh wh where is he wearing a hat? Like pushing?

It was really funny, but just not our show.

Is seen in boxers. I don't understand why boxers like SpongeBob. What happened to the show?

Also, the theme song is different, Freddy, how do you like to hear it?

Notes?

I go off of emotion.

I just just just tell me what emotion because I'm always just digging for truth.

Yeah.

Yeah, at the end of the day, that's.

All it is.

You're just digging for truth. So what emotion are you looking for? Sometimes people are just like, oh, well this and that, and they you.

Know, like, just what emotion, dude? What once you give me that, I'll know what emotion to dig in.

Here example of that, that's that's actually really you know, I said many words because we're doing a podcast, but like that's a very direct way of saying, like, you know, like where.

Do you feel? Said the director?

We are in this story, and what do you think my character should be feeling right now?

It's what you're saying, right, yeah.

Yeah, Like I'll do a scene and maybe, you know, maybe I'm angry.

And they're like, oh man, I've had a director going all to this to that, and they'll they'll go off and their sort of myriad of notes and I'm like, okay, so just just real simple man, what emotion are you going for?

Yes? Give me the emotion. Yeah.

So the like better note for you would be like it I want to I love you know, the anger is really great, but it's a little too high, so maybe we infuse some sadness in there, or maybe we have use some anxiety or something like could you know what color?

They want to exactly?

Colors?

Yes, and then I use that I know how to do that, yeah.

Because it's the well, right yeah, yeah, just go back into the well and go, okay, they want that emotion. And then like you know, I find my brain sends the signal to the well and yeah, like gives you the emotion.

You know.

Yeah, yeah, I find myself doing that sometimes when I get like a long winded note and then I if I'm like I'm not, I like, do you ever do that? Like translate and I'm like do you mean more this and that and like in your own terms, you.

Know, yes, so you can hear it in the words that.

Will actually yeah.

And then sometimes I feel bad because I feel like I just told the director how to actually.

Talk talk director. Here's how you're utimes.

The reaction is like, well, yeah, yeah, you know I just said that, And I was like, no, no, no, I'm saying how what I'm making sure that what I hearing is what you're saying. So we're on the same page, like yeah, because I have my own way of hearing and interpreting and then translating.

Right.

Yeah, And what you said earlier about like a new director coming on your show, about you having a double bachelor's degree and in the character right like this the show I did it was the character was pretty external and I don't know, I abo'd say over the top, but it was definitely bombastic and electric.

And and I don't think the director really watched the show.

And he came on and and was just like, what are you doing?

No, man, that's too much.

I'm like, dude, I'm doing this for likes you watched the show at all, that's the character, you.

Know, there's nothing worse. Yeah, doesn't watched the show.

Yeah, and you can tell like he didn't mean it in a mean way, but he had no filter and and he just pretty much told me I was like sort of overacting or whatever.

And I'm like, no, man, that's what this is what.

Yeah, yeah, this is this is what I've been this is what I've been doing. Yeah, I watched more than one episode.

Why is the one thing you you I would talk about now, like how we want to receive it. But what is the one thing that when a director does and and I'll give you an example, but when the director does that you were just like you took me out for me? Is when a director just makes you do it multiple takes without communicating the why.

They're doing another take.

Like I had a director a couple of seasons ago. We were doing a scene where we were going up this apps of this courthouse, you know, and we're going up the steps and then I'm talking walking talk, and then we say, wait, cut, okay, back to one, we're gonna do it again.

I was like, all, great, right, we'll go back. We're doing and I.

Think two takes for our show. We're nailing it at two takes. We're neling right back we take. We nail it at nobody forgets lines and ncyahs by the way, Like that's amazing, But that's because we in between scenes,

Like I love that though. That's ensemble acting.

It's amazing.

But so then we're going to third take and she's like, let's do it one more time, and now at this point, we're like six takes and haven't heard award from the director. He hasn't addressed the actors, She hasn't addressed you know, the camera. So I look at the camera, our steady operator, and I go, I go, why.

Are we doing it again?

And he's like, I don't know. I said, we not nailed the movement. Like he goes, I don't know. It's everything's been fine. We just keep doing it.

Wow.

And he doesn't even he doesn't even know. Our camera operator doesn't even know. And I looked at the DP and I'm like, is the reason why we're doing it again? He goes, So then I said, and.

Then we never saw that director ever again.

Director, thank you for tuning in to those amigos. It's very good everywhere you got your podcast.

So honestly, I was like, hey can I So at that point I was like shaking because like, you know, we're losing the sun and we're making us do it over and over again. This and he's talking up and down the steps, up and down the steps, so you're not aware of your actor's band, you know, stamina, you know you're in location.

It's like five pm. We're losing the sun.

We've shot four scenes in this location, like everyone's like drained, you know. So I said out loud, I'm sorry, before we even do another take, can we actually get a little perspective on the why we continue to do this scene?

Is? Why are we not getting How can we help you get this?

And she comes out and she's like, no, I just feel like, you know, we can do it one more time. And I said, and this is the first time, probably the last time I'll do this, but and I hope to God this last time I do this.

But I've basically not going to be the first, not going to trust that, I said.

So she didn't couldn't give me an explanation, and I looked at my cast and I was like, actually, know we're done with the scene.

We're done.

I think we're gonna we're gonna move on to the next day. And she was like, I'm sorry, and I said, we're done. We're not shooting the scene anymore. We're absolutely we're wrapping. That was the last eve and I we're gonna wrap the scene. And she was like, look and the DP and the camera when we're like they've never seen me, and like Mark Harmon was then too, so and he just kind of walk off. It was like we're done, We're done doing the same.

I think that's it. I think we have it in any of the six stays and then you'll be able to cut it.

And we walked off and then like everyone started picking up the equipment or whatever, and it was like that was the end, and and I felt bad, but I realized what was missing. Like a director has to command the crew, giving off information, so we so we get to the storytelling. When you exhaust your actors, you start losing the grip.

I was going to say, did that director like fully lose the crew? That's there's nothing worse when the.

Director do you have a steady camera operator going up the steps.

Backwards and they don't know why they keep doing it.

And it's a walking talk yeah, backwards and back down backwards and back down backwards. And this guy is like doing stair masters while we're like trying to do this can talk scenes anyway. So my point is like these are the moments where you're kind of like, as a director, like you have to create a certain amount of harmony. You have to understand like, you know, the harmonic love.

The crew has power Yeah, the crew was going to be real slow to get up the next day.

They're gonna be They're gonna take some time.

I was like, you know what I mean, they're gonna you know, they might be like you might come up with an idea for a new prop and they might be like, you know, I mean not crews are very professional, but they work really hard. And when they feel disrespected that way, sometimes they you know, they're.

Like, yeah, Nina, stuff is done by remind you you're in. Yeah, it was. It was. It was a tough thing and and uh.

Or just like the morale is down, the everyone's just it's just like, you know.

What's your what's the what's the thing that you were like that took me out that a director can do.

Yeah, stuff like that, like like unnecessary stuff, you know, without telling me without It's.

So funny and we might have Worke took the same director.

The last show I did, I had to walk into I had I had to walk up some some courtroom steps also the same thing, and it was like one hundred degrees outside, and they wouldn't just like just want more. Man, I'm like, what's what's wrong? And they wouldn't communicate to us what was wrong, and they were just trying to get the timing just right and they couldn't get it. I'm like, dude, it's it's I'm wearing a suit, yeah, at a circuit point sweating like yeah, change course or just.

Except it's communication, Like you just need to be communicator. Just tell me what you're trying.

To we're trying to now, Yeah.

Yeah, totally totally like communication.

I don't you know, I don't like I don't like disrespectful directors that really like, oh yeah.

When somebody like they give you a note and it's like a little like condescendan Yeah, it's a little like you know, like the way they say it or.

The yet yellers or like these directors were like yellers or you know, oh.

Like shouting a note across the thing instead of like walking.

Up to you. Yeah, or just like assholes.

You know, like like these asshole directors like that takes me out, man, It completely turns me off.

And I just, you know, you know, stuff.

Like that you mine is so cliche. I fucking hate line readings.

Oh really, I do.

I know it is not everyone my husband loves. My husband really doesn't mind line readings, like sometimes it really helps him understand a note. A line reading is when a director, instead of giving you a note for the line, like says how they want you to say the line, so.

Like it's exaccurate.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, I.

Was trying to, Like, I hear line reading, and I don't. It triggers me me in a weird way, like I feel like I'm doing a bad job, Like I'm doing so bad that you have to say the line how I should be saying it. And I also don't understand what the note is. Then I try to like, well, what is what is the note? Like what what is what is the shift or the adjustment? And I can't hear it in the line reading because I'm all caught

But do you think that the line reading comes before or after they try to convey what the direction or the emotion is. And the second part is do you mind them giving you a mind line reading if after they've given you a direction, it's not it's not resonating.

Yes, because I had this happen to me, So okay, if it's just the line reading, like if they come up and they're like, hey, can you say it? Like uh, you know, oh, we're going to be late, you know, if they just give the lit note like that, I'm like fuck you. But then I did have a director once who would come up give the note and then the line reading and the notes were always great that it.

Drove me crazy.

I wanted to be like, don't do the line reading because then I'd be hung up on the line reading.

Then I'd be like, wait is how they said it?

Like the note? And I would again be on that like spiral, you know. So it's like, yeah, I just wanted to be more excited, you know, like come on, guys, we gotta go, you.

Know, and then they walk away and you're.

Like what, And then I would just be left in that spiral and like overthinking, you know, We'll wait is that more excited?

Now?

I'm just stuck on how they did it? Should I just do it? Like that, But is that how I would do it? Like I get all into that, you know, it just messes me up.

In network television, I hate to say, but he's rarely the director from the writer.

Oh yes, you're killing the messenger. I'm telling you.

I would say maybe, I don't know, maybe fifty sixty forty, I don't know.

You told me how many who takes the biggest fall? But writers?

Most of the time it's the writer.

The writers like this how it was supposed to be, I will.

I will, I will. There is an other? Uh, what exception to this rule?

Kids? M hm.

A lot of times you need to give them My readings work really.

Well for kids, and I've done that as a director, and it pained me.

Like the show runner I had to tell she was like, just give her a line reading. I was like, Oh, when.

I directed on Gordi Da Chronicles, which had a lot of kids, and Bridget who is the showrunner. Bridget you know Lebowitz, who's amazing and brilliant, and she was the showrunner and she was a writer on Brooklyn, so I already knew her.

And I remember when.

She told me with the kids, she was like yeah, and so like just sometimes a line reading, they're going to understand a line reading better than note.

And I was like, oh, are you sure.

I was like, let me try, you know, and then you just and then like kids, you have time restraints and you have to get through things quickly and so and then I saw it like there were most of the time I could give them notes and they would under I'm a mom, like you know, you know, you know how to talk to kids, like, but then you would see sometimes and they would ask for it too, like they were all so old enough where they'd be like,

Yeah, Switching Gears.

Do you you have a show that is currently on NBC?

Yes, and I told you earlier before we started the show that you are absolutely stunning your performance and this thing is incredible, Like you're literally pulling.

Up all your weapons and you're like, this isn't me. You're literally just bringing everything out.

Now I just have to sing on the show.

Exactly exactly you took it from you sing any season? Did you get to sing noney season?

So my my question for you is, can you talk about your show, you know, for the for the listeners and talk about you know, you know, your character and what the show's about.

The name of the show, so it's called Gross Garden Society.

Quite a lengthy title, but it's on NBC.

We just wrapped our first season, so all thirteen episodes are on Peacock Bing.

It played on every screen in your house.

And it's about these four unlikely friends that are part of a garden club that.

Get mixed up in a murder.

And the show takes place in two different timelines, So there's present day where you sort of see how they all come together and become friends, and then there's flash forwards to the night of this murder, and little by little as the season goes on, you get more and more scenes from that night, more information, possible suspects and possible scenarios even of how what went down.

And then in episode.

Eleven and twelve, because it all takes place during this big gala, those two episodes happen in regular time. There's no yeah, there's no time jumping, and you see, like, yeah, you see the whole night up to the murder. And then episode twelve is from the murder all through the next morning, and then thirteen is sort of like a wrap up, and then another then there's some flashbacks and another flashboard. So it's a really fun show. It's like a little bit so. It is like kind of combo

In her life.

And and I think we also meet her at like a real low point in her life.

We find out that.

She gave up a baby when she was a teenager, and she contacts that young man he's now uh, he's now a teenager, and that she makes like a series of bad choices.

And she doesn't really know how to be a grown.

Up, and so she's kind of messy and toxic and but also vulnerable. And I like she's one of the most favorite characters I've ever played because she's so complex and so I'm so like empathetic to her. She just says, there's so much she just doesn't know that she's like trying to figure out. And then she's meeting all these people in this like crossroads moment of her life.

So yeah.

So and then as an actor, it's like dream.

Because I get to be big and ridiculous and like kind of funny because she's ridiculous. And then I get to be real and grounded and heartbroken.

And your fans haven't really seen you play something.

No, yeah, yeah, So it's like, yeah, I'm getting to do you know, it's like I joke that Brooklyn nine nine was like a very elite comedy school that I got to go to, and so I'm getting to like bring everything, Like I don't think I could have played this character ten years ago.

You know.

She's like I've had to have done like everything I've done, I think, to like bring it all together for her because she has so many different flavors and colors, and they really just wrote like such a great character with Bertie.

So it's been really fun.

But you're in a spectacle on this show, and I think people should watch just to kind of experience your performances. I mean, I think it's like something we also kind of really need to know that there is a level of experience and expertise and liberation that you got to have as an artist to actually get to a point to bring a character like that to life. One thing is what's on the page, and the other one is the instrument that tells that story.

And you have just done it in such a high level.

And so I really truly invite friends to go to Peacock and catch up benj It tell a friend how everybody discover the show.

It's you know, your performance is.

Something like, yes, just for that alone, like you need to tune in and watch Melissa do her show and thank you.

Yeah, you know, you know what I love about it and what I loved about Brooklyn long Line. I remember first watching you on that and going like, oh, this this girl.

She goes for it. She she don't care man, she she goes for it.

And and then this is what I mean by it, right, this sort of the context behind it is that I feel that sometimes actresses sort of hold back because they want to they want to look a certain way or they want to be a certain way, where where I feel with you, there's a freedom in your instrument that you don't you don't give.

A ship man.

Yes, you go and you do it.

And I mean that in the in the most hot.

No, No, I did I know that is such a nice compliment.

Yeah, no breaks, no break down.

Yeah, I just really love this job, you know.

And I I you know, I think, yeah, I think part of that is I do really love to play.

I do really love I love I love the you know.

When we were making gross point, it had been a long time since since Brooklyn that I had done because I've done streaming shows since then. In a streaming show, you shoot the whole thing and then it comes out later, which I love. And so it had been a minute since I had had the experience of while we were shooting it. We were going to premiere and I got really anxious and it was kind of the first time

And I was like, Oh, this sucks.

Now it's gonna be on TV and people are gonna have opinions about it, and then it's not gonna be ours anymore, and it's gonna be everyone else's and then the bubble, the bubble's gone, and then we don't get to live in the bubble ever again, right right, And I was like, but that's.

Literally our job.

We don't get to do this unless people like what we do and they watch, so we want that. But I just, yeah, it's like I'm a little at odds with that, and I just I don't know, like sounds crazy, but like almost like if I if I could like still make money and like just like do shows and like act and things, and like it didn't matter who saw it or like if it did well, like.

Dream, that would be like literally the dream.

I think everyone feels like that, right, Like it's so it's so anxiety, Like it's so it's hard that part when like you know the thing you love so much and then everyone's going to come.

It's it's not yours anymore.

So it's like the pressure of it having to perform for an economical reason.

Right, like for the for the very practice is the business, Like it is a business. It has it's a product. It has to make money, it has to like do well. People have to watch, it has to hit certain markers, like right now we're waiting to see if it'll come back, if it's going to hit these certain markers.

So why do you find that so anxiety inducing them. And I don't even mean what you're going through right now in particular. You just described, you know, you doing these other shows or Brooklyn or whatever, and it seems sort of the normal process for you to battle that in your head, Like why why is it so anxiety and Doucy, I think.

I don't know.

I mean, I guess, right, it's so out of my control, like there's nothing I can do about it, which in other ways of my life, right, I should just like and I normally can like with things I can't control, like I'm pretty good at like yeah, but for this, I guess because I get especially if I love it, Like I really love this show.

I really love this cast.

They're amazing, so freaking talented Asian Naomi King, Ana Sophia, Rob Ben Rappaport. They're like top notch freaking actors and people like human beings.

I love the showrunners and I love this character.

So I think I feel very personally invested. And again it's that feeling of like it gets taken away from you a little bit, like I still have ownership of my character when I get to be her and do it on set, but all the external stuff is like out of my control, even though it's this thing that I hold like near and deer, and it belongs to other people now and they get to decide if they like it enough.

Like it's a weird, frea consuming So if.

It's control, why allow the anxiety.

To because I want to do it more, because I want to go back to my happy bubble. We know where we're making it and no one knows what we're going to make it, and yeah, and I you know, and I just.

Yeah, I guess ultimately what I'm trying to get back to.

The bubble man.

Yeah, but don't let us steal your peace though, Yeah.

I know, yeah, yeah, no I do.

I have to get It's the one part of our job that I have probably struggled the most with, like my whole career, is the waiting. We did it very often on Brooklyn. Brooklyn was always on the bubble, even though we weren't really it was just everyone was watching

It was just like, I don't want this to end.

I don't want this ride to end, like there's something really special happening.

You get the itch to play different characters at all, or do you're like like the set.

And be like, I want to live this character through.

Uh?

Well both.

I definitely love TV more than doing movies for that reason.

You can really see a character. I like stay.

Characters longer, you know.

It always feels like when you do a film or something and you're just with that character for two months and you're like, for that, then's what happened to her? Like, you know, I've always left with that feeling. I like living with characters longer. But I do like even as sad as I was for Brooklyn to end, my sadness, I think was more rooted in anxiety about what happens next? What does my life look like without this this thing?

You know?

But I was ready.

To move on.

I was ready to like play someone else.

I think, oh, really, yeah you felt that way?

Yeah I did, Yeah, I yeah. I was excited about how.

Many episodes did you guys do?

We did like one hundred and fifty five? Yeah? It was like, you know what I mean.

I was like, I can tell you exactly what Amy's probably going to do for the rest of.

Her life, but like, you know, I feel I have fully explored this character and now I'm ready to move on.

Yeah.

Yeah, And like one last question, where do you think your character would be right now?

Amy?

Yeah?

Oh.

Amy is definitely a captain of a precinct or very close to being captain of a precinct. She's also probably the PTA mom of her kids' school, very good. She's probably had a second kid by now, and she's yeah, and she's gotten all their finances in order, like Jake finally has a four oh one K and they have a college fund set up and yeah, yeah, and that's what she's doing.

That awesome and an rip.

Rest in peace to Andre, who I've had the distinct pleasure of working with as well. And he's from Chicago like me, and he was just a lovely, lovely human being and obviously an incredible actor, but just just a lovely human being to work with. And I'm sure you must have the same experience with him.

The most amazing, brilliant man.

And I mean I have countless beautiful memories with him. But for me, it was also the advice he gave me and also the biggest gift. And we all have talked about this on the cast, especially those of us because you know, Me, Andy On, Joe, Stephanie, and Chelsea, we all had kids during the run of that show. We all became parents, and Andre flew back to New Jersey almost every weekend while we shot Brooklyn, and eventually

Yeah, yeah, that's great advice.

Well, I like to end it on that beautiful sentiment that we all should definitely find the balance of you know, continue to cultivate on why we showed up to work and why we get up in the morning while we travel to a different city to make you know, the the runway that we need to keep the light on for our families.

But it's also important to going to be with our families because that's the point, that's the point of.

Living life, right, Melissa Fumeto, I just want to say thank you, thank you so much.

For being here, Thanks for having me. You're a hero to a generation. I mean, I would you are the national flower of Cuba.

I definitely would not go.

But I am so honored to be the first amiga ye on this podcast.

Thanks for having me.

Thank you so much.

Yeah, this is Those Amigos about the Rama Rodriguez and see you in the next episode.

Those Amigos is a production from WV Sound and iHeartMedia's Michael through That Podcast Network, hosted by Me, Freddie Rodriguez and Wilmri Valdorama.

Those Amigos is produced by Aaron Burlson and Sophie Spencer Zabos.

Our executive producers are Wilmri Valdorama, Freddie Rodriguez, Aaron Burlson, and Leo Klem at WV Sound.

This episode was shot and edited by Ryan Posts and mixed by Sean Tracy and features original music by Madison Devenport and Helo boy.

Our cover art photography is by David Avalos and designed by Deny Holtzklau and.

Thank you for being at Third Amigo today. I appreciate you guys always listening to those amigos.

A more podcasts from My Heart visit the r Heart Radio app, Apple podcast, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.

So you next week