'It's one of my dreams,' Rose Byrne says of her comic turn on Broadway

TERRY GROSS, HOST:

This is FRESH AIR. I'm Terry Gross. Our guest today is actor Rose Byrne. Known for both drama and comedy, she's now one of the few actresses to be nominated for an Oscar and a Tony in the same year. She's currently on Broadway in the revival of the Noel Coward play "Fallen Angels." She spoke with FRESH AIR's Ann Marie Baldonado.

ANN MARIE BALDONADO, BYLINE: When Rose Byrne appeared on American TV in 2007 in the show "Damages," it was clear she was a dramatic force. Playing opposite Glenn Close, she was nominated for two Emmys and two Golden Globe Awards. Then she starred in a series of comedies - "Get Him To The Greek," "Bridesmaids" and "Neighbors" - and it became apparent that she's also one of our most gifted comedic actors. Her work in the last year alone shows that she's so good at playing complex characters in any genre. She stars opposite Seth Rogen in the Apple TV comedy "Platonic," and she received an Oscar nomination for her raw performance in the film "If I Had Legs I'd Kick You." Now Rose Byrne is on Broadway in the play "Fallen Angels." It's a revival of the 1925 Noel Coward play, a farce about two wealthy women - married, English - who go a bit crazy when they hear that the man they had both been involved with before they were married is coming to town. Both Byrne and her co-star, Kelli O'Hara, have been nominated for Tonys for best actress in a play. Rose Byrne, welcome to FRESH AIR.

ROSE BYRNE: Hi. Thanks so much.

BALDONADO: Now, this play is from the 1920s. It was scandalous back then because it was about two women talking about having affairs with the same man before they were married. Had you known this play or had you performed Noel Coward before? And I'll say that Coward is a British playwright known for writing sophisticated, witty comedies about the upper class - you know, funny with a lot going on underneath.

BYRNE: I wasn't familiar with the play. Scott Ellis, who's the artistic director of the Roundabout Theatre, brought it to me and Kelli O'Hara for a benefit reading for the Roundabout. So that's how I discovered the play. Obviously, I was - but I was familiar with Noel Coward. I'd seen productions of his more popular plays, I guess, that are done sort of very frequently. Like, I'd seen "Private Lives." I'd seen "Hay Fever." Like, I've seen productions of his other plays, but "Fallen Angels" was - no, I didn't know it. It's a lesser-done play, so it was a really interesting discovery.

BALDONADO: I want to play a scene from the play. Here, you and your co-star, Kelli O'Hara, are discussing your ex-lover, Maurice, who's French, who you haven't seen in years. You're both excited about the possibility of him visiting. Kelli O'Hara speaks first.

(SOUNDBITE OF PLAY, "FALLEN ANGELS")

KELLI O'HARA: (As Julia Sterroll) I say. Wouldn't it be too wonderful if he arrived suddenly now?

BYRNE: (As Jane Banbury) Oh, I should choke.

O'HARA: (As Julia Sterroll) You're sure you left a thoroughly clear message at your flat in case he went there first?

BYRNE: (As Jane Banbury) Of course.

O'HARA: (As Julia Sterroll) We're bound to get a frightful shock when we do see him.

BYRNE: (As Jane Banbury) Oh, I don't see why.

O'HARA: (As Julia Sterroll) He's bound to have gotten bald or gone fat or something.

BYRNE: (As Jane Banbury) No, no. He won't have changed at all. He wouldn't come if he had because he's far too conceited.

O'HARA: (As Julia Sterroll) No, not conceited. A little vain, perhaps, naturally.

BYRNE: (As Jane Banbury) With those eyes, who can blame him?

O'HARA: (As Julia Sterroll) No, and those hair.

BYRNE: (As Jane Banbury) And those teeth.

O'HARA: (As Julia Sterroll) Oh, and those legs.

BYRNE: (As Jane Banbury, shouting) Oh, Julia.

(Laughter).

BALDONADO: That's a scene from the play "Fallen Angels." Rose Byrne, you're Australian. You live in the U.S. now. Can you talk about your accent in this play?

BYRNE: (Laughter).

BALDONADO: I would think that some of this dialogue is fun to say. And some of the words - the syllables get drawn out, like the way you say eyes, blame, even teeth in this clip.

BYRNE: I mean, yeah, it is - the language you use is sort of linguistic gymnastics, and the extraordinary vocabulary of Noel Coward is a delight. Yeah, we work with Kate Wilson, who's the head of voice at Juilliard, and I've been working with her now for nearly 10 years. And she's extraordinary because she's just like, consonants, consonants, consonants. You got to hit the consonants. Stick the landing. Like, it's the language. That sort of is everything, in a way. It is this brilliant sort of use of language that he had at the age of 25, I believe, when he wrote this play. It's all in the delivery and the - kind of the pacing of it and the - just staying very lightly on all of the language. It's a real tightrope.

Yeah, I never tire of sitting backstage, and I'm constantly rediscovering the words that - and he peppers throughout. Like, the word callous is throughout, which I just love. It's so delicious and just brilliant. And bitterly is used a lot. It was a bitter time and bitterly. And it's just these brilliant words that he uses that I've started to use in my day to day as I walk around in my life now (laughter).

BALDONADO: Everything - you're doing everything bitterly now (laughter).

BYRNE: Exactly. It was a bitter time, I say in the morning to my children. And they're like, what?

(LAUGHTER)

BALDONADO: Well, it's interesting you said that thing about consonants, but in that clip we just heard, too, it's, like, the vowels, too. It's, like, what happens to the vowels in an...

BYRNE: Yes.

BALDONADO: ...Upper-crusty (ph) British accent, maybe.

BYRNE: Yeah. And also, you know, the lover - his name is Maurice, which is a wonderful name 'cause it's like, Maurice. (Laughter) Like, hidden truth in there and a hidden kind of subtext that is - that we just dig and mine for every night. And vulgarity - words like that. It's just brilliant. It's so fun.

BALDONADO: For a lot of the show, you and your co-star, Kelli O'Hara, are playing drunk. Both of your characters...

BYRNE: Yeah. For, like, an hour.

BALDONADO: Yes. You're getting...

BYRNE: We're just getting drunk (laughter).

BALDONADO: Yes. Slowly but surely, you're getting drunk over the course of the evening. And so much of the comedy comes from that. How do you prepare to act drunk, and how do you actually do it?

BYRNE: (Laughter) It's interesting. Well, his writing is so brilliant with the drunkenness. Like, his - you know, the switching of words and the slow decline and the volume. It's very specific in the stage directions. My character gets louder continually throughout this sequence of them drinking, which is very funny and very true about drunk people. They often get louder and louder and louder, and that's what happens to Jane. And then it's referred to in the third act that she was much worse than Julia, and she really is. She sort of unravels. And then there's a violence that comes out in the character, too, that is very dark and can also happen. I've seen with people when they get too inebriated, sometimes it can really - you know, it can be - not reveal the best part of them.

BALDONADO: Yeah. There's a lot of physical comedy in this play. It reminded me, actually, of kind of Lucy and Ethel in "I Love Lucy," as far as the physicality of it, or maybe you're both Lucy, as far as how over the top...

BYRNE: Oh, I mean, that's just such an honor, I mean, that - you know, that we stand on the shoulders of those women, of - you know, of those - and, like, Carol Burnett. Like, I - they're just on a pedestal. Kristen Wiig. You know, I - the physical comedy of those performances. Julia Louis-Dreyfus. I mean, John Cleese. These are the people I put on pedestals. Maya Rudolph. You know, I - just brilliant physical comedians. So we've definitely pushed that side of things, which has been very fun.

BALDONADO: How does performing in a Broadway show - eight shows a week - how does it compare to shooting a movie? You know, even, like, something so kind of adrenaline-pumped as your last film, "If I Had Legs I'd Kick You" - I was just wondering how it feels differently, those different kinds of performance.

BYRNE: No, it's a great question. Something I'm sort of wrestling with 'cause it's kind of - a little bit hard to describe in any erudite fashion. But it feels - we are trying to reach the back row, you know, so it's a - physically, it's just bigger. It is a bigger experience, and then to - sort of to perform in a bigger arena like that and to still remain truthful in that sense of, like, you know, I felt like I was screaming when I first got up 'cause we're not wearing mics, either. There's mics on the stage. But we get up there, and I'm like, (as Jane Banbury) what? You know, hello, Jane, you know, just starting to yell (laughter). I'm like, how do I translate that in a way that still feels authentic, but the theatricality of that, leaning into that, too. So it's been a learning curve again to do that. But I had long wanted to do a true comedic piece on stage. Like, it's been one of my dreams. So this has been extraordinary, to have this experience.

BALDONADO: I also like that you do some hair acting in this play.

BYRNE: (Laughter) Oh, yeah.

BALDONADO: Like, at one point...

BYRNE: Oh, yeah (laughter).

BALDONADO: ...Your hair shows how drunk you are and...

BYRNE: Oh, yeah.

BALDONADO: ...Like, what may have happened to you over...

BYRNE: Yeah.

BALDONADO: ...The course of the evening 'cause...

BYRNE: Yeah.

BALDONADO: ...Your hair is really big. And it actually...

BYRNE: Yeah.

BALDONADO: ...Reminded me of your hair acting in the movie "Spy" from 2015...

BYRNE: Thank you. I'm glad you...

BALDONADO: ...Which, when you (laughter)...

BYRNE: ...Threaded that needle...

BALDONADO: Yes (laughter).

BYRNE: ...Ann Marie. I appreciate that.

BALDONADO: There are so many fun things, like your hair, what you do with a napkin. And your - you and your costar Kelli O'Hara are constantly repouring yourself champagne.

BYRNE: Yeah.

BALDONADO: So there's - you know, there's champagne all over. So it's just interesting, all the different kind of props that you use.

BYRNE: Yeah. And that's - listening to that clip, the main thing about that clip is timing when I drink and when I eat. 'Cause you're constantly drinking, and I'm constantly eating throughout that sequence, which is fine, but it did take a minute through the previews to really figure out how to time that technically so it's funny - you know, to get the breath on the beats for the comedy and also to establish how much they're drinking, you know. So it's - that was, again, sort of a technical, physical feat to figure that out.

BALDONADO: Do you eat the same things every - like, are you ingesting the same...

BYRNE: Yes. Yeah.

BALDONADO: ...Amount of water and food?

BYRNE: That was also a process of, like, figuring out, yeah, what could be an oyster, what can we eat that is, you know, described in the play of what they're eating and then figure - yes, so that was also a process of figuring out all of that stuff and - but also really fun. I mean, it's so fun and delicious (laughter).

BALDONADO: Well, what are you eating? You're not eating oysters (laughter).

BYRNE: So the oysters is a Jell-O.

BALDONADO: Ooh.

BYRNE: It's a yellow - like, a lemon-flavored Jell-O, which is actually good. It's, like, very bland. And then there's one chicken sausage that we, you know, kind of nibble on, and then these, like, weird sort of, like, potato things with the steak. And then we have, like, doughnut holes when we're eating - it's supposed to be profiteroles.

BALDONADO: Yes.

BYRNE: (Laughter).

BALDONADO: Yeah, you eat a lot of those profiteroles throughout (laughter).

BYRNE: I'm eating a lot of them. And they've sort of become, again, a source of some of the comedy - like, playing with the food and all that kind of stuff.

BALDONADO: Well, let's take a short break here and then we'll talk some more. My guest is Golden Globe-winning actor Rose Byrne. Her films include "If I Had Legs I'd Kick You, "Bridesmaids" and "Neighbors." Her TV series include "Platonic," "Physical" and "Damages." She's currently on Broadway in the revival of the play "Fallen Angels." She received a Tony nomination for her performance. More after a break. This is FRESH AIR.

(SOUNDBITE OF MISHA MENGELBERG TRIO'S "ROLLO III")

BALDONADO: This is FRESH AIR. I'm Ann Marie Baldonado, back with actor Rose Byrne. She's one of the few actresses to be nominated for both a Tony and Oscar in the same year. She received the Tony nomination for her role in the play "Fallen Angels" and she received the Oscar nomination for her role in the film "If I Had Legs I'd Kick You."

Now, I want to ask about the film "If I Had Legs I'd Kick You." And I have to say, I feel a little bad about asking you about it because you talked about it for so long.

(LAUGHTER)

BALDONADO: It premiered in Sundance back in January of 2025, and, you know, it seems like you've been talking about it. It came out late last year...

BYRNE: (Laughter).

BALDONADO: ...And then you were nominated for the Oscar earlier this year. And it's such a great film, and you're so great in it, but it's kind of relentless, and I wondered if speaking about it was also relentless (laughter).

BYRNE: Oh, no. I mean, it was an extraordinary experience for me, honestly, that Mary Bronstein wrote this incendiary screenplay, and I just did not want to mess it up (laughter). And it was such a creative opportunity. And her and I have just - we hit it off and had this - a real experience. You know, one of those experiences in life that, you know, sort of creatively has kind of changed me.

BALDONADO: How would you describe the film and your character, Linda?

BYRNE: I've loved speaking to other people about the film 'cause it really is - it sort of defies generalization or description because it's sort of like a fever dream in a way. It has gallows humor in there. It's also, obviously, extremely - there's horror kind of tropes in the film, too. I think Mary Bronstein really kind of broke the mold with the tone of the film in many ways, and she really sort of plays with the edge of consciousness, I think, in many ways, and tapped into sort of, like, the monster within and the fear of being a parent and the horror of being a parent and some of the joy, too. But obviously she's in a really extraordinarily difficult situation, this woman.

But I still can't believe that the film kind of got as far as it did just 'cause it was - you know, it's a small, independent film. So it was just extraordinary.

BALDONADO: Yes. The film was written and directed by Mary Bronstein, and it's based on some of her own experiences. Her daughter had become ill when she was younger, and she had that similar experience about trying to get her well and feeling trapped, or the weight while doing it. And I read that you both did a lot to prepare for the role - that the two of you would meet after dropping off your kids at school and just talk about the script, about motherhood. Did any of the stories that you shared make it into the movie?

BYRNE: Yeah. We were really lucky. We had a period of really, like, five or six weeks where I would, yeah, go to her apartment. And we just started from page 1 and just went through every single, you know, comma (laughter), syllable and dialogue and every - just carving through and sharing stories.

And as to your point, yeah, Mary Bronstein has shared that, too. It was based on a - you know, something she went through with her own child. And, obviously, she didn't behave like my character does in the film (laughter), but the fears behind that and what went into it, and she shared her journals from that time. And - yeah, and I shared my own personal experience of being a parent and how that feels, and struggles. And it was really a incredible period we had there.

So then when we got to set, obviously it was a short shoot. It was only 25 or 6 days or something. We'd sort of had every conversation, so we could really leap off and play the scene and discover stuff. And as an actress, I can't make any sort of decision until the other actor's in front of me and I'm, you know, responding to their - to what's happening. So I'm so grateful we had that period.

BALDONADO: Mary Bronstein has said that, you know, she wanted to capture that visceral feeling of, you know, desperation - that mental state when you feel everything is falling apart because all of these things. She has a child who's ill, and then there are all these other things that are happening, too. And as these things feel like they're falling apart, you feel like it's your fault. Like, it's the state of where you're so stressed that all these problems become equal. And that felt real to me. And I was wondering how you and Mary Bronstein wanted to convey that and if you've ever had that kind of feeling before yourself.

BYRNE: What Linda's going through of having a seriously critically ill child, you know, knock on wood, most parents won't have to go through that, you know, 99% of. It's a very, extraordinarily specific illness that she has, too. But I was sort of obsessed with, like, how do - what happened before this? Like, what led to this moment? Who was she before? Like, you know, because very little information is given.

And I was like, I wanted to, like, discover this sort of - because she's got such a sort of streak of distrust of authority. You know, she's very defiant and, like, prickly. And why? Like, where did that come? So that was sort of our boring, like, actor homework that, you know, I was really interested in as the point of entry for the story.

And Mary was - she's come from an acting background. She went to NYU to train as an actress. So she loves character and the details of that. So that was something we sort of - we discussed a lot of and sort of - and just also tracking the downfall, because the trap would be she's hysterical from the start, you know? And how do we, you know, and sort of track that sort of slow decline, and also the isolation the character has put upon herself because she does not want anyone reflecting back her choices, which are becoming increasingly unhinged and irresponsible?

And so she just has her therapist, really. And he is telling her, you need to get a good night's sleep, don't smoke pot, you know, these basic things. And she's ignoring that. She just completely goes off the rails. She has no guardrails anymore. So that sort of sense of isolation that I've seen with people in my life, if they're in a situation they don't want commented on or they don't want to acknowledge, they slowly remove from your life because they can't have that reflected back.

BALDONADO: I want to play a scene from the film. And Mary Bronstein, the writer-director, is actually in it. She plays the daughter's doctor, who's really hard on your character, Linda, in this scene. Here, the doctor is trying to talk to Linda about how treatment isn't working, and she doesn't think Linda is doing enough to help.

(SOUNDBITE OF FILM, "IF I HAD LEGS I'D KICK YOU")

MARY BRONSTEIN: (As Dr. Spring) You've missed the last few weeks of family sessions.

BYRNE: (As Linda) Yeah. I told you what happened. Our entire ceiling fell down. And with all that chaos, and we're living out of the hotel and...

BRONSTEIN: (As Dr. Spring) So we need to schedule something as soon as possible to talk about her goals and the treatment process.

BYRNE: (As Linda) Yeah. OK, yeah. Duh (laughter). Yeah. Oh, you meant now? OK. All right. Well, let me look at my schedule. I should probably do that...

BRONSTEIN: (As Dr. Spring) I know that you already know this, but you can't start letting feelings of guilt and control about this illness and treatment affect you. It's no one's fault.

BYRNE: (As Linda) That's right. That's what I keep hearing.

BRONSTEIN: (As Dr. Spring) Also, I really need you to start taking care of yourself.

BYRNE: (As Linda) Right.

BRONSTEIN: (As Dr. Spring) You can...

BYRNE: (As Linda) Yes, no, put my oxygen mask on first.

BRONSTEIN: (As Dr. Spring) I'm just going to have to get blunt here. So she needs to reach her weight goal in the next week. If she does that, then we can put tube removal and discharge dates on the books. But if she doesn't do that, I'm going to have to reassess the level of care because, obviously, something is not working here. And this is what I need to talk to you about. When can we sit down properly?

BYRNE: (As Linda) Yeah, fine. September 7.

BRONSTEIN: (As Dr. Spring) It's September 15.

BYRNE: (As Linda) September 20. I mean, September - September 20.

(Laughter).

BALDONADO: That's a scene from the film "If I Had Legs I'd Kick You."

BYRNE: I mean, I think it's hilarious.

BALDONADO: (Laughter).

BYRNE: I'm like, that's funny.

(LAUGHTER)

BALDONADO: Well, you know, it's funny because, yes, there's a lot in the movie that's funny. But, you know, when you were nominated for the Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy, people were like, that was supposed to be a comedy? This feels like horror to me.

BYRNE: I know, I know.

(LAUGHTER)

BYRNE: It's not exactly - yeah, no, totally. It's not "Bridesmaids." No, it's a different sort of comedy, totally. But that scene is so funny hearing it, especially because Mary is so serious. And she's so...

BALDONADO: Yeah.

BYRNE: And she's my friend. And I'm, like, just dying because she's - (laughter). And she also looks like she's 12 years old, Mary. And she's playing the doctor. But that's what happens. All of a sudden, you get to a certain age and there's all these younger people telling you what to do. And you're like, oh, my God. And so that was really - she was so stern and kind of scary as that doctor (laughter).

BALDONADO: Yeah. Let's take a short break here, and we'll talk some more. My guest is actor Rose Byrne. She's currently on Broadway in the revival of the play "Fallen Angels." She just got nominated for Best Actor in a Play for the role. Her films and series include "Damages," "Bridesmaids," "Neighbors," "Insidious," "Platonic" and "If I Had Legs I'd Kick You." More after a break. I'm Ann Marie Baldonado, and this is FRESH AIR.

(SOUNDBITE OF STEREOLAB SONG, "LES YPER-SOUND")

BALDONADO: This is FRESH AIR. I'm Ann Marie Baldonado, back with Golden Globe-winning actor Rose Byrne. Her films include "Bridesmaids," "Get Him To The Greek" and "Neighbors." Her TV series include "Platonic," "Physical" and "Damages." She's currently on Broadway in the revival of a Noel Coward play, "Fallen Angels." She received a Tony nomination for her performance, and "Fallen Angels" received a nomination for best revival of a play. When we left off, we were talking about her film "If I Had Legs I'd Kick You." She was nominated for an Oscar for the role. She plays a woman who's unraveling - trying to care for her sick daughter and dealing with her house, her career and maybe her marriage falling apart. The movie is about anxiety, parenting and the pressure of trying to hold it together while feeling completely alone.

Even though she maybe knows that it's not her fault, it's hard to not feel like it is, and it's hard to not feel judged. And I think that speaks to what can happen to parents, to moms - that, you know, you blame yourself for things that are beyond your control, or you think people are judging you about your parental decisions, even when there's nothing you can really do. And I was wondering if you related to that feeling of guilt.

BYRNE: No, of course. I mean, it's - like, it was fascinating to examine that and examine it in my own life. And also, I spoke to parents of children with special needs, and the whole spectrum of that - of, you know, how it had affected their life and their marriage and their self-esteem and the cost of that. And it is just heart-wrenching. And - but what Linda - the hostility that Linda has is (laughter) something that I had to discover that was very different from how I, Rose, would respond to something like that. And that was really fun to kind of figure that out and figure out where that hostility came from and why she has that for every - you know, anyone approaching her, telling her what to do, whether it's the doctor, or the therapist, or her patient, or anyone, or her husband, or even the child, for that matter, and her resentment around that. And was very fun because it was far more interesting than something - how I would have approached a situation, a crisis like that. And I think that was the key to me figuring out that aspect of the character.

BALDONADO: Yeah. And I think something that the film does so well is convey that pressure of what it's like to be a caretaker - like, the darkness of it. Because it feels relentless. Like, you never stop worrying. And, you know, there are these decisions that the director makes. For example, there's this constant beeping of the machine that happens through the film and - you know, it's the machine that feeds the daughter through the feeding tube. And you can hear that throughout the movie, and that adds to the anxiety. And I think...

BYRNE: (Laughter).

BALDONADO: ...That's also what happens when you're a caregiver. Like, there's that constant beeping in the background.

BYRNE: Yeah, these noises get magnified. And actually, Mary Bronstein made those louder - just a bit. Like, the clock on the wall, the beeping of the machine. All those things were louder because they are in her point of view. And it is - as a parent, those things become overstimulating. It's relentless. And that's - she wanted to capture that claustrophobia.

BALDONADO: Yeah.

BYRNE: And the sound design was really extraordinary in that sense, too. It really captured that.

BALDONADO: One thing I should add is that we never fully know, as viewers, what kind of illness the daughter has, nor do we see the daughter's face through most of the movie.

BYRNE: Yes. Again, she sort of provides more questions than answers.

(LAUGHTER)

BYRNE: And the conceit of not seeing the daughter - and she - Mary's spoken to this many times - but sort of a two-pronged thing in that, you know, I don't think Linda - my character - can see her daughter at this point. She's so drowning and beginning this sort of real descent into her crisis - her mental health crisis, that she can't even see this little - she's sort of lost her shape, which can happen with your family or, you know, when you're in day in and day out, and you just - they lose their physical shape in front of you - your kids, or your husband, or wife or whomever.

And I feel like we sort of - that's Linda's perspective. And also, for the audience to have that choice taken away, to not see the daughter, you're forced to reckon with the mother, because as soon as you put a child on screen, your empathy, as it should, goes to the child. They're so vulnerable, and it's - you know, immediately, your concern will go to them. And so she takes that choice away (laughter) from the viewer, so you're - you know, you're forced to be in the perspective of the mother.

BALDONADO: What was it like making a film about motherhood and anxiety and then going home after work (laughter) and then being a parent at home?

BYRNE: (Laughter) Well, kids are so in the moment and grounding in the best way. They're not particularly interested in, you know, your (laughter) - if you've had a hard day. But it's so wonderful 'cause you immediately snap into your role as mom - the greatest role, the most challenging, the most fun. And so for me, it was - it's church and state, so to leave it at work. I mean, God, obviously there were days when I was more exhausted or tired or, you know, harder to let things go, but children are the great equalizer as a parent, you know.

BALDONADO: Let's take a short break here, and we'll talk some more. My guest is actor Rose Byrne. She's currently on Broadway in the revival of the play "Fallen Angels." She just got nominated for best actor in a play for the role. Her films and series include "Damages," "Bridesmaids," "Neighbors," "Insidious," "Platonic" and "If I Had Legs I'd Kick You." More after a break. This is FRESH AIR.

(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)

BALDONADO: This is FRESH AIR. I'm Ann Marie Baldonado, back with actor Rose Byrne. This year, she's been nominated for Tony for starring in the play "Fallen Angels" and for an Oscar for her role in the film "If I Had Legs I'd Kick You." Her films include "Bridesmaids," "Get Him To The Greek" and "Neighbors." Her TV series include "Damages," "Physical" and "Platonic."

One of your early acting jobs was working on a soap opera, and you say that you got a lot of good training from that. What was the show like, and what was your part if you were a kid? Like...

BYRNE: Yeah..

BALDONADO: ...What kind of role did you play?

BYRNE: (Laughter) It was called "Echo Point," and I played Billy (ph), whose setup of the show was who was her father? Unknown. She didn't know. It was, like, the overarching storyline, plot, of the soap opera. And I was very young. I was 15, I think, when I got that part. So I was still - you know, I would be at school and then going there and then getting tutoring. And it was an incredible technical training. It's amazing what you learn. You just learn how to learn lines very regularly and quickly 'cause you are doing so much. You're filming so much. All the - you're doing, like, 15 pages a day or something. (Laughter) Like, it's intense. And the technicality, you just - it's brilliant how much you learn about the camera, all of the machinations of making a show or a film. So it's a brilliant training ground, (laughter) I must say, for the technical aspect of acting.

BALDONADO: Did Billy ever find out who her father was?

BYRNE: Well, I think so. I think what happened was that we quickly - we did not - it was not a successful show (laughter).

BALDONADO: Oh, I'm sorry.

BYRNE: And it quickly - it's OK. It quickly was deemed it was not going to be picked up after six months, so they rushed the ending, and I did find out.

BALDONADO: Phew.

BYRNE: (Laughter) I did find out who my father was. I think they were hoping it would be Season, you know, 25 that I'd find out, but it was, in fact, Season 1. So (laughter) I did. She did find out who...

BALDONADO: Oh, phew.

BYRNE: Yeah. Yeah.

BALDONADO: Yes. Oh, thank God.

BYRNE: Yeah. I think they told me already. I think it was pretty obvious who it was.

(LAUGHTER)

BYRNE: I'm pretty sure they told me, as well. Yeah.

BALDONADO: I want to ask about "Bridesmaids," which came out in 2011. It came out 15 years ago this month. It was May...

BYRNE: Wow. Oh, wow.

BALDONADO: ...2011. Yeah.

BYRNE: Oh, my God.

BALDONADO: How did you get that role?

BYRNE: (Laughter).

BALDONADO: It's crazy, right? Fifteen...

BYRNE: That's wild. I had done "Get Him To The Greek," and Judd had produced that, and he was producing "Bridesmaids." Yeah. So he had been working with Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumolo on the script for a while, I think. And I went in and I auditioned, yeah, with Kristen and Paul Feig, the wonderful, gorgeous director.

BALDONADO: I want to play a scene from the film. Just to remind people, this film is about Annie, played by Kristen Wiig. Her best friend, Lillian, who was her friend since childhood, played by Maya Rudolph, is getting married. You play Helen, a new, very put together, wealthy friend of Maya Rudolph's character. And you try to step in as a new best friend, kind of taking over things like the shower, the bachelorette party, even the wedding itself - taking that from Kristen Wiig's character. This scene is near the end of the film. The bride, Maya Rudolph's character, has gone missing, and your character is trying to find her and get her back to the wedding. And she has asked Annie for help. You're both in the car driving.

(SOUNDBITE OF FILM, "BRIDESMAIDS")

BYRNE: (As Helen) I just don't know what could have possibly gone wrong. Everything was going smoothly. The dress looked fantastic. It had come in from Paris. Dougie was being great and very helpful. I had organized everything to the, you know, last final detail. I just - I don't know what's happened to her.

KRISTEN WIIG: (As Annie) I don't know. You should know, right? You're her best friend. It's weird that you don't know. You guys are so close.

BYRNE: (As Helen) Annie, I want to apologize to you personally for all of the things that have gone down. I know that I hurt you, and then I created a distance between you and Lilly, and I want to apologize for that.

WIIG: (As Annie) You know what? I don't want to hear it.

BYRNE: (As Helen) And everything that happened at the shower and with Las Vegas.

WIIG: (As Annie) OK. I don't want to hear any more, honestly. I just - I don't even want to talk to you.

BYRNE: (As Helen) Harry (ph) never really wants to talk to me, either. He travels a lot. Like, all year. I'm basically just by myself.

WIIG: (As Annie) I don't want to - I don't feel sorry for you.

BYRNE: (As Helen) You know, I really liked that original dress you picked at the bridal store. I thought it was beautiful. You have really lovely taste.

WIIG: (As Annie) Thanks, but that's - little too late for that.

BYRNE: (As Helen) And I know - I don't think that Brazilian food really gave us food poisoning.

WIIG: (As Annie) No, I think it did.

BYRNE: (As Helen, crying) I think people just ask me to their weddings because I'm good at organizing parties. I don't have any female friends. I'm so sorry. Why are you smiling?

WIIG: (As Annie) It's just this is the first time I've ever seen you look ugly, and it makes me kind of happy.

BYRNE: (As Helen, laughing) I look ugly? No, I don't. I don't really look ugly.

WIIG: (As Annie) A little bit. You're an ugly crier, but that's OK.

BYRNE: (As Helen) No, I'm not really an ugly crier.

WIIG: (As Annie) OK. Maybe just a little bit.

BYRNE: (As Helen) No.

WIIG: (As Annie) Just a little bit.

BYRNE: (As Helen) It's just my makeup. I still look pretty good.

BALDONADO: That's a scene from "Bridesmaids." It's hard to remember that back when this movie came out, you know, there were articles in the press. People were still asking, can women be funny? Can they be raunchy? Can comedies starring women make money? What was it like making this film, surrounded by so many female comedians?

BYRNE: It was so fun. Oh, my gosh. We had such a fun time. I mean, it was a great group of actresses. I was like, this is incredible. It's already extraordinary to have that many scenes with just women. I've had that once since then when I did "Mrs. America," a show for FX about the second wave of feminism, playing Gloria Steinem. But this was really, really special. And we had no idea that it would go on to become such a beloved movie. And it was, again, like an education and an education in the brilliance of these comedic actresses and the performances and me trying to - I mean, but Helen's really the straight man in the film. But it changed my life in so many ways.

BALDONADO: Helen gives off some good zingers, though.

BYRNE: Oh, thank you.

BALDONADO: She's so funny (ph)...

(LAUGHTER)

BALDONADO: ...Even in that scene. Did you learn any specific techniques from these actors who were, you know, well-versed in improv?

BYRNE: I did. No, yeah, that's so - I mean, what Wiig does is so different from what Melissa does to Maya to Wendi to Ellie. They're all so brilliant in their different ways. And - I don't know - improv, for me, is still a little mercurial and a little, like, kind of - sometimes I'll come up with something funny, but sometimes, often, I don't. Like, it feels for me, intuitively, I'm always, like, character-driven. Who's the character? How is the character - you know, what would they - Helen is so different from me. Like, that's such a different - so fun to play 'cause it's completely opposite to myself in every kind of possible way (laughter). So that entitlement and the presentation and the - all those sorts of fun things and what means something to that - to a person like that. The more character-driven I can make it feels like the comedy can be more specific. But the improv stuff, I mean, it's just like a skill set that is - still, I marvel at when I'm working with someone like Seth Rogen. He's also the same. Just naturally, they make it look effortless, but it's actually really incredibly hard.

BALDONADO: Since we're talking about Seth Rogen, I want to play a scene from the first time, I think, you worked together on the movie "Neighbors," which came out in 2014. You play a young married couple. You just had a baby, and you happen to be living next door to a frat house at a university. And it kind of escalates. You sort of have battles between each other. And here's a scene later in the movie. You're fighting with your neighbors has sort of escalated and kind of gone too far, and the two of you are fighting.

(SOUNDBITE OF FILM, "NEIGHBORS")

BYRNE: (As Kelly Radner) We went too far now. This is dangerous.

SETH ROGEN: (As Mac Radner) Oh, we did not go too far. Now is when we get them back even more. You see what they did to me? We don't stop now.

BYRNE: (As Kelly Radner) What's going to be next? They're going to break into the house?

ROGEN: (As Mac Radner) No. No.

BYRNE: (As Kelly Radner) You need to grow up, OK?

ROGEN: (As Mac Radner) What?

BYRNE: (As Kelly Radner) Our family is in danger.

ROGEN: (As Mac Radner) I need to grow up?

BYRNE: (As Kelly Radner) Yes, you need to grow up. One of us has got to be the adult in this relationship.

ROGEN: (As Mac Radner) You should take responsibility.

BYRNE: (As Kelly Radner) That's not only offensive but it's [expletive] stupid.

ROGEN: (As Mac Radner) So it's offensive that I'm saying that you should be smart?

BYRNE: (As Kelly Radner) Yes. It's offensive that I have to be the smart one all the time. I'm allowed to be just as irresponsible as you.

ROGEN: (As Mac Radner) Well, that's how it works. I'm the dumb guy and you're the woman who's supposed to stop the dumb guy from doing dumb [expletive]. Haven't you ever seen a Kevin James movie? We can't both be Kevin James. I'm Kevin James.

BYRNE: (As Kelly Radner) Well, I have a little bit of Kevin James in me.

ROGEN: (As Mac Radner) Well, we can't both. Clearly, you're the one who knows better, so you should know better.

BYRNE: (As Kelly Radner) You know that I'm not like that. And I've never been like that.

ROGEN: (As Mac Radner) Well, maybe you should be.

BYRNE: (As Kelly Radner) That's never been me. And just because I'm a mom, doesn't mean that I'm going to change who I am.

ROGEN: (As Mac Radner) Well, just because I am a father, it doesn't mean I can stop doing mushrooms with teenagers.

BYRNE: (As Kelly Radner) Fine.

ROGEN: (As Mac Radner) Fine.

BYRNE: (As Kelly Radner) Good.

ROGEN: (As Mac Radner) Good then.

BYRNE: (As Kelly Radner) OK, Kevin, I don't think we're a good team anymore.

ROGEN: (As Mac Radner) Team is breaking up.

BYRNE: (As Kelly Radner) Yeah. This worked before we had Stella. But...

ROGEN: (As Mac Radner) Now it doesn't.

BYRNE: (As Kelly Radner) It doesn't work anymore. So...

ROGEN: (As Mac Radner) Yeah, because someone refuses to grow up.

BYRNE: (As Kelly Radner) Fine.

ROGEN: (As Mac Radner) Fine then. Good.

BYRNE: (As Kelly Radner) OK, you go find your nagging wife that you want to find.

ROGEN: (As Mac Radner) OK. Good, OK.

BYRNE: (As Kelly Radner) And I'll go find a real man.

ROGEN: (As Mac Radner) Fine.

BYRNE: (As Kelly Radner) Fine.

(LAUGHTER)

BALDONADO: That's a scene from "Neighbors." And, you know, this is a pretty, like, raunchy, like, funny, slapstick-y kind of film. But one of the great things about it is this portrayal of a married couple because it's not - it doesn't follow those tropes that you make fun of in this clip.

BYRNE: Yes. They really wanted to break those stereotypes of, like, in these typical sort of broad comedies. It is the nagging wife who's like, you can't have fun. You can't do this. So it's like those very, like, old tropes that are extremely boring.

(Laughter) And so we wanted to break those typical ideas and have, like, two wildly irresponsible people who are trying to be - (laughter) who are trying to, like, be parents and also party with, you know, the ridiculous frat house next door. So it was really fun and an intentional thing that we were trying to address and do and be sort of conscious about it. You know, it was really a big bonding exercise for Seth and I. And it felt sort of fresh, which was nice.

BALDONADO: Rose Byrne, congrats on the Tony nomination. And thank you so much for joining us.

BYRNE: Thank you, Ann Marie. Thank you so much.

GROSS: Rose Byrne spoke with FRESH AIR producer Ann Marie Baldonado. Byrne is starring in the Broadway revival of the Noel Coward play "Fallen Angels." It will be livestreamed on BroadwayHD on June 5. Its limited run ends on June 7. After we take a short break, TV critic David Bianculli reflects on the end of "The Late Show With Stephen Colbert." The final episode airs tonight. This is FRESH AIR.

(SOUNDBITE OF JUSTIN HURWITZ'S "SURPRISE")

TERRY GROSS, HOST:

This is FRESH AIR. "The Late Show With David Letterman" ran on CBS from 1993 until he retired in 2015. And after that, in the same Broadway space, now known as the Ed Sullivan Theater, it became "The Late Show With Stephen Colbert." Tonight, after 11 years at the helm, the show's second host steps down, but not of his own volition. And the franchise itself is ending, too. Those are decisions made by CBS and its corporate owner, Paramount. But our TV critic, David Bianculli, says Colbert is very much going out on his own terms.

DAVID BIANCULLI, BYLINE: Stephen Colbert has approached the last weeks of his show with what seems to be a mixture of defiance and celebration. He's defiant in that he's doing pretty much whatever he wants to. When he hosted David Letterman, the man who launched "The Late Show" and who himself was famous for gleefully throwing watermelons and other projectiles from the roof of the Ed Sullivan Theater, Colbert joined Letterman on the rooftop. The two of them threw things, including Colbert's desk and guest chairs, off the roof. And then Colbert gave Letterman the last word. Letterman quoted the familiar send-off of one of CBS' respected news icons, Edward R. Murrow. But Letterman's last word added an expletive.

(SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, "THE LATE SHOW WITH STEPHEN COLBERT")

STEPHEN COLBERT: Well, Dave.

DAVID LETTERMAN: Yes, sir?

COLBERT: Hey, thanks so much for creating "The Late Show" 33 years ago.

LETTERMAN: Oh, no.

COLBERT: It's been a pleasure having you back to destroy some stuff.

LETTERMAN: No, the pleasure is all mine. I enjoyed destroying stuff. It's great, great fun. Thank you for everything you've done for our country.

COLBERT: Oh, the feeling is mutual, Dave. Thank you. Anything you'd like to save to the audience before we go?

LETTERMAN: Well, not necessarily to the audience. But to the folks at CBS, in the words of the great Ed Murrow, good night and good luck, motherf*****s.

(LAUGHTER)

BIANCULLI: It was a show of support and a sentiment and a phrase that caught on. Days later, on HBO's "Last Week Tonight With John Oliver," Oliver used Letterman's phrase as the sign off for his own show after giving Colbert a quick plug. Oliver also showed up on Colbert's "Late Show" in solidarity, along with fellow late night hosts Jimmy Kimmel, Jimmy Fallon and Seth Meyers. The defiance was on display there, too, as Colbert asked his guests about late night TV in general. Jimmy Kimmel, a survivor of his own politically electrified corporate battles, gave the best reply. Seth Meyers, seated next to Kimmel with an iPad, provided comic sound effects.

(SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, "THE LATE SHOW WITH STEPHEN COLBERT")

COLBERT: Late night is in a bit of a weird spot right now.

JIMMY KIMMEL: Why?

COLBERT: Spoiler alert. And people questioning its future. I've been asked this question more - like three times over the last 10 months in various interviews. Like, they go like, make a case for late night. I'm like, what do you mean? And they go like, make a case for it. Like, why should it continue to exist? I'm like, people like it. I enjoy doing it.

KIMMEL: Yeah.

(CHEERING)

COLBERT: But why would you say that - make a case for late night.

KIMMEL: Well, I would say that in my - well, I look at the figures. And the fact of the matter is more people are watching late night television now than - and I know everybody gets crazy - than when Johnny Carson. Now, obviously, Johnny Carson had a lot of people watching one show. But we have a lot of shows...

COLBERT: Six - how many people a show? Yeah.

KIMMEL: ...With, like, 30,000 people watching each one, right? And it adds up. And people watch us on YouTube now. And people have a lot of different options, and yet still - they keep coming to us. And I will tell you, when I got knocked off the air for a few days, people...

(SOUNDBITE OF TROMBONE PLAYING)

KIMMEL: Thank you.

(BOOING)

KIMMEL: People...

UNIDENTIFIED PERSON: I'm going to press the high hat.

(LAUGHTER)

KIMMEL: People canceled Disney+. Why isn't...

(CHEERING)

KIMMEL: Why...

(APPLAUSE)

KIMMEL: Why aren't you people canceling Paramount+? 'Cause you didn't have it in the first place?

(LAUGHTER)

BIANCULLI: Stephen Colbert also showed defiance in planning his final shows. One program, presenting sketches and ideas that didn't make the air, pretty much was an inside joke aimed at his staffers who were the only ones seated in that night's audience. It wasn't that entertaining to watch, but I suspect that may have been the point. Colbert made that show with and for the coworkers he loved so much because he could.

And on other shows, Colbert's musical guests and song selections were statements, too. He got Bernadette Peters and other Broadway musical stars to sing "Putting It Together" from Steven Sondheim's "Sunday In The Park With George," a song that's all about the joys and difficulties of making art. And David Byrne came on to perform a highly charged version of "Burning Down The House." In the context of Colbert and his show, both leaving CBS, those lyrics were amazingly spot on. And Colbert joined in at the end, singing and dancing with Ed Grimley-type glee. And of course, Colbert was ruthless to the end in his monologues, diving deeply into political topics instead of avoiding them, like this joke from earlier this week.

(SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, "THE LATE SHOW WITH STEPHEN COLBERT")

COLBERT: Today, the Justice Department posted an addendum to the original settlement, which says that the IRS is forever barred and precluded from pursuing examinations of Trump, related or affiliated individuals and related trusts and businesses. So he just gave himself a get-out-of-jail-free card and a way better one than Jeffrey Epstein got.

(LAUGHTER)

BIANCULLI: The celebratory element of these final shows has been reflected in the A-list guests who showed up and how Colbert interacted with them. Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks showed up separately, with projects to plug, but also brought stories and perspective. And Tom brought gifts, including a vintage typewriter, one of his well-known passions. Jon Stewart, who, like Letterman, was one of Colbert's former employers, had a great time comparing getting-fired stories. Several of these shows and guests could have been the finale - David Letterman, Jon Stewart, the gaggle of late-night cronies, and Barack Obama, who appeared in a pre-taped segment to answer the Colbert questionnaire.

(SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, "THE LATE SHOW WITH STEPHEN COLBERT")

COLBERT: What is the scariest animal?

(LAUGHTER)

BARACK OBAMA: This is a scientific nerd question, but mosquitoes are the scariest animal.

COLBERT: Sure.

(LAUGHTER)

COLBERT: Yeah. Yeah. Because?

OBAMA: Yeah. They bring a lot of bad diseases.

COLBERT: There you go.

OBAMA: Yeah.

BIANCULLI: Tonight is the real last show, and the final guests and contents are a mystery. Meanwhile, it's still a mystery to me why CBS and Paramount are being so shortsighted and stupid. Firing Colbert - that's bad enough, but he'll do fine. Ending the late-show franchise - that's the worst mistake CBS has made with its entertainment lineup since firing the Smothers Brothers.

GROSS: David Bianculli is FRESH AIR's TV critic. I'm sure the show will be great tonight, and Colbert will probably make us laugh, but when his show is over, it's going to be really sad. I'll miss you, Stephen Colbert.

If you'd like to catch up on FRESH AIR interviews you missed, like this week's interviews with writer Jesmyn Ward, or Zayd Ayers Dohrn on his life as the son of members of the revolutionary group The Weather Underground, check out our podcast. You'll find lots of FRESH AIR interviews.

And to find out what's happening behind the scenes of our show and get our producers' recommendations for what to watch, read and listen to, subscribe to our free newsletter at whyy.org/freshair.

(SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, "THE LATE SHOW WITH STEPHEN COLBERT")

COLBERT: And now performing "Burning Down The House," David Byrne.

(APPLAUSE)

GROSS: FRESH AIR's executive producer is Sam Briger. Our technical director and engineer is Audrey Bentham. Our interviews and reviews are produced and edited by Phyllis Myers, Roberta Shorrock, Ann Marie Baldonado, Lauren Krenzel, Therese Madden, Monique Nazareth, Susan Nyakundi, Anna Bauman, and Nico Gonzalez-Wisler. Our digital media producer is Molly Seavy-Nesper. Thea Chaloner directed today's show. Our cohost is Tonya Mosley. I'm Terry Gross.

(SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, "THE LATE SHOW WITH STEPHEN COLBERT")

DAVID BYRNE: (Singing) Ah, watch out. You might get what you're after. Cool babies. Strange but not a stranger. I'm an ordinary guy burning down the house.

Transcripts are created on a rush deadline, and accuracy and availability may vary. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Please be aware that the authoritative record of Fresh Air interviews and reviews are the audio recordings of each segment.