Bill Hader and Kristen Wiig remember the 2014 film that set off their dramatic careers.
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The release ofBill HaderandKristen Wiigs movieThe Skeleton Twinsmarked a transition in both of their careers.
Wait, this can be a whole thing!
Watch the panel in full below, or read on for a transcript of the conversation.
Bill Hader:We had the same manager at the time, Naomi Odenkirk.
The babysitter showed up [points to Kristen].
:That was me!
:I was like, Hi, you said, Hi, and then we just kept moving.
:He had great advice for me when I auditioned.
We talked on the phone and he was so sweet.
But he said that in a very encouraging way!
Then I auditioned and I never heard anything.
And then the season started, so I figured I didnt get the job.
She said, I can do Judy Garland.
I go, Oh, what can you say as Judy Garland?
I went into Seth Meyerss office and I was like, That new girl is amazing.
He was like, Youre a new guy!
What do you mean new girl?
:Thats so funny.
I dont remember that.
:You said that, and I was like, Okay, shes the funniest human on the planet.
So that was his first impression of you.
What was your first impression of him?K.W.
:You watch those early shows and I think there was just a comfortability with him.
Hes just one of the best there is.
:Shes one of the best there is.
:It didnt always work!
as this character that she did.
:Never, never saw the light of day.
I was never told, just bring it back, and I just kept bringing it back.
:Its my favorite thing!
And [puts on a high voice] Thomas!That woman.
I can still do it.
:Oh my God.
Again, it was just very comforting!
:They dont tell you anything.
I didnt know where the food was.
You go to Lorne Michaels, Wheres the food?
and hed go [does Lorne Michaels impression],Riiight.
Id go, Hey, Im thirsty, can I get something to drink?
and hed go [does Lorne Michaels impression again],No, I know.
It was a tough time.
But Kristen and I, we got a shorthand together.
So youre just incredibly comfortable with each other.
Do you remember the first sketch that you developed either for each other or together?B.H.
:We did this thing called The Australians with Fred Armisen that no one liked.
I dont think it ever aired.
:Even the premise will probably get a groan.
:We were Australians packing for a trip.
:And we were just putting Australian things into a bag.
:I got one can of Vegemite!
:One DVD ofMuriels Wedding!
:Heres one Hugh Jackman doll!
One pouch of kangaroo doo-doo!
One huge diorama of the Sydney Opera House!
And then the credits ran
B.H.
:And backwards for like a good minute.
:To the sound of a didgeridoo.
And the sketch played to such silence that I remember I could hear the props rustling.
I could hear Kristen breathing.
:Hollywood Dish was another one.
:Where I would spit stuff in Kristens face.
And I started laughing.
I used to do this character Herb Welch, whod hit people with the microphone.
I broke then, too.
:I think theres a looseness with when we would do sketches together.
We dont really get to improvise when were doing sketches; its pretty much reading whats on the card.
But I think there is something … silly is the word thats coming to mind.
:Kristen, I remember the first time on-air, she said, We cant go then!
:Or when Fred would say, What are you doing here?
From the table to rehearsal to air, it got longerevery time.
Who developed The Californians?B.H.
Well, how did you get to your meetings?
:You really dont get much time.
And then you show up.
Kristen, are there qualities of Bill that you like to write to?
Things that you know he can do?K.W.
:He can do anything.
Theres people who, when you are writing a sketch, you know this person will just kill it.
you’re free to always count on that.
I think we had such a sweet spot with the cast that we had.
You could just sort of kick the ball to anyone.
That was me and Bill and Andy Samberg and Jason Sudeikis.
That bond will always be there.
:Thats crazy that its the four of us.
But both of you are thenexiting or about to exitSNL.
How doesSkeleton Twinscome to you?B.H.
Theyre going, What the fuck are you doing here?
And I was like, I know!
Then months later, the casting director said, Hey, I have this script.
Im casting this movie, its a drama with some comedy in it.
Would you read it?
I read it and immediately was like, Yeah, hey.
And then from that point, it was a year or two until we got Kristen.
:How long was it until Kristen came on?
Craig Johnson:Like a year and a half or so.
Honestly, we had another actor attached who then ended up not being able to do it.
K.W.:What!?
And they were really excited about you, Bill, doing this movie.
I was like, Hey, guys, if you really want this movie to happen Kristen Wiig!
:They saw how much moneyBridesmaidsmade and they were just like, Mmm, yes!
:At first they said, Craig, shes getting offered every giant studio thing.
:She just got offeredBatman.
:That was true.
:Hi, Im Batman!
Were out of wine!
:Is that your impression of me?
B.H.:No!
My impression of you is that youre always cold.
:I am always cold.
This is what it was like every day on set.
Im surprised we got anything done.
Okay, go ahead.
They said, This is what she actually wants to do.
I realized I hadnt actually confirmed with Bill.
I said, She wants to do it, but only if you want to do it with her.
You were like, Why wouldnt I want to do it with her?
And then I kind of was like, Oh gosh, we might make this little movie!
It was low-budget and we had no trailers.
All the people see me go in and then come out, like hey!
We had to really go places.
I dont want that to sound actor-y
No, its a heavy movie.K.W.
We were in the backyard, and its when I said something horrible.
:You should have cut deeper.
:And you yelled cut, and we just started crying.
I felt bad that I said that.
Can you talk a little bit about why this was the kind of movie you wanted to make?
:I dont know.
Its like trying to describe why you fell in love with somebody.
You read something and you go, Oh yeah,that.
But I dont know why, it justhappened, you know?
:I was scared after we were wrapped.
Its like, Can they do it?
:It happens sometimes where you have a good time on a project and then it just gets annihilated.
That was the worst six months of my life!
My marriage fell apart!
Come on, I dont want to look at that!
This is great, this is awesome.
And then it was the morning of the Sundance screening.
I had a total, complete panic attack.
Couldnt leave my hotel room.
And then she went, Oh my God, the lip-sync scene just got a massive applause break.
I do want to talk about the lip-sync scene.B.H.
Everything you see, he walked us through every beat of that.
Go over to the piano, then you do this, then you pull the … K.W.
:The entire thing.
:Theyre being modest.
We figured it out together.
Was it always going to be this song?C.J.
:It was not.
The scene was not supposed to be that epic, either.
It was like, two sentences in the script that said, Shes pissed off at him.
He lip-syncs a song to cheer her up.
And in the script, the song wasHold On, by Wilson Phillips.
And inBridesmaids, if you all remember, that song factors prominently.
But not until a few weeks before shooting did I have the new song.
I was listening to all kinds of everything: Debbie Gibson and Tiffany.
Nothing was quite right.
And then when I rediscovered Nothings Gonna Stop Us Now, by Starship.
It was the only duet I listened to.
I was like,Wait, this can be a whole thing!
:[Does Australian accent]Good job, Craig!
:[Also does Australian accent] Great!
The Australians are back.K.W.
:Were never gonna go away till the movie comes out.
Two hours of us packing.
:Oh yeah, youre right.
:And I am still sweating from dancing.
I was like, Uhhhh, okay.
But Craig did an amazing thing.
I hadnt looked at the scene, and it was like a two-page-long thing or something.
So I went outside and I was reading it and walking around and trying not to freak out.
And then a PA came up to me and said, Hey, theyre ready.
He was that in tune with me as a director to go, Okay, you know what?
I will always be thankful for that.
So the movie comes out.
Did it change what you wanted to be doing in your careers?B.H.
:This movie factored hugely in me being able to doBarry.
Wed like to see something like that.
Theres this guy,Alec Berg.
Alec, you watchSkeleton Twins.
Hes not just an impressions guy.
Alec came out and was like, Wow, okay, all right!
Theres no wayBarrywould have happened if it was not for this movie.
How do you translate between those two things?
Are they completely different muscles?B.H.
:I was not a good sketch writer.
:That is not true.
:No, I would always needJohn Mulaney or Simon Richor somebody to go off of.
How do you do Penelope?
:Thats not true.
:Now, Bill, I have seen a Stefon Christmas ornament.
Yeah, but you know what I mean?
:You write a lot more now.
:Yes, I write pretty much every day now.
WithBarryor something like that, it was always trying to get the story right.
The hard part of writing is just the day-to-day grind of,This makes no sense.
What are your worst habits as writers?K.W.
:Not doing it.
:Ive watched every episode of the showSnapped.
:Thatswhat youre watching?
:I love women killing men.
And its so regional!
And yourea Bravo person, Kristen?K.W.
:I am a Bravo person and I am not ashamed.
But I have two kids, so I dont really watch that much anymore.
:But yeah, not doing the writing.
You have to force yourself to do it.
:And second-guess yourself.
You just cant see it, or you feel like,Maybe this isnt enough.Maybe my voice isnt right.
:Youre one of the funniest writers.Barb and Star?
That got me through the pandemic.
:Thank you very much, but lets talk aboutBarry!
Is it weird to say Im proud of you?
:No, you could say Im proud of you!
Im proud of you!
How many pictures did I send of thePalm Royalething to you?
I always take pictures and send them to her like, Look, your billboards over La Cienega!
