Newsweek - USA (2019-12-06)

DECEMBER 13, 2019

Culture

48

Illustration by BRITT SPENCER

“i’ve always loved women in comedy, so i’m continuously

surprised when I hear people repeating that age-old ‘women aren’t funny’

thing,” Rachel Brosnahan says. “I don’t get it at all. While we’ve come a long way,

clearly we still have a long way to go.” Emmy award-winning actor Brosnahan

plays Midge Maisel on the Amazon Video hit series The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.

Two already-released seasons follow the fictional, ever-fashionable ’50s mother

as she embarks on a personal journey to put her naturally funny, carefree atti-

tude on display. The show’s third season will be released on December 6. Bros-

nahan will also appear in I’m Your Woman, an Amazon film set to release in

2020, in which she plays Jean, a character wildly different from Midge. “Jean

is at a place in her life where she’s feeling pretty small,” says Brosnahan. Midge

plays larger than life in almost every aspect. I suppose the similarity is that

they’re both following different journeys to better understanding themselves

and figuring out how to use their voices in a new way.”

Rachel Brosnahan

Do you draw any of your Mrs.

Maisel character inspiration from

current comedians?

I watched a ton of Ali Wong. She’s

brilliant and funny and sharp and

vulgar as f**k. I love her so much. I

watched Baby Cobra>:RQJŠV1HWʀL[

special] about four times. If Midge

were a comedian today, she’d be

doing similar things to what Ali Wong

is doing. I could watch her all day.

Midge has been criticized for not

interacting with her kids much. Do

you think that helps viewers to

separate Midge as an individual

rather than as a mother or wife?

I don’t understand it. Mom shaming

is such a real thing on- and off-

screen. Midge may not look like how

we picture the ideal mother, but her

children are well cared for by four

loving grandparents, a very involved

husband, neighbors, and the maid.

They are loved, but Midge is a working

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character, I have been personally

offended for her at times listening to

some of this criticism. Midge and Joel

are not going to be parents of the year,

but the idea that they are abusive or

neglectful is outrageous.

You’re also set to star in the movie

I’m Your Woman. Are you drawn to

roles of strong women?

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inherently strong. I’m drawn to roles that

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and that paint a three-dimensional

portrait of women. —Kelly Wynne

“I’m continuously

surprised when

I hear people

repeating

that age-old

‘women aren’t

funny’ thing.”

PARTING SHOT