LOS ANGELES – Imagine directing Martin Scorsese. Now imagine he’s telling stories from Goodfellas between takes, being exactly the legendary filmmaker you expected him to be. For Seth Rogen, it was “one of the most exciting days” he’s ever had on set. In The Studio, his new series that satirizes Hollywood from the inside, Rogen achieved something that seemed impossible: convincing giants like Scorsese and Ron Howard to poke fun at themselves. And the result was surprisingly funny.
“Directing great directors is very scary,” admits Rogen in an interview with a group of journalists, with Filmelier present. But both Scorsese and Ron Howard fully embraced the joke. Scorsese “really gives you the Martin Scorsese you want,” while Howard surprised everyone with his professional dedication, insisting on rehearsing scenes over Zoom weeks before filming.
“Ron really wanted to act well and was very serious about his performance,” says Rogen. The director of A Beautiful Mind wanted to read and reread the scenes, showing that he was truly committed to the role.
The inspiration for the series, and for the guest appearances, came from the classic The Larry Sanders Show, where Rogen watched idols like Jim Carrey and Sean Penn make fun of themselves. “We wanted it so that, if it’s a director I should be excited to work with, you as a viewer would believe that a studio executive would actually be thrilled to work with that person,” he says.
Each guest appearance went through a strict “test.” If it wasn’t convincing that the person would really hold such a position in Hollywood, they didn’t make it into the show.
In The Studio, the most realistic Golden Globe on TV
One of the most ambitious episodes of The Studio goes beyond cameos and recreates the Golden Globe ceremony at the Beverly Hilton itself. Rogen wanted to give audiences “an immersive experience of what it’s really like to be at the Golden Globes.”
The actor’s personal experience at award shows was crucial. He recalls the first time he attended. “Everybody was getting drunk, it was a lot of fun. It was kind of chaotic, people getting up and moving from table to table,” he remembers.
During filming, the crew was shocked by how real it felt. “They asked me if people really just get up in the middle of the show and go backstage to have conversations. That’s exactly how it was,” says Rogen, with his typical laugh.
Art imitating life
The funniest part is that many real executives don’t recognize themselves in the show’s obvious satires. “A lot of people think it’s based on them when it’s not. Many people it is based on don’t want to think it’s based on them,” Rogen jokes.
The series has made Hollywood executives see themselves in awkward situations. Especially in the episode where Rogen visits a set and no one wants him there. Several messaged him. “I’m on a film set and I can’t stop thinking about your show. And about how no one wants me here,” they said.
For season two, Rogen already has a dream list of new cameos, but prefers not to reveal names. After all, as he himself discovered, convincing stars to make fun of themselves is almost like the show itself: a mix of ego, insecurity, and plenty of Hollywood charm.
