‘Camping’ Showrunner Jenni Konner And The Cast On What’s Ahead In Season 1, Ideas For Season 2, & More [Interview]

Juliette, Ione, and Brett, what was it about this project that caught your attention?

Ione Skye: I really loved “Girls.” And, for me, it was sort of like, “HBO? Lena Dunham? Jenni Konnor? Yes, whatever it is.” I wasn’t like, “As long as the script is good.” I was like, “I’m in. What is it?” They really had such great writers as well.  I feel like the comedy and the interpersonal relationships [were] an interesting challenge for them and us to have because “Girls” [had a] very specific voice. I was a fan of that voice, so I was just happy to be involved with it.

Juliette Lewis: It’s so exciting when you have women of this caliber that have created their own recognizable culture and characters and dialogue. You have Tarantino, Mamet, or Sam Shepard, [but] even when you act [Jenni and Lena’s scripts], the dialogue has such a particular rhythm and it feels so real. I couldn’t believe I actually laughed out loud reading these scripts. That’s so unusual, especially when you’ve been doing this 30 years. I was in a hotel and just laughing going, “Yes, Jandice the wild card, okay, I’m in.” And Jen Garner I had worked with before some 10-plus years ago, and we really enjoyed working together. And I was genuinely a fan of Ione’s for such a long time, and we have mutual friends. It felt like a family affair. It was one of those jobs that comes around not so often and you’re lucky to grab it.

Brett Gelman: I’ve always liked [Jenni and Lena’s] insight into human behavior and what makes us all act the way that we do. And that they’re able to really look at the darkness of human beings, but find the humor in that and have a lot of insight into why human beings are flawed. And [they] really deal with a lot of the issues that are going on right now.

Brett, as an actor, you’re insanely good at confrontations.

Gelman: [laughter] I know, people love to get me to yell.

Where does this quality come from as a performer?

Gelman: Like anybody, I have a lot of things that tick me off. So, when somebody wants me to get mad in a role, I just look for what makes me mad and then find it with the person. It’s a lot of fun to get into those skirmishes with people. But, I think, in George’s case, he has a lot of repressed rage, which, a lot of the times, the “good times” dudes have because they’re so busy putting out this image that everything is easy-peasy that they’re not dealing with some things that are really hurting them inside. Then that builds up. And then, when they’re met with confrontation, they explode. And in George’s case, it’s the fact that he feels like a failure in his life.

Are we gonna see George completely snap and lose his shit [laughter]?

Gelman: I think you will [laughter]. It’s building to that. Everybody snaps and loses their shit. That’s a lot of what the show is about. It’s about being brought to this place where you’re forced to face yourself and these close relationships in their entirety without any escape. And you’re brought to the brink of snapping.

Juliette and Ione, there’s an encounter between you two in episode 3 that’s amazing. Jandice gives Carleen a haircut and convinces her to embrace her individuality. It shows a lot about your characters. Can you talk about how you brought this scene to life?

Skye: That’s a great scene because the backstories are real, but with writers, it’s like, “how do you reveal stuff without [it] being exposition?” It’s just a great way to explain my character more and also just a really hilarious scenario of the extroverted character loosening up the meek character. It was such a great scene because there is some improv; Juliette could be a comedy writer. I mean, the writing that would come out of your mind was so fun. We love each other, so it’s just fun to be in a scene together like that.

Lewis: It’s one of my favorites because you get to see Carleen and what she’s been living in with her husband, which is quite heartbreaking. Again, Jenni would help me because I’m like, “Who is this person, Jandice?” Because she doesn’t mind getting into everybody.

Skye: But I think all the characters – and in life – we all do these things to make ourselves feel safe. And there are those characters that their safety is being in a New Age cult–

Lewis: Is fixing other people.

Skye: Or their safety, to someone else, you’d be like, “That looks chaotic to me.”

Lewis: Yeah, [Jandice’s] hell would be too much security. Like a secretary position. Showing up on time. I like the physicality of Jandice because I don’t walk into a place [like that], unless I’m like onstage as a rock and roller. For me, I’m being a superhero. But in real life, I’m not. Her physicality is uber confidence. I’m not walking around in a showy way, and she doesn’t mind the attention. So, that was interesting for me to play as well.