"There are a lot of shows with dudes leading teams of dudes"
Director Taika Waititi and Friends star Lisa Kudrow reveal how not changing her character in new comedy Time Bandits would have been "boring"
- Louise Griffin
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As Friends legend Lisa Kudrow graces our screens once again in new Apple TV+ comedy Time Bandits, the show's co-creator Taika Waititi has revealed she almost wasn't cast because her character was originally male. The new series is based on the 1981 Terry Gilliam film of the same name — starring John Cleese, Sean Connery and Shelley Duvall — and follows a young history-obsessed boy name Kevin (Kal-El Tuck), as he steps back in time and inadvertently joins a chaotic team of bandits led by Kudrow's character, Penelope.
Speaking to RT, Kudrow and Waititi revealed that the character was first written as a man — until the show's bosses decided it was a "boring" way to go. "When I first read the script," Kudrow said, "the character I was going to be playing was still a man! So I kept getting distracted by pronouns and things. But it felt like, 'Okay, this is really funny, this is really good.' "
Waititi elaborated: "We did quite a lengthy casting process for all of the characters and we were looking at male actors because that character was originally male, and I felt I was getting pretty bored of that. I was just thinking there are a lot of shows with dudes leading teams of dudes, and it just felt a bit boring."
Lisa Kudrow as Penelope and Rune Temte as Bittelig in Time Bandits. Apple TV+
Co-creator Jemaine Clement added: "Also, you've often suggested Lisa for other things we've talked about, so this is the first time you've managed to work together." Waititi continued by saying that, while he loved Kudrow in her career-defining role in Friends, it was comedy series The Comeback that cemented his admiration for her. "The Comeback is just such an incredible show and she just led that entire production, and watching that show, I just thought she's a comedic genius. I've admired her for many years and we're lucky to have her."
Taika Waititi as Supreme Being in Time Bandits. Apple TV+
Kudrow also made her mark on the script, with Clement revealing: "You'll do a few takes, and sometimes if something doesn't come out funny, she'll find a way to turn it around and pick it up at the end, like make a little joke. "One of the improvs we liked was in the first episode, where she says, 'Well, that was a colossal waste of time travel.' She'd just add things like that."
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Kudrow, however, insists her comedic background wasn't much help when it came to approaching a new project, explaining: "I don't know if it helps at all because every comedy has its own tone. So, there's always that scary part at the beginning where I'm convinced I don't know what I'm doing and they're regretting their choice, asking me to be part of it!"
Authors
Louise GriffinSci-Fi and Fantasy Editor
Louise Griffin is the Sci-Fi & Fantasy Editor for Radio Times, covering everything from Doctor Who, Star Wars and Marvel to House of the Dragon and Good Omens. She previously worked at Metro as a Senior Entertainment Reporter and has a degree in English Literature.
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