SEATTLE — He may be best known for his mega-hit show “Schitt’s Creek,” but Dan Levy’s film directorial debut is a departure from straight comedy.
In "Good Grief," which he wrote and directed, Levy plays Marc - an artist whose husband dies unexpectedly.
The script was inspired by the real-life loss of his grandmother and dog during COVID, and the difficulty of processing pain.
But it's also about the people we lean on, and the depth of longtime friendships.
Marc's best friends are played by Ruth Negga and Himesh Patel. The movie also stars Arnaud Valois, who plays a handsome stranger.
Filmed in London and Paris, the movie is also a love letter to each city.
Entertainment reporter Kim Holcomb chatted with the cast about making the film (and becoming fast friends in real life.)
HOLCOMB: "When you guys first met, what was the quality you saw in one another where you were like, 'Yeah this is going to work.'”
LEVY: “Let's start with Himesh.”
NEGGA: “What was it about me, babe?”
PATEL: "Joy and warmth and an abundance of fun. And, (Dan?) Uh... yeah.” (laughter)
HOLCOMB: "Have you ever used a ‘Schitt's Creek’ David gif in texting your friends?”
PATEL: “I literally sent you one the other day, didn't I?”
LEVY: “I think you did. Annie Murphy was walking down the street and someone came up to her and showed her their phone and they only communicate by way of the gifs."
HOLCOMB: "The film was really giving me Nancy Meyers (vibes.) I wanted to live in those homes, I wanted to wear your clothes. Did you get to keep any souvenirs?"
NEGGA: "No I didn't, I didn't actually.”
LEVY: “I know, and I texted Ruth after the movie was done being like, 'Tell me you stole those jeans, at the very least.'”
NEGGA: “No, I can't believe you'd assume I'd do that.” (laughter)
LEVY: "Somehow, someone snuck it into my bag - it was a program from the funeral (in the film.)”
PATEL: “I've got that!”
LEVY: “So on my desk at home is like the funeral program for Oliver.”
PATEL: “So we've all got the grimmest souvenir possible." (laughter)
HOLCOMB: "Your character takes Marc on a date (in Paris.) Did you get to eat the French onion soup from that scene, because it looked really good…”
VALOIS: (laughing) “I'm just going to say. It's not. It was, at the beginning, kind of a joke between Dan and I. And at the end, it was like, 'I'm not going to eat that soup again. He's not going to eat onion soup.”
HOLCOMB: “Ever?”
VALOIS: “Ever."
HOLCOMB: "In the year since you all made this film together, what has really changed in your life in a way that represents growth?"
LEVY: "I guess I never thought I would make a movie. I never thought I would write a screenplay and I never thought that I would make a movie, and here we are. So there's something to be said about never telling yourself that you can't do something. Because I think we're capable of a lot more than we give ourselves credit for."
“Good Grief” begins streaming on Netflix January 5.
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