NEW YORK CITY, N.Y. — Jerry Seinfeld makes his film directing debut in a new comedy about his beloved childhood processed snack: Pop Tarts.
The comedian also co-wrote and stars in the movie “Unfrosted,” a farcical story set in the 1960’s detailing an untrue account of how pastries were invented.
In Seinfeld’s version, Kellogg’s and Post are locked in a sort of breakfast space race – and as the competition to create a shelf-stable pastry accelerates, preposterous and hilarious things happen.
The film also stars Jim Gaffigan, Sarah Cooper, Max Greenfield and Christian Slater.
Entertainment reporter Kim Holcomb spoke with all of them about their roles – and, in Seinfeld and Gaffigan’s case, the role Seattle played in their stand-up careers.
HOLCOMB: "Both of you have talked about how Seattle was pivotal to the start of both of your careers.”
GAFFIGAN: “Huge.”
SEINFELD: “I saw that post you did the other day (about Seattle) and it was the same for me.”
GAFFIGAN: “Really?”
SEINFELD: “Yes. It was the first place anybody came to see me."
GAFFIGAN: “It's still very important. It's a fun audience, and they want to be challenged, they're not precious."
HOLCOMB: "Who makes you laugh the hardest, famous friend or otherwise?"
GAFFIGAN: "My son Jack is really funny. My kids, when I don't want to kill them, they make me laugh."
SEINFELD: "But we're very lucky because we hang out mostly with comedians. Isn't that the second-greatest part of being a comedian?"
HOLCOMB: “I am curious - the first day on set, when Jerry Seinfeld starts giving you direction, what is happening with your vitals?”
COOPER: “Air stopped coming out of my mouth. I had trouble projecting. My first day the call sheet was Jerry Seinfeld, Melissa McCarthy, Hugh Grant and me. That was the first day - and I was like this, I'm being punked right now.”
GREENFIELD: “It's a long walk from the trailer to the set.”
HOLCOMB: "Who's the last person you met who you felt intimidated by?”
SEINFELD: “Hugh Grant.”
HOLCOMB: “Really?”
SEINFELD: “Yeah, when Hugh Grant said he wanted to do the movie and he flew to L.A. and he was in his trailer, I took a hard swallow before I opened that door. I thought, 'Oh my God, this guy is a movie star,’ you know?"
HOLCOMB: “Max, your role had more physicality than I expected. You get pummeled a lot in this.”
GREENFIELD: “Because they knew I was the only one who’d put up with it.”
HOLCOMB: “Was all of it on paper? Or were you guys improving some of that?”
GREENFIELD: “Oh, my God, that was all on paper. That was kind of like the most enjoyable part of shooting the film. We'd come in, we'd rehearse it and then Jerry would listen to it and go off with all the with the writers, which were mainly guys from Seinfeld. And they would hear it and see it and realize what they wanted to do with it, and then go rewrite the scenes, and then come back. And then when we were shooting, it was very much how he shot the show and how you do a multi-cam (show.) And so to me, that was the most exciting part. When that system is working, it's really exciting.”
HOLCOMB: “Christian, you have obviously played many villainous characters in your illustrious career. Where does the milkman rank in villainy?”
SLATER: “Definitely at the top. This was this was a big one. You know, I knew from the moment that Jerry wanted me in that white milkman outfit, with the hat - it just made it very easy. I didn't have to worry too much about being funny. It was doing it for me.”
HOLCOMB: “The thrill of threatening Jerry Seinfeld. Can you describe what that moment was like?”
SLATER: “You know, I’ve been wanting to do it my whole life. And this was an opportunity and I relished it.”
"Unfrosted" debuts on Netflix May 3.
Travel and accommodations provided by Netflix.
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