Cory Stillman
Kaitlin Olson is not seeking anyone’s approval.
Why should she? The Emmy-nominated actress has built a reputation as one of the funniest women on TV over the last two decades, largely via her work as Dee Reynolds on FX’s It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, the longest-running live action sitcom in American history. And yet, Dee is in constant search of approval from the moronic men around her. And with her recent turn as DJ Vance on the Max original series Hacks, Olson is doubling down on broken women in desperate need of validation.
“I love a broken character. I love a character who is desperately trying to prove herself,” says Olson. “There’s just so much comedy in that for me.”
Of course, that desperation takes on very different shapes across Hacks and It’s Always Sunny. Dee may often face the belittling of the so-called “Gang,” but DJ is looking for love and support from her mother, Deborah Vance (Jean Smart). It’s simultaneously silly and sad, and Olson manages to squeeze both those emotions and many more out of her growing role on the award-winning series. Olson’s occasional appearances across Hacks‘ first two seasons were always a delight, but DJ’s evolution into a stronger and — to everyone’s surprise — funnier person is a definite highlight of season three.
In S3E3 “The Roast of Deborah Vance,” DJ is one of many characters invited to roast her mother on national TV. She develops a hilariously cringeworthy catchphrase that all but guarantees her failure on the big night, and yet she shocks audiences both inside and outside of the show by killing it onstage and stealing the show.
“I was just so happy for her that it worked,” says Olson. “Not only is her mom so incredibly proud of her, [but] the audience loves it, and I don’t think she’s ever really done anything in her life that she’s really proud of, and she’s been trying to prove to her mom that she’s a worthwhile, lovable person for 40 years.”
It is a huge turning point for DJ, as Olson renders a wonderfully complex portrait of a woman unexpectedly coming into her own. And by design, those turning points are few and far between on Always Sunny.
“Sweet Dee on Sunny…that’s kind of the whole point — that those characters don’t evolve,” says Olson. “So it’s nice to be able to play a character that is funny and broken and loud and throws fits, but also has moments of real vulnerability and redemption.”
Listen to our full conversation with Kaitlin Olson below. In addition to “The Roast of Deborah Vance,” we discuss S3E7 “The Deborah Vance Christmas Spectacular.”
Stream all of Hacks season three now on Max.
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