Niki Cruz
Apple TV+ has another hit on their hands with Seth Rogen‘s The Studio. The show is an electric satire that deftly examines the business of making movies.
At the center is Rogen’s Matt, an enthusiastic exec who just got promoted to the head of Continental Studios. While Matt wants to be a successful studio head and cares about the bottom line, he cares more about making quality, auteur-driven films by real filmmakers. Matt wants to make films that made him fall in love with the industry in the first place, but studio VPs, execs, and marketing don’t want to rock the boat.
What sets The Studio apart from its predecessors is the show’s willingness to take risks, whether in its stylish 70s aesthetic, its long takes that capture the frenetic urgency of an industry eating itself alive, or the smart move of playing up different genre tropes in specific episodes. The show takes big swings in its storytelling and what it’s willing to say about the present-day problems of the art of making movies. For all the fast-paced, zippy style of the camera work, the buzzy cameos from A-list talent, and Rogen’s comedic slapstick, underneath it all is a heartfelt love letter to the industry.
Co-star Ike Barinholtz plays VP Sal Seperstein, who says yes and asks questions later. He’s Matt’s number 2 guy, his right-hand man, and because of his proximity to power, he’s the guy who has to deliver the worst news imaginable, even if it’s to Martin Scorsese of all people. It’s delightful to see Barinholtz and Rogen using their natural comedic chemistry from their decades-long history together as Matt and Sal go from set blunders to disastrous business meetings.
Awards Radar sat down with Ike Barinholtz to discuss all-star cameos, acting alongside Seth Rogen, and the business of making movies.
The Studio drops on Apple TV+ March 26th.
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