Kristen Bell hoped to portray a different type of love story in Nobody wants that.

Even if Netflix’s latest success has a clear impact Romeo and Juliet quality – she’s an agnostic podcast host, he’s an unconventional rabbi – the Bell/Adam Brody show also has the unusual quality of two people genuinely trying to understand each other.

“The biggest surprise about the reaction to the show is how many people said they were so grateful to see a healthy, infectious relationship on screen,” Bell said.

While Erin Foster’s fall show continues to generate buzz (it was just renewed for a second season), The Hollywood Reporter chatted with her star about how she’s absorbing the phenomenon, finding Brody and what kind of Jewish research she’s been doing.

What is your reaction to the positive response the series has received?

It is difficult to understand this. It’s exciting to hear how many people enjoyed it. That’s kind of my main goal for any type of performance. Ultimately, I just want people to have a nice escape while watching something that I’ve been into, and I feel like this has provided that for so many people.

Did you know the show was something special when you joined?

Yes, because I hadn’t worked in a while, by choice, and I never really know what I want to do next. I don’t have any big plans. I read things and see if they connect, and I just thought the dynamic was very interesting and seemed like a never-ending cauldron of stories. In a romantic comedy, there’s usually a lot you can work with, and given that they come from very different backgrounds, that kind of Romeo and Juliet The item on this has been really modernized due to its currentness and age.

What initially attracted you to this role?

When I read a pilot, I approach things from the perspective of A’s audience. Can I relate to this character? B, does this character have a very clear problem? And C, do I want her to solve the problem? These are three of the questions I asked myself, and they were all yes. I also really like supporting a female showrunner.

What was it like reuniting with Adam Brody after working together on House of lies And Some girls?

I just know he’s a hard worker and he’s excited to be there and he’s a problem solver, so it was really a no-brainer. And when I read the first few pages, it became clear to me that these characters were going to have really good on-camera chemistry, which I know Adam and I have, and he was going to have to be endlessly charming to keep you engaged. , and it just makes sense.

What was it like working with creator Erin Foster and helping bring this series, partly based on her own relationship, to the small screen?

A little scary. I’ve never played against someone (a real person) before. And I wasn’t sure where to start, so I spent the majority of the time in preparation observing her and not trying to adopt her characteristics, but rather trying to observe how she moves through the world and how it could be different. of how I move through the world. And I use that as a basis for Joanne, because Erin is admirably confident and quite carefree and direct but also vulnerable. There are a lot of paradoxes about Erin, which made her really interesting.

What did you hope people would take away from the series?

I hoped people would walk away and think weeks later: Is love really that story we were told about finding your puzzle piece, or is it something much more nuanced than that? Is it a choice you continually have to make because you are constantly confronted with it? And I think the latter, and I think the show has done a good job of saying that you can start with the connection and the chemistry, but there’s a lot of things that are going to get in the way and you just have to decide on what you are willing to compromise. on, depending on how hot you want it.

It was also refreshing to see a positive relationship portrayed on television. Did this element also attract you to the project initially?

I wasn’t aware of it until people started talking about it because my point of view came entirely from inside Joanne’s head. I didn’t think about Noah’s behavior. I thought about Joanne’s missteps, her anxiety and her determination. I wasn’t really aware of it, but I will tell you that what was the sweetest surprise in the overall reaction to the show was the number of people, women in particular, who says, “I’m so grateful to see a healthy, communicative relationship depicted on screen where it’s not just a bunch of crazy, toxic behavior. It’s really two people trying.

This series also includes many relatable moments. What was it like bringing them to the screen?

I have to commend the writers room for this. But Adam and I also worked hard to make these characters very real, and that’s something Adam is particularly good at. One of his special qualities is that when you play with him, you feel like you’re talking to a real person; you don’t feel like it’s scripted. So I will say that I feel like I’m a little different from an artist when I’m with Adam because he keeps me so grounded.

You have appeared on several successful shows throughout your career. Does this seem different?

I have never received a response to a show I have been on like this. This is very uncharted territory for me. … You can do a really good project, but there’s a bit of fairy dust when it falls at a moment, cultural or societal, where people really want something like that. And it was a time when people wanted a romantic comedy, so it kind of hit the nail on the head.

The television landscape when it comes to original content versus IP content, and this show proved that original ideas are still sought after by audiences. What do you think?

I think there’s room for both, really. It also depends on what demographic you’re targeting, because sometimes I feel very comforted and nostalgic watching a remake with my kids and I want to expose them to it. Other times I’ll feel like I’ve seen it all and I just want something new, fresh, and crazy that I’ve never seen before. So I definitely think there’s room for both to exist. I definitely think bigger companies maybe look at it a little differently because IPs tend to be tried and true, so I’m just grateful that people are still taking risks on new stories.

What is your response to those who have criticized the show for the way it depicts “stereotypical” Jewish characters?

I don’t think I really deserve to answer. It depends on the people who were hired to play the Jews and who worked with the writers to create their dimensional characters for them to comment on.

Even though your character isn’t Jewish, did you do any research about Judaism to help prepare for the series as a whole?

I didn’t have to. Not my role. Joanne was exposed to Judaism, so that would have been the antithesis of the work I should have been doing. I will say that I grew up in an entirely Jewish community. I was one of two good guys in my elementary and middle school neighborhood, so I had quite a bit of education, but I didn’t use any of it.

Is there an episode or scene that was your favorite to film?

I really enjoyed filming the fight scene with Morgan (Justine Lupe), the brotherly fight. They’re usually on the same team even when they argue because the sisters are so close and I like that dynamic, but I like to tear them apart a little so you can feel deeper for each of them. Plus, Justine is an incredible scene partner. I love working with her and we really got to blast each other. And I remember that scene starts with me knocking on the door saying, “Morgan, Morgan, let me in,” and we did it three or four times from outside. I didn’t even realize it, but the next morning I woke up and my whole hand was purple from knocking on the door.

From Nobody wants that has already been renewed for a second season, what are you most looking forward to?
It’s tricky because my answer would have been to see where the characters are taken, but then I went to the writers’ room and now I know. (Laughter.) I’m just generally excited to start all over again. I’m delighted that people are filled with anticipation. There is nothing better for an artist or performer than knowing that what you are working on will be consumed and make people happy.

This story first appeared in a November standalone issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. To receive the magazine, click here to subscribe.