The Afterparty Season 2: Anna Konkle & Elizabeth Perkins Unleash Genre-Blending Magic in a Dark Film Noir Twist!

In season 2 of The Afterparty, the side-splitting and genre-blending whodunnit mystery series, Detective Danner, Aniq, and Zoë are back to crack another baffling murder case. This time, they find themselves entangled in a web of suspicion involving Zoë's own family. Seeking assistance, they reach out to Detective Danner for help. As they navigate through interrogations of wedding guests, their main objective is to solve the murder before Zoë's family is wrongfully accused of killing her sister's new spouse.

The Afterparty creator, Chris Miller, takes on the role of executive producer alongside Phil Lord and Anthony King. The Afterparty season 1 favorites, Zoë Chao, Tiffany Haddish, and Sam Richardson, return to reprise their roles. Joining the stellar cast for season 2 are Elizabeth Perkins, Zach Woods, Paul Walter Hauser, Poppy Liu, Anna Konkle, Jack Whitehall, Vivian Wu, Ken Jeong, and John Cho, bringing a fresh ensemble of characters to The Afterparty.

Anna Konkle & Elizabeth Perkins Talk The Afterparty Season 2

Screen Rant interviewed Anna Konkle and Elizabeth Perkins regarding The Afterparty season 2. During the conversation, they delved into their preferred episode and applauded Hauser's impeccable talent for physical comedy. Perkins also shared her experience of the challenges that come with portraying various interpretations of the same character based on the perceptions of others. It is important to note that this interview took place before the SAG-AFTRA strike.

Screen Rant: I thoroughly enjoyed the show! I binged the entire series in a single day. Both of you deliver exceptional performances. Anna, your portrayal allows us to witness a diverse range of perspectives on relationships in each episode. Which aspect of playing these distinct character dynamics surprised you the most?

Anna Konkle expresses her constant surprise and uncertainty in her daily life. She reflects on the various elements of Hannah's character, such as the unconventional living arrangement in a yurt, her interest in taxidermy, and her complicated relationship with her mother. Anna finds comedic enjoyment in yearning for Hannah's love while facing obstacles. Despite this, she also values the genuine connections she forms and the opportunity to witness Hannah's vulnerable side. She describes Hannah as initially appearing somewhat unfamiliar but later reveals a profound and compassionate nature. Anna thoroughly enjoyed portraying this character in Elizabeth Afterparty.

In Elizabeth Afterparty, actors are given the chance to explore different genres and approach their characters from the unique perspectives of those genres. Anna discusses how she adapted her approach for each episode while ensuring that her portrayal remained true to Hannah's core essence.

Elizabeth Perkins: The greatest challenge I encountered was blending my personal episode, which was episode nine, with the different genres we explored. Each person's episode reveals their inner life and backstory, but when you place them in a film noir setting, their character is seen through the lens of the episode's protagonist. It becomes a delicate balance between staying true to your character's essence while also portraying how that protagonist perceives you.

For instance, one person might view me as a stunning beauty, while in another episode, I could be depicted as a devilish figure. It requires managing where your character stands within each genre, which can be quite complex but incredibly enjoyable. Opportunities like this don't come often. Plus, now I find myself in black and white, dancing around...

Anna Konkle is happily singing MMMBop on a trampoline, while Elizabeth Perkins joyfully joins her, transitioning from the 80s to the 20s, and even into the world of Jane Austen. It's an incredible experience to be part of this wonderful ensemble of actors in a comedy on Apple.

Anna Konkle: Apple TV plus

Elizabeth Perkins: Sounds like a great job to me.

Anna Konkle: July 12.

Elizabeth Perkins: July 12 coming to TV near you soon.

Which was your favorite to play in?

Elizabeth Perkins: I gotta stick with film noir.

Anna Konkle: Yeah, I agree. We both had a lot of fun in that one. Why did you love that one?

Elizabeth Perkins: I got to slap-

Anna Konkle: You got to slap Paul.

Elizabeth Perkins praised Paul Walter Hauser for his ability to take slaps multiple times, expressing that he excelled at it and reacted impressively. She described his physical comedy as exceptional, displaying a level of talent that was truly extraordinary.

While talking about working with Hauser, Anna Konkle mentioned that any violent actions or scenes they performed together were incredibly enjoyable due to his aptitude for physical comedy.

Elizabeth Perkins: It's amazing how he transitioned from one role to another.

Anna Konkle: This season is packed with talented character actors.

Elizabeth Perkins: He's incredibly talented. A true delight to collaborate with, and not just him, but the entire team. Jack Whitehall, a total dream. Absolutely everyone.

Anna Konkle: And who wasn't a dream? [Elizabeth Perkins gestures towards herself] Not you! You were the ultimate dream. Working on the film noir was an absolute blast.

Elizabeth Perkins: We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. Film noir was absolutely fantastic.

Anna Konkle: I adored portraying a character who, in some aspects, was inept and should not have been giving directions as if she were the ultimate authority, all while exuding a strong sexual energy. It was something I truly loved!

Elizabeth Perkins: You're Wes Anderson episode was so dead on.

Anna Konkle: Yeah, that episode was really fun.

Elizabeth Perkins: You were dead on in that.

Anna Konkle: But sad too. It was fun with kind of just going silly in the other episodes.

Elizabeth Perkins: Just a lovely episode.

This cast is so phenomenal from top to bottom. Did you feel that you learned something from a particular scene partner?

Anna Konkle: When I think about it [glances at Elizabeth Perkins], you're certainly one person who comes to mind. Another person who stands out is John Cho. His character had some incredibly convincing moments, and portraying a character like that, who knows everything, would be quite challenging for me.

Elizabeth Perkins: Regardless of how ludicrous it might have sounded, I found myself believing every word he uttered.

Anna Konkle: That was precisely my point. The greater the absurdity and the more challenging it was to comprehend, the stronger the foundation it had.

Elizabeth Perkins: Remember when he mentioned the shamans and such? It would leave you bewildered, like, "Huh?".

Anna Konkle: Exactly and drinking the kumis.

Elizabeth Perkins: You believed everything he said

Anna Konkle: I only want to say kumis for the rest of the day, I'm actually going to work in kumis.

Elizabeth Perkins: And he was so handsome too. Coming in on the horse.

Anna Konkle remarked that he looked handsome with his kumis.

Elizabeth Perkins shared her observation that even Isabel reacted positively when he entered on the horse, exclaiming "Oooh, wow." This led them to conclude that John's appearance on a horse is highly attractive.

Anna Konkle: Absolutely, I completely agree with you.

Elizabeth Perkins: To be honest, I feel like I've taken away valuable lessons from each and every person involved in this ensemble project. When you're working on something that requires a strong ensemble dynamic, it really brings you down to earth and creates a strong sense of unity.

About The Afterparty Season 2

Aniq and Zoë seek assistance from Detective Danner after finding themselves caught up in yet another murder investigation. This time, the victim is the groom of the wedding they are attending. Together, the trio embarks on a quest for clues and interrogates various suspects in order to prove the innocence of Zoë's family. Among the possible culprits are Zoë's relatives, star-crossed lovers, and the groom's business partner, all of whom provide their own accounts of the events leading up to the murder. Don't miss out on our other captivating interviews from season 2 of The Afterparty.

Phil Lord, Chris Miller & Anthony King

Sam Richardson & Zoe Chao

John Cho & Ken Jeong

Tiffany Haddish & Zach Woods

Jack Whitehall & Paul Walter Hauser

Poppy Liu & Vivian Wu

Anna Konkle

The first two episodes of The Afterparty season 2 are now streaming on Apple TV+.

Source: Screen Rant Plus