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Before helping to shape the darkly existential Netflix comedyRussian Doll,Leslye Headlandwas no stranger to world building.
She wrote seven plays, each based on one of the seven deadly sins.
Spoilers abound, so at your own risk, read a short excerpt from the conversation or listen below.
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I love that her cat just kind of doesnt care that she was hit.
I just thought,What a cool moment of the world not caring.
It was just something that happened with the stunt double!
Can we bump that up somehow?
People just werent expecting it.
None of this is worth it.
5-8: Nadia vs. the stairs (episode 2).We called this the Frogger Death.
That was one of those logic-versus-tone things that we were kind of like, But why is she dying?
Does this mean something?
To me, what was important was that death become funny from here on out.
Nadias more like,Im so tough that nothing can hurt me.
And if it does, good for it.
Shes just been called the abyss.
Shes hitting a low point emotionally and psychologically.
What we thought was interesting was having her suddenly care about someone else.
Do they just pop up again like an NPC?
This had not occurred to Nadia until that moment, and its one of the reasons I love her.
I love amoral characters not immoral characters but characters that are neutral.
Well see that sink in as they see things.
Im hoping the audience is still open enough that theyre hearing what Ruth is saying and questioning Alans thesis.
You may not be ready to receive it.
16: Alan and Nadia meet up, and Alan proposes that they are dying at the same time.
Just then an air conditioner falls on them (episode 5).
17: They realize theyre both allergic to bees.
Nadia goes, I guess we run into bees right now.
And then they do (episode 6).I called them theLooney Tunesdeaths in my head.
It felt fun to indulge it right before things were going to get more emotional.
These deaths imply someone is listening and doing this.
Who?Everyone calls it by a different name.
Because if you dont, you’re free to just stay here with the bees.
She was eating chicken, and either there were people in her house or someone had just left.
If she spoke, she would be able to get help, but she couldnt because she was choking.
Like, death, right.
That thing thats always coming after us.
That very intense feeling of powerlessness when we stare it straight in the face.
Do you know what I mean?
Does everything go back to death?
That depends on your philosophy.
I dont live my life that way anymore.
So it would be interesting to explore existential issues where that isnt hanging over your head.
