Do you ever wonder what happened to the one that got away? If you’re Alison Brie in Somebody I Used To Know, you might have lost them to Kiersey Clemons.
In the new romantic comedy, co-written by Brie and her husband (and director) Dave Franco, workaholic TV producer Ally (Brie) faces a major professional setback, which sends her running to the comforts of her hometown. She spends a whirlwind evening reminiscing with her first love Sean (Jay Ellis), and starts to question everything about the person she’s become. Things only get more confusing when she discovers Sean is getting married to Cassidy (Clemons), whose confidence and creative convictions remind Ally of who she used to be.
As the film arrives on Prime Video, Peter Gray spoke with Kiersey about the natural representation of her character’s bi-sexuality, how she trusted Franco as a director, and what her favourite romantic comedy is. But first, a certain line delivery…
I’m going to say two things before I get to the film. Your delivery of “This bitch” may be my favourite line reading of the year so far…
(Laughs) Thanks.
And Am I OK? very much spoke to me on a level as someone who was dealing with their sexualities on their 20’s. So I have to thank you for putting that out there in the world.
Oh cool. I’m glad you felt that way. Thank you.
With this film, I feel like we’re starting to see women writers and directors thrive a lot more. With Alison Brie being a co-writer here, do you find there’s an immediate difference in the scripting? That your voice is being heard in a genre that kind of ironically has been dominated by men. That women actually know what to say.
Yeah, absolutely. I think it also kind of broadens the idea of what friendship and love is, and where it comes from. In terms of my character being bi or pan, and obviously being black, (with) Jay (Ellis) and I being cast in this movie together…first of all that’s something that Alison and Dave (Franco) already had in the script and brought to me. That’s the thing that I loved because I knew their intention, and that they were just writing a great movie and putting the people in it that they wanted. It’s different when I’m like “Can you cast a black guy?” and “Can you make the character gay?” It’s nice when it’s already there. It feels different, in a good way.
With Dave being an actor as well as a director, does that help you in approaching him and communicating with him, because he knows how it is as an actor himself?
I think so. He gets more to the point. And with Dave, I would always say “Give me a line read”, which is something directors don’t want to do. But I always was like, “Please give me a line read.” It was funny because that was the first time I really did that, but it helped because I trusted him as an actor, and he’s the director, so why beat around the bush?
I read that this film was inspired by romantic comedies of the 80’s and 90’s. Is there a particular genre title for you that stands as the pinnacle? Or one that you grew up with?
Oh, my gosh. I can’t think of anything right now. Does…no…that’s not a romantic comedy. What’s the one where…? Along Came Polly! I used to watch that on DVD, I think, and I watched it all the time. I love that movie.
I was not expecting Along Came Polly!
I know you weren’t.
That’s a nice deep cut, I like it.
(Laughs) Unexpected.
As I said, with your delivery in the film, and the films I’ve seen you in, it’s really inspiring and comforting to know that queer people are being treated with respect and being respectfully shown on screen. We’re no longer just a token character. For you, does it feel like these roles where characters are fluid with their gender and sexuality are becoming more of a normality?
Yeah. I really like that we’re able to get to a place where queer people are not just represented, but they can be flawed. We’re not afraid now of being, like, this person actually sucks (laughs). We don’t have to make them the most charming, likeable person in the world. I think that’s important, because that means that they’re human and they’re people.
I love that. Yeah, we can show that we suck just as much as straight people do.
Yeah, we’re not just there to be like “You go girl!”
It’s always so lovely to see you on screen, so I want to thank you for your time today.
Thank you, it was nice talking to you too.
Cheers.
(Laughs) Cheers.
Somebody I Used To Know is now streaming on Prime Video.
