The cast of Marvelous Mrs. Maisel is as varied as it is talented. Many of the actors and actresses involved have fun facts or opinions to share. One or two even have a secret – admittedly not the best-kept secrets, since they’ve made it online, but still. Learning little facts about actors we love helps us to remember the people they truly are, instead of just the people they portray on screen.
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This list by no means collects all of the interesting facts about the cast – that list would be much longer – but it does have some of the more interesting tidbits.
Marin Hinkle Originally Wanted to be a Ballerina
How many girls dreamed of becoming a ballerina growing up? The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel actress was no exception. Marin Hinkle wanted to be a ballerina and she went farther than many girls ever do – studying dance and ballet up until she was sixteen. A lot of actors and actresses have a background in music or dance, so this isn’t really that out of the ordinary. It does, however, go a long way to explain how effortlessly graceful Marin Hinkle appears to be. Maybe one day we’ll luck out and see her appear in a role that is a hat tip to her past.
Matilda Szydagis Has a Surprise Degree
Looking into Matilda Szydagis’ background, it’s clear that the women loved her education. Now, it’s not uncommon for actors and actresses to get degrees unrelated to their acting, but it still is refreshing to see it happen. Szydagis plays Zelda on the Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, and she’s put time and effort into her education.
Szydagis spent a lot of time in school, with the culmination of an Anthropology degree from the University of Chicago. She also spent time at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in NYC. Though that one is likely less surprising.
Michael Zegen Took the Permanent Change of His Rescue Me Character Seriously
Michael Zegen was understandably very upset when he learned the news of what was going to happen to his Rescue Me character. They had been planning on doing something to his character for two years by the time he learned the ultimate fate, but that didn’t really help reduce the impact as much as you might expect. However, he felt that the script left the condition a little open-ended. The directors gave him free rein to make decisions about the minutiae of the condition and it’s not something that Zegen took lightly. He researched it extensively, watching videos about real people with brain damage and basically doing everything possible to do justice to those who face this as part of their daily life.
Even Tony Shalhoub Questions Himself
The imposter syndrome is the term used for people who have doubts about their abilities or accomplishments, frequently seeing themselves as frauds. The thing about the imposter syndrome though is that if you’re asking yourself if you really accomplished anything, or if you deserve the recognition, odds are you aren’t the imposters in the mix. Tony Shalhoub has confessed that sometimes he questions his value as an actor, and if his accomplishments add up to anything. It just goes to show that he really is human like the rest of us.
The Gown Alex Borstein Wore to the Emmys in 2018 Was Actually Her Wedding Gown
Remember that stunning silver dress that Alex Borstein wore to the Emmys in 2018? Well, it turns out that was actually the dress she wore when she married her now ex-husband Jackson Douglas. The couple got married in 1999 and ultimately ended up getting divorced in 2014. Wearing a wedding gown to a glamorous event is certainly a tamer and yet more dramatic version of trash the dress. At least she gave the gown a second lease of life! Best of all, the dress is still wearable, so she could always pull that stunt again.
Zachary Levi Tried Out for the Role of Peter Quill
Did you know that Zachary Levi tried out for the role of Star-Lord from Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy? Between that and his now confirmed role as Shazam! it’s clear that the actor is very fond of superheroes and who can blame him? In fact, Levi credits his audition and screen tests as one of the reasons he landed the role for Shazam!
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It actually makes a lot of sense, when you think about it. Both characters are energetic and childlike, though one has more reason to behave that way. Regardless of how Levi landed the role, there’s no doubt that he’s going to have fun with the part.
Kevin Pollak Started Being A Stand-Up Comedian at the Age of 10
Some people take years to find what they want to do with their lives. Other people know exactly what they want to do with their lives, even from a very young age. Kevin Pollak is one of the latter. He started with stand-up comedy when he was only ten years old and he’s kept going ever since. Even though Marvelous Mrs. Maisel was the first project he was on to be nominated for any awards, Pollak has had a fascinating career to talk about and he’s never given up his comedy either. His autobiography is probably a good indication of that though, as it’s titled How I Slept My Way to the Middle.
Rachel Brosnahan Wasn't Thought To Be Funny
Yes, you did, in fact, read that right. The actress that plays Mrs. Maisel herself lost out on gigs because people didn’t believe her capable of being funny. A lot of these assumptions were based on her past roles – proof that typecasting is very real and potentially dangerous to an actor’s career. Thankfully somebody behind the scenes of Marvelous Mrs. Maisel was willing to give Brosnahan a chance! Look at her now, as she’s won an award for being a comedic actress and everything.
Michael Zegen Has a Changing Perspective on His Character
Michael Zegen signed on to the cast of Marvelous Mrs. Maisel after having only read the first script for the series. Thanks to that quick study, he had a very different impression of what his character was like. When he first read the script he thought that Joel was a jerk and without a doubt the antagonist of the series. However, as time progressed he started to realize that Joel’s character was much more complex than that. He’s a flawed human being with a lot going on behind the scenes, so to speak. But that doesn’t automatically make him an antagonist. As the series progresses they get more opportunities to reveal these hidden depths.
Rachel Brosnahan is actually a Mrs.
Who would have guessed that the actress that plays Mrs. Maisel is actually a Mrs. Herself? Actress Rachel Brosnahan recently revealed that she and Jason Ralph have actually been married for a whole two years. The couple had gotten married in secret a few years ago and managed to keep the secret going for a surprisingly long time. Admittedly they probably had an easier time keeping the secret thanks to their long relationship. They started dating sometime back in 2015, after having met while working on the WGN series Manhattan. It’s been smooth sailing for the couple ever since.