Rosie Perez has been making the rounds promoting The Flight Attendant, on HBO Max. I’m surprised we haven’t seen more of her co-star, Kaley Cuoco, during this tour but maybe that’s by design. Rosie was on People magazine’s Couch Surfing show. She said that executive producer Kaley practically begged her to be on the show after she first said no. Rosie has a fear of flying but Kaley promised her that she would take care of her on set. Of course they couldn’t have been flying while filming, but they did have to film in different overseas locations and it must have been stressful for Rosie to do scenes where she was supposed to have been flying.
I know about the international settings because I’ve been watching the show, but also because Rosie told a story a couple of weeks ago about how she was one of the first people to contract coronavirus! She got it in Bangkok in December, before it even had a name, and said it was really scary. They took it seriously in the hospital in Thailand, told her it was a new respiratory virus, and she recovered of course. When they went back to set they had to film with restrictions and she and Kaley couldn’t even hug. Here’s what Rosie said on Couch Surfing about being hesitant to take the role, and how great it was on set.
Initially I turned down this role because I hate flying. Kaley Cuoco refused to take no for an answer and she met with me. I told her that I hate flying and she goes’you have to do this role.’ We ended up speaking for over an hour. She told me ‘I will take care of you. I will take care of all your anxieties, all your worries. Please do this role. I’m not supposed to say that I’m supposed to be this tough executive producer, so don’t tell them I said please.’ I wanted to say yes but my reps told me ‘don’t give an answer either way.’ I called my manager I said ‘this beautiful charismatic young lady had me at hello. Of course I want to work on this.’
Katie carries the show, she’s such a badass in it. The direction is spectacular, everything is top notch. It was such an inviting environment. Everyone offered me such respect and so much room to develop this character. Initially, Megan was supposed to be a little tougher, [with] a little more grit. I said ‘no, Megan wishes she had the life of Cassie.’ She’s a middle aged woman who lives in Westchester and doesn’t see that she has everything. She wants to live vicariously through this young hot mess.
I’m afraid of heights. If I had to play a role where I was supposed to be looking down over the Grand Canyon for my job it would freak me the hell out. I completely understand why Rosie said no at first. I’m glad Kaley got her to change her mind though because she’s excellent in this show! I’m about three episodes in. There’s real chemistry between Kaley and Rosie’s characters and you can tell that it was a supportive set too. It’s an excellent thriller but a tough show to watch because as Rosie said, Cassie, Kaley’s character, is a freaking mess. All her problems are due to being an out-of-control alcoholic who makes terrible decisions, but at least the show makes this crystal clear. They’re not presenting the lead’s alcoholism as an aside to their issues like shows usually do. Kaley is also a really incredible dramatic actress. She’s so convincing in this role that it makes you uncomfortable for her. Also Michael Huisman is so hot! I’m going to keep watching for sure.
This show isn’t at all what I expected. Cuoco’s portrayal of dissociative amnesia is fascinating and heartbreaking. Rosie Perez and T.R. Knight add so many layers to the story. It’s become my favorite fall show.
Thanks for sharing your opinion. I’ve never seen Cuoco in anything but some episodes of BBT and I never liked that show, so this is interesting to know. Will give it a try. I really like Rosie though and am happy to watch her.
I do not like the BBT at all, I find it annoying and her annoying in it. I gave this a chance because I enjoyed the book and her character is totally different in it. I have to give her credit.
I so love this show, every so often comes around a great soapy thriller, but this definitely has some unexpected heart. Cuoco is SUCH a phenomenal actress, extremely underrated (even if her voice comes off a bit whiny at times) but you really get a great feel of her desperation, loneliness and descent into dissociative episodes stemming from all these traumas. Love that Rosie Perez is in here, Megan is a bizarre (in a good way!) Character that keeps the show from getting too Stuck in Cassie’s world.
I love it — it’s like if my favorite thriller, Charade, needed lots and lots of therapy.
I was marveling at how perfectly cast it is after the most recent episode. Packed to the gills with talent. And yes, Rosie Perez is terrific! Cuoco is a revelation here, I think.
I put this on my watch list, I had forgotten about it. It sounds great. I am a BBT fan, and I love the Penny character, and I know Cuoco is talented, so it’s not a revelation for me, but I also love Rosie. Something to look forward to anyway.
I despise Kaley Cuoco, but she is amazing in this show. I’m obsessed with the twists and turns and the way it’s shot is so beautiful.
OMG this! I hated The Big Bang Theory and never really liked Kaley, but she’s great on The Flight attendant.
It’s becoming one of my currently favorites along with “A teacher”.
I never really cared for her before, but I think mostly because I greatly disliked BBT, but I checked this show out and it’s GREAT, and I’m impressed with her work on it. I might be an episode or 2 behind now, have to catch up, but I binged the first few because I couldn’t stop watching.
Agreed. Wouldn’t say I “despised ” her but never liked her enough to watch anything much that she’s been in. The whole over-the-top blonde with the big, big eyes out-of-control-but-wants-to-play-innocent schtick is wearing, especially in 2020 and as a Black woman watching this character and her white woman privilege get away with so many things–illegal and also in terms of how she even physically interacts with her “friends”, chance after chance and always this expectation that everyone will help/understand/forgive, all while drinking beyond excessively–it can be…really tiresome. This show is great, though, well done and intriguing plot that keeps me invested (also since there’s not much else to watch). But def Rosie and Zosia are why I’ve been watching.
This is good fun, and Rosie and Zosia Mamet are my favorite parts. Cuoco is a little loud and frantic, and I get that the that works for the character but I find it a little OTT sometimes.
As someone who was (almost) as shocked to find out so many Americans watched the big bang theory as voted for trump, I was absolutely blown away by Kaley Cuoco’s performance in the best possible way. This show is SO GOOD, the cast is incredible, the music is super fun – highly recommend.
What also stands out in this show is all the males are very good looking way above average who was in charge of casting, Kaley was an executive producer
I wondered what she’d be like In a drama and wow. She is phenomenal.
Kaley Cuoco also is an exec producer for the Harley Quinn animated series on HBO Max, which is another must watch. She really is killing it post BBT!
Never watched Big Bang Theory but I love The Flight Attendant. Kaley Cuoco, Rosie Perez, Mamet, Huisman, and the whole cast are just absolutely amazing in their roles. I like reading how Rosie Perez conceived of the character — she’s a privileged Westchester lady who “wants to live vicariously through this young hot mess” feels exactly right on. I hope this show gets renewed b/c it’s that rare thing that was A+ right from go, they have the whole world figured out, so why not keep going??!!
I have really been enjoying this show. Kaley reminds me so much of Jennifer Aniston in it, which I found interesting because she’s never reminded me of her before.
I love this show. And this feeling took me by surprise because I thought it will be just a soapy thriller. The editing is one of the greatest assets on this show, of course apart from crazy storyline and layered characters. I can’t believe this, but this is the show in a very long time that I am actually waiting for a new episode and know when it comes out.