Seth Rogen satirized Hollywood with his Apple TV+ comedy series “The Studio” earlier this year, in which he plays the head of a fictional movie company called Continental Studios. The Emmy-nominated show made fun of lots of real-life Hollywood figures and featured filmmakers and actors playing themselves, like Martin Scorsese, Olivia Wilde and many more. However, Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group CEO Tom Rothman is calling B.S. on some not-so-accurate aspects of the hit show.
Speaking to Letterboxd, Rothman said, “In each one of those episodes, there is a kernel of brilliant, blinding truth, and that’s what makes great satire. The show is wonderfully satiric. Besides that kernel, everything else is horse shit. Maybe some days, but most days we’re not morons.”
He added, “I did take it with the sense of humor intended. When I took the stage a few months ago at CinemaCon, I walked out and said, ‘Hi, everybody, I’m Seth Rogen!’ which was good for a laugh there. What it gets right is that there’s a fundamental truth of studio executives trying to do the right thing, and there being many, many obstacles to doing [so]. The difference there is it depicts a great deal of moral compromise in pursuing that. That’s not really the way it is. Most people are people like me, who love movies, have a lot of integrity and are just trying to do the best we can.”
Seth Rogen’s character, Continental Studios exec Matt Remick, is portrayed as a movie lover who has to put aside some of his personal tastes to make movies in the IP-driven, streaming-dominated Hollywood. Highlights of Season 1 include Matt and his team developing a Kool-Aid movie, giving harsh feedback to Ron Howard (playing himself) and tripping on mushrooms at CinemaCon — the latter episode probably being the least realistic of the bunch.
Before “The Studio” had premiered, Rogen said he’d “been reached out to by almost every head of every major studio throughout the day-to-day.” He said they told him, “‘This is great, but very traumatic to watch.’”
“It’s genuinely an industry we love,” Rogen added. “It’s written from the perspective of people who can’t deny that our dreams have come true because of this industry in many ways, but it’s also so fucking frustrating and aggravating. You’re constantly seeing people make choices that are confounding and contrary to their own love of film.”
“The Studio” is nominated for several Emmys, including outstanding comedy series, lead actor in a comedy for Rogen and best writing and directing for a comedy series, plus many others.
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From Variety US