Exclusive Interview: Pop Culturalist Chats with Kidding’s Gwen Hollander

Many have made the transition from stage to the screen, but few have done so as effortlessly as Gwen Hollander. Whether she’s performing in a production of Avenue Q or starring opposite Jim Carrey in Showtime’s Kidding, Gwen has proven time and time again that her versatility and talent is able to command any role or medium. It’s a skill she’s been honing since she was a little girl. “I was always dancing, singing, or playing the piano,” she told us during our exclusive interview. “I was the kid who would get her friends to make up dances and plays.”  

But it wasn’t until middle school, when she saw The Phantom of the Opera, that she realized this was her calling in life. “Phantom of the Opera ruined me. I couldn’t get up from my seat when it was over. They had to escort me out. I decided that night that this is what I was going to do.” That’s exactly the path she took, eventually leading her to her big television break in Kidding.

Kidding follows Jeff Piccirillo (Jim Carrey), the star of a popular children’s television show called Mr. Pickles’ Puppet Time as he struggles to pick up the pieces of his life after the tragic loss of his son. Gwen’s character, Sheryl, is one of the puppeteers in the show-within-a-show. As Gwen described it to us, “The show splits its focus between the real-life Jeff who’s grieving and trying to maintain his sanity and his public persona as this beloved figure who’s forced to wear a happy face for his young viewers.”

That juxtaposition, and the show’s important message about having open dialogue with children, is one of the many reasons Gwen was drawn to this project. “It’s important that we find ways to communicate these subject matters to children. It’s done so beautifully with this show. Kids are actually able to process more than anyone realizes.”

On top of that, Gwen was able to work alongside idols she grew up watching. “It was a surreal experience,” she said. “Watching them work is a master class in everything.”

Season 2 of Kidding is currently available to binge-watch on Showtime. Keep up with Gwen by following her on Twitter and Instagram.

Photo Credit: Birdie Thompson // Hair and Makeup: Lisa Truong