Exclusive Interview: Pop Culturalist Chats with Merry Happy Whatever’s Adam Rose

The holiday season is upon us, and Netflix has a brand-new series on its way called Merry Happy Whatever. It’s a relatable, laugh-out-loud comedy about balancing complicated family dynamics and the stress of Christmas. It features an all-star cast which includes Bridgit Mendler, Brent Morin, Ashley Tisdale, Siobhan Murphy, Dennis Quaid, and Adam Rose. Fans will recognize Adam for his breakout role in Veronica Mars, which made its highly anticipated return in 2019. Pop Culturalist caught up with leading man Adam Rose to chat about Merry Happy Whatever, Veronica Mars, and how he discovered his passion for acting.

Merry Happy Whatever

PC: Tell us about Merry Happy Whatever, your character, and what drew you to this project.
Adam: This has been my most creatively fulfilling job to date. A huge thanks is owed to Jeff Greenberg, our legendary casting director, who has been a champion of mine for years. He saw me in a play at the Ahmanson Theater when I first moved to L.A. almost fifteen years ago. We finally got a chance to work together when I guest starred on Modern Family and then he brought me in for Merry Happy Whatever just a few months later. After I auditioned for Tucker Cawley (our creator), who made it easy to be funny with his hilarious script, I was thrilled, over-the-moon, and all those other idioms when I found out I’d gotten the role.

The show is a half-hour sitcom about a dysfunctional family getting together for the holidays and dealing with the youngest daughter bringing home a new guy. I play Todd, the nebbishy son-in-law to the patriarch of the family, played by the incomparable Dennis Quaid.

PC: Todd has an interesting relationship with his in-laws. What can you tease about that dynamic?
Adam: Well, Todd’s wife Patsy, executed with precision by the insanely talented Siobhan Murphy, is a bit high strung, to put it lightly. Between that and his overpowering father-in-law, Todd is always looking over his shoulder while griping to the other non-blood-related family members about the various awkward moments he’s found himself in over the years.

PC: With this being a comedy, did the cast have the opportunity to improv? Is there a scene you’re particularly excited for fans to see?
Adam: We didn’t have to improv at all. Tucker put together one of the best writing teams I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with, so we already had the funniest jokes on the page. There are a ton of scenes that I personally can’t wait to see—mostly the ones that took forever to shoot because we kept making each other crack up. We have a good time on that set.

PC: You’re best known for your role as Max on Veronica Mars. How did that experience help prepare you for Merry Happy Whatever?
Adam: Veronica Mars was the first time I had ever recurred on a TV series. Before that it was all one-offs, but because Rob Thomas (the creator) believed in me, he turned my one-off into a run that lasted through the end of the series. It was a huge milestone for me and something I’ll always be grateful to Rob for. It gave me the confidence and stamina to continue trudging through the muck actors in Hollywood often experience as they try and fail and then try again.

PC: How have streaming platforms like Netflix and Hulu changed the industry?
Adam: They’ve created a huge playing field for actors and creators. There are more opportunities now, for sure. Beyond that, it’s completely changed the way TV is made. We were lucky to not go through the typical broadcast TV experience of having a pilot made first and then waiting to find out if we were picked up for a season. The reason Netflix is making the best content out there is because they truly believe in the people they bet on, enough to pick a show up for a full season before anyone’s seen it. I feel so lucky to be working with them again. I did a couple episodes of Santa Clarita Diet for Netflix and couldn’t be happier to be a part of their family.

Career

PC: How did you discover your passion for acting?
Adam: When I was eight-years-old, my brother actually got stopped on the street by a producer and was sent to some commercial audition. He didn’t end up getting the role but liked the experience. Someone who lived in our building connected my mom with a talent manager who was willing to meet with my brother. I begged to tag along and promised not to say anything, but when I went, I wouldn’t shut up and the manager decided to sign us both for four years. We both started acting and after my brother eventually lost interest, I kept going. I was hooked.

PC: Who or what has had the biggest influence on your career?
Adam: Writing! I started writing after I saw Good Will Hunting and found out that Matt Damon and Ben Affleck actually wrote their own movies—I didn’t know you could do that! I’ve been writing ever since. What I learned was that writing makes you a better actor. When you know what a writer is going for, you can execute better. You get to understand what role you play, and not what character, but what role you play in the bigger picture, which is so important to know and not thought about often enough.

Beyond making me a better actor, it’s also been a way for me to create my own work. I wrote and directed a short film that screened at over 50 film festivals around the world and won a bunch of awards. My writing partner, Scott Shapiro, and I also sold our first pilot to Warner Bros. last year and have a few projects in various stages of development now. I like keeping busy.

Pop Culturalist Speed Round

PC: Guilty pleasure TV show?
Adam: RuPaul’s Drag Race

PC: Guilty pleasure movie?
Adam: The Jackass movies. I never laugh as hard than when watching those guys. It’s the child in me.

PC: Favorite book?
Adam: I just finished David & Goliath by Malcom Gladwell. I loved it.

PC: Favorite play or musical?
Adam: Probably…Damn Yankees, Bye Bye Birdie, or Les Misérables.

PC: A band or artist that fans would be surprised to learn is on your playlist?
Adam: Miley Cyrus

PC: Last show you binge-watched?
Adam: Big Mouth. SO GOOD.

PC: Hidden talent?
Adam: I’m a song and dance man. I actually taught hip-hop dancing for a long time at New York City’s famed Broadway Dance Center.

To keep up with Adam, follow him on Twitter and Instagram. Catch Merry Happy Whatever when it premieres on Netflix on November 28.

Photo Credit: Scott Witter // Grooming: Aaron Barry