Rose Weissman gets one hell of an adversary for the fourth season of Amazon’s smash, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.
Just when she thought her matchmaking business was off to a great start, she is invited by the Brighton Beach Women’s Small Business Association for a luncheon, but it’s a trap. The intimate gathering is attended by Jackie Hoffman’s Gitta, Marceline Hugot’s Molly, and Patrice Johnson’s Miss Em, but the ringleader? The gathering is headed by Kelly Bishop’s imposing Benedetta. She informs our eager Mrs. Weissman that she doesn’t have the authority or permission to be matchmaking since she is imposing on decades of tradition, and Benedetta warns Rose to stop before things get ugly.
What was it like to play a threatening, matchmaking don of sorts? “They’re all so fabulous, and they are such fun,” Bishop stated simply.
The fighting between matchmakers hasn’t been bad since the group organized their efforts and established territories for each other. Everyone knows where they can and cannot arrange happy couples, but Rose is infringing on their turf. Creator and writer Amy Sherman-Palladino wants us to think about proper women getting violent over afternoon tea.
“I’m not one to pick at a writer unless I have some real questions. It had to have been pretty grim, because one of the ladies says, ‘You’re lucky this isn’t Staten Island.’ Were they shooting at each other? In Amy’s mind, it had to be very vicious and quite dangerous.”
Everyone loves Bishop from playing Emily on Gilmore Girls, and she was ready to compliment the writing of Sherman-Palladino. The writer knows exactly how to take a familiar situation but give it a quirky, fun twist. We have seen that for three years with Rachel Brosnahan’s Midge and Alex Borstein’s Susie, but Benedetta is one of the most intimidating characters Sherman-Palladinos have introduced to this world. In a way, Benedetta could stand up to Nicky and Frank.
“I love Amy’s writing so much. It’s always a little askew. If you take her world, you tip it. I felt that way with Gilmore Girls too. I sometimes don’t know what’s going on in her brain, but it tickles her. It tickles me too. When you get to read her work, you just have to follow along. She’s wonderfully crazy. There is always a strange ingredient that you never expect. She’s got the most amazing brain, and she has the talent to put it on the page. Isn’t that amazing? I’ll go anywhere she goes.”
Perhaps Benedetta is worried that Rose Weissman can do it on her own and change the world of matchmaking. We see how skilled she is at putting people together, and Benedetta could see her entire empire under siege.
“All of us went through a whole process, especially when we decided on territories to keep the peace. I think Rose came out of nowhere, and I don’t think it’s happened in this subculture for years. How dare she suddenly decide to come into our world and compete with us. It probably hasn’t happened for ten or fifteen years, and we were all settled. Here comes this outsider to mix up the rules. It’s not only rude, it’s dangerous.”
I could not let Bishop go without asking if she ever has plans to return to Broadway. After all, she originated the role of Sheila in A Chorus Line, and she hasn’t been on stage since 2011. The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel does seem to blend both worlds, though. The thrill of incredible writing and directing with real high-wire stakes.
“Not so much. I was actually talking to a dear friend who is doing a play right now, and I think the camera has spoiled me a bit. I love theater and being on the stage. It was home for me. Learning the technique of being on camera and learning what a typical day is like, I became very comfortable in that environment. You always have another take if the last one did exist. I will say…I do miss an audience. Doing eight shows a week is very hard. People don’t know how difficult it is. In the evening shows, it might be a date or a spouse got tickets for them and another couple. When it comes to matinees, those people really want to be there. They really respond to you. I miss those audiences.”
If Sherman-Palladino wanted a matchmaker spin-off, I know her legion of fans would follow (how crazy fun would that be?!). Will we see Benedetta in Maisel‘s final season?
“We’ll see,” she says with a wink in her voice.
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel is streaming now on Amazon.
