Awards Daily chats with Renee Elise Goldsberry about the state of women in comedy, “the Girls5Eva effect,” and why putting on Wickie Roy’s clothing feels like being knighted.
One look at the TCA nominations for Individual Achievement in Comedy, and you’ll notice five female actors. . .and Jeremy Allen White. Is comedy experiencing an uprise in women?
“I’m glad you said that,” says Girls5Eva’s Renee Elise Goldsberry, who was included among the female nominees. “Yes, yes, yes. The more the merrier. We know women are funny, but we are writing more, running shows more, and most importantly, we’re doing more than supporting. And it’s amazing. I feel like it’s an embarrassment of riches because I can’t turn anywhere when it comes to seeing women in comedy and not find someone who isn’t blowing my mind. There’s such diversity of material in this category. I think that speaks to what is a glorious time in our industry. We spend a lot of time talking about the challenges we face in our industry, but this is something we need to celebrate and continue.”
Not only did Goldsberry receive a TCA nomination, but Girls5Eva the show did, too, in Outstanding Achievement in Comedy, which speaks to Season 3’s lasting impact despite being only six episodes.
“We were on Netflix, and we had this awesome opportunity to keep doing it. We’re always so happy to be there. There’s joy in doing it and that’s not just for the four of us—that’s for every crew member, every PA, the lighting designers, the costumes designers. The show is so unique. Yes, we have five minutes to do six episodes, but we know how to do this thing, and we know that it goes by really fast when it’s eight, so how are we going to savor every moment of six? Other than that, there’s no pressure on us because we are supported by comedic material that’s gold.”
Goldsberry says she’s been part of other comedic projects that ask actors to bring something “to make this funny” and rely on improvisation, and while that can be rewarding, she gets something completely different out of her work on Girls5Eva.
“We don’t have a tremendous amount of time and what is on the page is so vetted and so brilliant, it’s never necessary [to improvise]. What comes to us on the page is genius.”
Just as the girls try to break into the spotlight, the show itself often feels like art imitating life, with the series, too, being a bit of an underdog.
“We feel there’s a Girls5Eva effect. And we have a huge sense of humor about it. We feel like, oh, it’s going to happen! Oh, we blew it! We were on a float for the Thanksgiving Day parade a couple of years ago, and we were all dressed up, and at some point our float hit something and the sign saying ‘Girls5Eva’ came off. We had to do the second half of the parade with millions of people looking at us like, ‘Who the fuck are they?’ And we just had to laugh. Our float broke. No one knew who we were. And it was very Girls5Eva.”
But Goldsberry says that she’s comfortable in this space as “the little engine that could” because it makes you work harder, keeps you humble, and answers why you want to do this in the first place.
“The answer to that question always comes right away with me with this show. I just said that with the girls on a text group. We were talking about the opportunity and the dream of doing more. And I said, ‘Girls, it’s not selfish that we want to do more. Because we will always have each other, but I think what we make is really joyful and contagious, and I want the world to have it, too.’ I know every actor says that, but I mean it, and I believe it.”
In Season 3, even though Wickie is the one who often lights a fire within the group, she essentially pulls a pin on a grenade when she takes all the group’s money and books Radio City Music Hall on Thanksgiving Day to get them to go on tour.
“She does things that tend to be disastrous. What the other girls do, and what they do when they come together, is find the way to salvage from the wreckage what Wickie has done, and it ends up moving them forward. What I’ve learned from Wickie is don’t be paralyzed by trying to do the right things. It’s paralyzing to try to be perfect and to try to be good and smart. Wickie is not in any way concerned about anybody else’s feelings or needs or what’s wise other than the way she’s speaking and how she’s dressed.”
Speaking of the way she’s dressed, Wickie wears a lot of bright orange, reminiscent of a certain “Home Alone door knob” she frequently references in the “Orlando” episode. Goldsberry describes slipping into her garb as like a “knighting” or “consecration” when becoming the character.
“Matthew Hemesath (costumes), Takisha Sturdivant (hair), and LaSonya Gunter (makeup). They are so genius. The combination of them with these words in my mouth is 100% Wickie. I couldn’t do it without them because I’ve seen my performances on Zoom, and just thought, you’re blowing it! I have to go through that transformation. It gives me license to be that spitfire.”
With so many more Wickie-isms emerging this season (we finally get to see “Yesternights”!), what’s Goldsberry’s favorite from Season 3?
“I love the ridiculous song she made for her mother. I love the fact that she has created an entirely fabricated life abusing the actual reality of most African Americans and not taking any credit for or even acknowledgment of the privilege she was allowed to grow up in. And I love the line, ‘Find the lie, Dawn.'”
Girls5Eva is streaming on Netflix.
