Catherine Tate was a proven comedy actress from a comedy background with great taste. I knew her work, and was an incredible fan.
Soon, the viewer won't even know if he's watching on broadcast or the Internet. He'll just be eating his cereal and see an image on the spoon. That's how we'll be watching soon, on spoons. The commercials will be on the knives.
The thing about many celebrities - not all - is that they're fantastic actors. If we've created a really juicy role, it just feels like a fantastic actor should be playing the part. If it's a long enough part, we consider anyone. If it's a single episode, we don't usually let a single actor on. Because that' s just stunting.
When someone leaves an office, often there's a series of successors until you settle on one.
The thing about many celebrities - not all - is that they're fantastic actors.
When we are in pre-production, this is the best job in the world. Working 10 to 7, sitting around and brainstorming with the other writers, making things funnier and writing and rewriting scenes - that's as fun as it gets.
Comedy becomes intensified in short scenes.
I feel it's very important to let individual writers' voices come through. But the character has to be consistent.
