[laughs]

It's kind of crazy.

[laughs] Um, yeah, apparently that was, like, a real note that was coming, um- That, when it came down to, like, the last, I think it was me and maybe two other people, that was a real concern there.

Um, but I guess it came down from the top that it was like, "Yeah, but this is TV." So, [laughs] it was-

[laughs]

[laughs] So, they didn't tell me.

Usually with these things, right, if you go back, if they...

Like, I was from New York, so they flew me to LA to do a screen test, and they tell you, "If you fly back home, that's it." Um, so I'm on the plane with my mom, and this is also, like, not too far out from, like, 9/11, so they have, like, really strict rules, and my mom gets a phone call from a manager, and they're, like, trying to get her to take, like, turn the phone off, and she's like, "I kinda need to just really, if you could just give me five minutes, that would be great." [laughs] And they, my manager called them to say, "Get off the plane.

subtle as a performer because for those who are not aware you did direct during that arc you know your second time directing uh for this series what was it like you know after last season getting to come back in the director's chair and having also that perspective with it as well and building greg and also these other characters from that side of the coin

It was fun.

I think, you know, I know the space that is Abbott Elementary really well, like the walls of the school.

I think when we decided to break out and go into the mall, it kind of turned all of that on its head.

And you had to learn how to, you know, shoot a completely different space and make these people feel comfortable.

uncomfortable as well as comfortable in that space but part of it was supposed to be a little you know jarring for them and i think you know whenever i i get the opportunity to prep a script as a director it means kind of looking at things from every character's perspective from with fresh eyes and it includes gregory's and it definitely changed the way i saw him in that in that story arc it was him and janine having to step up and kind of handle the issues with a lot of the parents.

And I think they're no longer the two that you don't want to put on the job because they're too green and they're rookies.

Like this is, you know, if everyone experiences this and what was it like for those two characters who are the ones that are always able to solve everything in their own way?

Oh, interesting.

Um, and I think that was another part of it.

I love really good actors living in the moment.

If you set everything up right, and you put the camera where it needs to be, and you have the setting right and just let them go, there's nothing more beautiful than that.

Um, so I knew at some point I wanted to do it, but I, I also knew that more than likely, whenever I did it, I'd probably have to be in the thing at the same time, and that's something that you have to have a really good relationship with your camera department and with your crew and your set.

And it wasn't until Abbott that I felt like that was time, like this was the right crew, this was the right set.

Um, I did one episode last year-

Oh, interesting.

In an industry where it's almost celebrated to be super accessible and put so much out there, especially with social media, do you feel like it's ever costed you opportunities or it's almost gained you or just no effect?

I feel like it always costs you something.

You don't put out without it taking something from you.

And I was very, I had to have pretty much my arm tied behind my back to get onto social media when we were promoting an indie film called Dear White People.

And when you're doing indie film, it's hard to get people to see something because there's no big PR arm behind it.

So they were like, you have a following and we should probably use you for that.

And I was like, okay, fine, but...

Hmm.

Oh, interesting.

We spend a lot of time together.

They're my best friends, and we actually spend more time talking about everything else other than the industry.

Um, and when we do, it's mainly the gripes that we have, the things that are, like, annoying about it.

But the least interesting part of our days and lives have to do with what happens in the industry.

We're, we're artists in the sense that we take in so much more, and then we'll figure out a way to articulate that somebody else- somewhere else.

But when we're together, we're very rarely talking about the ins and outs of the business.

Mm.