As all the best things do, “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt” has come to an end. The final season of the wacky Netflix comedy has been released onto the streaming platform in full, which means its cast and creative team is reflecting on the experience.
Well, Ellie Kemper is, anyway. “The Office” alum and title star of “Kimmy” penned a piece for the New York Times about the many lessons she learned from her co-stars including Jane Krakowski and Tituss Burgess, and of course, from series creators Tina Fey and Robert Carlock.
Don’t miss your shot: Check out Backstage’s TV auditions
“Look, these two made a comedy about a woman who was kidnapped and held underground for 15 years. The show is about what happens after that. How do you continue to move forward after experiencing a tragedy? And how on earth do you manage to make any of it funny?,” Kemper writes. “To understand the true depth of Kimmy’s tenacity and courage is something I might never fully be able to do. But to be a part of a show that seems to make people feel better is one of the highest honors I’ve had. And all that is because Robert and Tina work tirelessly to make it right.”
Kemper also shared what she gained starring alongside industry veteran Carol Kane and, unsurprisingly, it’s no-nonsense actorly gold.
“Carol taught me that though there are many, many details swirling about a television show, the actor’s primary job is to perform,” Kemper writes. “I know this sounds obvious, but the truth is, actors spend a lot of time waiting and not that much time performing. Carol always puts her performance first and eliminates any distractions that might interfere with that priority.”
And with that, we say farewell to Kimmy Schmidt, too. As the old adage/last-day-of-summer-camp saying goes, “Don’t cry because it’s over; smile because it happened.”
Check out Backstage’s TV audition listings!