David Schwimmer on the ‘Beauty’ of ‘Goosebumps’ and How ‘Friends’ Went From ‘Challenging’ and ‘Dark’ to the ‘Gift That Keeps on Giving’

Over the past twenty years, having played the neurotic paleontologist Ross Geller in the popular NBC sitcom “Friends” for a decade, David Schwimmer has expanded his acting range by exploring various genres and types of media.

After the final episode of “Friends” aired in 2004, unlike his co-stars, Schwimmer opted to leave Los Angeles and return to his birthplace, New York City. He then took a break from public attention for a while. Over the subsequent years, he’s been focused on personal creative ventures: rekindling his passion for theater, performing on both the West End and Broadway stages; lending his voice to Melman the giraffe in the “Madagascar” series; acting in independent films such as “Duane Hopwood” and “Big Nothing”; and leveraging his experience directing TV episodes to direct his own feature films (“Run, Fatboy, Run,” “Trust”).

Ever since he became a father in 2011, “I’ve been thoroughly enjoying my role as a parent and finding it hard to want to be away from home, to put it simply, so I’ve become rather selective about the things that would entice me to leave,” Schwimmer shared during a recent video chat with EbMaster.

Over the years, Schwimmer has occasionally graced our television screens. He made appearances as himself on shows like “Curb Your Enthusiasm” and “Entourage”, and was reunited with his former “Friends” cast members Matt LeBlanc (“Episodes”) and Lisa Kudrow (“Web Therapy”). Additionally, he collaborated with “Ted Lasso” star Nick Mohammed on the British sitcom “Intelligence”. His exceptional performance as lawyer Robert Kardashian in “The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story”, which Kim Kardashian recently praised during an episode of EbMaster‘s Actors on Actors series, earned him a second Emmy nomination in 2016.

Currently, Schwimmer is spearheading the second season of “Goosebumps: The Vanishing,” a supernatural horror anthology series on Disney+ that’s adapted from R.L. Stine’s popular books. In this role, Schwimmer portrays Anthony Brewer, a divorced man with fraternal twins who has temporarily halted his botanist career to care for his ailing mother. During the summer, Anthony’s children, Devin (Sam McCarthy) and Cece (Jayden Bartels), decide to stay with him at his old family home. This decision leads them and their new friends into the gripping story of four other teens who vanished in 1994, among whom is Anthony’s older brother.

One of the perks of this job I’ve landed is that I’m a big fan of horror movies, and I’ve never had the chance to work in this genre before. I was genuinely thrilled about the opportunity to give it a shot,” Schwimmer expresses. “I adore the ‘Goosebumps’ series. The whole concept – young-adult, horror-comedy action – is quite distinctive, blending humor and suspense while still focusing on genuine characters and emotions.

He adds, “Another fantastic aspect was filming it right here in my hometown, New York, specifically in Brooklyn and Queens. It made perfect sense since I didn’t need to travel. Filming in New York is a joy for me, and I believe they managed to create some stunning visuals of the city that you might not have seen before throughout the series.

Schwimmer talks candidly about his initial exploration into horror-comedy, his fascination with portraying characters who are frequently damaged and tormented – and why, despite the relentless public gaze he and his co-stars experienced many years ago, he continues to view “Friends” as an ongoing blessing.

What kinds of conversations did you have with the creative team about building Anthony as a character?

As a devoted film enthusiast, I can’t help but express my deep-seated gratitude towards Rob Letterman and Hilary Winston, the brilliant minds behind the creation and writing of this captivating series. Drawing inspiration from these enchanting tales, we embarked on an intriguing journey together, filled with insightful Zoom meetings and engaging discussions about our characters and their intricate backstories.

Together, we pondered over the character’s development throughout the season, recognizing the crucial importance of immersing viewers in the emotional world of these characters right from Episode 1. Our shared goal was to captivate audiences with this family, encouraging them to invest emotionally in their lives and join us on an unforgettable journey.

Indeed, this summer is proving to be quite demanding for me, as I’m tasked with caring for an unwell parent and helping move my mother into assisted living due to her inability to live independently. Despite our collective reluctance, we’re making the most of the situation while I take care of the children. Since I’ve had to take a break from work, I’m using this time to delve deeper into my research, which I do in the basement lab that I constructed.

The setup for the show is complex, filled with intrigue, and a bit cumbersome, but it’s brilliantly constructed to link events that occurred thirty years ago in my childhood city, where I used to live, to the mysteries unfolding today. In essence, it misdirects the audience initially, as we don’t fully grasp the significance of our return to this specific location until much later. This is because all the current happenings are connected to events that transpired three decades ago – a disappearance and a death that have haunted the city.

Did you have any kind of relationship with the original R.L. Stine novels on which the show is based? Was there something particular about the sensibility of that kind of writing that drew you in?

Initially, these books didn’t resonate much with me when they were first released because by then, I was past my teenage years. Oh, how I wish I could have encountered them at the age of 13! I would have been completely captivated by them. However, I found the tone a bit difficult to connect with. What’s fascinating about these books is R.L. Stine’s ability to portray the ordinary lives of people, especially young ones, and then introduce sudden mystery, adventure, and thrills. To be honest, I was drawn to this series, and more so this new version. It still astounds me how they manage to create such a sense of fear without resorting to graphic violence or sexual content, maintaining a level of safety while keeping you on the edge of your seat. You know what I mean? You’re scared and anxious, but never in an uncomfortable or unsafe way, and that’s quite challenging to achieve.

At one point early on in the show, your character has to pull a carnivorous living organism out of his forearm — and the monsters only get stranger as the season progresses. What did you find most personally and creatively fulfilling about telling a self-contained mystery but with so many advanced special effects? Had you ever worked with this level of effects before?

As a movie enthusiast, I must admit that while I’ve only dipped my toes into this production so far, there are aspects that have left an impression. The thrill of having to imagine the entire scene as an actor is one such element. It might seem straightforward, but it’s precisely this ability to play and immerse ourselves in the story that drew us to acting in the first place – remember those childhood moments when a T-Rex seemed to be charging towards us? We get to relive that excitement as adults. This means we have to fully invest ourselves in the moment, using our imagination to its fullest, trusting that the visual effects team will turn our performance into something magical. Additionally, with all the stunts, there’s a hope that they’ll be edited skillfully to make us look daring and impressive, even though the real danger is handled by others behind the scenes. What I find most rewarding is witnessing the final product – the harmonious blend of a creative team’s efforts, making it all appear believable on screen.

In my opinion, one key aspect I aimed to achieve was striking a delicate balance in our dialogue – incorporating elements of emotion, drama, humor, action, horror, and maintaining a sense of comedy in this world. This, to me, was the most intriguing part of the project as it presented quite a challenge. I contemplated, “Given all the grandiose events taking place, perhaps the funniest approach would be to downplay everything, to deliver lines casually and nonchalantly, almost dismissively, because the surrounding elements are so over-the-top that understated reactions might seem even more amusing.” Of course, as an actor, this is a risky move because you never truly know how it will turn out until the final edit. However, I had the advantage of working with excellent directors and Rob was outstanding, so I believe we took a bold approach and hopefully, it pays off. But, I haven’t seen the entire production yet.

Looking at your body of work, you seem to have an affinity for playing characters who are struggling, broken, flawed and in pain — and that applies to both your comedic and dramatic performances. Where do you think that kind of attraction comes from?

It seems my fascination with certain character types stems from my childhood, watching movies and TV shows. I was drawn to characters who experienced physical suffering, such as falling down on the street, which might not be amusing if it happened to us directly, but becomes humorous when observed in others. This is because we’ve likely experienced something similar, yet it’s happening to someone else this time, offering a sense of relief and relatability. Characters like Buster Keaton, Charlie Chaplin, and many more from silent movies and beyond who excelled in physical comedy were my favorites. Similarly, characters from films predating your own, hailing from the ’70s, ’80s, who were in emotional distress but also found themselves in comedic situations resonated deeply with me.

In case you’ve ever watched “Broadcast News,” the scene where Albert Brooks makes his debut on screen as a news journalist, sweating profusely due to nervousness, is unforgettable. His physique responds involuntarily with fear, creating a cringe-worthy yet hilarious spectacle. You can’t help but feel both sympathy and laughter for him in that moment. Interestingly, such characters and scenarios resonate with me because they mirror aspects of my life, including childhood experiences, bullying, and multiple injuries. In fact, I had numerous bone breaks throughout my youth due to my active lifestyle. Despite the frequent injuries, I continued to push myself further as an athlete and actor.

The qualities you just described — feeling so sad and so sorry for a character, and then finding humor in his struggles — is exactly how I felt watching Ross on “Friends.” 2024 marked the 30-year anniversary of the pilot and the 20-year anniversary of the series finale, and the show has clearly cemented its place in pop culture during the age of streaming. How has your relationship with Ross and “Friends” in general evolved as you have gotten older? What kind of relationship, if any, do you have with that character now?

I no longer have a personal connection with his character, but the impact of the show continues to resonate. To clarify, the show was transformative during its time – professionally, personally, in every aspect of my life. It served as a game-changer. However, that period of working on the show is a distinct chapter in my memory, and it came with its own price tag – a sacrifice of privacy and dealing with the backlash the show encountered at one point.

For three decades, my connection with the show has evolved through various stages. For a long time, I deliberately distanced myself from it, as I was engrossed in other professional commitments like directing and creating new work. However, when my child stumbled upon the show without any intentional introduction, that marked a fresh chapter for me – revisiting something I had worked on two decades ago. This is why I call it an ongoing gift.

Recently, I visited Japan for the first time in my life, about a month back, and our guide mentioned casually that she learned English by watching a particular show. I was taken aback, as this struck me as incredibly surprising. It’s amazing to think that such an occurrence has happened to me, and I imagine it must have happened to many other cast members and actors too, where we meet people who learned the language specifically for their job, which in my case was from 30 years ago.

One of the most poignant experiences I’ve had is meeting parents who share that their child is battling cancer, but finds solace and joy in watching our show. This realization is deeply moving, and it’s hard not to feel honored knowing that from a job I did 30 years ago, I can still have some impact on people’s lives and bring them joy during difficult times. It’s an indescribable feeling, really.

Your daughter is 13 now, around the same age when a lot of younger people, myself included, watch “Friends” for the first time. Have you watched the show with her recently?

Well, that phase is over.

That’s so funny. I think she’ll come back to it when she’s a little older; her love and appreciation for the show will probably come in waves.

Occasionally, despite not being a regular viewer, I come across instances of it online or receive clips from friends. For example, they might watch it during flights on their devices. As a result, it occasionally crosses my mind, but I don’t actively engage with it on a daily basis.

So much of what an actor is taught to do is to examine human behavior, but those who achieve a certain level of fame will inevitably find that they go from observing other people to being observed themselves. Looking back, how did you process your experience of rising to fame and losing your anonymity in the ’90s? How did you navigate the public spotlight?

Indeed, there’s no sugarcoating it: One part of the story was particularly demanding for me, and I would describe it as quite intense. My role typically involved being an impartial observer, keeping my mind open, and watching others – people, interactions. However, this situation led me to feel compelled to conceal myself. This was my reaction. It’s worth noting that every actor is unique, but for me, I found solace in a baseball cap, and there was an underlying sensation of being constantly observed and pursued. Interestingly enough, we were actually followed by three vehicles wherever we went at one point. Navigating that situation left me perplexed. However, I consider myself fortunate to have had a solid support system of family and friends who helped keep me balanced, provided encouragement, and assisted me in weathering the storm.

I consider myself fortunate to have been 27 when “Friends” came along, but I often pondered what it would be like if I were just 16 during those times. Frankly, I can’t fathom how young actors manage such a whirlwind – it was incredibly jarring and shattered my perspective. However, I managed to get past that phase, and as soon as the series ended, I relocated to New York City. Let me tell you, this move played a significant role in my journey towards a healthier lifestyle. The reason being, life in New York feels more genuine to me compared to Los Angeles where people seem to live in a bubble. In LA, you travel from your home into a car and rarely interact with others until you reach your destination. Conversely, in New York, you’re out on the streets, using public transportation, and interacting with a diverse range of people – not just those in the entertainment industry. So, my decision to return to New York City was deliberate, aiming for a life that suits me better.

At this stage of your career, what do you still want to accomplish? How do you go about defining success when you’ve already reached what many would consider the pinnacle in your line of work?

As a movie enthusiast, I’m constantly seeking growth and learning opportunities, and I firmly believe that working alongside gifted individuals is the key. It’s truly a blessing to be in a position where I can choose my projects, something that shows like “Friends” afforded us all. Many of my closest friends in this industry are struggling actors, writers, and directors who share the same passion.

Firstly, let me express my profound gratitude for these opportunities. However, when considering a project, it’s not just about the fun or the fame. I ponder over the creative minds behind the project. Are they individuals who will stimulate my creativity? Will this experience help me evolve as an artist? Lastly, will I enjoy the process? Gratitude, growth, and pleasure – these are the elements that drive me in my journey within the world of cinema.

At this point in my journey, I find myself unwilling to engage with excessive ego-driven situations. Instead, I’m seeking out collaborations or connections with those who share a similar mindset and purpose. I value my time deeply, focusing on projects that are enriching, engaging, and make a positive impact – contributing something meaningful to the world. Whether it’s these books or “Goosebumps,” adding a touch of positivity is a significant part of the vision for me.

This interview has been edited and condensed.

2025-01-11 03:47