‘Poker Face’ Creator and Stars on Living Up to Season 1, Working With Multiple Cynthia Erivos and Kumail Nanjiani’s Alligator Dreams

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Following the initial triumph of “Poker Face” on Peacock, showmaster Rian Johnson didn’t aim to surpass himself in the new season. Rather, his objective was to simply continue what was accomplished in Season 1 and amplify it further.

Johnson explained during the PaleyFest panel at the Dolby Theatre on Saturday that the aim wasn’t to expand an extensive mythology or to escalate Charlie’s storyline. Instead, it was simply about creating some truly exciting episodes and experimenting with new ideas for each one. So every time viewers see the opening credits, they won’t know exactly what to expect.

Season 2 starts with con-artist Charlie, played by Natasha Lyonne, fleeing from Beatrix Hasp once more. The thrilling opening episode introduces “Wicked” actress Cynthia Erivo in the role of a group of six siblings.

Johnson mentioned that our shooting plan spanned just 10 days, which is remarkably quick considering the script’s size. This wasn’t due to complex camera techniques; instead, we simply left the camera in place. Cynthia performed her scenes in halves, then went to change. Incredibly, she managed to remember all her lines without error and remained a delightful person throughout.

As a devoted movie enthusiast, I proudly don multiple roles on “Poker Face” – executive producer, director, writer, and the leading actress. With fresh guest stars gracing our screens each episode, it’s the dedicated crew who become our closest companions – after all, they’re the friendly faces we encounter every day.

As a passionate film enthusiast, I’m thrilled about this season’s lineup of fresh faces gracing our screens. Among them are John Mulaney, Giancarlo Esposito, John Cho, Haley Joel Osment, and Kumail Nanjiani. Intriguingly, Nanjiani hinted that his character, Gator Joe, is a Florida Panhandle cop with a fondness for alligators and a striking frosted hairstyle. Remarkably, Lyonne approached him for the role only six days before filming began, and he managed to nail the dialect under the guidance of dialect coach Liz Himelstein. Jokingly, Nanjiani added that if he couldn’t master the accent in time, he would simply speak as a Pakistani immigrant who’s lived in America for two decades.

Once he began working on it, he found it incredibly engaging and thrilling, so he decided to fully immerse himself in it,” he said. “The project spans several years, following the growth of a small alligator into a full-grown one throughout the episode. This allowed him to collaborate with some of the best professionals in the industry, as well as work with large alligator animatronics.

As Nanjiani jumped into the role, he started having “weird” dreams revolving alligators.

Nanjiani expressed his desire to build a genuine bond with an alligator, despite finding them frightening and unattractive. He admitted, ‘I wasn’t sure how I was going to manage it.’ In a dream, he imagined a unique creature – a cross between his cat and an alligator – as his child. He recalled feeling immense affection for this odd-looking pet in the dream. The following day, he worked with real alligators and found himself developing a fondness for them.

Johnson shared that inviting guests led to an interesting blend of individuals they’ve collaborated with previously, as well as those they’ve long admired but had yet to partner up with.

Taking on a role where I’m essentially the featured guest for a brief period, immersing myself in an utterly chaotic environment over the course of just two weeks, requires quite a bit of skill and adaptability,” I noted.

During the panel discussion, Emmy-winning guest star Judith Light shared memories of collaborating with Johnson and Lyonne while portraying the politically radical character Irene Smothers in Season 1.

As a cinema enthusiast, I’d rephrase that in the first person as follows:

“I find myself immersed in a world where a woman’s gut feelings are validated. It’s not just that [Charlie] can sense when someone is being dishonest, but it’s her intuition at play. And I get to witness this, understand how it functions, and see it in action.

In the second season, it’s a joyful moment for me to reunite with my fellow cast members from “But I’m a Cheerleader.” Melanie Lynskey graces our screens once more, and the talented Clea DuVall steps back into her directorial role, having previously portrayed Charlie’s long-lost sister in the Season 1 finale.

DuVall mentioned, “Since I’d already known the team from the year prior, the atmosphere felt incredibly welcoming, more like reuniting with friends than starting a new school term. It was enjoyable, and I had the chance to take on directing tasks I hadn’t tackled before.

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2025-03-30 06:17