REAL BUZZKILL
‘Flaked’ star Arnett spills sobering truth on new season
WILL ARNETT’S dark comedy series about a troubled recovering alcoholic grows even more sobering as the story line moves forward.
The actor is gearing up for the Season 2 debut of his Netflix series “Flaked,” which centers on a wellliked but damaged man named Chip who struggles with addiction and desperately tries to maintain a string of lies to his pals and new girlfriend, London.
The second season is even heavier than the first — with Chip’s life quickly unraveling as he hides his return to drinking, denies he has a problem, and continues to cover up a drunk-driving accident that killed a man a decade earlier.
“The rubber hits the road in the second season,” Arnett, who plays Chip, told the Daily News. “The stark reality of broad daylight kind of paints a different picture, and all of a sudden these people who met under these circumstances where they were lying to each other — what does that do?”
It’s easily Arnett’s most handson project to date. In addition to being the star, Arnett co-created, cowrites and produces “Flaked,” drawing inspiration from his own real-life struggle with sobriety.
The comedic actor, 47, told The Hollywood Reporter last year that he briefly began drinking again when “Flaked” was in production, prompting him to return to Alcoholics Anonymous meetings.
He also revealed at the time that he came up with the concept for “Flaked” when his marriage to now ex-wife Amy Poehler hit a rough patch.
These are issues Chip — who never comes to grips with his split from his wife — can certainly relate to. “I think that we’re all flawed,” Arnett said of the show’s overarching message. “A lot of what (Chip has) done is born out of heartache, and he’s never recovered from it. And he’s sort of taking it out on the rest of the world.” Arnett embraced an even bigger role behind the scenes in the second season by directing episodes with the show’s co-creator, Mark Chappell. It’s the first time Arnett (photo) has ever directed a project — an experience he found to be “really fun and different.” His performance in the director’s chair earned rave reviews from his co-star Ruth Kearney, who plays London. “(He was) always involved, so to direct felt like definitely a natural progression,”
Kearney, 32, told The News.
“You do sometimes have questions about what you’re doing, and you want to talk it over. Will and Mark were always so open and gave as much time as you needed to feel comfortable.”
The new season of “Flaked," which premieres Friday, isn’t the only project Arnett has coming to Netflix. The actor is also set to return in 2018 for the long-anticipated fifth season of “Arrested Development,” in which he’ll reprise his role of clueless magician Gob Bluth.
Shortly before the new season was officially picked up, Arnett gushed over his experiences with his co-stars on the cult comedy. Well, most of them anyway.
“We all love doing it, we all love working together — except for (Jason) Bateman,” Arnett joked. “I will not lay off Bateman, ever.”