Mullally, Offerman get lovey-dovey
‘We just like each other,’ actors say. Q&A,
Megan Mullally and Nick Offerman call their funny, revealing new book “The Greatest Love Story Ever Told” (Dutton). The book’s title may be tongue-in-cheek, but all kidding aside, these guys really are crazy in love. The Hollywood couple have been together for 18 years and just celebrated their 15th wedding anniversary.
Offerman, along with Amy Poehler, hosted this summer’s crafting competition “Making It” on NBC. Mullally returns as kooky Karen Walker on NBC’s “Will & Grace” this week (Thursdays at 9 EDT/PDT).
Mullally and Offerman (holding hands) joined USA TODAY in New York for some tasty repartee during a #Bookmark This video chat. Highlights:
Question: So, this project began as series of conversations that you literally had in bed on your smartphones? Most people are falling asleep and you two are engaging in witty dialogue a la “Will & Grace”!
Megan Mullally: We were on tour, so we were never in our own bed, we were in beds strewn across the country and perhaps around the world. Every once in a while I’d say, “Hey, want to lay down a couple chapters?” And Nick would get his phone out and put on the recorder. I wouldn’t tell him in advance what the topic was, he might front-load. So I’d say, “OK, the topic is: Families.” And then we’d just start having a conversation about families. And it was very interesting. I would find myself closing my eyes so that I was really focused on what Nick was saying. I think we learned a little bit about each other and a few things came out that we weren’t necessarily aware of. Nick Offerman: When you get into a relationship you learn by accretion. You gather bits and pieces along the way. So when you sit down and say, “OK, let’s talk for an indefinite period about our families, our early careers,” you get a much more complete sense of the biography. I had a lot of spaces filled in, especially in Megan’s young life. I sort of knew the headlines, but then to have them pieced together chronologically was pretty fascinating, elucidating and also quite tragic when she began talking about the string of lovers she’s had throughout her life. Continues to this day.
Q: I think I missed that chapter! Mullally: When we did the chapter about sex he got really shy and didn’t really want to do it. But then he warmed up. Offerman: I always do. Mullally: Famous in the bedroom.
Offerman: (laughs.)
Q: You joke in your book that Antony and Cleopatra, Samson and Delilah and Bogart and Bacall have nothing on you guys. It’s a great love story, but it’s also a great “like” story, isn’t it?
Mullally: You know that feeling – we’ve all been there – in a relationship when you’re dating someone and you’re driving along and you think, “I would rather hurtle myself out of this automo-
bile going 40 miles an hour than to listen to one more millisecond of this person speaking”? And I never have that with Nick. Offerman: I try not to talk too much in the car. Mullally: I like him. I like what he has to say. I think he’s funny. I think he’s cute.
Offerman: We love working together. If we drive together, if we share a dressing room, we know going into it that we’re going to get along. We’re very domestically compatible. People often say to us, “Are you crazy? I can barely stand my spouse at home every day after work, how can you choose to go to work with her?” And we say, “Well, that sounds really sad for you, because we just like each other.”
Mullally: And we like to be together. We’d rather be together than not togeth- er. And we have our two-week rule: We’ve never been apart more than two weeks. That helps.
Q: Megan, what are we going to see on the new season of “Will & Grace”?
Mullally: Karen and Stan are getting a divorce. Karen is a little cut adrift mentally and emotionally because she really did love him and she has been with him her whole life. But she was having this kind of “Same Time, Next Year” fling with Alec Baldwin’s character, Malcolm. And Stan finds out about it because Malcolm tells him, because he wants Karen for himself. Stan sues her for divorce. Alec is back (this season). I love working with him, he’s amazing. He’s no Nick Offerman, but he’s darned good.
Q: And Nick, “Making It” got renewed for a second season? Offerman: People responded really well to it, which was very satisfying. We wanted to make a show that was all positive to give us a little respite from the state of our society right now. Mullally: Why, what’s going on? Offerman: Don’t look at the news. Everything’s cool.
Mullally: Is it about Cardi B getting arrested?
Q: You’re going to have to make more crafting puns, you and Amy Poehler.
Offerman: You know, they really hit the puns hard. And I’m worried, because that well is not terribly deep. There are only so many rhymes for “glue.”
Q: Megan, in your book you are critical of the pressure actresses feel to look a certain way on the red carpet, and Nick, you say it’s an example of sexism in Hollywood. What are your thoughts on the #MeToo movement?
Mullally: I have some #MeToo moments that I have not shared yet. They are my stories to tell and when the time is right I’ll tell them. I haven’t figured out yet the right way to do that. I might have a conversation with Nick and talk about it. I do feel that real change is upon us in that arena, and it’s exciting. And a long time coming. Let’s keep it going.
Offerman: I’m thrilled by this movement ... it’s incredible what’s being exposed as deeply entrenched behavior and traditions, even among our institutions that seem to be forward-thinking. I’m happy to be an advocate and use my ears (to listen) as much as possible.