CNN –
Brett Goldstein knew he had to nail the emotional scene in this week’s episode of “Shrinking,” in which Alice (Luketa Maxwell) confronts the man who killed her mother in a drunk-driving accident, played by “Ted Lasso” alumnus. . Fortunately, this isn’t the first time Bill Lawrence has been on the TV disaster train.
“Filming that scene was really special,” Goldstein, who co-produced the series alongside Lawrence and star Jason Segel, told CNN in an interview last month. “I think we all know this scene is really important, so we better get it right.”
Still angry about her mother’s death, Alice agrees to talk to Louis (Goldstein) after Brian (Michael Urie) admits he’s been in contact with him after a chance meeting. At Louis’s house, Alice lovingly reminisces about her mother before the mood changes.
“All I can tell you is that not a moment goes by that I don’t think about her or you or your father,” Louis says to Alice, his eyes welling up. “I wish I could change it, I wish I could come back…”
Before he could finish, Alice interrupted him.
“I forgive you,” she says.
Louis stutters in response but settles for a simple answer: “Thank you.”
It’s a tear-jerking moment, enhanced by Goldstein and Maxwell’s nuanced performances.
“It’s the pivotal moment in the season in terms of the forgiveness arc. Alice does that and then wonders, ‘What’s going to happen with Jimmy (Segel)?’ It’s now his story,” Goldstein said.
Shrinking stars Siegel, Maxwell, Jessica Williams, Harrison Ford and others. The film revolves around Jimmy, who begins to use unconventional methods in his therapeutic practice while grieving the death of his wife. His decision to throw ethics and his training out the window led to major changes in the lives of his clients, Alice’s life and his own.
Goldstein’s character was introduced at the beginning of the second season.
Goldstein acknowledged that the weight of the scene—in which Alice confronts and forgives the man who was the reason her mother was no longer around—was not lost on anyone present on set on the day it was filmed.
For a group that was usually full of laughter and “playing around”, silence fell when it came time to film this scene.
“It was one of (those) real special days you sometimes get when you make something. Everyone was really quiet that day… I think everyone was really into it,” he said. “I found it very moving that day, and I love This scene is very much.”
Siegel encouraged Goldstein to take on the role of Lewis, a radical departure physically and otherwise from the gruff, full-bearded British soccer star Roy Kent who he portrayed in the Emmy Award-winning “Ted Lasso” for three seasons.
“I was pretty nervous about it,” Goldstein said of the guest star in Season 2. “This offer is good. I don’t want to be the reason it blows up,” he added, laughing.
Siegel told CNN that the reason Goldstein was encouraged to take the role was simple, calling him “one of the best actors working today.”
But he also sympathized with Goldstein’s status as an actor now synonymous with playing a well-known television character. (Siegel played goofy married lawyer Marshall Eriksen on CBS’s “How I Met Your Mother” for 9 seasons.)
“The thing that changed my life and my career is that I didn’t wait until someone thought I could do something,” Siegel said. “I knew Brett wanted to play this role and what I said was, ‘I created the show.’ You can play any role you want. This is where you do that. This is where you show that you can do the other things. And I’m really happy.” Because he said yes, because he’s perfect.
Episodes 1 through 6 of “Shrinking” are available to watch on AppleTV+. New episodes premiere on Wednesdays.
