Audiences just want to root for Adam Pally. Since he burst on the scene in the critical darling Happy Endings, Pally has made a career for himself as an “everyman” type but with a chaotic twist. That trend continues in Mr. Throwback, Peacock’s new comedy created by David Caspe, Matthew Libman, Daniel Libman and Pally himself. Pally plays Danny Grossman, a sports collectibles store owner whose life took a downward turn after his alcoholic father (Tracy Letts) tried to pull a grift with his childhood basketball team. One of Dannyâs team mates and best friends? Steph Curry (playing himself).
So how did Pally and friends get one of NBA’s brightest stars involved in a silly, but heartfelt series? It all started when Pally and his wife, Daniella Liben, were guests on Curry and his wife Ayesha Curryâs short-lived HBO game show, About Last Night, which featured celebrity couples revealing sexy, funny, sweet tidbits about their relationships. “We gave Steph the business a little bit,” said Pally. Soon after his appearance, Caspe and his wife, Casey Wilson, also went on the show and hit it off with Steph. “After that, his team approached David and me, and they were like, ‘hypothetically, if there was any idea you had, we would love to hear it,’” remembered Pally. “We were like, ‘give us two minutes.’”
In addition to getting to work with Curry, who he called “the best human on the planet,” Pally also got to work with SNL star Ego Nwodim, who plays Steph’s and Danny’s other best childhood friend and the current CEO of Curry’s media empire. “Ego is the most versatile, talented, hilarious comedian I think I’ve ever worked with,” gushed Pally. “She gives one of the most well-rounded performances I’ve seen. She’s funny, she’s ruthless, and she’s heartbreaking.”
Perhaps the biggest joy Pally took in playing Danny was getting to play a father on-screen. He noted that his co-starsâAyden Mayeri, who plays Danny’s ex-wife Sam, and Layla Scalisi, who plays Danny’s daughter Charlieâ made a “very warm, very believable family unit.” “My kids were around the set so much,” said Pally. “My son Cole has a small little cameo.” The creators even modeled Charlie after Pallyâs daughter, Gigi, who “everyone just fell in love with.” “The show felt very family oriented,” said Pally.
Pally stopped by the DECIDER studio to talk about the origins of the show, his jump shot, and why they could not resist making fun of Curry’s alleged beef with Drake.
DECIDER: What’s it like to be best friends with Steph Curry?
ADAM PALLY: You didn’t tell him that I said we were best friends, right?
I did not.
Legally, I’m not allowed to do that anymore. I have what is called a “vocal restraining order.” Some people call it a gag order. I can’t talk about Stephen and my friendship, because Steph says it’s, quote unquote, non-existent. Who needs words? Itâs more about vibes when you’re friends. [laughs] I mean, he’s the best human on the planet. He has a natural, uplifting vibe. Stephen would be working out on set, and then suddenly, I found myself skipping lunch and running. I was like, “what am I doing?” He makes you feel like, “Hey, I can do that, possibly.”
Mr. Throwback is such a unique concept for a series. Which came first: Steph Curry or the idea to center a show around Steph Curry?
What came first was that Steph and I hit it off on his wife’s game show on HBO.
About Last Night?
Something like that. Don’t tell Ayesha I forgot the title. It was a show based on The Newlywed Game featuring married couples. My wife and I were on it, and we gave Steph the business a little bit. The same thing happened with David Caspe, my co-creator for Mr. Throwback . He’s married to my good friend Casey Wilson from Happy Endings. Steph hit it off with them too. After that, his team approached David and me, and they were like, “hypothetically, if there was any idea you had, we would love to hear it.” We were like, “give us two minutes.” That’s how it happened.
Mr. Throwback is a redemption story thatâs also a train wreck. How difficult was it to find the tone of the show?
Both hard and not hard. I mean, when you look at me, I both look like a redemption story and a train wreck [laughs]. My youngest kept me up all night, and right now, I feel like a train wreck with one last shot to pull it together. That’s universal really. Everyone always feels like they’re one shot away from pulling it all together. Danny is so many shots away that each decision he makes gets him in deeper. I empathize with that.
To answer your question about finding the right tone, Iâm lucky enough to work with many of the same people that I’ve worked with since Happy Endings: David Caspe, Matthew Libman, and Daniel Libman. We also did another show called Champaign, ILL. The four of us have developed a unique tone that comes through in the way that we speak and the way that the characters speak. Sometimes, it takes a couple clicks for the writers and the actors to click in, but then when you do, it feels like we are on a rocket ship.
Who helped who more: Steph on your basketball game or you on Steph’s comedy game and why?
100% me on Steph’s comedy game. There’s no amount of help he could give me with basketball. I mean, what am I looking for out of basketball? I’ve gotten the most I could out of the game, which is a television show. I love the game. I respect the game. I play the game with my friends, but nothing else. In fact, I was shooting one day with him, and his trainer said: “You want to know what’s wrong with your shot?” And I said, “No, not really.” He said: “I’ll tell you anyway. Your midsection is loose.” I never quite heard my stomach area referred to as “loose” before. It was a humbling moment. When you think of jump shooting, you’re like, “what the hell does that matter?” But he’s right. My midsection is loose.
I was so happy to see Ego Nwodim in the cast.
She’s amazing. Ego is the most versatile, talented, hilarious comedian I think I have ever worked with.
Was she always the first choice to play Kimberly?
No. The role was written originally for a guy. As we became closer with Stephen and his team, we were like, “well, this should be more real to life.” Stephen’s team is run by an amazing group of women, strong women. We were like, “what are we doing?” [Laughs] We just assumed it was him and his boys, or whatever. Life’s not always like that. It was such an easy choice to change the character to a woman, and it was the best decision we made. There were so many options and directions we could go in writing for someone like Ego. She gives one of the most well-rounded performances I have seen. She’s funny, she’s ruthless, and she’s heartbreaking.
Speaking of breaking hearts, do you expect to be hearing from Michael B. Jordan since Ego spoke about him so much as Kimberly?
I mean, I think Michael B. should send us a thank you card, right? He should be so lucky to think he could score with Ego. Right? Am I just the only one that thinks that? I don’t think so.
No, you’re not.
Youâre right. I think Michael B should be like, “thank you for putting my name in Ego’s mouth.” Thatâs the text I’m waiting for.
What was it like to have Tracy “August Osage County” Letts play your father on Mr. Throwback?
To have Tracy Letts play my father was a trip. I am such a huge fan of Tracy Letts’ writing. Heâs also a great actor. He’s an Emmy nominee this year. Heâs got so much gravity. The fun thing about Tracy is that he really is an improviser at his core, which means that when he gets a script, he’s going to figure out a way to do it. He’s not going to put up roadblocks; he’s going to find on-ramps. Did I just come up with that? I don’t know if I’ve ever heard it said that way, but that’s now mine.
Even though youâre a father, you don’t typically play fathers on-screen. Was it nice to be able to pull from that part of your own life in creating Danny?
It was amazing to be able to play a dad. I mean, the casting was great. Layla, who played my daughter, is so amazing. Ayden, who plays my ex-wife, is so talented and so funny. We made them a very warm, very believable family unit. Also, my kids were around the set so much. My son Cole has a small little cameo, andeveryone just fell in love with my daughter, Gigi. They ended up basing the character of Charlie on Gigiâher affect, the lines, the clothes she wears. Gigi even became friends with Layla.
The show felt very family oriented. The kids were around so much because we shot in Chicago, which is one of the towns I grew up in. The kids would get so excited to be around the set. They hung out around the art department and the wardrobe department. It was very easy for me to go back and forth between work and life.
As someone who has named his own child after Drake, did you take Steph Curry’s alleged beef with Drake personally?
I’m getting a lot of flak this year for naming my kid Drake. Everyone was cool with it until this year [laughs]. No, no. I think that joke was written because of Stephen’s and Drake’s deep, deep friendship. Obviously, they talk a lot of shit to each other constantly. I have a love for Aubrey dating back to his and my beginnings, including creating a show about him. I feel very strongly towards Aubrey, but that Kendrick Lamar song is great. It’s all so good.
Last question. Not to get into any massive spoilers, but the final episode leaves things open for a potential Season 2. Where do you think the show could go?
I think that’s the fun of Mr. Throwback. Every year you could be trying to imagine how Danny can get himself out of an impossible corner. And then that corner could turn into a small corner in an even bigger box. We really have a lot of plans. With Stephen and his ambition and his mind, the sky’s the limit on what you can do and how far we can take it and where we can go. There are so many ways we as a team can move.
All 6 episodes of Mr. Throwback are available to stream on Peacock.
The post ‘Mr. Throwback’ Star/EP Adam Pally Reveals The “Humbling” Pointer Steph Curry’s Trainer Gave Him On His Jump Shot appeared first on Decider.
