The first two episodes of Netflix original Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt Season 3 were screened for a Tribeca Film Festival crowd Friday and the small glimpse into the new season had plenty going on. Following the screening, the show’s creators and stars sat down to tell Variety about what the third installment has in store, including favorite guest stars and some seriously fun scenes.
Among the special guests this season is Maya Rudolph, a peer of co-creator Tina Fey from their time on Saturday Night Live and a co-star with Kimmy Schmidt herself, Ellie Kemper, in 2011’s Bridesmaids. Her time in the third season will be spent with Tituss Burgess’ character. According to Fey, the two comedians “gave each other the giggles” during their scenes. Burgess was the subject of a recent teaser which featured him reenacting Beyoncé’s video for Lemonade. “I didn’t think it was going to be as expansive as it was. But the queen in me was like – Yeah!” the actor said.
Another big name that will be appearing this season is Ray Liotta, the face of cinema classics like Goodfellas. His propensity for being a tough customer was not lost on Kemper, but she said that meeting him in person was nothing like what she expected. “I was so scared at first because he’s Ray Liotta and he’s played some tough guys. The first day he didn’t say very much. The second day I felt like he was warming up a little and then by the third day he was literally holding a kitty standing in the rain. He is the sweetest man.” If that visual doesn’t sell the season, I’m not entirely sure what could.
Fey and co-creator Robert Carlock also fielded questions regarding the program’s relationship with NBC, the network to whom the series was originally pitched and the studio which puts it on. Fey explained that Netflix gives the series a lot more wiggle room in terms of what they can and can’t approach, such as taking shots at the NFL’s Washington Redskins. She also gave the example of one scene with Fred Armisen’s Robert Durst. “If Bobby Durst peed his pants on NBC we would have had a conversation with (an executive) and she would be like, ‘We have to be above it.’ There is a network rule nothing can come in and out of your body.” When asked by an audience member about the show’s relationship with the network however, Fey assured that there was no bad blood. “We still work for NBC. They make the show. We are still lifetime NBC-ers.”
Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt Season 3 premieres on Netflix May 19. Stay tuned with mxdwn Television for further information regarding the series and news about other Netflix originals.