Apples Never Falls Alison Brie Manifested Working with Annette Bening

The Big Picture

• The limited Peacock series Apples Never Fall explores Delaney family secrets that come to light after matriarch Joy's disappearance.
• Alison Brie, who plays oldest Delaney child Amy, admires co-stars Annette Bening and Sam Neill and aims to expand her acting roles beyond her comfort zone.
• Brie also expresses her excitement to finally shoot the Community movie, along with making the upcoming horror film Together with husband Dave Franco.

Based on the Liane Moriarty (Big Little Liars) novel, the seven-episode Peacock series Apples Never Fall is centered around the Delaney family, made up of former tennis coaches Stan (Sam Neill) and Joy (Annette Bening) and their four adult children (Jake Lacy, Alison Brie, Connor Merrigan-Turner and Essie Randles). But a seemingly idyllic life is rarely ever that, especially once you uncover the secrets and sins hidden underneath.

Amy (Brie) is the oldest Delaney child, but also the most free-spirited and rebellious. She’s still trying to figure her life out when Joy goes missing and suddenly everyone is a suspect, including the mystery woman that showed up on the Delaneys' doorstep and who seems to have secrets of her own.

During this interview with Collider, Brie talked about being in awe while working with co-star Bening, how delightful Neill is, what makes her get nervous about each project she does, bonding with her TV family via group chat, and not exactly being a natural tennis player. She also talked about getting very close to finally shooting the Community movie, teaming up with her husband, Dave Franco, on a horror film called Together, and whether she’s thinking about directing again soon.

Apples Never Fall

The Delaney family seems happy but Joy disappears, forcing her husband and four adult children to reassess their family history.

Working with Annette Bening and Sam Neill on 'Apples Never Fall' Was a Dream Come True for Alison Brie

Collider: This feels like a dream project, especially having Annette Bening and Sam Neill playing your parents. Do you ever wonder about who your parents could be in projects that you’re doing?

ALISON BRIE: I do think about that. Yes, I do. My husband, Dave [Franco], and I often go, “Sally Field is your mom.” We’re more comparing who looks like our actual moms. But for this job, I did have a feeling that I halfway manifested it. When I got the call for this, I was doing press for me and Dave’s movie, Somebody I Used to Know, that we wrote and he directed and I starred in it, and it’s romantic in nature, so most of the interviews I was doing, everyone was asking about my favorite rom-coms. I always say The American President, starring Annette Bening, is my favorite movie of all time. It had been days of me saying the words, “Annette Bening,” every day, and then I got a phone call saying, “So, there’s this limited series that just came in. It stars Annette Bening.” And I literally said, “I’ve been waiting for this call my whole life.”

It still feels like a pinch-me moment. I feel in awe. I adore her and am blown away by her and Sam. Of course, I’m a huge fan of his, as well. I think we all walked away having a big crush on Sam from this job. He is a true delight and just the coolest. He’s very laid back and very cheeky. They’re such pros, and they’re both so warm and giving. We really did feel like a family. We spent a lot of time together, having dinners and coffees, and going to the cabaret, and just finding ways to pass the time on the Gold Coast. That’s always the best part of the job. When people who are icons and are our idols, you get to meet them and work with them, and they become your peers and they become real regular people, and the relationships become real. That definitely happened on this job.

What’s that like, before you start working together? Are you someone who normally gets nervous, any time you start a project?

BRIE: There’s always a little bit of nervousness starting a new project, but I would say it’s more narcissistic in nature. I think going into any new project, it’s the actor’s nightmare of, have I forgotten how to act? Do I still know how to do this? What are the scenes that are on my plate? This role is very different for me. Part of the reason why I wanted to take it on was because it was so different and very emotionally demanding in a way that I haven’t really explored before, and that felt a little scary and exciting. I wanted to do it to push myself and try to discover some new territory in that respect. So, I think my fears were more about that.

Honestly, I enjoy having a little bit of nervousness going into any job. I think it’s caring being manifested through nerves. When I go into a job and I don’t feel anything, it’s like, “Oh, maybe I don’t care. Why am I doing this?” You want to feel nervousness. It’s the same experience, really, as excitement. And meeting Annette, I do get quite starstruck in life. My husband had just been on [James] Corden with Annette, and [on that show], the guests are out there at the same time, and he talked about my love of The American President. So, when I met her, that was my opener. I was like, “I think you just met Dave.” Of course, Annette is so warm and just pulled me into a big hug immediately, and then we were off to the races, all of us just diving in. I met her on day one of rehearsal with everybody, and Sam too, and we were able to just dive right into the work.

Alison Brie Got to Know Her ‘Apples Never Fall’ Co-Stars with Crass Jokes Over Group Chat

When you’re playing a family like this, do you have a moment where it all starts to feel like you’re finding a rhythm together?

BRIE: Definitely. Our director, Chris Sweeney, who did episodes one and two and six and seven, really established the characters with us and (showrunner) Melanie [Marnich] at the start of the show. Before even flying to Australia, Chris Sweeney had emailed all of us suggesting that we put ourselves on a group chat, which I then started, and my opener was basically making fun of Chris Sweeney for this suggestion. He was like, “Just share what you had for breakfast and things like that. I think it will help you guys feel like a family.” I texted everybody going, “I guess we have to do this. Chris wants to know what we’re having for breakfast.” And sure enough, we immediately all started making jokes. Before meeting Conor [Merrigan Turner] and Essie [Randles], who played the younger siblings on the show, in person, I feel like there was a real dynamic established. Jake [Lacy] and I had met before. We actually both worked on a movie called How To Be Single, but we didn’t have any scenes together. There was a joy to our crassness on the group chain and the way that we would joke that was really funny versus our younger siblings who were coming in and trying to be very respectful and polite. It was a really fun introduction.

By the time we all met each other, we really had established a rapport. And then, we had these rehearsals that were more deep dives into the characters. It wasn’t so much reading the lines and rehearsing blocking, as it was talking about the family dynamics, the alliances, and the different experiences of the older siblings’ childhoods versus the younger siblings. And then, it was the time that we were spending together outside of the set that ended up being the thing that informed it the most. It’s all comfortability. Probably within the first week of shooting, we all had settled into a great rapport, and that just grew and grew throughout. It’s interesting because we would block shoot a couple episodes at a time, jumping back and forth, but everybody’s comfort was growing and we did have a lot of fun infusing scenes where all the siblings are together, or the whole family is together. It was really fun to infuse that with all the little looks. Finding all those little moments was the challenge and the fun of this job.

I thought the structure of this series was so interesting, starting with the episode about the family, and then having an episode for each family member. What was it like to block shoot while you were doing episodes like that?

BRIE: The nature of this series is that we flash between the present and the past. There were a lot of discussions and constantly checking in and going, “What episode are we in? What’s happening now?” And we were also establishing whose episode it was. The episodes skewed towards one person’s perspective, and it was very sweet, the way that we became this true ensemble cast, knowing when it was our moment to take the spotlight and when we were part of a chorus supporting whoever was in the spotlight at that time. So, there were a lot of discussions just to orient us in which episode we were working on. It was really fun. It was fun to be on such a true ensemble show. It really felt like passing the torch around.

Why Annette Bening Made the Jump to TV With Her New Miniseries, 'Apples Never Fall'

Bening also talks about why she’s excited to be a part of Maggie Gyllenhaal’s movie, ‘The Bride!’ (of Frankenstein, in case you were wondering).

You’ve previously talked about how you are not a natural tennis star. Did you have a moment when you realized it just wasn’t going to work and you were going to have to cheat it a bit?

BRIE: If I’m being totally fair to myself, I was very excited about the idea of learning. Everyone in my family plays tennis, and when I was a kid, I really rejected it. Of course, I regretted that, going into this, but it was my chance to finally learn. I’m much more athletic now than I was when I was a kid. Coming out of GLOW, I actually really enjoy learning physical things for roles. That said, it’s just so difficult to take someone who’s never played a sport at all and get them to look like someone who has spent years playing that sport. It’s so tricky. So, when we realized how little I play it in the show, the amount of hours that we would have to put in for me to fully learn the game was not enough bang for our buck. I am in one scene playing tennis, so briefly, in the first episode, so they just taught me choreography. I have to say, I got pretty good at hitting the ball, but had no control over where the ball was gonna go. Even with someone tossing the ball to me. They’d be like, “Maybe we’ll stand right here, and then you’ll hit it to dad,” and it was just to the sky.

It was a bummer because it was really fun to run drills, and we had amazing coaches. There was a short period where I was like, “I’m getting better! I’m really getting the hang of this!” And then, everybody was like, “You’re not gonna get there.” I just felt like I was going two steps forward and one step back. I’d have one really good practice, and then come in the next time and be like, “I don’t remember how to do any of it.” And then, I got home and my sister’s been taking tennis lessons. When we were kids, she was in tennis camp. The other day, she was like, “I ran into Sarah, Joel McHale’s wife, and we were talking about tennis, and she said we should come over and play doubles with them." I was like, “Doubles? I only know choreography. I can’t really play.” I will say, doing the lessons for this gave me a sense of, “Oh, if I put in the time in life, it actually would be a fun sport to learn how to play. I could do it. I think I could get there. I just need more time.”

Alison Brie Believes They're Close to Making the 'Community' Movie

I love that Community is not dead. You’ve made the seasons and the movie is finally happening. Did you ever think it was really going to happen?

BRIE: No. I still am not sure. I still won’t let myself fully believe that we’re gonna do the movie until we’re on set, shooting the movie. It’s wild. It’s a testament to the fans. The Community fans are the best fans out there and they have kept this dream alive. Also, it’s a testament to our relationship with one another and that we all truly love each other very much. That’s another text chain that is still alive and well. We’re texting all the time, that group, and we see each other every so often, when people's schedules align, for dinners and things like that. I always think of the Community cast like family, and I think that is a big proponent of the movie getting a hint of a green light because we all have the desire to be back on set together.

Has a script manifested?

BRIE: Not one that I’ve seen. I may have read an outline, but I have yet to see a script. I’ll believe it when I see that script, but I hear there are rumors of it being nearly ready to go.

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The prophecy is unfolding, one line at a time.

Will you be working with your husband, Dave Franco, again soon?

BRIE: I’m working with Dave currently. We’re actually prepping a film in Melbourne, back in Australia where we shot [Apples Never Fall]. Dave and I are co-producing and starring in a horror film called Together, which explores the horrors of co-dependency. I’m told that’s all I’m allowed to say about it, but we’re very excited about it. I think it’s gonna be really funny and really meta and really fun. Dave and I love working together, and this film is written and will be directed by this Australian guy named Michael Shanks. His writing and his ideas are very unique and very exciting. Dave read this script before I did and said, “I think we should play this couple, and we should produce this movie.” We’ve been involved in the project for a year, basically, taking it out and getting financing and now getting it made. We’re both really excited about it.

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Trudy, Annie, and Diane too!

Do you have anything you’ve written that you’d like to get into production, or do you want to direct again soon?

BRIE: Dave’s been doing a lot of writing. I’ve been taking a little break from writing, waiting for inspiration on that front. And the same with directing, though I’m thinking about that more and more. I think about what that would look like or what kind of project that would be for me. So, I’m definitely thinking about it, but there’s nothing percolating just yet. Even though Dave and I are producing this project (Together) and we’re back behind the camera, it was fun to work on Apples and have a break. It did feel like a break. To only have to think about the acting side of it was so nice and gave me some space to have some fun in Australia and have a little bit of a life down there, which I think actually just adds to the character. You need to kind of have a real life. If you’re too tunnel vision with your work, as an actor especially, what are you drawing from to put into the characters that you’re playing? You’ve gotta loosen it up and put a little joy back into your life.

Apples Never Fall is available to stream on Peacock. Check out the trailer:

Watch on Peacock

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