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[Editor's note: The following contains some spoilers for Season 2 of Shrinking.]
Summary
- Damon Wayans Jr. seamlessly joined the cast of 'Shrinking' as Derrick #2, bringing humor and chemistry to the mix.
- Wayans Jr. impressed with his improv skills and dynamic with Jessica Williams, forming trust with the cast and creative team.
- Wayans Jr. had a great experience working with Harrison Ford, Ted McGinley, and the supportive cast, and hopes to return for Season 3.
For two seasons now, the Apple TV+ series Shrinking has been following the journey of Jimmy (Jason Segel), a grieving therapist in the process of figuring out life after the death of his wife, and what that means for his clients, his daughter Alice (Lukita Maxwell) and himself. While Jimmy’s not quite relationship with Gaby (Jessica Williams) blew up in both their faces, their friend group survived, and a new Derrick (Damon Wayans Jr.) came into their lives. And even though Paul (Harrison Ford) is experiencing worsening symptoms of his illness and Louis (Brett Goldstein) has stirred up emotional pain for Jimmy and Alice, this friend group was there to support and love each other, every step of the way.
It's never easy to be the new guy joining a TV series with a cast that’s already so on point with their chemistry and comedy. But Wayans Jr. stepped in as Derrick#2 so effortlessly as a friend of Derek (Ted McGinley), instantly making sense as a love interest for Gaby. During this one-on-one interview with Collider, Wayans Jr. talked about joining a show he was already such a fan of, knowing what it’s like to be a #2 in life, getting to have fun and play with the comedy, the experience of sharing scenes with Ford, figuring out the dynamic with Gaby, what he learned about comedy from being a Wayans, and whether he’d want to return for Season 3.
Collider: It can be a lot to join a show as a new character to play with the dynamic of a show.
DAMON WAYANS JR: I fully understand because the show is just so remarkable. You’re sitting there watching excellence. It’s like when Ed Sheeran came on Game of Thrones and you’re like, “How did that happen?!.” So, I fully understand.
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When this came your way, how surprised were you that a character with a number two in his name was a possibility, at this point in your career, when that’s something that actors typically do very early on?
WAYANS JR: I’m okay with it. I’ve been a number two for my whole life, as Damon Jr. or Damon #2, so Derrick #2 wasn’t too much of a change. That’s just funny, with Derek 1 and Derrick 2 working together. It was just so much fun. They take the smallest things and make them funny on this show.
Damon Wayans Jr. Enjoyed Getting To Play With the Comedy in 'Shrinking'
What have you most enjoyed about working with this cast and figuring out how to blend your comedy with their comedy? What was it like to walk into that on day one?
WAYANS JR: Day one, we shot the scene where I’m blocking Gaby in. I come out of the house and I’m like, “Oh, I’m sorry I blocked you in.” That was my first scene, or my welcome scene on this show. I remember being very by-the-book and like, “All right, I’m just gonna do my lines and that’s it,” because I didn’t wanna mess with anything. So, I did the scene and it was funny, but right after that, Bill Lawrence came up and went, “Just have fun, man.” I was like, “What do you mean?” He was like, “Say whatever the hell you want?” I was like, “Are you sure?” He was like, “Yeah.” And so, we did. That whole bit about the vibrator, we did such a long bit on that. That’s when I knew that Jessica Williams was a next level comedian. Anything I was throwing at her, she was just throwing it right back. I was like, “Oh, this is great.” And so, that introduction to the show really alleviated a lot of stress for me because I didn’t wanna mess anything up. Whatever is happening in the show is working. I didn’t wanna be that guy. And so, once they let me feel loose and they used a lot of my little improv in the show, I was just like, “Okay, so they like what I’m doing.” I was a lot calmer after that.
It seems like there’s a lot of trust involved with that.
WAYANS JR: Yes. Bill [Lawrence] and [Jason] Segel and Brett [Goldstein] are really good at picking the people that they can trust. With everybody there, of course, you’re gonna trust them to be in charge of their own characters because they make great choices. They’re all phenomenal. They’re titans. Bill brings in people he can trust, and then you get a show like Shrinking.
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You’ve done the acting thing for a while. You’ve done other TV series and you’re also experienced in comedy, but do you get nervous joining a show when it’s the second season and the cast of characters is so well-defined?
WAYANS JR: Absolutely, I do. I was excited to do it before I got on set. I was excited because Harrison Ford is in the show. I was like, “I have to do the show because I have to be in some scenes with Harrison. I need this.” And then, I got there and that’s when I got nervous. I was like, “This is Gaby. This is Liz.” But they all made me feel more than welcome and there were lots of laughs. I was pitching jokes. I was also pitching jokes to other characters, and they were using them. It was just so familial. It was great.
Damon Wayans Jr. Discovered That 'Shrinking' Co-Star Harrison Ford Is a Jokester
Image via Apple TV+
Harrison Ford is hilarious in this show, but more as the straight man and the perpetually grumpy man. What was it like to do the scene with him when he wanted to have a talk with you about Gaby?
WAYANS JR: It was great. What’s funny about him is that he likes to do jokes in between takes. We were doing jokes off on the side before they’d yell, “Action!” And then, he’d just lock in and turn into the grumpy guy. But really, he likes to make a lot of jokes. That’s all he’s doing in between takes. So, it felt like a character. That didn’t feel like him. He’s Harrison. It was just amazing.
It says a lot about Derrick 2 that he’s not too weirded out by Jimmy always being around and being such a big part of Gaby’s life. What was that dynamic like to figure out and navigate?
WAYANS JR: It’s weird, but it’s also a testament to how he enjoys being around that group. He likes Gaby, but he’s also found a little group of friends. I also think he’s one of the most mature partners, or potential partners, that Gaby has ever dealt with, so stuff like that doesn’t bother him. He’s like, “Of course, you had a past, and these people are great. Who cares? Now it’s about me and you.”
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When you went into this, what were you hoping for, when it came to the friendship with Derek 1 and Derrick 2? What have you enjoyed about working with Ted McGinley?
WAYANS JR: Ted will make anything work, period. He’s one of the guys on set that has to make you laugh, all the time. You’re sitting there laughing with him, and then we just take that energy onto set and shoot that. Ted is a guy that I could genuinely be friends with. I could be his Derrick 2, in real life. He’s that fun, he’s that wholesome, and he’s always got something fun to say. In real life, he’s just the sweetest dude. There’s nobody there where I’m like, “Eww.” Not one person. Everybody there is just so full of heart. It’s weird. You’re like, “Who’s the asshole? Show me. Which one?” And it’s none of them.
What would you say is the most important lesson or thing that you learned about comedy from growing up and just being a Wayans? Was it something that you learned directly from one of your family members, or did you just learn from watching them?
WAYANS JR: I feel like it’s both. I learned a lot from just being around them. You learn timing. Early on, you learn when to say a joke and how to say it, and that shorter is usually sweeter. And then, growing up and wanting to do stand-up on my own, that’s when I started watching my dad’s stand-up and seeing that rhythm. There are different types of comedy. There’s acting comedy, and then there’s also stand-up, and blending them is an interesting thing to do. I try to do that sometimes, but it doesn’t always work. I feel like usually the best kind of comedy for acting is improv, where you just get going with whatever is in the scene. Stand-up is one of the most selfish sports in the entertainment industry. You’re up there alone talking about yourself and the way you perceive the world. And in acting, you get to share.
Damon Wayans Jr. Would Love for Derrick 2 To Return for ‘Shrinking’ Season 3
Image via Apple TV+
Gaby and Derrick 2’s story isn’t over this season, and we know the show is coming back for Season 3. Will we see Derrick 2 again? Are you hoping to see where things could continue to go with them?
WAYANS JR: Yeah. My guess is as good as yours. I don’t know if I’ll be coming back, but I would love to. I love those guys. I love Bill. Please have me back. I would love to, but if not, I understand that, as well. In my mind, the Derrick character would love to ride off into the sunset with Gaby, but he also likes her enough to where he would just be in her life as a friend. It’s up to her, ultimately. The ball is in her court.
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Shrinking
Release Date January 26, 2023
Seasons 2
Shrinking is available to stream on Apple TV+. Check out the Season 2 trailer:
English (US) ·