In ‘The Good Place’ with D’Arcy Carden
Summary
Sam Fragoso interviews actor Darcy Carden about her decade-long journey to success, from struggling in New York to her breakthrough role in The Good Place. They discuss her current series The Five Star Weekend, her time at UCB, and her complex feelings about nepotism and self-worth. Carden opens up about her fear of leveraging connections, such as not telling Bill Hader she was an actor while babysitting his kids, and the imposter syndrome that persisted even after landing major roles.
Topics discussed
Therapy struggles and the 'Good Things Come to Those Who Wait' series
Introduction of Darcy Carden and her recent success
Insecurity in 'The Five Star Weekend' and childhood in Danville
Nepotism, music magazines, and family dynamics
Sibling rivalry, class clown persona, and therapy humor
College acting dreams and moving to New York City
Early struggles in NYC and finding UCB
The 'aha moment' at UCB and the struggle of unpaid improv
Babysitting, 'Hater Girls', and finding community in Brooklyn
Marriage to Jason Carden and the SNL ecosystem
Watching friends succeed and feeling left behind
The unsent fax to Lorne Michaels and fear of asking for help
Auditioning for 'The Good Place' with dummy sides
Moving to LA, self-sabotage, and the pressure of playing Janet
Ted Danson's advice and doing the opposite of your last role
Working on 'Barry', 'League of Their Own', and robot empathy
The state of the arts, late blooming, and redefining success
Gratitude for 'The Five Star Weekend' cast and career reflection
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