Lisa Kudrow and Mira Sorvino were “so nervous” to return for the Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion sequel because they worried they would just be parodying their characters.
Lisa Kudrow and Mira Sorvino were “so nervous” to return for the Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion sequel.
The two stars are currently working on the highly-awaited follow-up to the 1997 comedy classic, but were anxious about stepping back into their high heels in case they couldn’t authentically bring their alter egos back to life without it feeling like a parody.
Lisa told People magazine: “I was very nervous. [I was thinking], ‘Oh no — am I just doing an imitation of Michele? Because that’s the fear sometimes with revisiting [roles].”
Mira agreed: “The first day it was like, ‘Wait, am I just imitating things Romy used to do or say? … And then eventually it was like, ‘Yeah, Romy’s back. She’s using my skin suit.”
Although decades have passed since the first film, Lisa and Mira have retained a strong friendship because they kept in touch “for real” over the years.
Discussing why they work so well together, the former Friends star quipped: “I mean, I have so many silly things. It’s like, well, we’re both tall. I think Mira’s super smart.”
Mira added: “I think she’s super smart. Oh, my gosh. She was going to the doctor. And she liked acting better.”
Lisa, 60, added: “And you speak Chinese and went to Harvard!”
But the duo then turned more serious and Mira, 58, said: “I come to Lisa for advice. She’s an incredibly sage, brilliant person. And she’s funny, thoughtful, and just a great person. And Lisa’s also the funniest woman. I mean, Lisa is our premier comedian. She really is.”
The pair are proud that Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion is still a fan favourite so many years later.
Mira said: “People dress up as us for Pride, for Halloween … babies, dogs. We’ve become part of the fixture of American life.
“I’m really honoured. I’m so happy that something we did together actually means something to a lot of people for a variety of reasons.”
Lisa added: “I had a couple of women actually come up to me [when I was] having a lunch and just leave a piece of paper with a pink pen repeating 20 lines from the movie written all over front and back. I thought that was extraordinary.”
The new Romy and Michele movie will be helmed by Tim Federle, while Robin Schiff – who created the characters and wrote the original – has penned the script for the sequel.
Meanwhile, Deadline noted that the original film’s costume designer Mona May is also returning for the sequel.
She said: “I’m so excited to be a part of this amazing project to keep the DNA of the characters and design the fashions to be as fun and fabulous as the original film.
“Romy and Michele are forever fashionistas, and I’m so excited to be working with Lisa and Mira again.”
As for the cast, Janeane Garofalo returns as Heather, while Alan Cumming (Sandy Frink), Camryn Manheim (Toby) and Julia Campbell (Christie) are all reprising their roles, with Keegan-Michael Key, Rob Huebel, Breckin Meyer, Patrick Warburton and Nathan Lee Graham joining in as yet unrevealed parts.
Some producers and executive producers from the original film, including Laurence Mark and Barry Kemp, will be involved again this time round.
The 1997 comedy saw Romy and Michele return to Tucson for their 10-year high school reunion, where they tried to convince their classmates they had become successful businesswomen, having invented Post-its.
Lisa Kudrow and Mira Sorvino explain why they were ‘so nervous’ about Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion sequel
