So, a young New York City wife and mother drunkenly storms into a club in 1958. Charged-up from the discovery of her husband’s affair, she takes the stage and delivers an impromptu stand-up comedy rant. It’s not perfect. But it’s hilarious. All right, fine: It’s marvelous. (Cue laughter!)
That’s a key scene from the 2017 pilot episode of the dazzling Prime Video comedy The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. And when Miriam “Midge” Maisel—played with gusto by Rachel Brosnahan—grabs that mic at the Gaslight for the first time, she unofficially finds her voice as a confident, independent woman.
Not only does Midge find success in a man’s world, her manager, Susie Meyerson (Alex Borstein), leaves a menial Gaslight staffer job to guide her into the big time. Her parents, Abe and Rose Weissman (Tony Shaloub and Marin Hinkle), upend their well-to-do lifestyle. Even her suit-wearing ex, Joel Maisel (Michael Zegen), reinvents himself as a nightclub owner in Chinatown. And comedy icon Lenny Bruce (Luke Kirby) is crucial to Midge’s professional and personal growth.
As the acclaimed comedy kicks off its fifth and final season (now streaming on Prime Video), here’s a retrospective tribute to its making, courtesy of the cast.
Alex Borstein
Susie Meyerson, Midge’s manager
On landing the role…
So, I moved to Barcelona. I was frustrated and done with show business. And Amy [the show’s creator] was like, “Are you really moving, because I have this script.” I read it and was like, “Damn it, I gotta do this.” It was such a great part. She wasn’t a mom or a non-necessary sidekick or the fat best friend. It was a fully realized, interesting, unique female character. Amy has said she wrote the part with me in my mind, but that may be revisionist history. I think Susie was part me, part Amy and many parts women she’s encountered in her life.
On traveling back in time to the New York of the late 1950s / early 1960s…
When we’re filming in all those clubs sets like the Gaslight, you could tell that people had done their homework. Everyone who worked for that show was an artist and a historian. We always felt transported.
Caroline Aaron
Shirley Maisel, Midge’s mother-in-law
On learning about her role…
Shirley and Moishe weren’t in the pilot. But I got a call saying that Amy Sherman-Palladino was thinking of me for a new series. My daughter and I had spent the past year watching episodes of Gilmore Girls. I was thinking, “It doesn’t matter what the role is; my currency will go so far up with my daughter!”
On working with old friends…
Tony and I had been friends for thirty years. We lived around the corner from each other in L.A., and I remember when he told me he was moving to New York to do a new series. During my first costume fitting, I said, “Who’s playing my husband? Tony?” They said, “We can’t tell you.” When they finally said that it was Kevin, I was thrilled. I’d done a movie with him years ago called House Arrest. We had a blast.
Kevin Pollak
Moishe Maisel, Midge’s father-in-law
On playing Midge’s toughest critic…
It was a great thrill for me that Moishe was Midge’s biggest critic. He just didn’t get what she was trying to do and says it to her face at the family dinner! I’ve directed a documentary about comedy, and every funny person’s trajectory starts with someone telling them that they couldn’t do it.
On the making of the memorable Ferris wheel scene…
The Ferris wheel scene was remarkable. I’m a West Coast Jew who had never been to Coney Island. But they loaded us all into this 100-year-old contraption! Then they recreated it on a soundstage, and our characters all yelled at each other sixty feet up in the air in their separate cars. It was a three-ring circus to pull it off.
Luke Kirby
Lenny Bruce, comedy icon
On auditioning for the show…
It was like, “You want to come in and audition for this day of work?” I had to read Lenny’s “Airplane Glue” bit. He did it on Steve Allen’s show, so I could watch it on YouTube. I crammed for forty-eight hours.
On performing at the iconic Carnegie Hall…
A funny thing happened at Carnegie Hall. As an actor, I never had a dream of getting there. The space meant nothing to me. And I knew Lenny’s concert very well because I had bought it on CD in 2003, so I was very familiar with it already. But when I got on stage, I heard the angels singing. I mean, it really was cool. Like, all the lungs that have passed through this place are still breathing there. The sound waves were all still there; they just moved into a slow ripple. I had to kind of steel myself a bit and find my feet again. But with that sensation under me, I felt close to freedom.
Marin Hinkle
Rose Weissman, Midge’s mother
On landing the role…
I really embraced the audition process. I’m not a fashionista, but I didn’t want to wear my jeans or sweatpants. So, I went to a costume shop and bought velvet robes and feather boas. I have fine hair, so I wore a wig. Every time I had a new audition, I wore more interesting period clothes from the 1950s.
On slow dancing in Paris…
Tony and I got to take dance lessons to get ready for our scene along the Seine. I would pinch myself and go, “This is Paris!” It looked like a background in a film. The buildings looked like set pieces. Everything was so gorgeous.
Michael Zegin
Joel Maisel, Midge’s ex-husband
On landing the role…
I had a friend auditioning for Midge, and she wanted me to help her with the audition. I’m rehearsing the breakup scene from the first episode with her, and I was just like, “I want this. I could do this.” I called my agents right away.
On the chemistry with Rachel Brosnahan…
Rachel could have chemistry with a bar of soap. She’s just incredibly talented.
On what it was like to bring Joel Maisel’s nightclub to life…
It was so cool having my own set. And each episode, you could see it get a little more detailed. Eventually this old warehouse is a thriving club.
Rachel Brosnahan
Miriam “Midge” Maisel
On landing the role…
I did not think for a single second that I had it. One of my best friends, who’s a casting director, was like, “It’s a long shot, but shoot your shot!” After my first audition, I thought I failed so miserably that I did some intense retail therapy. When I finally got the call, it was the shock of my life. The very same day I found I had lost another part for a film because they didn’t think I was funny.
On Midge’s marvelous wardrobe…
It almost feels like I can’t see the character until I’m putting on that corset. It changes the way you stand, and wearing those heels changes the way you walk, and your hair changes the way you use and move your head. Midge’s fashion is her armor, and it’s also the way she expresses herself, so it’s a reflection of her personality.
On memorable performances…
In terms of recreating performances from that time, it was highlight after highlight. In the first episode of the third season, Midge and Shy Baldwin [LeRoy McClain] perform for the troops on a USO stop. I remember Amy shooting me a casual text that read, “Oh, by the way, the USO scene has 850 background [players].”
Filming in the Apollo Theater was another highlight. Wanda Sykes, oh my God! I remember standing in the wings watching her with a stupid smile on my face. I couldn’t believe she brought Moms Mabley back to life in this iconic state.
Just when we thought we’d been spoiled enough, we got to perform inside Carnegie Hall at the height of the global pandemic. I have terrible stage fright, but at least I get do-overs and try to explore things in different ways and spend hours perfecting it. It’s not quite the same as doing live theater, but the nerves are still there for sure. But thankfully the burden of that venue was on Luke to recreate Lenny Bruce’s iconic routine.
Tony Shalhoub
Abe Weissman, Midge’s father
On working with Brosnahan and Hinkle…
My chemistry with Marin and Rachel fell into place almost immediately. These kinds of things you can’t plan or predict. I was not familiar with Rachel’s work, but just that level of skill, that level of professionalism and discipline and confidence! God, I wish I had a tenth of that confidence when I was coming up. Seriously. She inspired us all.
On the fashion…
The bohemian side of Abe emerged in Paris, right? I got to wear a cool jacket. Paris was a three-week dream job. I mean, forget about it.
Episodes from the fifth and final season of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel are now available on Prime Video. Learn more about the series and how you can watch.