Australian actor Lucy Freyer came to New York City for Julliard and her first on-screen role was alongside Owen Wilson and Wendi McLendon-Covey in Paint. That very year, she starred in the off-Broadway play The Wanderers at the Roundabout Theatre with Katie Holmes. And now, Freyer breaks out as Billie---a lovable character with a lot less handle on her life in Hulu/FX's Adults, the Gen Z hit show that's the talk of every town to Tiktok. The Nick Kroll-produced eight-episode series created by Ben Kronengold and Rebecca Shaw formerly of The Tonight Show, is based in Queens and centered around one character's childhood residence---inhabited by one seriously spirited ensemble of roommates. Lucy tell us all about the cast she calls 'codependent and kind', how her character Billie is comedy with cringe, and the hilarious hangout comedy that tackles everything from abortion to hospital debt with quick wit and a quippy voice all its own.
How was Billie described to you, and what did you add to your character? So in the breakdown, when I initially auditioned, she was described---which I always thought was so funny---as 'effortfully cool' rather than effortlessly cool. It's such an apt description. They really hit the nail on the head with that. They'd written the first two episodes before they cast any of us and as time went on, as Ben [Kronengold] and Rebecca [Shaw] started to really got to know us, they began to add elements of who we are as people to our characters. Right before I shot the show, I was telling them that I'd gone back to my drama school to sit down and talk, and brush up on stuff to prepare for shooting. When I got to set and read the script for episode four where Billie goes back to school, they burst out laughing when I'd put two and two together.
You landed in New York to study at Julliard, but being Australian, how did you give Billie a New York vibe? I'm sort of similar to Billie in that I came of age in New York. I moved here when I was 17. My 'figuring-it-out' also happened in New York. It felt subconscious; all of my real growing up and coming into adulthood happened in the city.
Adults, is a slice of life of a group of 20-somethings living in New York City. Rebecca Shaw and Ben Kronengold, the series creators who are also in their 20's, have said that the 'Gen Z generation is very different than every generation before it'. Did you discuss this notion with them for the show? We didn't discuss it too much. I think the thing that's so awesome about the show is that it's probably one of the first shows in the hangout comedy genre that's being written by Gen Z writers, Gen Z-cusp-Millennials. It's infused within the way that we speak and we were able to improvise a lot. They let me have a lot of fun with the scene in the school, in class with all of the high school students; especially the top of that scene. A lot of it is improv. The Gen Z of it all is kind of just naturally there, because of who we all are.
All of the housemates have their moments this season, but Billie goes through marked growth and growing pains: debt; job loss; grappling with leaving high school behind; dating an older man. Where is she emotionally when we meet her, and where is she emotionally by episode 8? Yeah, she goes through it. At the beginning of the pilot episode, she's holding on very tightly. And she very much wants to do everything 'right'. She wants to have everything figured out. By the end of episode eight, she's moving towards being okay with not having all things figured out. Also, throughout the season, her attitude is, 'If I'm going to be a fuck up, I'm going to be the best version of a fuck up that I can be!' Towards the end of the season, she's taking her foot off the accelerator a little bit. As opposed to holding on tightly, she's letting go a little bit---which is cool and exciting to see.
Sex is a big theme in Adults. Years ago, in previous generations, episodes like the abortion episode would have been handled as serious and major. The things that would have ordinarily been considered really big, dramatic story points...just exist, for this generation. The concept of coming out is far less of a big thing now than it was ten years ago. That's what's really interesting about what we've done on the show, what the writers have done on the show, in terms of sex. The writers have done such an incredible job of reflecting how these are not contentious story points and are just part of someone's identity---and not their entire identity. It's a really cool way of reflecting the generation.
The humor of Adults so singular. It's a certain brand of humor that just gets you; it's the funniest of funny. How do you describe the humor and how you get to be funny as Billie? It's fun because a lot of the time I get to be the straight man, which I really enjoy. I get to do a lot of things that make people cringe, which is, honestly, my favorite kind of humor. is You're watching a scene with your hands covering your eyes because it's painful to watch. I spend a lot of time embarrassing myself on this show, which, to me, is the most fun version of comedy. The dialogue is silly and quick-witted. The four other series regulars are some of the most incredibly talented, fast-on-their-feet comedians I've ever met. It's so incredible to watch them do their work.
Was quick-witted and quippy written into the script, or was that where improvisation came in? It was definitely in the script. That's all the writers. If there was a punchline, people would try an alternate one, or if someone was meant to cut someone off and then they didn't, they'd just keep going. At the dinner party, when Issa does a toast, and she says that she's written a poem. I was meant to cut her off but I didn't cut her off in time. And so [Amita Rao] had to start reciting the poem she'd written. That was all improv. Amita's an absolute genius. The first time I heard it was when I was doing ADR, and I just lost it. I thought it was so funny. I was so happy that it made it in; one of those happy accidents that came from me missing my cue.
Describe the vibe of your ensemble cast in three words. I would say 'codependent'; 'kind'...and I want to say 'hilarious', because they're the funniest people I've ever met.
Which episode of this season is your favorite? I love episode six, the dinner party episode. It was Sanaz [Toossi] who wrote that episode. She just got nominated for a Tony this year. She has a Pulitzer. She is one of the most talented writers of this generation. The episode almost feels like a play in a fun, cool way.
Is there anything that surprised you about the TikTok response to the series? Is there anything you've seen on TikTok in relation to the show, that you thought was cool? Jack's Boy of the Month campaign...I don't know if you've seen it. I think it's so silly and so funny. Also, seeing people's edits come together; people editing bits of the show, like with Anton and Paul Baker. It's really sweet to see. We made this show and it was our show before it came out, so it's exciting to see people have opinions and thoughts and feelings now. It's really exciting.
hair halie kellagher | makeup cat mignano
