Warning: Some SPOILERS lie ahead for Lady in the Lake!
Summary
Brett Gelman is a loving husband too set in the ways of his era inLady in the Lake. Based on Laura Lippman’s novel of the same name, the Apple TV+ mystery thriller centers on Natalie Portman’s Maddie Schwartz, a housewife in 1960s Baltimore who becomes frustrated with the lack of respect she gets from her family. As she moves out of the house and attempts to reinvigorate a passion for life by returning to her investigative journalism roots, she becomes embroiled in investigating the separate murders of a young girl and local bartender.
Gelman stars inLady in the Lakeas Milton Schwartz, Maddie’s husband and the father of their son, Noah Jupe’s Seth. Milton acts as the atypical suburban dad of the era, playing into the patriarchal structure of society at the time as he often puts down Maddie around the house, with Seth also playing into his behavior as he often shows animosity towards his mother. Despite these behaviors, though, Milton often shows concern and love for his wife, particularly when she moves out of the house and leaves their family.
30 Biggest Changes Lady In The Lake’s Show Makes To The Book
Laura Lippman’s Lady in the Lake serves as the source material for Apple TV+’s show, but the crime-drama series makes some big changes to the book.
Alongside Portman, Gelman and Jupe, theensembleLady in the LakecastincludesObi-Wan Kenobibreakout Moses Ingram, Y’lan Noel, Byron Bowers, Josiah Cross, Mikey Madison, Pruitt Taylor Vince, Wood Harris, Dylan Arnold and David Corenswet. The miniseries also serves as a reunion between Jupe andHoney Boydirector/producer Alma Har’el, who is both the showrunner of the mystery thriller and directs all seven episodes. Building out a timely exploration of feminism and prejudice along with a compelling mystery, the show has garnered largely positive reviews from critics and audiences.
With the show halfway through its seven-episode run,Screen Rantinterviewed Brett Gelman to discussLady in the Lake, his character’s relationship with Maddie, celebrating the show’s Jewish representation, the thrill of working with Har’el and an update onStranger Thingsseason 5’s filming.
Gelman Followed Har’el’s Vision “Religiously” ForLady in the Lake
In reflecting on what sparked his interest in starring in the show, Gelman largely pointed towards the opportunity to work with Har’el, particularly as she offered him the chance to do a “more overtly dramatic” role, something he had been looking to do for some time. When asked about the comparisons between Lippman’s novel and Har’el’s vision for the show, Gelman acknowledged that he liked to draw from the source material when possible to “help serve the character”, but ultimately followed the script and Har’el’s direction “religiously”:
Brett Gelman: It was all Alma Har’el, she called me and I told her I wanted to do more overtly dramatic roles. I’m an actor, so I want to do everything. And yeah, I just wanted to do more drama, and so she called me and told me about the project. It was working with her and playing Natalie Portman’s husband, how could I not be interested in that? Well, reading the book, you get possible information, but at the end of the day, the thing that you need to follow is the scripts.
If I can pull things to help serve the character, or even the world, and even the tone of the author, and that matches what Alma was writing, then, I would use that. But it all becomes kind of a soup once you get the script, and the script is the thing that you follow religiously until you’re on set. And then, you follow what she wants you to do, and what’s happening in the moment, religiously.
Milton Adheres To A “Patriarchal & Oppressive” Code (But Still Has “A Care For His Wife”)
As is often the case with ’60s-set stories, and was true of the time, Milton’s attitude toward Maddie is often one of a harsh and demeaning manner, never really allowing her to grow or achieve her own goals. Despite these actions, Gelman feels there’s a real “care” and “respect” for his wife bubbling under the surface that he tried to bring to his performance:
Brett Gelman: I think the big thing that I really wanted to play was he has this code that, of course, is patriarchal and oppressive towards women in the period of time that the show is taking place. But, at the same time, within that code, there is a respect for his wife, a care for his wife. He’s just following the rules of what has been set up in the society in which he lives, but there was something very decent and caring about him at the same time, so that was really a lot of what I was playing. Of course, there’s certain elements that come in that also played at a time that it is an insular community, it’s a bit of a bubble of a community. So, everything outside of that community is unknown. But, he cares, he’s a decent human being.
With the majority of the show following Maddie in her journey to get answers regarding the local murders, Milton has become unseen in recent episodes, with family members explaining he refuses to attend the same events as her. Though Gelman doesn’t “want to ruin” what’s to come from the next few episodes, he does tease that there will be a further exploration of their relationship:
Brett Gelman: I don’t want to ruin it. [Laughs] It’s coming from that place. Whatever I do in the show, it’s certainly coming from that place, whether that’s how it comes out remains to be seen. But he’s also heartbroken at this point by her. In his mind, she sideswiped him. There’s a resentment there. She destroyed the family that he valued and was building.
Gelman Was “Incredibly Excited” To Team With Portman & Jupe
In reflecting on working with Portman to develop Maddie and Milton’s relationship, Gelman recalled his excitement of getting to work with the Oscar winner, including remembering how he had a few brief discussions with Portman about his own work, and followed her lead to really build “an inherent rust” with one another:
Brett Gelman: Yeah, I was, of course, incredibly excited to work with Natalie. I think Natalie knew my work, and we didn’t talk about much, but you can sense if somebody has a knowledge of your work. I think maybe we did talk about Fleabag a little — I don’t totally remember. But so we were excited to work together, I think that there was an immediate trust. It had to be, because of the way in which Alma works, and the way in which Natalie was working on this, there was somewhat a very spontaneous [structure].
We never were following a straight line, it was always letting the moment sort of happen. So, things that you had maybe pictured in your mind when you were reading the script, were not necessarily what was happening on screen. It was somewhat improvisational, and that’s how Alma wanted it, for it to be raw. I came into it thinking we were going to be doing some sort of very composed, Mad Men-esque period, repressed type of piece.
And what it turned out to be was kind of savage, it was raw, really. I followed Natalie’s lead on that, and Natalie, certainly, as you can see, goes for it, and that was really thrilling to work with her in that way. I think that there was an inherent trust between the two of us in the scenes that we did, which there had to be.
When it came to working with Jupe, who playshis on-screen son Seth, for the show, Gelman also found delight in getting to learn from someone who had previously worked with Har’el and glean from him her working style, all while being able to bond with each other on the set:
Brett Gelman: I was also a fan of Noah from Honey Boy. And we immediately had that same rapport and trust. And with me and him, there was a lot of joking around, and just bonding whenever we were on set. So, in my mind, he’s always my son, it doesn’t matter, and that was the strong thing that I was playing. I think, from what I’m seeing, what I felt and what we were doing is that he was playing that, too. There is a loyalty he has to me, and whatever antagonism he has towards me is is over what I’m allowing Natalie to get away with.
But I also am confused and perplexed in those scenes over why my son is acting so volatile and disrespectful towards his mother, so it’s keeping that in mind. It was just a real fluid way to play. Noah obviously had a lot of experience already with working with Alma and her way of working, so that was a good marker for me on how to work on the show, as well. Seeing an actor who had worked with the creator and director before, and how they were approaching what they were doing.
Lady in the LakeOffered A Different Period Atmosphere For Gelman
In addition to providing the actor an opportunity to portray a more dramatic role, the show also sees Gelman continue playing in a period setting after starring in the likes of Comedy Central’sAnother Periodand Netflix’sStranger Things. WithLady in the Lake, though, the actor points out the difference between the various shows as having their own representations of their periods:
Brett Gelman: Yeah, well, Another Period is a different type of thing, because it’s a comedic representation of a period. And then, with Stranger Things, that’s really dealing with not only the period, the period’s effect on that genre. You’re not just in the ’80s, you’re in an ’80s action sci-fi movie, and so it’s about playing the world of that. That Spielberg, John Carpenter-type of world that the Duffers made their own. With this, at first, I was doing it very proper and Alma was like, “No, none of that.” [Laughs] And I was like, “Oh, okay, great, I have no problem with going the other way.”
So, what started to happen was we wore the period very loosely. We still wore it, and it was still there, but it felt kind of like being in a Cassavetes movie, which Alma reminds me a lot of. So, it was letting what was under the surface come out more. The raw motions that were happening in the characters come out in a more aggressive way. I thought that was a really original representation of this period that I don’t think we’ve really seen much of in a domestic situation, especially in recent years in film or television, so it just felt very new to be doing it that way, and that was really exciting.
Lady in the Lake’s Jewish Representation Is “Very Important” To Gelman
More than just a compelling family drama and mystery thriller, the showalso serves as a meaningful exploration of the Jewish community during the ’60s, which Gelman not only considers “an honor”, but also “very important”. In reflecting on his favorite detail included in the show, Gelman points towards the fight between Milton and Maddie inLady in the Lakeepisode 1regarding the serving of lamb on a dairy plate:
Brett Gelman: I think it’s very important. It’s an honor for me to represent my people in all of their complicated existence during this time. I think there’s a singularity to the Jewish existence, and the Jewish experience in the United States, and part of that experience is about assimilation. But, at the end of the day, you may only assimilate so much, and when push comes to shove, you’re not with the thing that you think you’ve assimilated towards. [Chuckles]
I think there’s a knowledge, though, within that community of that possibility, as well, so there’s an incredible resourcefulness going on. We’re pivoting, and rolling with the punches here, and succeeding in the midst of this, always with the knowledge of the possibility that things could turn very bad, because that’s how it goes for us, especially once we get too comfortable, and we think we are too much a part of something that we are not a part of. So, I think that’s represented really well in the show, and putting that up against the Black experience on the show is a really important, fascinating thing.
I thought the fight over the dishes was a really brilliant way of bringing out the deeper problems between the marriage and showing the psychological breakdown of Maddie. A lot of people don’t know that there are a lot of us that don’t eat meat and dairy. I don’t keep kosher, but a big part of our community does, so it’s cool to see that tradition be put out there. It really allowed there to be a sliding in the Jewishness of it. [Chuckles]
I’m a Jew, Alma’s a Jew, Natalie’s a Jew, so it’s exciting to play an overly Jewish character and show a Jewish home in that way. That’s a big deal in that family with that custom at that time, especially. We’re talking about decades ago, so whatever custom is a little looser now was more of a thing then, in a way that I think, as assimilation has occurred, holding on to those traditions and those rituals are very important, so that Jews in the United States keep their identity, and remember who they are.
Stranger ThingsSeason 5 Filming Is “Going Great” (& That’s About All That Gelman Can Share)
BeyondLady in the Lake, Gelman is currently hard at work filming thehighly anticipatedStranger Thingsseason 5, which will be the final season of the hit Netflix show. Though he can’t share too many details about what’s to come from its story, Gelman does assure fans “will be very happy” with how it closes the show out:
Brett Gelman: Filming is going great. I think you’ll learn in the same way that everybody’s learned in the past, you’ll probably get some teasers, a couple teasers, and then, the big way you’ll find out what’s going to happen is the show. It’s, obviously, the most secretive thing I’ve ever worked on, but I think the fans — you included — will be very happy with season 5.
When asked about how he feels having to keep secrets close to the vest, Gelman admits there’s a unique middle ground of wanting to share what he knows, while also wanting people “to be surprised”:
Brett Gelman: Usually, like you, they’re very understanding, and they understand my position, so it’s fine. A lot of people don’t want to know, a lot of people want to be surprised, but they’re eager. It’s hard. It’s gonna be a minute, probably, until it comes out.
AboutLady in the Lake
When the disappearance of a young girl grips the city of Baltimore on Thanksgiving 1966, the lives of two women converge on a fatal collision course. Maddie Schwartz (Natalie Portman) is a Jewish housewife seeking to shed a secret past and reinvent herself as an investigative journalist, and Cleo Johnson (Moses Ingram) is a mother navigating the political underbelly of Black Baltimore while struggling to provide for her family. Their disparate lives seem parallel at first, but when Maddie becomes fixated on Cleo’s mystifying death, a chasm opens that puts everyone around them in danger. From visionary director Alma Har’el, “Lady in the Lake” emerges as a feverish noir thriller and an unexpected tale of the price women pay for their dreams.
Lady in the Lake
Cast
BASED ON THE NOVEL BY LAURA LIPPMAN, LADY OF THE LAKE IS A FICTIONAL DRAMA MINISERIES BASED AROUND THE REAL DISAPPEARANCES OF A YOUNG GIRL AND A WOMAN, COMING TO APPLE TV+. THE STORY CENTERS AROUND MADELINE SCHWARTZ, A DISSATISFIED 1960S HOUSEWIFE OF TWENTY YEARS WHO ENDS HER MARRIAGE IN SEARCH OF A LIFE WITH MEANING. MADELINE, BETTER KNOWN AS MADDIE, SEEKS TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD - TO DO SO, SHE HEADS DOWN THE PATH OF AN INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALIST AFTER SOMEHOW HELPING THE BALTIMORE POLICE FIND THE BODY OF A YOUNG GIRL IN THE LAKE, CLEO SHERWOOD. LADY IN THE LAKE HAS NOIR ELEMENTS AND EXPLORES STATUS AND RACE IN A MURDER MYSTERY IN A DIFFERENT PERIOD. THE SERIES HAS BEEN DELAYED DUE TO AN INCIDENT IN LATE 2022 BUT IS STILL SET TO COME TO APPLE TV+ IN THE FUTURE.
