SPOILER ALERT: This interview comprises spoilers for Episode 9 of “Dave,” now streaming on Hulu.
Christine Ko’s Emma, the unaffected cool chick in Lil Dicky’s pal group in “Dave,” has been filming a documentary all through the third season of the FX comedy, which follows Dave Burd’s autofictional title character as he embarks on a “On the lookout for Love” tour throughout America.
However the completed product isn’t fairly what Dave expects, as Emma consists of hidden digicam footage of their enhancing periods — which paints Dave as obsessive and controlling — within the last lower of the documentary.
After a household and mates screening, Dave tells Emma he was impressed by the film, however felt “manipulated” by her, arguing that he by no means gave her permission to movie the enhancing periods. When he begins to supply suggestions, Emma cuts him off: “This isn’t our factor. It’s mine. I’m not compromising my imaginative and prescient for something… There will likely be no extra notes.”
As his friendship with Emma begins to fray, so does his relationship with budding flame Robyn (Chloe Bennet), as Dave fails to a lot as point out her within the movie when discussing his seek for romance. In the meantime, he’s written a Drake-like ode to his dream woman, Rachel McAdams — sure, enjoying herself in a multi-episode arc — and fantasizes about asking her to star within the music video. By the top of the episode, the one lady Dave can flip to is his hyperrealistic $7,000 intercourse doll.
Sitting down with Selection, Ko mentioned the penultimate episode of “Dave” Season 3, her personal directorial aspirations and Lil Dicky’s course of, which entails penning a whole album of songs earlier than writing every season. And whereas Ko sympathizes with followers who’re ravenous for extra official Lil Dicky music, she stated every season of “Dave” is sort of a visible album. “If the showrunner of ‘Home of the Dragon’ needed to do the music for the present earlier than writing it, after which needed to act in ‘Home of the Dragon,’” she stated, “our minds could be blown.”
The road between actuality and fiction may be very blurry in “Dave.” Is it true that your character is the one one not based mostly on an actual individual in Dave’s life?
Sure, that’s true. I didn’t come into the present till Episode 2, so that they had already shot the pilot. I feel they needed one other feminine perspective on the present, and a personality that might believably be hanging out with GaTa [playing himself] and Elz [Travis Bennett], and be mates with Ally [Taylor Misiak]. I’m so glad they created Emma, however I’m not gonna lie — after I auditioned for it, I didn’t assume I used to be proper for it, as a result of they principally stated she was the best individual on Earth, and I used to be like, “Effectively I don’t really feel that means.”
Did you may have extra freedom to find who Emma was as a result of she isn’t based mostly on an actual individual?
Yeah, she was a clean slate. I’ve all the time discovered it arduous to explain Emma, as a result of to say that she’s the sarcastic, deadpan greatest pal feels so one-noted. There’s one thing a lot extra to her friendship with Dave. There’s a loyalty there, and he or she actually believes in him. There’s this respect the place she’s like, “Oh my God, you’re so insane and neurotic, however you made your desires come true and I can’t imagine it.” That’s all she desires for herself. She desires to be a director, however there’s one thing holding her again. She doesn’t assume she’s adequate or has sufficient alternatives, so this season she’s lastly taking it for herself, which is admittedly satisfying.
It looks like Dave has a mutual respect for Emma. There are scenes all through the collection the place they struggle one another for inventive management, and Dave appears to all the time ultimately put his belief in Emma.
He brings her alongside as a result of she’s tremendous good and has good concepts. And, sure, Dave is an egomaniac as a personality, however he is aware of greatness and he likes that round him. I wouldn’t say he makes use of her, however he undoubtedly advantages from Emma’s concepts. However on the finish of the day, the eye goes to be on him. He’s unable to see how a lot she looks like she’s within the shadow. Each time he relinquishes management, it turns into precisely what he desires. He’s simply unable to try this from the get-go; he wants convincing. And that’s why he sort of has a meltdown when he sees the documentary, as a result of he doesn’t have management of that.
Do you view the documentary as a betrayal?
From an preliminary perspective it’s possible you’ll really feel that means. There’s part of him that’s like, “Wow, I really feel betrayed that you just recorded our enhancing periods behind my again. However on the identical time, that’s such a cool transfer.” He’s all the time somebody who will take the correct selection over the morally right selection. Their relationship is a friendship, nevertheless it’s additionally extremely transactional.
On the finish, there’s that scene the place Emma and Dave are arguing about whether or not she works with him or for him.
Completely. She says, “You didn’t pay me.” And in his thoughts, he’s like, “I housed you on this tour.” However she’s truly nonetheless working on the advert company — that’s how she’s making her cash. I’m very to see what occurs as a result of we undoubtedly shot totally different variations of that scene the place he’s not glad concerning the documentary. I appreciated the one they selected as a result of it leaves it open-ended. We shot a model that was much more “stick it to the person.” Dave likes the flexibleness of seeing the place this friendship goes, as a result of nothing ever actually ends in his life.
In each season, Dave pushes the folks closest to him away. First it was Ally, then GaTa…
Sure, we’ve seen it all through the present. Dave respects Emma, however behind closed doorways. He’s by no means outwardly been like, “Have a look at all that she’s performed for me.” She’s going to be a director and individuals are going to rent her with out Dave, and I feel that’s going to be very arduous for him to deal with.
There’s a scene within the documentary footage the place Dave turns the digicam again round on Emma and principally says, “How does that really feel? You’re so closed off.” Is that an correct evaluation?
Yeah, there’s a motive we haven’t seen her romantic relationships. And he or she doesn’t speak about her household, her upbringing, something that makes her susceptible. She doesn’t understand that a part of what makes Dave so nice is that he’s so comfy. He can speak about something, and that’s why folks love him. He can speak about his flaws, his bodily flaws, and admit when he’s performed one thing improper, and she will’t — and that’s her Achilles heel. Within the storm episode, she alludes to rising up in a really Christian dwelling and actually realizing the Bible. I feel that sort of colours it, like, “What the hell occurred to you?”
On the present, Dave is totally obsessive and controlling on the subject of his inventive imaginative and prescient. What’s it like working with the real-life Dave Burd as a co-star and co-creator of the present?
I imply, the present is loosely based mostly on his life. There’s numerous authenticity. The true Dave is a perfectionist. However I can’t assist however give him credit score, as a result of he’s the primary individual on set and the final individual on set, whether or not he shoots or not. He writes a full album earlier than he writes a whole season of tv. He touches each piece of the present, which is what makes it so nice. You may’t assist however love him, as a result of he places within the work, and he’s so sort about it. He actually does come as much as you after a protracted day and inform you why you’re so good for the present and the way grateful he’s. Often, people who find themselves neurotic don’t have as many emotions, however he has all the sentiments.
Wait, he writes all of the music for every season earlier than writing the scripts?
Sure! His music is such an integral a part of the present. Like “Mr. McAdams,” that was written earlier than Rachel McAdams even got here on our present. That is years of labor — not solely does he have to put in writing the rap, he has to carry out and file the rap. All that documentary footage you see of him onstage acting at these venues, we shot that for actual! These are actual performances. I all the time see that Dave’s followers are indignant about him not releasing music. And I noticed one remark the opposite day that was like, “I was indignant about him not releasing an album till I noticed that yearly he launched a visible album with scenes in it.” That’s what makes our present so particular. If the showrunner of “Home of the Dragon” needed to do the music for the present earlier than writing it, after which needed to act in “Home of the Dragon” — our minds could be blown.
DAVE “Dream Woman” Episode 9 (Airs Wednesday, Might 24) — Pictured: (l-r) Rachel McAdams as herself, Dave Burd as Dave. CR: Byron Cohen/FX
Do you, Christine, have any curiosity in directing?
I do! I truly filmed numerous the documentary footage that you just see in “Dave.” They might principally hand me the digicam in between scenes and be like, “Christine, go shoot folks! Go speak to GaTa, go speak to Taco.” We have been simply messing round. It’s not arduous to get the forged to talk. In order that fulfilled this need to create — I actually loved it. There’s a scene of GaTa making out with two girls, and I used to be like, “Why am I recording this? I’m in full make-up and wardrobe, and also you don’t even see me! Get another person to do it.”
You have been born in Chicago and raised in Atlanta — two main rap hubs. Who’re your favourite artists?
Oh my God. Outkast. I’m so ATL. There’s a lot Usher on my playlist, as a result of R&B is my favourite. When he got here on set, I died. For those who have been to explain my style, it’s Outkast, Usher, Lil Wayne and Celine Dion. However I gotta add Lil Dicky in there. Earlier than I bought forged within the present, I didn’t know any of his songs. This season, his music looks like Drake. There are such a lot of cool freestyle moments and melodic performances. I simply need the MP3 to “Mr. McAdams” so I can run to it.
Is there the rest you wish to point out?
There was a scene between Taylor [Misiak] and me that didn’t make it into this episode. However it’s actually thrilling, since you see the dynamic between the 2 girls on the present, and the place it turns. I hope that it makes it sooner or later, as a result of Taylor and I went in on that scene. I feel it didn’t make it as a result of it was so juicy, and we must clarify a lot. It’s solely a 30-minute present. However I’ve a sense you’ll get to see it sooner or later.
This interview has been edited and condensed.