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Amy Sherman-Palladino and Daniel Palladino sure picked a helluva week to visit Los Angeles. Less than 24 hours after the New York-based auteurs behind “Gilmore Girls” and “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” landed in La-La Land on March 26 for a PaleyFest celebration of their work, their quasi boss, Amazon MGM Studios head Jennifer Salke, announced that she was stepping down after seven years.
News of Salke’s departure — which sent shockwaves through Hollywood — comes as the real-life couple is pirouetting toward the April 24 launch on Amazon Prime Video of “Étoile,” the sumptuous, transcontinental ballet series that follows up their Emmy darling, “Mrs. Maisel.” The eight-episode dramedy stars Luke Kirby and French actress Charlotte Gainsbourg as the directors of ballet companies in New York and Paris, respectively, who agree to swap their main attractions in a bid to save their storied institutions.
“Étoile” — which is French for “star” — finds the Palladinos dipping their toe shoes back into the dance world for the first time since the 2012 cancellation of their beloved, woefully one-and-done ABC Family series “Bunheads,” only now with an Amazon-friendly budget. It also takes their signature snappy writing where it’s never gone before: into another language — specifically, French. That, in turn, will force most viewers into uncharted territory themselves. For the first time, they will be reading much of the duo’s breakneck wordplay (via subtitles) versus merely listening to it.
Ahead of the premiere, the très amusant pair sat down with Variety to discuss the “Étoile” learning curve, the show’s unorthodox-for-them binge release strategy and the future of their overall deal with Amazon.
What was Amazon’s reaction when you pitched them “Étoile” as the title of the show?
Amy Sherman-Palladino: I thought they were going to have a very strong reaction against it. Weirdly, it was very positive. They tried to get me to change “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.” And I believe the words “Go fuck yourself” maybe [came out of my mouth]. But we never had any trouble [with “Étoile”].
Did translating your rapid-fire dialogue into French and then into English subtitles present any challenges?
Daniel Palladino: We made a lot of compromises in editing. The translation in the subtitles is not perfect. We shortened words. We shortened phrases. We got rid of English adjectives, so there was [less] to read. [It doesn’t help] that the French actors talk twice as fast.
Amy: Where have they been all our lives?
Daniel: If there’s a period, they just blow right past it. There’s no pause between sentences. We were constantly asking them to slow down.
The strikes delayed the start of production. Did that turn out to be a blessing or a curse?
Amy: Creatively, it’s neither. But Amazon piles all the costs of holding sets and holding actors into [the Season 1] budget. So you’re going into production already [over budget], because money has already been spent, but nothing’s been shot.
Speaking of costs, Amy, you previously said that Amazon’s decision to end “Maisel” after five seasons was a financial one. But “Étoile” isn’t exactly a cheap show.
Amy: “Maisel” was in its fifth year — don’t forget. And each year everyone gets more money. And we won all those Emmys so people [renegotiate their deals and] go, ‘Hey, we won all those Emmys …’ “Étoile” was cheaper. But it was not a cheap show.
You made no secret of the fact that you did not want “Maisel” to end. How are you feeling about it two years later? Do you look at the decision Amazon made now and think, “That was ultimately the best thing.”
Daniel: [To Amy] Pass on that! Pass on that …
Amy: You can’t ever say it’s the best thing when you have something very special. Look, this business is this business. There are just things you can’t control.
Are you already writing Season 2 of “Étoile”?
Amy: Not yet.
Amazon gave it a two-season order right out of the gate, right?
Amy: Well … technically.
What is the status of Season 2?
Daniel: It’s pending.
Amy: You’ll have to ask Amazon. [An Amazon rep didn’t respond to Variety’s question about the status of the show’s already ordered second season.]
You’ve had a successful relationship with Amazon. But a lot has changed in the past six months. For starters, Amazon’s executive chairman, Jeff Bezos, has cozied up to Donald Trump. Does that alliance make you rethink your partnership with them?
[Amy and Daniel ask to pause the interview. After a few minutes, the interview resumes.]
Daniel: You know, Michael, politics and religion, we don’t discuss …
Your thoughts on Jennifer Salke’s departure?
Daniel: It’s a surprise. But this is a business where anything can happen. And now it’s a world where anything can happen. I’m more concerned about the Department of Education than I am about an executive. It’s a time of general worry.
Amy: We’ve now lived through four — or is it five? — regimes [at Amazon]. From the time we joined Amazon, they have been constantly changing regimes.
This is the first time a full season of your show will be dropped all at once. Did Amazon explain to you why they decided to go the binge route with “Étoile”?
Amy: I think so. There were charts and pointers and … I took a Valium and went to sleep. I’m sure there’s a logic behind it.
How do you feel about it?
Amy: I’ve been on the record from the very beginning saying I don’t think [full seasons] should be dropped all at once. I have been a big advocate of the weekly [release model]. You make wonderfully crafted things disposable by throwing them out there, and they’re over in a night.
Did you have any creative input on the “Gilmore Girls” Walmart commercials that Lauren Graham and Scott Patterson appeared in?
Amy: We had no creative input on it whatsoever. We only found out about it because Lauren told us. And Lauren apparently made them change some stuff that she knew would make me want to kill myself.
Daniel: I really liked the one with Kirk and all the snow. And Lauren looked sensational.
Amy: Lauren did look sensational.
Daniel: And I thought Stars Hollow looked great. Commercials have a higher budget than anything. They go hard.
Are you comfortable with a Walmart ad potentially being the final time we visit “Gilmore Girls”?
Amy: It would be delightful [to do another revival]. We love the actors, we love the world, we love writing those characters. The time just has to be right. It’s alchemy.
Daniel: I don’t know if Walmart should have the last word — that’s all I’m saying.
This Q&A was edited for length and clarity.
English (US) ·