by Adam Scott is now a familiar face on our screens.
His filmography is growing steadily, but he is perhaps best known this side of the Atlantic for his roles as Ben Wyatt on the sitcom Parks And Recreation, Derek Huff on the raunchy comedy Step Brothers, and most recently Mark S in the Apple TV+ thriller Severance.
But in the US, it’s the cult sitcom Party Down, which made his comedic main character debut in the late 1990s – a show about struggling actors trying to make ends meet while working at a Hollywood catering agency, with a cast boasting of his partner from Parks And Rec, Megan Mullally, Jane Lynch from Glee and Martin Starr from Spider-Man.
It only ran for two seasons in 2009 and 2010 and was eventually canceled by the US network Starz due to low viewership (only 13,000 people watched the season finale as noted by Scott) – some speculated that Scott lost out to NBC’s Parks And Rec as well key factor in the decision.
But the show has been resurrected 13 years after its cancellation, with the nearly full cast returning – despite their extremely busy schedules.
“We couldn’t believe we were really there,” Scott Backstage told Sky News’ TV and film podcast in his only interview in the UK.
“We looked at each other every day and just marveled at the fact that we were finally doing it.
“One of the things I realized when we were shooting the first episode, when I looked at the group, the entire cast of Party Down, was how much I missed them, of course, but also how much I missed these characters.
“I’ve been around people but not playing these characters for 13 years, and I just missed them so much, and it was so cool to see them back in action.”
The cast of Party Down. Photo: Lionsgate+
Scott’s career took off – unlike his character
Scott plays Henry Pollard, who in the original series was a failed actor, mostly known for a beer commercial he did a few years earlier, and worked for Party Down to make a living.
Now Henry is a teacher – but he still works at Party Down to earn some extra cash despite his stable job.
Scott admitted on Backstage that in 2009 he suffered a similar fate as his character.
“Most of us just had nothing but free time and were directly involved with these characters, a group of people who are trying to make it in Hollywood, and success has always been a bit out of reach.
“Every life in showbiz is hard and we’ve all been in the middle of it.”
Luckily for Scott, his true fortune has turned and he’s working on some of the biggest shows and movies in the world – but he said that despite being busy and busy now, the character is still comfortable.
“Henry still isn’t the most settled person in the world – but he’s also older, wiser and more self-satisfied, which I think comes with age and beyond 40.”
Megan Mullally and Jane Lynch at Party Down. Photo: Lionsgate+
But what would Scott be doing if his luck hadn’t changed?
“Man, I don’t know. I just don’t have any backup skills,” he admitted.
“Professions that I have had romantic notions of over the years are like a political journalist or a music journalist.
“Writing about the music I’d like to do – when I was a teenager, I thought I could do it.
“But being a political journalist and I like being on the road with the campaign, I’ve always wanted to do that. But I don’t claim to have any skills in this area.”
Sky’s political correspondent Adam Scott has something to do with it, don’t you think?
Party Down is streamed on Lionsgate+ – listen to our review this week of Backstage, Sky News’ TV and film podcast.
