Lisa Kudrow Loves How 'Inept' Her 'Time Bandits' Character Is

"I just love that kind of fake thing. That's the confidence that's fun to play. I like to inhabit confidence."

When Lisa Kudrow was approached to star in a serialized adaptation of the 1981 film Time Bandits for TV (July 24th on Apple TV+), she jumped at the chance to work with creators Taika Waititi, Jemaine Clement and Iain Morris. "I love the way they tell stories and their sense of humor." In this version, Kudrow plays Penelope, the leader of a group of thieves on a time-traveling mission to save the world. Kudrow's part was originally written for a man, "so it took a long time before the scripts stopped having male pronouns." One thing Kudrow responded to was Penelope's false sense of confidence. "I just love that kind of fake thing. That's the confidence that's fun to play. I like to inhabit confidence." Despite her character "facing danger every episode," Penelope still finds a way to be a blunt and possibly mean leader­—in a funny way—to her group, which includes an 11-year-old boy. "There were talks about, 'Should I, just in case, do a take where I'm not so mean?'" But that behavior only exists in her character. "I don't act like that. I don't have as much to prove as Penelope does."

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Editor's Note: This conversation has been edited and condensed for publication.

What excited you about doing Time Bandits?

Getting to work with Taika [Waititi] and Jemaine [Clement]. And Time Bandits fleshed out as a series with their creative bent to it. Iain Morris is also one of the showrunners of this and creator. I mean, why would I say no? The things I've loved doing most were because I was doing them with people that I knew were just really talented. So I did the same thing here. I love the way they tell stories and their sense of humor. I just love it.

Sometimes the comedy can get lost in big productions like this. Were you worried about that at all?

I trusted the filmmakers, Taika and Jemaine and Iain. I trusted them with that. The thing that got me nervous was, I looked at these scripts, again. You're running through forests, you're jumping into the water. How's that? What will I...I won't really be jumping in the water, right? Like, what did you just sign up for? You don't do stunts, you don't take risks. And then the very first day we're entering the Trojan horse from underneath, and you have to sort of climb out of this thing. And it's a huge step. And we're looking down at it, and Taika saying, "Yeah, so I think Penelope, you'll come out first." And I just looked at it and I gave him a look and he said, "You'll already have come up." Like no, I can't. I don't think I can. I don't think my knees could climb out of that. I didn't have to say a word. I just looked at him and it was telepathic communication.

Had you ever filmed in New Zealand before? What was that like?

I've never been to New Zealand before. It's thrilling. It's the most beautiful place on earth. I mean, filming in what are meant to be millennia-old forests and we're in forests that are that old. You know, yeah. No development at all. It it was just awe-inspiring. And then the sets. The level of artisanship in the crews in New Zealand is really extraordinary. The costume designs were works of art. The sets were works of art. And then we were on these volume stages that had whole sceneries shot and they're being projected on all three walls around us. Roger [Jean Nsengiyumva], he plays Widgit, who's phenomenally funny, we'd walk around and he'd say, "Come look what I found over here." And we're just walking around saying, "This is art. We're experiencing 3D-art." It's an awe-inspiring feeling when you see something just so remarkably beautiful. That's how it felt every day there.

Your character also doesn't hold back, and you do so well with characters like that. Where they're a little pissy. Even to the kid in this you're kind of brutal. Do you enjoy that?

I love playing someone who is so unaware of how inept they are. That arrogance is actually tricking people. I love that. There were talks with Taika, Jemaine and Iain about, "Should I, just in case, do a take where I'm not so mean?" The answer was, "Yeah, we should get that." And then later on, "Now let's get the nice version." There were some reshoots that were, "We need a nice version here," you know, as they're putting it together stuff.

But that must be fun as an actor. That wouldn't fly in real life. You'd be on TMZ every day if you acted like that.

Yeah, no, I don't act like that. No, no, no, no, no. There's no point. I don't have as much to prove as Penelope does.

What was it about Penelope that you responded to?

Yes, because it was a person who was facing danger every episode. They originally wrote it for a man, and so it took a long time before the scripts stopped having male pronouns. I think it wasn't till right before shooting and Taika got to New Zealand, we sat down and had a talk that was like, "So, what should her name be?" And the funny thing is, I had it in my head, like the day before [we met], I was like, "Oh, Penelope, is that a good name?" I was just thinking it. And then when we're in the room, he's like, 'How about Penelope?" Which is that like telepathic thing. It was like, "Well, of course that's it, because I had just thought of that." And the thing is the character was supposed to be a leader who's afraid of his own shadow. Cowardly. And I said, "I don't think it works to be cowardly. I think she should be really courageous past the point that she should be courageous until it's obvious to everyone she needs to be afraid." But I think for the most part there's a lot of courage and bravado and fortitude and misplaced, all of those things.

Yeah, she has this balance of false confidence mixed with fear.

Right. Oh, yeah. Yes. Penelope is always asking the others like, "Isn't that right? Yes? Okay." I don't know, I just love that kind of fake thing. That's the confidence that's fun to play. I like to inhabit confidence. Especially as I'm getting older, it's nice to play a confident woman.

Were you nervous at all about comparisons to the original film? What's different about this adaptation?

No. The only thing that made me nervous was how much are they going to flesh it out? Because it's a series now, it's not just a two-hour story. So that's a lot of time spent with these people, we'll have to get to know them. That was my only question. I mean, I'm not producing this, I'm just an actor for hire, so I don't feel the pressure. I'm gonna do what I do, and it'll either work for people or it doesn't. That's really all I'm in control of.

I have to ask you about The Comeback, because it's become such a pop culture touchstone for so many people. How much do you enjoy people revisiting it?

I'm just thrilled and adore anyone who has the level of appreciation for The Comeback that meets the level of pride I have for doing that show. That is thrilling. I'm happy to hear that.

Would you ever give us more of Valerie Cherish?

Oh God, I'd love to. Michael Patrick King and I are always talking about what would happen next. Always. And it's been 9, 10 years now. So we're due.