'Stranger Things,' 'Fleabag' star Brett Gelman: 5 facts about the Highland Park native
By Carmel Carrillo
Brett Gelman (left) and Phoebe Waller-Bridge play contentious in-laws in "Fleabag," which can be viewed on Amazon Prime in the U.S. (BBC Three/Amazon)
Actor Brett Gelman has one of those faces: You know you've seen him before but can't remember where, let alone what his name is. This summer, you get twice as much Gelman: He stars in Netlfix's "Stranger Things" Season 3 as the tightly wound Murray Bauman and as Martin, the boorish, alcoholic brother-in-law (and only American) on Amazon's "Fleabag."
"It feels incredible," he said of being on two hit TV shows. "I mean, I'm on the best hour and half-hour of television … I feel really lucky."
As of Monday evening, Netflix says "40.7 million household accounts have been watching the show ('Stranger Things') since its July 4 global launch — more than any other film or series in its first four days."
An alum of the Upright Citizens Brigade comedy group, Gelman also starred in HBO's "Camping," the FX series "Married" and Netflix's "Love."
During a phone conversation Tuesday, the 42-year-old talked about growing up in Highland Park and why he became an actor. "I saw the Marx brothers' 'A Night at the Opera' when I was six years old. And as soon as I heard Groucho Marx's voice, I didn't even understand the jokes, I just knew that that was the best. And so that made me obsessed … "
1. As a kid, he couldn't wait to move out of Highland Park
"It's a very beautiful place, but I wouldn't say that I fit in. As soon as I could come into the city, I did. … A lot of the time it felt like the kids around me were villains in John Hughes' movies.
"Chicago definitely is majorly influential" on his choice to become an actor, Gelman said. He also took classes at Steppenwolf and Second City theaters. "A lot of the alumni (of Chicago theater) are some of my biggest heroes and definitely influence my acting, from John Belushi to John Malkovich to Laurie Metcalf to Bill Murray. And growing up as a kid, I mean I saw Stephen Colbert and Steve Carell on stage, and I was just like, 'Wow.'
"I would not be where I am today if not for Chicago and its influence on me."
2. Gelman couldn't speak Russian before his "Stranger Things" role
"They got me an incredible coach," he said. "There was a lot of practice, to the point where, 'Oh, yeah, I have English lines (too).'" In the show, Sheriff Hopper (David Harbour) catches a Soviet scientist in a secret underground lab, and Gelman's journalist-turned-conspiracy theorist is the only person Hop knows who can speak Russian. Asked if he was anxious about speaking a new language onscreen, Gelman said, "At first I was worried about it. Once you start to feel a handle on it, it becomes exciting. But there is a river of panic you have to cross."
3. The actor parted ways with Adult Swim because of the way it treated women
In 2016, he chose to no longer work for the network because of comments made by an executive vice president there. "The problem of misogyny and racism and homophobia and transphobia are, I think, (some) of the main problems of the world but also our industry. I think it's gotten somewhat better, but I also don't think that it's anywhere near where it has to be at all."
4. He's not worried about being stereotyped
While he acknowledged that neither his "Fleabag" character Martin nor his "Stranger Things" character Murray is a people person, he loves playing flawed men. "A great character is a great character. And if you're presented with that opportunity to play them, no matter what their moral or social make-up is, you're gonna get a lot out of it."
Brett Gelman plays journalist-turned-conspiracy theorist Murray Bauman in Netflix's "Stranger Things." (Netflix)
The Russian-speaking Murray, he said, acts "more out of like a fearful place, of things that happened to him in the past that he is constantly, with the type of work he does, putting himself in a precarious position. ... But in his heart, he's always doing the good thing, the right thing, and he's never engaging in a toxic thing.
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"Whereas Martin is very fueled by self-hatred. He's watching his life crumble before his eyes, much of that crumbling is his own doing, and he's spinning out in desperation."
5. He's unsure about his return to "Stranger Things"
Netflix hasn't confirmed Season 4 yet, but showrunners and Ross and Matt Duffer have been talking about the possibility of it in interviews. "I would love to work with Phoebe Waller-Bridge (creator and star of 'Fleabag') and the Duffer brothers again. I'll do whatever they want me to do," he laughed.
Waller-Bridge has stated she has no plans for a third season. As for the possibility of a Martin and Claire spinoff from "Fleabag," who appeared to be splitting up at the end of Season 2? "Sian (Clifford, the actress who plays Fleabag's sister, Claire, and Martin' beleaguered wife) and I would love that. But," he warned, "that'd be a really dark show."
ccarrillo@chicagotribune.com