Carol Kane loves physical comedy in ‘Dinner with the Parents’

The character of Nana in the new Freevee series is the kind of weird and wacky role that has been a standard for Carol Kane throughout her career. The part fits her so well that it is easy to assume it was written with her in mind. There is also the possibility that it was just a case of Kane auditioning for it because she is always attracted to such acting efforts.

It was neither according to Kane.

“It was door number three,” the 71-year-old actress says with a laugh. “I happened to be in Paris with my mother visiting her friends. About a week in I got a call from my good friend Tristram Shapeero and he said we are doing this show in London and we haven’t been able to cast the grandmother.”

Shapeero knew Kane’s work having directed her in episodes of “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.” He is an executive producer and one of two directors working on the new streaming service comedy that looks at the weekly disaster of a family’s Friday night dinners.

The Langers are a close-knit group that often serve up lies, betrayals, pranks, schemes, unwelcome neighbors, childhood crushes, at least one felony and many very bad decisions with the pot roast. The series, based on the British show of the same name, debuts April 18 on Freevee. Two additional episodes will be available each Thursday until the finale on May 9.

Kane plays the grandmother who goes from being a verbal troublemaker to some outrageous physical comedy. Either brand of humor works for Kane as she has been dealing with comedy on television since 1980 when she was part of the ensemble cast of “Taxi.” Along with the role on “Taxi” that earned her two Emmy Awards, her other credits range from the very serious “Dog Day Afternoon” to the cult favorite “Princess Bride.” She earned an Oscar nomination for the 1975 film “Hester Street.”

The ensemble she is working with on “Dinner with the Parents” includes Michaela Watkins, Dan Bakkedahl, Henry Hall, Daniel Thrasher and Jon Glaser.

Kane had not seen the original series when she was cast in “Dinner with the Parents.” After she was offered the role, Kane watched several episodes and found it to be extremely funny. She would have watched more but Kane didn’t want to have her performance influenced by what had been done in the original series.

What Kane saw was a series about a Jewish family that was on British television for six seasons. Kane’s hope is that her new series runs at least that long and she can handle all the physical comedy they throw at her.

The Cleveland native has never gone into a role knowing exactly how she is going to play the character. The joy of working for her is being able to find all the bits and pieces that come together.

“I think the wardrobe helps a lot. Some of the wardrobe in this show was based on my grandmother who was very, very stylish. She was modeling in department stores in her 80s,” Kane says. “So, a lot of the character is based on how Nana presents herself as all dolled up when she is sitting around the table at home.”

Just like her grandmother, Kane is showing no signs of slowing down. “Dinner with the Parents” gives her ample opportunities to do physical comedy including a battle with a large chair in the opening episode. Kane points out that is just one example of the extreme nature of the physical comedy she gets to do on the series.

She loves physical comedy so much that it is a deal breaker when it comes to work. Kane stresses that if they ever stopped her from doing that kind of humor, she would not know what to do.

Television comedies where she can play the physical comedy may be the bread-and-butter for Kane when it comes to working but she also has put together a long list of work as a voice actor where all she uses is her voice. Those credits include “Phineas and Ferb,” “Bubble Guppies,” “Big Mouth” and “The Simpsons.”

Kane has brought a little levity to the science fiction world as she plays the recurring character of Pelia on the streaming series “Star Trek: Strange New World.” She was shocked when she was offered the opportunity to play the role.

“I literally asked them ‘Are you sure you want me?’ I thought they had made a mistake,” Kane says. “I thought how in the world would they ask me to be in ‘Star Trek,’ but I am thrilled.

“I am having so much fun.”

She says the same thing when talking about “Dinner with the Parents.”

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