Tate Taylor on that wild ‘Palm Royale’ ending that said ‘everything we’ve been thinking’ [Exclusive Video Interview]
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“Maxine’s been so happy for 10 episodes,” reflects Tate Taylor about Kristen Wiig’s character in “Palm Royale.” In the season finale, Maxine finally has a meltdown. In our recent webchat the director asks, “Who doesn’t fantasize about doing what she got to do? She’s saying everything we’ve been thinking the whole time.” Watch our exclusive video interview above.
Taylor directed the final episode of “Palm Royale,” titled ‘Maxine Throws a Party.’ The Apple TV+ period comedy was created by Abe Sylvia and tracks Maxine trying to navigate social politics at the exclusive club in the late 60s. The show also stars Carol Burnett, Allison Janney, Laura Dern and Ricky Martin. Taylor says, “Anything is possible on this show. It makes me think of ‘The Blues Brothers’ movie. That movie influenced me more than anything. There’s a whale on the beach? ‘Blues Brothers’ would have done that. I often think that way. Anything can happen, there are no rules, go with the flow.”
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The finale has Maxine finally host the Beach Ball, which is being attended by President Nixon. Maxine loses it when she learns of her husband’s affair while singing “Is That All There Is.” The director explains, “It’s such a perfect song of what’s to happen. When I read the script I realized Kristen and I were going to really need to trust each other. It was a very busy episode. That moment was basically musical theatre.”
After the meltdown an attempted assassination results in Robert (Martin) getting shot and falling into Maxine’s arms. On constructing an episode that will lead to that moment, Taylor admits, “I have never storyboarded something so much.”
Taylor also directed the first two episodes of the series. He states, “I love the challenge of setting the tone. It’s a gift. Something can be written and cast, but a show is going to tell you what it is when all the ingredients fall into the cauldron together. It’s fun as a director to recognize that and morph it. Funny enough, I haven’t felt this way since ‘The Help.’ A bunch of talented people coming together going, ‘what do you need?’ And me telling people, ‘I love it, do what you think is great.’”
He previously worked with Janney when he directed “The Help.” The film won Octavia Spencer an Academy Award. He reveals, “I moved to L.A. with the intent of becoming a ‘Saturday Night Live’ cast member. I was doing the ‘Groundlings,’ and Melissa McCarthy was in my class. I kept writing sketches I was not in. But what’s cool about being trained in improv is that me and Kristen had great banter.”
He reflects that “working with the actors is where the magic happens. I don’t like to do a ton of rehearsals because I want it to be raw. that’s where happy accidents happen. My favorite part is being observant of the scene work and changing it.”
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