Rachel Brosnahan and Tony Shalhoub Have a *Marvelous* Broadway Musical Idea

Talking to the TV father-daughter ahead of their show's final season premiere.

Season 5 is the final curtain call for The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. While Midge will be taking her final bow after six years of laughs, stars Rachel Brosnahan and Tony Shalhoub think the Prime Video series, created by Amy Sherman-Palladino, could one day be a musical.

"Anything could happen, but if I was a betting man, I would say—I'm just gonna put this out there because it's what I believe—that the next permutation of this would be a Broadway musical," Shalhoub told Parade.

Brosnahan agreed, noting that "things have come back in such unexpected forms."

"But if Amy and Dan [Palladino] call," she added, "I think we'll pick up the phone."

Related: Everything You Need to Know About the Final Season of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel

The fifth and final season of the Emmy and Golden Globe-winning series premieres April 14. Both Brosnahan and Shalhoub, who play Midge Maisel and Abe Weissman, respectively, were admittedly surprised by how their characters' stories came to an end. "We're so lucky that five seasons into something we're still getting surprised and that it doesn't feel comfortable," the actress said.

Read on for more about the final season of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel—plus, a little taste of what's in store for Shalhoub's Monk movie.

Can you take us back to the last day on set. What was that like and who was the most emotional person?

Rachel Brosnahan: Alex [Borstein]. Bar none.

Tony Shalhoub: Surprisingly enough, Alex, who always sort of presents as a somewhat, you know, jaded [laughs]—

Brosnahan: Tough.

Shalhoub: Tough. She was kind of crumbling like a dried up cookie.

Brosnahan: [Laughs] I'm sure she'd be thrilled to hear you say that. Yeah, Alex. We couldn't even look at each other when we were rehearsing the last scene we had together at the top of the day. We had one final "t-ts up" and, I mean, I was looking at her forehead and she was looking at my chin. We just couldn't look each other in the eyes until we got to shooting that scene and, even then, it was impossible.

But the last day was really special. Amy and Dan made it possible that we were all there together, that almost everyone who'd been back on the show in the last couple years was there, and so we all got to land the plane and have those final moments together. It was pretty special. I can't think of a better way to close out this chapter.

Everything about the show is fabulous and your clothes are just chef's kiss. Did you take any of Midge's clothes home after wrapping?

Brosnahan: Oh yeah. I took some coats and there's a bunch more with my name on them somewhere in New Jersey.

Shalhoub: I took some of Midge's clothes, too.

Brosnahan: You did? The hats?

Shalhoub: Yeah.

Brosnahan: The bras [laughs].

Shalhoub: The girdles.

Brosnahan: Your favorite part.

Shalhoub: The corsets.

In a recent letter, Amy wrote that she and Dan wanted the cast to walk away feeling like their journey was worth it and earned. Does it feel that way for both of you? Are you happy or were you surprised by how your respective characters' stories wrapped?

Brosnahan: Both. So surprised, but have been surprised every season.

Shalhoub: Yeah. I mean, that's the thing. I feel like for Abe, every season he's gone through changes and had epiphanies, or has had to let go of things that he thought he understood and knew. And Season 5 is no different. It's a continuation and even a deeper dive into that idea of change in self-discovery.

Brosnahan: We gave up a long time ago on having any ideas or dreams or predictions about what these characters could be up to. We're so lucky that five seasons into something we're still getting surprised and that it doesn't feel comfortable. It's not like we can just show up and phone it in. The crew, too. They just keep raising the bar year after year. And so of course we trusted them with the ending, but it was amazing to feel like they really did it. And it was a gift to all of us.

Related: Mrs. Maisel Stars Say Friendship Forged on Set Will Last 'Forever'

Do you think we could see Midge and Abe again, because Michael Zegen has told Parade that maybe there could be Maisel movies somewhere down the line. Would you guys be open to that?

Brosnahan: Michael. He's manifesting!

Shalhoub: Who said that?

Brosnahan: Michael.

Shalhoub: Michael. He's delusional. Don't listen to him! No. You know what, I really think, if I was a betting man—first of all, you never say never. Anything could happen. But if I was a betting man, I would say—I'm just gonna put this out there because it's what I believe—that the next permutation of this would be a Broadway musical.

Brosnahan: I knew you were going to say that!

Shalhoub: I'm just telling you! It's kind of tailor-made for it. The splash, the choreography, the musical element of it, the whole kind of female love story. I mean, it's just the comedy, the performative aspect of it. Don't you think it's just begging to be? And I already have the title for the marquee.

Brosnahan: What is it?

Shalhoub: T-ts up!

Brosnahan: Boom! Sold. Call Broadway. Producers!

Rachel, you're no stranger to the stage. Would you be up for that? Would you be game to play Midge on Broadway?

Brosnahan: I think Alex would have to play Midge on Broadway. I can't sing like that.

Shalhoub: Oh, I'm not saying it would be done with us.

Brosnahan: You can! You did a musical. Tony nominee Tony Shalhoub.

Shalhoub: No, by that time Abe will be—I mean, I'll be in a wheelchair.

Brosnahan: I agree, though. I think it could be a musical. And you never know. I mean, things have come back in such unexpected forms. But if Amy and Dan call, I think we'll pick up the phone.

Shalhoub: I think we would be there. Yeah.

I would love to see that. Tony, Adrian Monk is returning for a movie. What will longtime fans of the show love about the Monk movie?

Shalhoub: Well, we're getting everybody back together—the whole band gets back together. And we see Monk now 14 years later since we wrapped, having gone through the pandemic and how that has impacted him—and it's not a pretty picture, I can promise you that. It's gonna be great to revisit that character. All of these characters. Our main writer's there, director's there—the whole production team is there. So we're really looking forward to it.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

Next, All About Mr. Monk's Last Case: A Monk Movie