‘Eastbound & Down’ Cast Talks Drugs, Tequila at Season Four Premiere
It was game on once again for the cast of HBO’s Danny McBride-starrer “Eastbound & Down,” who gathered at the Avalon in Hollywood Sept. 27 for the premiere of the first two episodes of the show’s final season. But the season came very close to not happening.
The third season was intended to be the last, but when it was revealed to co-creators McBride and Jody Hill that Katy Mixon, who played McBride’s love interest, could return for a full season, it was a home run.
Hill said that Mixon’s return gave them the chance to wrap up the show the way they wanted to for McBride’s anti-hero fallen baseball player Kenny Powers. McBride, however, proposed the idea to Mixon in an unusual way: through text message.
“Danny was shooting a movie in New Orleans and he texted me and he was like, ‘Kate, you want to be part of a fourth season?’” said Mixon. “I was like, ‘Rock and roll!’”
Along with the recurring cast like McBride, Mixon, Jennifer Irwin, Elizabeth de Razzo and Steve Little, the new season comes with a slew of newcomers. Among those newcomers are Tim Heidecker and “Burning Love’s” Ken Marino.
Though they said that the cast welcomed them with open arms, they joked that they also came across some interesting influences on set.
“More drugs than you can ever, ever hope for, at the craft services table,” Marino joked, straight faced.
“I’ll tell you what happened to me,” Heidecker added. “I was not a drug guy or a drug addict before I did the show. I am completely addicted to cocaine and heroin now.”
However, Irwin assured that things were much calmer on set that the two would lead others to believe.
“There’s no coke,” she laughed. “No one’s offering me coke or hookers! I don’t know. Maybe it’s my face. It’s pretty tame.”
Marilyn Manson and Lindsay Lohan also appear for cameos.
Those who have been with the show for years, like Razzo, have plenty of memories to hold on to. Her favorite, she recalled, was the shoot for the episode where she had to go topless.
“Jody came up to me during our late dinner, and he’s like ‘We’re about to shoot your scene. Is there anything that I can do to make you feel comfortable?’” she said. “And I looked at him, straight in the eye, and I was like, ‘Tequila. Get me lots and lots of tequila.’”
Cast members were admittedly sad to see the series off, but Hill hinted that it may not be the complete end yet.
“This is probably the last season, but that’s not to say we wouldn’t come back and continue or something, and do another,” he said.
The party continued on after the screening at the Avalon, with cast and crew mingling over drinks and a buffet. Per Powers’ style, models in skimpy gold dresses were also in attendance, along with a human-sized case where money blew around advertised as Powers’ retirement fund.
The fourth season of “Eastbound & Down” premieres on HBO Sept. 29.
Related stories
Lindsay Lohan to Guest Star on HBO's 'Eastbound & Down'
Get more from Variety.com: Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Newsletter
