Discovering the Sarah Baker Method
It’s another sunny morning in LA and Sarah Baker is chatting to ALHAUS via Skype. She’s friendly and laid back: not quite as fiery as her character in Netflix show The Kominsky Method and less gossipy than the suburban mom she plays in HBO drama Big Little Lies.
She’s also surprisingly down to earth for someone who has spent two seasons acting alongside Hollywood legend Michael Douglas. We spoke to her about her recent acting roles and what it’s like to be a woman and creator in Hollywood.
Baker is best known for her role in Netflix’s The Kominsky Method. For those who haven’t seen it, it’s the half-hilarious, half-heartwarming story of Sandy Kominsky, an acting coach in his twilight years. Baker plays his long-suffering daughter in the show, which is launching its second season this autumn. What does she think is so special about it?
“You know, it’s funny—I didn't really notice until I started doing the show and talking to my parents and my boyfriend’s parents that there aren’t really a lot of shows that depict older people any more. On top of that I think people love the strong relationship between Alan Arkin’s character and Michael Douglas’ Sandy; the way they weather these things that start to happen later in life—you lose your spouse, you start to lose friends, your body isn't working the way it used to. People have enjoyed exploring these really meaningful topics that you just don’t see on TV any more.”
In the show’s second season, Baker’s character will have more of a central role and a love interest. “You haven’t seen so much of Mindy’s life outside the studio until now,” says Sarah, “but she turns out to have had a boyfriend for over a year that Sandy didn’t know about. He finally meets my boyfriend and it’s a man who’s closer to him in age (Sandy is usually the one dating younger women), so it’s sort of a funny turn of the tables.”
Working alongside prominent males is something Baker is no stranger to. In 2014, while acting alongside actor / comedian Louis C.K. in the hit show Louie, her raw monologue about being a “fat girl” dating in New York went viral. But after shooting such a powerful female-led scene together, allegations later emerged about C.K in the wake of the #MeToo movement. Baker’s take? “I didn't experience anything like that with him. But obviously when I heard that, it was beyond disappointing. Hopefully the work stands alone and separate from that, but at the same time I understand for a lot of people that it doesn’t, and that’s sort of just the way it is.”
This idea of content standing apart from its creator may represent something of a shift in how we consume popular media – does Baker agree? She pauses thoughtfully before saying: “I think it’s very personal… if you’ve enjoyed a show or a song for a long time it’s almost become yours, you don’t associate it so much with the people who made it. I think for others, they make the decision not to participate and I respect that.”
Asked if she would follow in the footsteps of comedy writers Lena Dunham and Mindy Kaling and write her own material, Baker is again refreshingly honest: “It’s funny you should say that. I talk about enjoying drama-comedy and I feel like I've learned enough from all these incredible people I’ve worked with—maybe I should create an opportunity for myself. I don’t know about producing and directing but writing is something I feel I could really get into.” Watch this space, folks.
Season 2 of The Kominsky Method is out October 25 on Netflix.
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