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Meg Stalter is never not in character.
This summer alone, the comedian has spent eight shows a week playing a boozy, bratty Mary Todd Lincoln in Cole Escolaโs โOh, Mary!,โ taking over Broadwayโs starry title role after Maya Rudolph and following previous Marys including Escola and Jinkx Monsoon. Her 10-week run, which ends in September, comes just months after โHacksโ wrapped its five-season run โ and earned a record-breaking 24 Emmy nominations for its final season, including Stalterโs first individual nod for supporting actress in a comedy for playing Kayla.
While Escolaโs catastrophically theatrical first lady has now been played by a growing roster of performers (Bowen Yang is set to replace Stalter next month), the comedian has put her own distinctly juvenile stamp on Mary. โI definitely feel like my Maryโs very childish,โ she says. โThereโs a lot of sticking my tongue out, I feel like Iโm doing a lot of tongue choreography.โ
Somewhere amid eight-show weeks and an upcoming trip to the Emmys, Stalter has also apparently become a home cook. That newfound hobby made her an apt partner for the food brand Knorr, which tapped the comedian this summer for its โUltimate Chicken Roast,โ a new campaign built around its Chicken Bouillon and Premium Flavor Base. The partnership included a โChicken Roastโ event in New York earlier this month, where guests were served Knorr-seasoned dishes by partner chef Sohla El-Waylly while Stalter took the mic.
Following the roast, Variety caught up with Stalter to talk her newfound love for cooking, โOh, Maryโ and what we can expect from her Emmys red carpet look:
What advice did the previous Marys, like Maya Rudolph or Cole Escola, give you?
May and I were just talking about how itโs a lot of lines โ that before you even go into rehearsal, memorizing as much as possible is really helpful. Which is really practical, but really important. It helped me a lot to memorize it before I got to New York.
Iโm shocked that you even had to audition. What was the audition experience like?
I really loved auditioning because it felt like a movie moment when I got it. And also, I wanted them to know what they were getting. People know my comedy, but Iโve never really sung onโฆwell, maybe we shouldnโt say that. But you had to sing in the audition, and I think they wanted to make sure they knew what my take was.
It made me feel really confident because it was like, okay, they know what theyโre getting, and I have proven that I understand the play and the character. So it was really fun, and I worked with a vocal coach.
When you first saw โOh, Mary!โ, did you immediately know it was something you wanted to do?
I saw Jinkx do it, and I love Cole, and Iโve always wanted to see Cole do it. When I was in New York, I finally got to see Jinkx, and I just have never felt more seen in a character. Which is so funny, because Iโm not the presidentโs wife and an alcoholic, but the way that she loves to perform. I just fell in love with it.
I asked my team if I could audition, and they talked to them about it. So I really, really wanted to audition and do the play after โHacks.โ I feel so lucky to get to do it.
How would you describe the most unique aspect that you brought to the character?
I definitely feel like my Mary is very childish. I know sheโs childish in general, but thereโs a lot of sticking my tongue out and being reallyโฆI feel very young when Iโm playing Mary. Of course, everyone plays her as bratty because she just is bratty. But I think Iโm doing a lot of tongue choreography.
Are they recording it or anything? Iโm so sad that Iโm not going to be able to see it.
I think youโll have to imagine me. Unless you can get ahold of some sort of theater tape.
Have you given Bowen any advice yet?
Iโve told him that Iโm so excited that heโs going to do it, but I havenโt given any advice because I think heโs going to be so perfect.
Is there anyone you want to see next in the role?
I want to see Cole do it again. And Iโd also like to see just a regular person off the street do it. It should literally be someone whoโs not acting at all. Just some random person who works at a company, like at an office, and then theyโre chosen out of the office. They have to do it within two weeks.
Heckling has become more common in Broadway audiences, especially when people come for a specific performer What has your experience been with Broadway audience behavior?
Weโre so lucky that we donโt get a ton of heckling. But I can tell when people have seen it before because they start laughing a little bit before the punchline. Once in a while, thereโs a part where they might say what the punchline is. Iโve had that happen maybe once.
But weโre lucky that we donโt get too much. Itโs not heckling like, โI hate this.โ Itโs more like theyโre laughing because they know it.
Broadway is such a crazy schedule. How has that affected your eating schedule and home cooking?
I was actually talking to people in the cast about this. I feel like when youโre doing a show every night, you have to find food that tastes good but also gives you energy and isnโt going to make you feel sick. Chicken is actually one of the foods that all of us have said doesnโt make us feel sick and gives you energy.
I definitely have to think through the times when Iโm eating more than if I were just at home. You want to eat a good meal before the show, but you donโt want to eat too much because then youโll feel so low-energy.
Have you always enjoyed cooking?
I actually feel like Iโve learned how to cook in the last two years, and I love cooking so much. I used to not really cook, but now I cook a lot. I just think itโs really relaxing and really fun, and also a way to show someone that you love them back when you get to cook for them.
At the Knorr Chicken Roast, I did get stocked up on the Knorr Chicken Bouillon so I have a lot of it. But itโs going fast because I use it so much. It does help make cooking easier because Iโm not an expert chef, but I am getting good, and I do know how to do it now, which is really fun. Iโm always looking for ways to make it easier and get flavor fast.
Have you cooked the cast your Knorr-seasoned chicken?
I havenโt cooked for the cast yet, but I need to. I really do.
Youโll have to host them for your last show. Have them over and do another chicken roast, I guess.
Yeah, definitely going to do that. Iโm definitely going to have the cast over, and everyone should bring a side dish. Should I make the chicken?
Lastly, congratulations on your Emmy nomination. Do you have your red carpet look planned out?
Well, itโs in the works. Itโs in the worksโฆ
Is it coordinated with Paul [Downs]?
I donโt know. [Laughs]
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