Charlotte Nicdao On Poppy, The Apple TV+ Show’s Third Season & The Importance Of Relationships [Interview]

It won’t have achieved the identical stage of buzz as its counterparts comparable to comedies like “Ted Lasso,” however “Mythic Quest” stays in its third season one of many funniest comedies at the moment airing. Created by Rob McElhenney (who additionally stars) together with Charlie Day and Megan Ganz, the Apple TV+ sequence facilities on the day-to-day workplace work of a staff answerable for one of many largest multiplayer video video games of all time. Season Three of the sequence follows characters Ian (McElhenney) and Poppy (Charlotte Nicdao) as they’re branched out to create a brand new firm with a view to produce the latter’s sport. It deserves as huge an viewers as attainable. While it’s set within the gaming and tech world, it’s hardly what takes prominence within the present’s storylines, because it’s as an alternative interested by fleshing out the typically weird dynamics these characters have between each other. 

Poppy stays maybe the most important spotlight of the sequence, with Nicdao giving the character a frenzied however honest power that enables the character to be huge and broad whereas remaining grounded and human. We obtained to talk to Nicdao about her favourite relationship on the present, the lovable messiness of Poppy, and the upcoming Christmas episode.

I’ve to start out off by saying that I don’t suppose there’s one other character on tv proper now who makes me giggle as exhausting as Poppy does. I assume there are numerous belongings you love about enjoying this character however should you needed to boil it down and decide one side of her that you simply love inhabiting essentially the most, what wouldn’t it be? 
I actually love the truth that she’s so uncontrolled of her feelings. It sounds virtually like a woman cliche or one thing, however I believe the best way that it manifests in Poppy is sort of violent. She can not maintain every thing that she feels and desires and is attempting to go for within her physique. It implies that she’s flailing everywhere and I believe as somebody, and I believe lots of people can relate to this, who is continually attempting to curate and excellent the best way that I’m transferring via the world, to get to step into the footwear of this lady who’s so un-self-aware that she wouldn’t even start to suppose that’s attainable may be very liberating and enjoyable. 

Poppy is commonly as messy, merciless, and calculating as characters like Ian (Rob McElhenney) or Brad (Danny Pudi). Is there one thing refreshing about enjoying a personality like that, particularly a feminine character within the particular trade depicted on the present?
Absolutely, and I believe it’s type of subversive that “Mythic Quest” has created this character in Poppy who we’re launched to in season one as an underdog and somebody we will simply root for. Because she’s clearly sensible and she or he’s clearly not getting the respect that she deserves. The drawback is that after she does begin to get the respect she deserves you can begin to see the cracks in who she is as an individual and the reality is I consider her as being simply as narcissistic and simply as a lot as an egomaniac as Ian. She simply doesn’t know methods to wield her personal energy but. I believe that the day that she figures out how to try this is a really scary day. 

Yet she nonetheless stays the center of the present in numerous methods. Do you suppose it’s necessary how in Season Three they’re nonetheless displaying her having moments of self-doubt and insecurity? Do you get pleasure from enjoying each sides of the character? 
I believe that if Poppy may enable herself to be weak a bit of bit extra she’d in all probability be a very enjoyable individual to be round. I believe that she’s foolish and type of childlike in numerous methods and actually cares in regards to the issues that she spends her time doing. I believe on the coronary heart of it she cares in regards to the individuals round her and particularly about Ian, [but] she simply doesn’t have the toolkit to precise numerous that. I actually suppose that if I met Poppy as she is in actual life I’d keep far, distant from her, but when I met Poppy after she, you already know, did a bit of self-exploration I’d be like sure, let’s get brunch. 

Which your character does on this season. Was it good getting the prospect to work with the opposite actresses extra one on one and exploring these different relationships on the present? 
It was a lot enjoyable and the opposite actresses and I are all associates in actual life and really shut so it was actually nice to get to play with a few of these dynamics on display screen. There is a scene the place a couple of of us go to brunch and it actually felt like the very same desk we’d normally be sitting round and having brunch at. It was actually enjoyable to get to that within the present. Also, I type of love that the present once more isn’t attempting to evangelise or train any classes about how the feminine characters work together. It presents these relationships as simply as difficult as the lads’s relationships or the relationships between Ian and Poppy. This season Ian and Poppy department out, they construct their very own studio to construct Poppy’s sport, and their solely worker is Dana (Imani Hakim). We get to see the mentorship between Poppy and Dana evolve into one thing a bit of bit extra difficult and extra enjoyable. 

It’s one of many extra fascinating relationships within the season. Is there a specific relationship that you simply suppose is essentially the most enjoyable to discover or is it the moments the place the entire forged will get to work collectively which can be essentially the most enjoyable? 
I like once we all get to be collectively. I need to say that it doesn’t occur sufficient however I really suppose it occurs simply the correct quantity for it to be actually enjoyable when it does. I all the time love exploring the connection between Poppy and Ian. I actually suppose there isn’t the rest prefer it on TV in the meanwhile which is an enormous name however I don’t know, possibly I’m biased. I actually love attending to discover that relationship as a result of it retains getting increasingly more difficult every season and I can’t wait to see the place it goes subsequent. 

And then the brand new relationship between Poppy and Dana additionally brings about all these enjoyable new situations that I hadn’t actually thought of Poppy in earlier than. It was such a dream. 

I’d agree that there aren’t many relationships on tv like Poppy and Ian’s, particularly platonic ones nowadays. 
Yeah, precisely, and I like that the present holds that relationship up as being simply as necessary as a romantic relationship. Just as a result of we’re not rooting for them romantically – though I do know some persons are – I’m not and I nonetheless see that they’re in all probability essentially the most central figures in one another’s lives and all the time will likely be and I believe that’s price . 

Is there an episode this season or aspect that you simply’re most excited for viewers to see? 
We actually get to do numerous enjoyable stuff this season. It’s type of exhausting to select one. As standard, I’m going to say that I’m actually excited for individuals to see our standalone episode. I wasn’t tremendous concerned in it however possibly that’s the rationale why it excites me a lot and why I like it a lot. I’m additionally actually excited for individuals to see the Christmas episode. I believe it’s going to be actually candy. 

Season Three of “Mythic Quest” premieres on Apple TV+ at present.