Summary

Pootie Shoe returns to Mythic Quest after 2 seasons for an emotional episode inspired by real-life streamers and gaming dynamics.

Alanna Ubach’s deep understanding of the mother-son dynamic in Hollywood brings depth and complexity to her character.

Collaboration with Charlie Day led to a fun dynamic on set where everyone had a crush on him. Ubach also teases her involvement in The Last of Us series.

As Mythic Quest continues to deliver a witty and emotional fourth season on Apple TV+, fans are in for a treat with the return of Pootie Shoe (Elisha Henig), the once-infamous gaming personality. Collider’s Joe Schmidt sat down with Alanna Ubach and Henig to discuss the highly anticipated comeback, the evolution of their characters, and what it was like collaborating behind the scenes. From Henig’s journey in writing the standalone episode to Ubach’s deep understanding of the complex mother-son dynamic, the conversation dives into the creative process, the difficulty of bringing Charlie Day into the cast, and continuing to work with Rob McElhenney. Plus, Ubach teases her involvement in The Last of Us.
Ubach is a true powerhouse in Hollywood, with a career that has thrived for over three decades, first gaining recognition for her breakout role as Serena, Elle Woods’ quirky best friend, in the beloved comedy Legally Blonde. Since then, she’s showcased her versatility in everything from comedy to drama, with standout performances in Meet the Fockers, Waiting…, and Bad Teacher. She’s also made a lasting impact on television, starring as Jo in Girlfriends’ Guide to Divorce, Suze Howard in HBO’s critically acclaimed Euphoria, and Isabel in Ted, as well as lending her vocal talents to the world of animation in Disney’s Oscar-winning Coco, The Cuphead Show!, and more.
Joining Ubach and Collider for the interview is Henig, a rising star who made strong impressions early on in his career with guest appearances in series such as Grey’s Anatomy, Mr. Robot, and American Vandal. Henig’s breakthrough role came as Julian Walker in The Sinner Season 2, where he delivered a haunting and complex performance before moving on to demonstrate his comedic chops as a series regular in Alex, Inc., and as fan-favorite Pootie Shoe in Mythic Quest.
The Return of Pootie Shoe

“I like to think that Apple TV+ was growing Elisha and watering him and getting him ready and primed to write his own episode.”

Image via Apple TV+

COLLIDER: The first thing I got to ask is, after multiple seasons, why is now the perfect time for the return of the infamous Pootie Shoe?
ELISHA HENIG: That’s a great question. We did try to bring Pootie back every now and then, but there was something in the universe I think that was preventing it. One of the times we tried to bring him back, actually, I was in Portland, and we were going to shoot something there, which is my hometown, and then the whole thing caught on fire. That was in 2020. I don’t know if you remember, but California caught on fire, and there was crazy smoke that came over to Portland. So there was literally a natural disaster that got in the way of this happening.
I think now probably felt like the last opportunity, like we really had to get it done this time. Because it’s been a two-season gap since Pootie Shoe has been seen – people are going to forget, and I look so different, and so I feel like it was the last chance to grasp on that return.
ALANNA UBACH: That’s so funny, I love that answer. Although I like to romanticize what happened—I like to think that Apple TV+ was growing Elisha and watering him and getting him ready and primed to write his own episode. Finally he was ready, and they were like, “Okay, son, take it away.”
HENIG: The way it happened is I wrote a spec script for the standalone episode and basically sent it to Megan Ganz, the showrunner. So I don’t know if this would have happened if I hadn’t done that.
So the script that you wrote is interesting because it’s kind of ripped out of headlines, obviously, with the Paul Brothers and streamers kind of doing that. Did that inspiration just come to you naturally?
HENIG: We actually had some interviews with streamers. I did a Zoom interview with Ninja and a couple of other streamers that I’m trying to remember. But I think just trying to glom on to the reality of what that business is. I approach the story a lot from the perspective of being a child actor in the business, but obviously the realities of the streaming business are different. And I think definitely super influenced by the Paul brothers and that kind of stuff. It’s a crazy world. Those people are insane.
The Complexity of the Hollywood Mother/Son Relationship

“I think that’s a really interesting dynamic that a lot of people don’t explore, but it’s so prevalent here in LA.”

Image via Apple TV+

I really loved this episode and how it really shows how Pootie wants to be seen as an adult. He wants to be seen as a person who’s grown, and it’s so funny because you feel like these streamers kind of take that same route, and it’s not really a route that you take to adulthood. It’s not a very common route to go. You either go to college or you start working odd jobs, and then all of a sudden, you get married, have kids, and you have responsibilities. Obviously, your character has so much money that responsibilities are an abstract concept, it feels like. So, to put the trappings of responsibility for training and fighting, I thought it was such a great touch because of how it was influenced by the real world. And also just the growth that it forces your character to take. Then, Alanna, you are playing Pootie’s mother—how did you approach this, coming back to the role years later as a character who is watching her son make choices that maybe she doesn’t agree with?
UBACH: The episode was so rich. I was so excited to discover that he had written it and I thought, “Oh, he wants me to be in it again. Oh, that’s wonderful. He must have seen Euphoria and decided to bring me back.” And so I was like, “I’m on to you, kid.” No, I’m joking.
I understand the relationship between a single mom and a child star. They tend to espouse their kids and immediately become codependent because they sort of lose their identity and hide behind a child star who’s getting all of this attention and making all of this money that it’s no wonder that to them, they are a spouse all of a sudden. And so the discipline goes out the window, any kind of advice I can give them goes out the window. I basically became this indentured servant/wife to him. And I think that’s a really interesting dynamic that a lot of people don’t explore, but it’s so prevalent here in LA. I grew up around those Gypsy Rose Lee relationships, and, yeah, I know them well.
Interesting.

Related

Charlie Day’s ‘Mythic Quest’ Cameo Was Worth the Wait

We need to talk about that monologue!

Working with Charlie Day and Rob McElhenney

“You have to drive a hard bargain, or else I won’t know how sexy you are or could be.”

Image via Apple TV+

What was it like to get Charlie [Day] into the show finally? Because he’s produced it for years, and all of a sudden he plays a character who takes on a very interesting role in the show.
UBACH: I love him so much, I just love him so much. I want to shrink him and keep him in my pocket and carry him with me everywhere. And then I want to shrink his wife, and I’d like to wear her as a little trinket on my necklace. They’re wonderful people, and he’s just such a fun hang. That’s always important.
HENIG: He’s one of the most professional comedians. He manages to make everything funny so instantly. In a way, he’s really so impressive and scary to act opposite, but really fun.
Did you write it with him in mind?
HENIG: Of course. I mean, writing for him, I think, is the most fun part of it all, because you can really go so crazy. He’s got such a wacky ceiling to run for. And he had been a childhood comedic idol of mine, so that was really fun.
Did you always know he was going to be involved or was it kind of like, “I’ll write for him, and we’ll see if we can get him”?
HENIG: It was never certain. I think he was playing hardball with us until the end, and his agents and his people – we actually had a lot of arguments. But we were writing with him in mind, and we’re lucky that he finally said yes and deigned to do it. He was driving a hard bargain.
That’s pretty funny.
UBACH: I think it’s sexy. Sex appeal is important. You have to drive a hard bargain, or else I won’t know how sexy you are or could be. I think that’s very important.
HENIG: I respect it. We were all wildly attracted to him on set.
Not Rob, though! So I have to ask because Rob plays your father—what was it like to return to that dynamic?
HENIG: It was interesting. Rob’s a real jet setter these days, you know. He has the football club in Wales with Ryan Reynolds. He’s got all these ventures—he’s got a tequila thing. He’s around.
UBACH: You know, it works for me, but I refuse to watch anything or read anything about the people I’m working with.
HENIG: That’s so good.
UBACH: Then I see them for the person they are. And he’s such a Teletubby. He’s a real onesie! He’s that old onesie you throw on when you’re home eating ice cream and watching Apple TV+. He really is something else – he’s quite serious for one of the funniest people on the planet.
Ubach Teases Her Role in ‘The Last of Us’

“I have never met her before.”

Image via Sony Pictures

One last question for you, Alanna, because it just came out that you were cast in The Last of Us, so I have to ask if you can say anything about the character you’re playing?
UBACH: I’ve never met her before. I have never met her before, and I’ll leave it at that. I was working on ADR, I was looping, and they showed it to me, and I was like, “Ooooh, who’s that?” And they were like, “Alanna, that’s you.” So yeah, that’s all I can say.
Giving something away without giving anything away – I love it.
Mythic Quest season 4 is currently releasing new episodes on Wednesdays on AppleTV+ through March 26.

Mythic Quest

Release Date

February 7, 2020

Network

Apple TV+

Directors

Todd Biermann, Pete Chatmon, Megan Ganz, Angela Barnes, Steve Welch, Catriona McKenzie, LP, Danny Pudi, Heath Cullens

Writers

Katie McElhenney, Ashly Burch, John Howell Harris, Aparna Nancherla, Naomi Ekperigin, Kyle Mack, Keyonna Taylor, Randall Valdez-Castillo, Emma dePaulo Reid