Will Seth Rogen get his awards moment?

The Studio is a comedy series from Apple TV, about a well meaning but bumbling newly-appointed executive of a movie studio, played by Seth Rogen, who struggles to balance financial demands with artistic ambition.

There’s an episode where Rogen’s character is panicking over whether the lead actor of the film he greenlit will thank him if he wins a Golden Globe.

“ I'm worried that if she wins, she's not gonna thank me in her speech. But maybe that doesn't even matter. Right?” Rogen’s character whines to a producer of the film, played by Catherine O’Hara. “Oh no,” O’Hara says back to him, “That's everything.”

It’s a scene that now plays as very meta given that “The Studio” is up for 23 Emmy nominations, including for Outstanding Comedy Series. Rogen himself is up for Best Lead Actor in a Comedy.

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Rogen spoke with LAist’s Antonia Cereijido about the inspiration behind that Golden Globes episode and the responsibility of making a show about Hollywood.

The two moments that inspired the Golden Globes episode 

Rogen said that the overall plot of the episode was based on someone he knew who was “not being thanked in the way they wanted [and it being] very devastating to them.”

It was also based on a personal experience.

Seth Rogen:  It's sort of based on something that happened to me years ago at the Golden Globes – Quinta Brunson actually, in her speech, just like happened to see me sort of in the crowd and referenced me. At the time I remember thinking ‘that's very funny’ but she just made a joke about me, maybe, at the cost – time-wise – of thanking someone that actually really deeply hoped to be thanked.

Antonia Cereijido: Well, is there a plan for who will give the speech if "The Studio" wins outstanding comedy series? And do you know who's on the thank you list?

Seth Rogen: No, it's funny… I think we're all too superstitious to talk about it.

On making himself a Hollywood critic… and spokesperson

In addition to starring in “The Studio,” Rogen created the show with his writing partner, Evan Goldberg. In making a satire about the current movie studio system, Rogen has become a de facto talking head on the state of the industry.

Antonia Cereijido:  By creating this show, you were putting yourself in a position where you're gonna give your take on what's going on with the industry. How aware of that were you [as you developed the show], and have you been surprised by the questions people are asking you about the state of the industry?

Seth Rogen: I remember we were making 50/50 [that] was the first movie we produced. It's about cancer and I remember having the conversations like, we don't need to have like a definitive outlook on cancer, something that we think will resonate with everyone who's been through this. But what we should do is really try to express our experience and our feelings as clearly and emotively as we can, so people really get at least where we are coming from.’

Antonia Cereijido: How would you sum up, what [your] perspective on [the industry is]?

Seth Rogen: I think we are ultimately people who are scared about many elements of the industry, but not cynical about those elements.

I see great movies all the time. I'm not someone who thinks studio executives are out to ruin cinema. I think they're people who are truly conflicted in the choices they make on a day-to-day basis. It's hard to make a good movie and it's up against a lot!

And when a good movie does get made – and it's something that happens pretty regularly – it's sort of a miracle. And it's something we should rejoice in.

Interview excerpts edited lightly for clarity.

Watch the full interview below.