Kathryn Hahn on Bringing Depth and Humor to The Studio

In her latest project, The Studio, Kathryn Hahn once again proves why she’s one of the most versatile performers working today. Sitting down with us Hahn reflected on the process of shaping her character and the joy of collaborating with creators Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg.

From the start, Hahn was struck by how fully realized the character was on the page. “In the original idea, she was definitely more of an antagonist,” Hahn explained. “But what I loved about what Seth and Evan wrote is that she wasn’t just a foil. She had these little details, flourishes, and vignettes drawn from real people, and that made her so much more alive.”

Hahn described the role as an “amalgamation” of personalities she has encountered throughout her life and career. “It’s always fun when you can pull from those snippets of memory, a gesture from someone, a phrase you once overheard and pour them into a character,” she said.

That layered approach allowed her to find a surprising amount of humanity in someone who could have easily been played as a caricature. “I didn’t want her to just be the obstacle or the problem,” Hahn shared. “I wanted to find the places where she was vulnerable, where she was funny without trying, where she really believed she was the hero of her own story.”

The collaborative energy on set also helped bring that vision to life. “Working with Seth and Evan is such a gift,” Hahn noted. “They know exactly when to trust the script and when to let actors run with something. That freedom makes it possible to take risks, to find those little unexpected beats.”

Looking back, Hahn sees The Studio as one of those rare opportunities to do work that’s both deeply meaningful and incredibly fun. “It’s the kind of project where you walk away each day feeling like you’ve been stretched in the best way,” she said. “It reminded me why I love this job so much.”

Watch the full conversation below:

Q&A on the Apple TV+ series The Studio with actor Kathryn Hahn. Moderated by Mara Webster, In Creative Company.

Follows a legacy Hollywood movie studio striving to survive in a world where it is increasingly difficult for art and business to live together.