Codependent movie, Cast Interview

Wade McElhaney

How did your personal experience influence the writing and creation of the character you play in Codependent?

Most of Codependent is based on personal experience! Max, the character I play, is a heightened version of myself, and Tristan, the character my brother plays, is a heightened version of him. We also wrote the character Jane, who is our best friend in the show, for our friend Riley, who is our best friend outside the show too. We asked for her middle name, and guess what it is? Jane!

We really want audiences to feel the heart of the show, which is why we made it so personal and true to life. We’re funny and goofy, but also flawed. We want to be relatable, even if the thing you relate to is something you don’t love about yourself. 

What were the biggest challenges in balancing the role of actor and co-creator of the series?

Balancing the roles of actor and co-creator was made much easier with the help of our director, Caitlyn Phu. She really understood what we were going for and created an environment where Wes and I could focus on the script and our performances. Having someone we trusted to guide the bigger picture allowed us to stay present as actors while still feeling connected to the creative vision.

That said, it was still very challenging to switch between those mindsets. We had to pay attention to the script while filming and think about making line changes to punch things up, while also focusing on our performances and staying in our characters.

How did the dynamic with your brother Weston, both in real life and on set, enrich the portrayal of the twins in the series?

Our dynamic as real-life brothers added a lot to the portrayal of the twins. The performances came very naturally because we are essentially playing heightened versions of ourselves. One thing we really wanted to capture in Codependent is the unique relationship Weston and I have, especially our cryptophasia, or “twin talk.” We wanted audiences to get a glimpse of what it is actually like to be a twin, how funny, strange, and sometimes outlandish the bond can be. Twins are often portrayed as rivals or polar opposites, but we wanted to show what it looks like when twins choose to be best friends instead.

At the same time, the show also explores the downside of being that close. When your best friend is also your twin, the lines between individuality and dependence can start to blur. That is where the idea of being codependent comes in. Boundaries get crossed and things get… messy. 

Riley Sigler

Your character Jane plays a crucial role in balancing the tensions between the twins: how did you prepare for this part to make it believable and multifaceted?

I knew she needed to have a grounding presence, to be receptive to the chaos of the twins lives and establish herself as a true ride-or-die friend. I think she might be the “way in” for a lot of our audience who Identify as the peacemaker friend! I wanted to bring that natural closeness to set.

What were your impressions of working with the McElhaney brothers, and how did you contribute to the group dynamic on set?

We’ve been friends since we were kids, so it was easy to flow into a group dynamic that felt super comfortable, and invite everyone in the crew into the family dynamic! The twins used to cast me and our other friends in skits they did for youtube when we were younger, so shooting this project felt like a continuation of that dynamic on a whole different scale.


How does the series address themes of identity and relationships, and how do you think your character contributes to these reflections?

The show is really an exploration of what it feels like to be a working twentysomething, when the possibilities are endless and you’re still working to find that identity. These characters are so distinct in the way they interact, but in their own way they’re all desperately searching for a sense of self. Jane is seeking freedom and feels tethered to a corporate lifestyle, while the twins search for a job that validates and solidifies their artist identities. They both have a piece of what the other is looking for.

Weston McElhaney

How did you work with Wade to develop the authentic chemistry between the twins in the series?

The unique dynamic between the brothers was one of the things we did not have to flesh out too much because it came super naturally to us. We based the characters on our own twin dynamic, so everything kind of just flowed once we discussed our main goal, which was to remain as authentic as possible.

Which aspects of your character do you feel are closest to your real personality, and which were challenging to portray?

Although the story is fiction, to be honest, this was not super challenging to portray because, like I mentioned earlier, we based the characters on ourselves. I would say I relate a lot to Tristan’s inability to hold back his feelings or thoughts. That is very much how I operate, and his inability to code switch in professional settings also feels true to me. I really just stay myself, which I think is a good trait, but it can be tough when you are trying to talk business with a very serious person who has a lot of money.

How did you experience the process of bringing such an intimate and complex story as Codependent to the screen?

It all started with Wade and me having one of our manic 3 AM discussions about things we wanted to make. This was one of those ideas we could not stop talking about, so we eventually wrote the episode after about a year, gathered an amazing crew of our friends, and raised money on Seed&Spark, which was super tough. Although maybe boring, our main obstacle really was money, because we didn’t have any production company backing. We were literally selling lemonade on the streets, clothes in the park, and tabling in parks to make our budget. It was character building for sure, but ultimately inspired the spirit of our scrappy show.