TV Series Stumble, interview with Kristin Chenoweth

Can you tell us about your character, Tammy?

She’s a former cheerleader. She’s Courtney’s assistant coach. I just want to make sure everyone knows she’s an assistant coach and that she was a cheerleader. Perhaps she’s stuck in the '80s. She never really got over her cheerleading years and competitions. Since she was a cheerleader in 1988, she probably still has a high school boyfriend.

These are just casual observations, but essentially she’s Courtney’s antagonist and nobody knows it because she’s so sweet, right? That’s Tammy.

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How did you get involved?

I would do anything with Jeff Astrov and Jeff Blitz, with whom I’ve done trial and error and with whom I’ve maintained good relationships. It was such a joyful experience. Then, when he called me and told me about this… First of all, I watched Cheer on Netflix and I really enjoyed it.

Also, I was a cheerleader. Additionally, I wondered: why am I in the show? They called me and said: “We want you to play this character,” and I’m so happy they did, because I think that world is really entertaining.

What was your relationship like with the other cast members on set?

Our star in the role of Courtney is played by a wonderful, funny and down-to-earth actress, Jen Lion. I know her from the series Claws. We’re both from the South and that makes me feel a bit at home. You know, we both went to New York and Los Angeles and when I’m with her I feel comfortable.

In fact, my accent is allowed, because I’ve worked so hard to get rid of it and now, talking to her, I’ve reflected on my true identity. I love her and her way of doing things. Sometimes I feel like I don’t want to be like Jimmy, but sometimes I have feelings about shows and I’ve never been wrong. I don’t know. I just have a very positive feeling about the energy of the people involved.

Tell us about your experience as a cheerleader.

Yes, I was a cheerleader. I still had the same hairstyle. Actually, I didn’t have to do any character research, because it came back to me just as it was.

You know, in the South, we’re honest with each other and Tammy and Courtney are no exception. They’re friends, at least in my mind. They cheered together in high school and Tammy was always a bit inferior to Courtney, both in height and talent. I think Tammy always wanted to be Courtney. She always wanted to be the head coach. She would never have become the prom queen.

She would always have been the National Children’s Association winner and would always have been courted. So, I have to give credit to my character, Tammy, for appreciating Courtney, because many girls wouldn’t have even tolerated her. However, they end up becoming enemies.

I think perhaps my character gets a little carried away with the desire to take her place and maybe frames her to get her fired, which isn’t very nice. I come from Oklahoma. I live in New York and Nashville. We really need to laugh right now, but when I sit at home in the evening, the last thing I want to do is see something serious.