Exclusive: Wendi McLendon-Covey Talks ‘Blended’By Max Evry
May 21, 2014
You will immediately recognize Wendi McLendon-Covey as the rich-yet-frustrated married woman in 2011’s megahit comedy “Bridesmaids,” or possibly as Deputy Clementine Johnson on five seasons of “Reno 911!” She’s popped up in various high-profile character roles over the last few years, and starred opposite Nia Long in Tyler Perry’s “Single Moms Club” earlier this year. She will next be seen onscreen as the best friend of Drew Barrymore‘s divorced mother-of-two in the Adam Sandler family comedy “Blended.”
We talked to McLendon-Covey exclusively about co-starring with the formidable Sandler/Barrymore duo, her part on the hit ABC show “The Goldbergs”, as well as her supporting role in the highly anticipated “Think Like a Man Too.”
“Blended” is a much more modern family movie in that it’s rooted in very earnest family values but also has enough of the irreverence Sandler is known for. You’ve shown that you’re not afraid to go all-out in other projects, so how do you kind of reign things in a little bit knowing this is PG-13 territory?
Wendi McLendon-Covey: I go all-out if the scripts call for it and I reign it in if the scripts call for it. Just let the script and the director tell me what they want and I accommodate. For this a lot of people want to know, “Did you get to do a lot of improvising?” We did a little bit but the script was so tight and specific that it really didn’t need it. Adam and I improvised a little when we were hurling insults at each other, ’cause you know that’s a good place for it. When Drew and I were yelling at the little league dads we kind of improvised a little there. It didn’t need a lot of embellishment. It was fun to play this woman who loved her friend so much, isn’t that crazy about her kids, but she’ll defend her friend’s kids if the situation calls for it. I think Jen has a bit of a hard time admitting she’s getting older. If anyone calls her “stepmom” it means she’s getting old.
Right, it’s not that she resents children it’s just that she resents having to tackle this whole brood of five kids that her boyfriend has.
MCLENDON-COVEY: Exactly. And to be fair, to spring that on someone? You probably want to be upfront about the fact that you have five kids.
That would be a first date conversation, for sure.
MCLENDON-COVEY: I’d want to hear that right off the bat. (laughs)
This is Drew and Adam’s third project together. Sandler has shown he’s not afraid to cast himself opposite some of the most gorgeous leading ladies out there, but what is it about him and Drew that makes an audience melt?
MCLENDON-COVEY: You know, they’ve just got that little extra spice between then that’s hard to identify. You can’t say exactly what it is but you just know that it works and you don’t see it that often. I can tell you this from myself, I find them interesting just when they’re having a regular conversation. So I’m surprised it took them so many years to make another movie together. For selfish reasons I hope they don’t make us wait that long again because I love watching them together.
Sandler is like a guy’s guy and Drew is like a guy’s lady, she exudes that kind of approachability.
MCLENDON-COVEY: Exactly, and they’re both very warm and approachable. Any nerves I had going into this they chased them away immediately, they were so sweet to me, because I came in at the very last minute. Could have been very intimdating but they were very cool to me.
One thought I couldn’t get out of my head while watching is, he has three kids, she has two kids, they’re all obviously getting together at the end: Is this a secret prequel to some contemporary “Brady Bunch” movie?
MCLENDON-COVEY: (laughs) If it is I hope I get to be in that and I get to go on a fun trip next time! Because I did not get to.
Where would they go for a sequel? Antarctica?
MCLENDON-COVEY: Or Cancun. There’s all kinds of place they could go.
This film and “The Goldbergs” are both Happy Madison productions, was there some crossover between both?
MCLENDON-COVEY: There was a little bit of crossover ’cause I was in pre-production for “The Goldbergs” and I had certain events I had to attend. Because Adam’s the big boss he made it all happen and made sure I was able to fly back and forth and do everything, and it worked. I’m grateful ’cause I really wanted to do this. It was a tough two-weeks, though, flying back-and-forth but it was worth it. I was so thrilled when I saw the movie for the first time last night, but yeah Adam had everything to do with it.
You would have been about the same age as your kids in “The Goldbergs” during the eighties, is there any specific bit of nostalgic ephemera from your childhood you’re hoping they’ll shoehorn into season 2?
MCLENDON-COVEY: There’s nothing that I wish they would do more of, Adam [Goldberg] is hitting it all perfectly. It’s funny because I wanted to pitch a show about MY growing up in the ’80s, I wanted to do this a couple of years ago, I had different management, and my manager at the time said, “Nobody wants to see that!” (laughs)
Right. The key words I’m hearing there is “different management”.
MCLENDON-COVEY: Yes, exactly. Now not only do I feel very vindicated, he’s writing exactly what I would write only I would be writing about my weird family but there’s a lot of overlap. He’s hitting all the right notes as far as I’m concerned.
“Bridesmaids” obviously provided tremendous mainstream recognition for a lot of actresses who had comedy chops but hadn’t broken out. Melissa has carved out her career as the woman with no filter, Ellie Kemper does the mousy thing really great, what would you say is the niche that movie gave to you? What is the Wendi Mclendon-Covey type?
MCLENDON-COVEY: Gosh, I’ve never thought about that. I really want to give you a good answer but I don’t know. (laughs) Here it is: I think people can think of me as the weird, snarky aunt that gives kids advice parents don’t want you to get but it’s actually really good advice.
On the surface some people might peg your characters as kind of shrewish but there’s more heart to them than that.
MCLENDON-COVEY: Yeah. I think so, but I’ve never been asked that before so now, for the rest of the day, I’m gonna have that in back of my head and I’m gonna wish I gave you a better answer! And I won’t think about it until tomorrow morning.
Well, if it helps, when “Bridesmaids” came out I just referred to you as “the hot one.
MCLENDON-COVEY: Well, okay! Ponies for you. I’ll take that. (laughs)
A lot of our readers are looking forward to Think Like a Man Too. What can you tell us about your character Tish and what new elements does she bring to the table?
MCLENDON-COVEY: Tish is a big old nerd. She’s comes along because her husband’s friends are getting married, and she’s there because her husband’s there. She’s a cardigan-wearing nerd and the other women are like, “Please, does she have to come along with us?”
“Blended” is in theaters everywhere Friday, May 23.
