Current:Home > NewsMae Whitman Reveals How Independence Day Co-Star Jeff Goldblum Inspired Her to Take New TV Role-DB Wealth Institute B2 Expert Reviews
Mae Whitman Reveals How Independence Day Co-Star Jeff Goldblum Inspired Her to Take New TV Role
View Date:2024-12-23 20:54:26
Sometimes it pays to listen to the voices in your head—especially when they sound like Jeff Goldblum.
On Hulu's musical romantic comedy series Up Here—premiering March 24—Mae Whitman plays Lindsay, a small-town girl who jets off to New York City in the final days of 1999 in search of creative freedom, excitement and, ultimately, love.
For Mae, the entire project was a huge leap of faith. Luckily, she had the sage words of an old friend to inspire her to make the jump.
"I worked with Jeff Goldblum on Independence Day when I was a tiny child," Mae exclusively told E! News. "I remember they were opening the Jurassic Park ride at Universal Studios and I was gonna go. I was terrified. I called him because he was in Jurassic Park and he literally told me, 'You have to face your fears, Mae.' It never left me. You're still with me, Jeff."
Mae and Jeff starred in the beloved 1996 science fiction epic together, released when Mae was just 8 years old. In the movie—which also starred Will Smith and Bill Pullman—Jeff played satellite engineer David Levinson and Mae played Patricia, the daughter of President Thomas J. Whitmore (Pullman) and First Lady Marilyn Whitmore (Mary McDonnell).
As for Mae's latest role, Up Here features an impressive list of Broadway and musical titans behind the scenes—including Frozen songwriters Robert and Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Hamilton director Thomas Kail—so the 34-year-old had every right to be nervous.
"I was experiencing a terror that I've never known before," Mae said. "It was like you put together an A-team. It was like Armageddon when they put them together and send them off. I have competence in certain arenas, but when it comes to singing, it's so vulnerable. It's so scary."
The entire experience has motivated Mae to get even further outside of her comfort zone moving forward—including a potential trip to the Great White Way.
"I want to keep doing things that scare me and things that I'm not comfortable with," the Parenthood alum said. "I have not done Broadway. God help me, I'm terrified. But I would give it a try. If Thomas Kail comes knocking, I'll at least look through the peephole."
We're sure Jeff would be proud.
Up Here premieres March 24 on Hulu.
Get the drama behind the scenes. Sign up for TV Scoop!veryGood! (9)
Related
- Sydney Sweeney Slams Women Empowerment in the Industry as Being Fake
- Father arrested for setting New Orleans house fire that killed his 3 children in domestic dispute, police say
- Britney Spears Describes Being All Over Colin Farrell During Passionate 2003 Fling
- Gwen Stefani's 3 Kids Are All Grown Up at Her Hollywood Walk of Fame Ceremony With Blake Shelton
- Ariana Grande Shares Dad's Emotional Reaction to Using His Last Name in Wicked Credits
- Magnitude 3.5 earthquake shakes near Reno, Nevada, the second quake in two days
- 'Killers of the Flower Moon' cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert De Niro headline new Scorsese movie
- NFL Week 7 picks: Will Dolphins or Eagles triumph in prime-time battle of contenders?
- New Orleans marks with parade the 64th anniversary of 4 little girls integrating city schools
- European court says Italy violated rights of residents near Naples over garbage crisis
Ranking
- Up to 20 human skulls found in man's discarded bags, home in New Mexico
- Too much red meat is linked to a 50% increase in type 2 diabetes risk
- Jewish, Muslim, Arab communities see rise in threats, federal agencies say
- Jax Taylor and Shake Chatterjee's Wild House of Villains Feud Explained
- Old Navy's Early Black Friday Deals Start at $1.97 -- Get Holiday-Ready Sweaters, Skirts, Puffers & More
- Florida GameStop employee charged after fatally shooting suspected shoplifter, police say
- All's fair in love and pickleball? 'Golden Bachelor' Gerry Turner courts skills
- Biden to deliver Oval Office address on Israel and Ukraine on Thursday
Recommendation
-
Trump pledged to roll back protections for transgender students. They’re flooding crisis hotlines
-
Jax Taylor and Shake Chatterjee's Wild House of Villains Feud Explained
-
1,000-lb. Sisters’ Tammy Slaton Proudly Shares Video in Jeans Amid Weight Loss Journey
-
Dutch court convicts man who projected antisemitic message on Anne Frank museum
-
The Surreal Life’s Kim Zolciak Fuels Dating Rumors With Costar Chet Hanks After Kroy Biermann Split
-
Security incident involving US Navy destroyer in Red Sea, US official says
-
Former nurse sentenced to 30 years for sexually assaulting inmates at women's prison
-
$249M in federal grid money for Georgia will boost electric transmission and battery storage