How Lauren Lapkus ‘Let Go’ of Her Lifelong SNL Dream
Lauren Lapkus grew up with one goal in mind: someday joining the cast of Saturday Night Live. Now, nearly 20 years into a comedy career that has included scene-stealing roles in everything from Orange Is the New Black to Jurassic World, she has finally been able to “let go” of the way she thought things would go and fully embrace her unique place in the comedy world.
It helps, Lapkus explains in this episode of The Last Laugh podcast, that she has now landed lead roles in both broad comedies like 2020’s The Wrong Missy and her latest, the darkly comedic postpartum depression dramedy Another Happy Day. Lapkus also discusses how the Comedy Bang! Bang! podcast opened new doors for her and what it was like to go up against Kate McKinnon for that coveted spot on SNL.
Lapkus first got the script for Another Happy Day in 2018, but then four years passed before production ultimately began. During that time, the world experienced a global pandemic and Lapkus gave birth to her first daughter (she now also has a 5-month-old baby girl). She ended up being thankful for the long delay because by the time they started shooting, she was able to draw on her own postpartum experience.