Jennifer Jenny Harper, played by Amber Tamblyn, is the latest addition to Star World’s Two and A Half Men. The actor talks about her debut in sitcoms and why she is fond of performing in front of a live audience
The newest member in the popular sitcom Two and a Half Men, Amber Tamblyn is creating ripples with her portrayal of Jennifer ‘Jenny’ Harper. Having worked in dramas and films in her career, it is her first tryst with comedy, which she says, ‘makes her really nervous.’ But she is also the kind of girl who believes in pushing herself to perfection and feels that acting in front of a live audience has boosted her confidence. Excerpts from an interview:
What did you find so intriguing about your character JennyIJ
The best thing about Jenny is that she has no grounding, who is sort of devoid of morals in her life; one who has no ‘moral-compass’. That is the word that comes to mind when I think of Jenny. You know, often, you play characters that are more restrictive, they have boundaries within which they have to perform. And Jenny very much feels like someone who has not figured out anything in life.
Were you at all apprehensive about joining an already established sitcom in its 12th seasonIJ
Not exactly. When I read the script, it was interesting to find a female gay character who was not the burnt of jokes. Instead she was the one eliciting the jokes and turning them on to someone else. For me that idea was no less than revolutionary, that too for a sitcom so popular. It was undoubtedly intriguing and different and that surpassed the little anticipation that I initially had.
What in a sitcom excites you, given your prior experiences in films and dramatic seriesIJ
Sitcoms terrify me. They are something I know nothing about. I’d never done one before, had never seen one taped, knew nothing about them. I think the only thing I’d ever seen was I love lucy when I was a kid. I really didn’t know anything. So it was a very scary environment. It is almost the same as doing theater, except that the writer would come on stage and just change everything suddenly out of nowhere, that too in front of an audience. And that is really scary. But then again, what is the point of doing something if you are not pushed everyday to an extent where you overcome your fearsIJ I think if you’re terrified, there’s a great Henry Miller quote, ‘All growth is a leap in the dark.’
Do you feel that comedy is difficult when compared to dramaIJ
It all depends on the individual in question. But in my personal opinion, as far as my personality goes, I would definitely say that it is harder to do comedy. Drama has always come easy to me. With comedy, I had to learn the ropes with the show — things like anticipating when the audience is going to laugh. It’s a very delicate balance, and I’ve learned a lot from watching Jon and Ashton. They’re really good at it.
Did your co-stars advice and guide you about acting in a sitcomIJ
They didn’t give me any advice. But there was a time in the beginning when Ashton really helped me from having a nervous breakdown. He advises me against taking the content of the scripts personally. The whole experience of acting in a sitcom was new. Unlike a sitcom, drama is really sensitive as one has to be careful.
Is having live audience helpful or does it make you nervousIJ
Well, I think being nervous is great. I think it’s very good. In that regard, I would say that live audiences are very helpful because they keep you on your toes. The adrenaline is always flowing. It actually pushes you to perform your best When I had a joke and the audiences laughed real loud it was a proud and a happy moment for me. It was really exciting. That was sort of my first real connection with them. And it was at the end when Jenny (her character) sort of comes in the door.