Portraying Jane Curtin in Saturday Night, Kim Matula is quick to admit the “nerves kicked in” as soon as she heard she got the part. The film chronicles the 1975 premiere of NBC‘s Saturday Night (now known as Saturday Night Live) and, while the ensemble cast may be telling the story of one night only, Matula shares the research to get the time period “just right” was real—down to the eyebrows and bell bottoms.
What was it like playing someone so iconic?
Well, after the initial joy and disbelief of getting this awesome opportunity settled in, the nerves kicked in. Not only is Jane iconic on SNL, but she’s also still working and in the public eye, which adds another level of feeling, like “I absolutely have to get this right.” Jane has so many iconic roles, from Coneheads to 3rd Rock From the Sun to Kate & Allie, that I would have overwhelmed myself trying to take inspiration from all of her roles. Luckily, my job was to help tell the story of one specific night. Sure, it’s the night that changed television forever, but it also helped pinpoint exactly what part of Jane I was going to embody.
How did you research Jane for the part?
I immediately jumped into watching the first season of SNL. I knew it was important for me to see Jane in action in those first few episodes—not only because I wanted to watch her movements and listen to her inflections, but I also wanted to see the role she played. That was a huge part of the story Jason was telling. We weren’t directed to be doing strict impersonations. Instead, Jason wanted the audience to see who each of these people were to the show.
I knew from reading her interviews that Jane came from a background of doing commercials—even one of her SNL auditions was reciting a vitamin commercial—and that really lent itself to her “straight-man” persona. She often plays the reporter, the interviewer, and the now-infamous news anchor. And she’s phenomenal at it. But even when she delivers a “straight man” line, there’s something funny about it. She knows how to blend the two, and it’s never forced. It’s just who she is. That’s what was important to capture.
When prepping for the role, did anything SNL-related come as a surprise to you?
You know what was a surprise? Getting the chance to talk to Jane on the phone before shooting. I can only imagine how weird it must feel to have a movie being made about a time in your life almost 50 years ago but not actually being a part of it. I have so much gratitude for her willingness to talk to me. And, of course, she was lovely. She shared stories about the set and how it felt to be a part of it. She was so open and funny and delightful. She shared with me that not being a writer, in addition to an actor, made it difficult to be seen by her costars or the other writers. Which I completely relate to.
It’s interesting; I’d always thought of that as such a current problem for actors, but I see now that it’s always been there. She talked to me about the energy of being on a live show and how she felt it rise from her toes on show nights. And there were days when that’s how it felt on set. It could be very fast-paced and exciting, and there was room for improv, and sometimes the takes would go in a different direction than we expected. And it was fun, which was another thing Jane said to me. For all the times it felt daunting, or she felt unsure, she was always having fun. And I think that really comes across in this movie underneath all the chaos.
Can you share some glam secrets from on-set for getting into character?
Oddly enough, one of the glam secrets I really relied on for Jane was making my eyebrows as thin as possible. My makeup artist, Leo Satkovich, took that clear eyebrow gel and crafted the tiniest arch. He nailed it!
On top of that, our hair stylists and costume designer were out of this world. Like most of my costars, I wore a wig, and I have to say, it really added something to embodying Jane. But the wardrobe was what really locked me in. Every piece I wore was a real ’70s vintage item. It was incredible. From the bell bottoms to the polyester button-downs, I couldn’t get enough. Danny Glicker, our fantastic costume designer, was able to perfectly recreate looks from the show. From the absurd costumes in sketches like “Bee Hospital” to the khaki skirt/suit in “Victims of Shark Bite,” every wardrobe detail was thought about and executed exceptionally well. And they all involved pantyhose. Obviously, a respectable woman from the ’70s doesn’t leave the house without her hosiery.
Out of all your different roles, were there any characters that really stuck out to you glam-wise?
What a great question. I’ve had the privilege of getting to play some very different characters with very specific looks. Obviously on Saturday Night, getting to wear real pieces from the ’70s was so cool. On UnReal, my character was really girly. She dressed for the male gaze, so I constantly had full glam with lashes and contour and wore things that must sparkle or use very little fabric.
Then, on the other end of that spectrum, I did an indie a few years ago. I played a rock ‘n’ roll roadie so everything was black and leather and asymmetrical. On The Bold and the Beautiful, I know what years we were in by the peplum dresses and chunky jewelry! The look of the character truly adds so much in terms of my discovering who they are. It changes how I walk, how I hold my posture, and even how I speak. It’s the fun of playing dress-up, but with the added bonus of creating a real person to fill the shoes.
