Cristin Milioti appeared in an episode of30 Rock, a series which premiered 19 years ago, and she still recalls it as one of her favorite performances ever.Cristin Milioti has been acting since 2006, but it’s only been in recent years that her acting has been getting the respect it deserves. Her performance as Sofia Falcone inThe Penguinearned her a Golden Globe nomination and is a big part of why that HBO series has been seen as so much of a success. It’s a menacing and scene-stealing performance from Milioti.
BeforeThe Penguin, Milioti was having a solid career, perhaps just not quite as lauded as it is now. She had a critical role inHow I Met Your Motheras the titular mother, played Emma Reed inThe Resort, Hazel Green inMade for Love, and Betsy Solverson inFargo. In film, Milioti played Teresa Petrillo inThe Wolf of Wall Streetand Sarah Wilder inPalm Springs. However,one of her favorite roles ever occurred early on in her career, and she only played the character for one episode.
Cristin Milioti Cites Her Single Episode Of 30 Rock As One Of Her “Favorite Roles”
Milioti Plays A New Writer For TGS Named Abby Flynn
According to the actress, one of Cristin Milioti’s favorite roles is as Abby Flynn/Abby Grossman in30 Rock(viaVariety). Milioti said about the character, “That remains one of my favorite roles that I’ve ever gotten to play.” Abby is a new hire for the TGS writing staff as Liz Lemon (Tina Fey) wants to ensure there are more female writers at 30 Rock. However,Abby proves to be the embodiment of an offensive female stereotype, complete with a high-pitched voice, pigtails, and over-sexualization and over-infantilization of everything she says.
As Abby says, “I’m a very sexy baby!” Milioti said about her audition, “I went in on that audition with that voice and was like, ‘Oh, I know what to do here.'” It’s a hilarious part, and Milioti basically gets to play two characters. One is the obnoxious, over-compensating Abby Flynn, and the other is the smart, careful Abby Grossman, who has been trying to hide her former identity so that her abusive ex-husband is unable to track her down. It’s clear Milioti is having a blast in the role.
Why Cristin Milioti Loved Being On 30 Rock
Milioti Always Loved The Show And Tina Fey
Cristin Milioti was a huge fan of30 Rockbefore even appearing on the series. She said, “I was obsessed with that show. That experience was a fever dream of joy because I knew all of those sets inside and out.” Just about everyone was obsessed with30 Rock, and it’s still ranked among thebest TV shows of all time. Her comment about knowing the sets inside and out rings true for anyone who has seen the series. The sets were so clearly defined and laid out, it was easy to think of them as real.
Milioti said the blonde wig that her character wears is the same wig that Will Forte wears as Jenna’s boyfriend when he guest stars as Paul L’astnamé.
Milioti also said, “Tina was such a huge hero of mine. She also could not have been more welcoming.” That makes it doubly funny that her character is at such odds with Fey’s. The two are complete opposites, and neither one appreciates the other’s actions. It must have been a joy to play the character in a beloved show and, at the same time,act against someone who seems to have inspired her in more ways than one.
The HIMYM Star’s 30 Rock Role Perfectly Highlights What Made The Show Great
Abby Flynn Pokes Fun At Industry Standards
Like any goodguest character on30 Rock, the brilliance is not just in the characters themselves but in what the characters and their arcs say about the television and media industry. Liz was hoping that having a female voice in the writing room would be enough to get a female perspective. What she didn’t count on was that the female voice she brought in might not have the exact perspective she’s hoping for. It’s a character that pokes fun at the narrow avenues media allows for some voices. Sure,you can be a woman, but you better be a specific woman.
In30 Rockfashion, the idea is reversed so that while Liz may have good intentions, trying to find someone with a less-traditionally male-centric view of women,she is still imposing her idea of what femininity is on someone else. Then, of course, there’s the final joke where, it turns out, this whole identity was faked by Abby to hide from her abusive ex-husband, once again making Liz the bad guy (or girl). It’s brilliant and hilarious, and encapsulates why Cristin Milioti would want to be on the show in the first place.
