[Editor’s note: The following contains some spoilers for Time Bandits.]

The Big Picture

Lisa Kudrow joined ‘Time Bandits’ in New Zealand after getting a DM from co-creator Taika Waititi.
Shooting in New Zealand allowed Kudrow to work with a talented crew and immerse herself in the culture.
Developing Penelope’s dynamic with Kevin and finding her comedic voice were challenging but rewarding experiences.

Adapted from the beloved cult classic movie and created for television by Jemaine Clement, Iain Morris and Taika Waititi, the Apple TV+ original series Time Bandits is an adventure following a ragtag group of thieves traveling through time and space, who happen to cross paths with 11-year-old history buff (Kal-El Tuck). Penelope (Lisa Kudrow), Alto (Tadhg Murphy), Widgit (Roger Jean Nsengiyumva), Bittelig (Rune Temte) and Judy (Charlyne Yi) have been fine on their own, making their way through worlds of the distant past and collecting treasure along the way. But with Kevin’s knowledge and help getting them out of some dicey situations, they agree to help him save his parents as they also attempt to save the world from evil.

During this one-on-one interview with Collider, Kudrow discussed what it was like to get a DM from Taika Waititi, asking her to join Time Bandits in New Zealand, wanting to learn about the culture from the local crew, the challenge of finding her own comedic voice on projects, the evolution of the relationship between Penelope and Kevin, why she loved her costume, and whether she’d want to lead these Time Bandits on new adventures for another season.

Time Bandits (2024) A young history enthusiast, Kevin, joins forces with a band of time-traveling thieves on a mission to save his family and the world. As they embark on high-stakes adventures through different eras, they face whimsical and perilous challenges. The series is helmed by Taika Waititi, Jemaine Clement, and Iain Morris, blending humor and fantasy.Release Date July 24, 2024 Cast Kal-El Tuck , Sarah Darkin , Lisa Kudrow , Tadhg Murphy , Rune Temte , Roger Jean Nsengiyumva , Kiera Thompson , Nikita Chronis Seasons 1

Collider: I had so much fun with this show. It’s just a really fun time.

LISA KUDROW: That’s fantastic. That’s the goal.

Lisa Kudrow Was Thrilled When Taika Waititi Offered Her a Role in ‘Time Bandits’
Image via Apple TV+

So, I read that for this role, you got a DM from Taika Waititi that asked if you would ever work in New Zealand. What was your reaction to getting a message like that? Were you immediately interested? Have you ever had anyone else notify you about a project via DM before?

KUDROW: That was the first time, and last. I was thrilled. I’d met him once at my friend’s house and had been a huge fan. I just met him really briefly, and then got this [message] that said, “Hey, would you ever consider working in New Zealand?” I was like, “Well, I’ve always wanted to go to New Zealand. It depends on what [it is].” And he was like, “Oh, Jemaine Clement and I wrote a show that’s based on Time Bandits.” And I just went, “How would I say no to this? Taika is one thing, and that’s a lot. Jemaine Clement, too? That’s comedy genius to me. Of course, I wanna do this. And it’s for everybody? There’s nothing disturbing or dark or too subversive. Yeah, sign me up.”

Related Lisa Kudrow Leads a Band of ‘Time Bandits’ in First Trailer for Apple TV+’s New Comedic Adventure The series arrives on Apple TV+ on July 24.

What is that like, as an actor? You’re a queen of comedy yourself, but every actor has had those times that they struggled. Is it still always cool when somebody thinks of you for a role and just reaches out and says, “Hey, would you want to do this”?

KUDROW: Oh, yeah. It’s always great when somebody cool reaches out and says that. That’s just human. It’s pretty cool when someone gets in touch to say, “Hey, do you wanna ….. ?,” but you have to ask, “Am I the piñata, or do you wanna fly me to the piñata party?”

Similarly, I also read that when you showed up, he was wearing a Smelly Cat shirt. How did you feel about the fact that he’s clearly a fan of yours?

KUDROW: He wrote it in the initial message. He had said, “Listen, I’ve wanted to work with you for years.” And I thought, “Well, if that’s true, that’s really nice. Yeah, I would still like to work with you. I don’t care if you just thought of it five seconds ago because somebody else is insisting.”

What was it like to actually shoot in New Zealand? Was there anything you wanted to be sure to see or do while you were there, that you actually got the time to do?

KUDROW: I didn’t know anything about New Zealand, other than it looks gorgeous. I didn’t feel like I needed to go to Hobbit-ville, or whatever. What’s great about working somewhere is that you’re working with and living with people who live there. You are experiencing their day to day with them, and you get to learn about the culture that way, not through some presentation that you’re taken to. It’s gorgeous. This crew were some of the most talented humans, ever. Bob Buck, the costume designer, is phenomenally talented. The production designer, Ray [Vincent], and Nancy Hennah, who was running hair and makeup, had intuition along with skill and training. It was incredible to be around that much talent, honestly.

When you have these comedic masterminds behind the series that you’re making, what is that collaboration like? How do they approach that on set? What’s it like for you to be able to find your own comedic voice in that?

KUDROW: That’s tricky for me, with whatever I’m doing, finding my comedic voice. For me, there’s always that first day or two where I’m thinking, “Oh, I’m pretty sure they feel like they’ve made a huge mistake hiring me.” And then, you start feeling like, “No, I think it is okay. All right, it is gonna be okay. That’s great.” They love options, and I love giving options, so that meant improvising. One of them would be like, ‘What if you say this? What if you say that?” And you’re free to pitch, “What if I do this and that?” And then, they’re like, “Yeah, let’s try it.” That’s also what’s great about shooting on digital. It’s not as expensive as film. It’s just about options, and it was really fun.

It’s wild to hear you have that sense of doubt and you wonder if they hired the wrong person, since everyone knows and loves you for your comedy.

KUDROW: There are so many different tones of comedy, so you don’t know if you’re hitting the right note.

It just shows that everyone has the same doubts.

KUDROW: Oh, yeah, everyone does.

This group of Time Bandits find themselves taking this kid along because he actually has a wide knowledge of things from history that are useful to them. How does he change the dynamic of this team? What was it like to develop that dynamic between Penelope and Kevin?

KUDROW: I like how it develops. Initially, he’s a nuisance and potentially a threat, which then makes him significant, so that’s an improvement. And then, it becomes, “Okay, let’s look out for him. We’ve gotta get him home, at least.” And then, it’s about trusting him and a real caring, which was really touching when it got to that.

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You have to wear the same costume throughout this, so did you get any say in that? How did you feel about Penelope’s fashion?

KUDROW: I loved this costume. With Bob Buck, we tried different things and came up with the leather vest, which I don’t know if you can tell I’m wearing. I’m actually wearing a leather vest and a double belt and a wool British military jacket circa the 18th century. I just loved it. The military jacket, to me, was commanding. The jacket was Penelope to me.

It’s said a lot that there’s no leader of the Time Bandits, but Penelope really is the leader. Deep down, does she see herself as the leader? Does she just like hearing the reassurance that she is the leader, every time she says she’s not?

KUDROW: Yes. She thinks she’s the leader. She wants to be the leader. She is the leader. She doesn’t support any insubordination.

Would Lisa Kudrow Want To Return for a Possible Season 2 of ‘Time Bandits’?
Image via Apple TV+

Clearly, this series could continue. Would you want to do more episodes and seasons and keep playing this character for a while longer?

KUDROW: Yeah, I love playing her. I trust them because everywhere we went and everything we did was fascinating to me. I loved being Penelope, and I didn’t mind watching me be Penelope, so that’s a big deal.

Time Bandits is available to stream on Apple TV+. Check out the trailer:

Watch on Apple TV+