An Interview with Martin Starr & Ryan Hansen from ‘Party Down’

Martin Starr and Ryan Hansen are a pair of accomplished actors, that have appeared in a bevy of well-known franchises such as Silicon Valley and Veronica Mars, respectively. But they are perhaps… best known for their work on the wildly popular STARZ series, Party Down. And it just so happens that they are reprising their roles on the show for season three, as Roman DeBeers and Kyle Bradway, respectively, and we here at NTG were fortunate enough to speak with these gentlemen regarding their return to this iconic series.
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John Betancourt: I would love to know, what this whole experience and just the whole phenomenon of Party Down has meant to each of your personally?

Martin Starr: Yeah, it's one of the coolest things that I've ever been a part of from 13 years ago. You know, we did this when no one knew about it. And we were just kind of making each other laugh and having the best time on set. And then years later, you know, through doing some press and doing interviews and people coming up to us on the street, people are watching it all of a sudden, you know, and so to be a part of this kind of cult, comedy, show that, you know, some people were watching has been incredible. And so, to get to do it again for hopefully a new audience and those who were with us from before is just… it's kind of an honor. It really is.

Ryan Hansen: So fun. It's like summer camp, but we get paid. I don't know how that happens.

John Betancourt: Were there any struggles that came about in getting back into your characters? Or was it just like reuniting with an old friend?

Martin Starr: I mean, genuinely, it was like reuniting with an old, like actual friends. That’s more just… seeing the cast. I don't know anyone that would call Roman a friend.

Ryan Hansen: I would.

Martin Starr: He’s a loner.

Ryan Hansen: Well, you're right. But um, I was a little nervous getting, you know, not having done the show for so long. Because I’m like, “How am I going to do this? Now? I'm so much older and all this stuff.”  And then once we read John Enbom’s scripts, it was like, “Oh, he's knocked it out of the park.” We can just read the lines. And it was very easy to settle right back in.

Martin Starr: And that's what Ryan does. He just reads the lines.

Ryan Hansen: I read my lines only.

Maritn Starr: Yeah, he has them read. Usually when you're doing a scene with him. He's like,
“Oh, that's what you're gonna say.”

Ryan Hansen: Isn't that kind of cool?

Martin Starr: He like really listens. Because he didn’t read it.

Ryan Hansen: And that’s acting.

This interview has been lightly edited and condensed for clarity.

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