Andrew Rannells has spoken about the death of his father when he was 22, describing it as a loss that changed his whole equilibrium. The actor, now 47, stars in the new HBO film Miss You, Love You alongside Allison Janney, in a story that explores grief, ageing and family relationships.
In the film, Rannells plays Jamie Simms, a personal assistant sent to support grieving widow Diane Patterson, played by Janney, after the death of her husband Henry. As the two strangers navigate the lead-up to Henry's funeral, Jamie reveals that he cared for and lost his own parents to cancer.
A personal connection to parental loss
Rannells told Metro that while his own experience was 'a different situation', he could relate to the theme. 'My father died when I was 22, and he died rather suddenly,' he said. Reflecting on their relationship at the time, he added: 'The relationship that I had with my father when he died – it felt sort of new. We weren't particularly close when I was a kid. As I was becoming an adult, we figured out a new way to talk to each other and how we could meet each other as adults.'
He continued: 'It was the first time that I really felt close to him, and then he died. And it took me a long time to process that.' Rannells brought this understanding of grief to the role, exploring with writer and director Jim Rash the idea that Jamie's bond with Diane might be the first time he has truly opened up about his losses.
Working with Allison Janney and Lena Dunham
Rannells described his on-screen partnership with Janney as unique, saying they got on well on set and knew when to be quiet around each other. He also reflected on his time working with Lena Dunham on Girls, praising the grace she gave the cast, who were mostly new to TV acting. 'We didn't really know what the rules were,' he said. 'Lena, being the director, the writer and the star, allowed for a space where we got to ask questions and we got to figure things out.'
Hopes for a Girls reunion
When asked about the possibility of a Girls reunion, Rannells was enthusiastic. 'If it was up to me, I would say let's do it now. It feels like good timing because a lot of people are rewatching it,' he said. He noted that a new generation who were too young to watch the show originally has discovered it. He was less sure about what his character Elijah's romantic situation would be now, but added: 'He would be successful in whatever he ended up doing. I feel like he had a long stretch of not knowing what the hell was going on, and I feel like when we left him, he figured it out.'
Rannells has kept busy recently with The Book of Mormon anniversary performances, Another Simple Favor with Blake Lively, and co-hosting The Great American Baking Show with Dame Prue Leith and Paul Hollywood. He admitted being initially 'nervous' and 'intimidated' by Paul Hollywood, but said they 'really hit it off'. The American version of the baking show has wrapped up, according to Broadcast Now. Miss You, Love You is available to stream exclusively on HBO Max in the UK and Ireland.
