‘Somebody Somewhere’ Star Jeff Hiller on How the Show Is “Queering It Up Through Humor”

Somebody Somewhere is having a really good year. Its stars Bridget Everett and Jeff Hiller were nominated for Spirit Awards, it’s up for outstanding new TV series at the GLAAD Media Awards, and on April 23 the second season will premiere on HBO — something Hiller wasn’t sure would happen. “We had really good reviews the first season, but we don’t have a murder mystery or sci-fi elements,” he says. “We’re just a quiet, little show full of middle-aged, sweaty people.” Ahead of the GLAAD Awards, Hiller talked to THR about what makes the show so special.

Can you tell us how you came to join Somebody Somewhere?

Bridget emailed me out of the blue — we were friendly, but I wouldn’t say we were friends. We knew each other from Joe’s Pub [in New York], where we both performed. She sent me the script and was like, “If you wouldn’t mind auditioning, it’s not going to pay very well or whatever, but it’s just a television show on HBO.” (Laughs.) I read it and was like, “This script is about me!” I grew up in the church, I’m friends with strong women, I’ve worshipped Bridget as a performer. I thought, “I think she chose me for this.” And since then, I’ve talked to like 40 gay men who were like, “Yeah, Bridget emailed me asking me to audition.” (Laughs.)

Bridget has spoken about her character being based on herself, if she’d never moved to New York. How does Joel compare to a similar alternate version of yourself?

I think Joel is just better than me, period. If I had stayed in Texas, I wouldn’t have the wherewithal to organize a choir practice, I don’t think I would be thriving in the same way that he is. But I do think I’m generally an optimist, and Joel is blessed with a very innate optimism. I think his sarcasm comes from the fact that there’s no way to survive being an obviously gay person in a super-hetero world without queering it up through humor.

Joel gets a love interest this season, played by comedy legend Tim Bagley. Did you do a chemistry read to find the right fit?

Unlike me, Tim was just offered the role. They were like, “We’re lucky if we can get Tim.” It was more like, “Hiller, get your chemistry right with Tim.” I originally thought that Joel might get back together with his season one boyfriend, but I think this story is much more interesting.

What is it like shooting the show on location?

It was sort of an art-imitates-life situation. I lived in a house with Bridget and [co-star] Murray Hill both seasons; this time around, we shot in Glen Ellyn, Illinois, which is more of a suburb than a rural town. It felt like camp. On the weekends, Bridget would invite the cast over and cook. She makes this delicious salsa with grilled vegetables.

How do you measure the success of a project like this?

For me, the most important thing is how I feel when I’m actually shooting. For 20 years, I was the actor who showed up for a day or something, and you might not even make it into the final product. So, if I had fun on set, or made the crew laugh, I felt good. I just played a villain on American Horror Story, which I’ve never done before, and I realized I didn’t know how to tell if I was any good because it wasn’t a funny role.

The Spirits were your first awards show. What’s your take on it all?

I’m so honored to be recognized in this way. Awards shows are camp — seeing how the sausage is made was like a psychedelic trip — but I’m leaning into it. It’s like when you go on a cruise and you’re like, “I’m just going to do the karaoke competition.”

Interview edited for length and clarity.

This story first appeared in the March 29 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. Click here to subscribe.