Futurama Fan Favorite Lauren Tom on Joining Poker Face: “It Was Jaw-Dropping!”

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In this week’s episode of Peacock’s “Poker Face,” titled “A New Lease on Death,” Natasha Lyonne, along with guest stars Awkwafina and Alia Shawkat, collaborated with a renowned actress, Lauren Tom, who captivated audiences as Anne, a strong sapphic character. With the assistance of Charlie Cale, Anne executed some well-deserved revenge, stealing the spotlight.

The storyline kicks off with Cale (played by Lyonne) moving into an apartment in Brooklyn, previously owned by Good Buddy (voiced by Steve Buscemi), her CB radio buddy from this season. As she adjusts to the building, Cale meets various residents such as Anne (Tom), a long-time resident and her granddaughter Maddy (Awkwafina), Otto, the cranky manager, David Alan Grier, Ricardo the librarian, and Kate (Shawkat), a new acquaintance of Anne who happens to be a rather cunning criminal targeting Cale’s friends.

Hey there! If you’re not already in the loop, let me tell you about Tom. She’s a trailblazer in the world of films and TV. For those of us from Gen X, she was a regular on our screens, gracing everything from shows like The Facts of Life to Quantum Leap. She truly made her mark among Millennials as Ross’ memorable girlfriend Julie on Friends. And guess what? She also played Lena in the critically acclaimed The Joy Luck Club and has given life to a plethora of iconic characters in video games and animated series for over 26 years now, from Dana Tan in Batman Beyond to Amy Wong in Futurama.

In an interview with NBC Insider, Tom described receiving the “Poker Face” script as if it were a divine present that miraculously appeared on her desk. She also discussed reuniting with various cast and crew members, collaborating for the first time with Awkwafina and Lyonne, and experiencing her inaugural lesbian love scene in her career.

Lauren Tom on reuniting with Adam Arkin and David Allen Greer on Poker Face

Tom, having been a seasoned television actor since the age of 21, has had the pleasure of working alongside numerous gifted performers. One such individual is Adam Arkin, the current executive producer and director for the show “Poker Face”, with whom she also shared the screen in the 1998 film titled “With Friends Like These”.

She mentioned her ’90s acting partner as the one who got her involved in the project, expressing her affection for him. “He’s simply amazing – immensely talented, hilarious, and genuinely kind-hearted,” she added.

In the TV show “Poker Face”, Tom was given the role of Anne, Maddy’s grandmother who is also a retired professor living in one of the last rent-controlled apartments in this specific Brooklyn building. The actress excitedly accepted the opportunity to portray Awkwafina’s grandmother and collaborate with her former co-star, Grier, from the show “DAG”.

She exclaimed, “What a delight, I’m going to enjoy working with my friends immensely!”, she chuckled. Additionally, the opportunity to work with Awkwafina for the first time had her thrilled. Plus, it was her debut in a lesbian love scene on screen!

Lauren Tom’s adventures in Brooklyn with Awkwafina and Natasha Lyonne

Tom enthusiastically shared that his two-week adventure filming the episode was absolutely fantastic, filled with exceptional actors. He also appreciated the diverse cast, especially the presence of many women of color on set. Remarkably, their director, Adamma Ebo, is Black, while the cinematographer, Christine Ng, is Asian. Lastly, he couldn’t help but praise the incredible talent of the set designer, Judy Rhee.

Tom mentioned as she was departing from her Los Angeles residence, she had been working closely with her acting coach to create the authentic lifestyle portrayed in Anne’s apartment. In essence, they developed a fictional backstory for their characters. Tom arrived well-prepared, understanding his character’s inner depths without feeling compelled to reveal those aspects to his co-actors.

As a gamer, I always enjoy taking a peek at the sets before filming begins, and they kindly allowed me to do so this time. The level of detail was nothing short of breathtaking! What made it even more special for me was that Judy had requested some photos of my family. I’m not sure if they made it into the final shots, but those images hold great significance to me. They are pictures of my ancestors, some of whom have been gone for decades. One photo featured my father and all his siblings on the fireplace mantle. Just thinking about it gives me goosebumps because it felt like all my ancestors were there with me.

Tom mentioned that she felt a deep affection towards getting acquainted with the female cast members, particularly Awkwafina. She jokingly added, “I’ve reached an age where I look at everyone like they’re my children.” Laughing about meeting the comedian from Queens, New York, she expressed a unique sense of pride when encountering people she doesn’t know, especially those of Asian descent. She explained that this feeling causes her heart to swell with affection. She had the opportunity to express this sentiment to Awkwafina. Impressively, Awkwafina showed immense respect towards older generations, acknowledging those who came before her and paved the way for easier progress in the younger generation. A strong connection was formed between them.

She provided me with all the recommendations for places to eat, she added, and we filmed there in Green Point, Brooklyn. I want to acknowledge that charming area, it’s just fantastic! I could easily imagine myself residing there due to its charm. It has a bohemian/trendy vibe, somewhat similar to Los Feliz in L.A.

Getting busy with the psychopath trying to steal Anne’s apartment

After having a career spanning five decades, Tom found the chance to portray her first lesbian romance in the film Poker Face. In the plotline, Kate pursues Anne over some bodega plums, initiates a passionate relationship with her, manipulates Maddy’s death with plans to eventually wed Anne and gain ownership of her apartment.

Tom said she was very impressed with Shawkat’s take on Kate: “Oh my God, she’s evil!” 

Tom confirmed that Shawkat was an exceptional acting companion. “We filmed our ‘meet-cute’ scene initially,” she explained about how they managed to establish their quick relationship. “Later on, we didn’t shoot the conclusion until the end, which allowed us to construct it more effectively.” This approach was fantastic since it gave us an opportunity to develop the relationship further.

Later in the story, Tom mentioned that he found the climactic love scene enjoyable since it was his first time experiencing such an event. He admitted feeling quite apprehensive beforehand, but once on set, everything went smoothly. An intimacy coach was provided to assist him.

Tom found the role of Anne particularly moving, as it allowed him to portray a wide range of emotions following the loss of her grandchild and seeking justice. He expressed his gratitude by stating, “I was able to bring out all the aspects of an actor in this role; it was incredibly deep.” Additionally, he mentioned that he developed a strong attachment to Nora, having experienced losses in his own life, and shared concerns for his 92-year-old mother being targeted by scams. All these elements resonated with him deeply, enabling him to deliver a powerful performance.

Solving the Poker Face case with Natasha Lyonne’s Charlie Cale

In the episode, it was mentioned that Tom worked with Lyonne in a few scenes, but their most impactful moment occurred towards the end, where they orchestrated a covert action to reveal Kate as the murderer.

Tom mentioned that he found Haley Joel Osment’s genuine authenticity in Lyonne truly remarkable. “She never utters a false word or gives a false performance,” he praised. “She was incredibly generous during our scenes, often giving them to me. I could see how she skillfully directed the whole scene and I had my scenes with her towards the end which had more impact. I really admire the connection we shared and the fact that her character maintained a cool, light touch. She has a subtle way of acting, so the scenes never become overly sentimental. In fact, I was a bit nervous before we started working together as I didn’t know her previously, but everything turned out wonderfully.

In the long run, Anne can be considered as someone who overcomes adversity. She manages to sell her property and start anew. Tom believes that her personality is one that embarks on journeys with fellow intellectuals. “I envision her in a small, close-knit community,” she mused, “perhaps in a small town in Maine or somewhere similar, surrounded by genuine folks.” However, she also sees Anne taking short trips due to her adventurous spirit.

And maybe a far less murderous girlfriend? “Hopefully!” Tom laughed.

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2025-06-20 17:32