Alison Brie recently revisited her past work to gear up for an upcoming movie role.
Ahead of the Sundance Film Festival premiere of her new thriller Together in Park City, Utah, the 42-year-old actress shared with People that she took a nostalgic dive back into Community episodes while preparing for the highly anticipated film adaptation of the beloved comedy series.
“I was having a meeting with [series creator] Dan Harmon, and we were talking about the Community movie and I wanted to rewatch some classic Annie episodes, so I did, and they were great,” Brie said, referencing her role as Annie Edison, one of the students at the show’s fictional community college.
Brie first hinted at a Community movie back in August 2022, revealing on The Wrap’s UnWrapped podcast that discussions were in motion. “There’s been movement,” she said at the time. “There’s been some talks. People are talking and certain things — wheels are turning.”
Two years later, her Community co-star Joel McHale offered an update, telling GQ in July 2024 that while the movie “hasn’t been shot yet,” progress is being made. “We have the money, and that’s a huge step,” he said. “And hopefully, people still want to see it. And Peacock’s paying for it. And so I can’t wait to do it. I’ll say vaguely next year. How about that?”
By December, Ken Jeong, who will reprise his role as the eccentric Spanish teacher Ben Chang, revealed he had read the script—written by Harmon and former show writer Andrew Guest—and found it deeply moving.
“[It] just brought me right back, and that’s all I’m legally allowed to say,” Jeong told TV Insider, while confirming that production had yet to begin. “There is a script, there is a plan. We just don’t know when [it will happen]. Once that’s agreed upon, it’ll be magical and real emotional.”
As for the cast’s long-awaited reunion on set, The Masked Singer judge, 55, expressed excitement. “I think being on set experiencing that again [will be] so gratifying. Words can’t even express.”
While Brie is preparing to step back onto the Greendale Community College campus, she’s also busy promoting Together, which she co-stars in alongside her husband, Dave Franco. The couple, who also served as co-producers, have a unique approach to balancing work and personal life.
“We allow it to be all-encompassing and then when we get home [after the movie wraps], we can chill out,” Brie explained to People at Sundance. However, during production, she joked, “we just lay in bed like vampires and sleep.”
Together is screening at the Sundance Film Festival from Jan. 26 to Feb. 1.
