Because of each other, Bowen Yang and Matt Rogers have been changed for good.
The famous best friends—who let thousands of people into the innerworkings of their friendship through their Las Culturistas podcast, an iHeartPodcast and Will Ferrell’s Big Money Players Network—recently detailed why they value the other so much. And yes, their answers are very sweet. Have tissues ready.
“I feel like it’s really important in life to really clock how people make you feel,” Matt told E!correspondent Zuri Hall at an NBCUniversal dinner June 17 at Cannes Lions highlighting their best-in-class content and storytelling. “On a gut level, how does someone make you feel? And for me, Bowen makes me feel smart, funny, like I’m a valuable part of something. And that’s what I would say to people.”
He continued, “A lot of people listen to our podcast—especially through the pandemic when people were feeling very lonely, and it was really emotional to find how many people latched onto it at that time.”
Indeed, for Bowen, that sense of greater community that their friendship has created through Las Culturistas has been among the most rewarding parts of his career.
“I think what I love most about our friendship is what listeners like about the friendship,” the Wicked star said, “which is that you’re in on the joke. We have a deep well of inside jokes, of bits, of friends, of random people we met—and it’s all wonderful strolls down memory lane. And I think what we’re building with the podcast is inside jokes for everybody to be in on.”
And somewhere else fans can get their dose of friendship is in the second installment of Wicked, in which Bowen reprises his role as Pfannee—this time being promoted from college friend to assistant to Ariana Grande’s Glinda.
The film—scheduled for release on November 21—promises to be an emotional conclusion, detailing the lost friendship between Glinda and Elphaba, played by Cynthia Erivo. One which Bowen thinks will be universally relatable.
“Anyone who’s ever had to let go of a friendship, or a relationship,” the Saturday Night Live star explained, “anyone who’s had to move past a definitive time in their life will find something to relate to. It’s really, really heartbreaking in the best way—in a way that will connect us even more. I think that’s what the first movie did in a way that none of us expected making it, like, ‘Wow, this really brought people together.’”
He continued, “I think this will have the same effect, but much more I think grown up, beautiful, mature kind of balance. So I’m excited.”
No one is perhaps more excited, though, than Matt. Noting how “the theme of friendship is so universal,” he went on to explain how the conclusion of “Dancing Through Life” that sees Elphaba and Glinda brought together was one of his favorite moments of part one.
“Me knowing the Broadway musical,” he continued, “that’s so much more of the second half—I’m looking forward to that.”
for more from Cannes Lions, keep reading.
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