“Up All Night” is a clever and candid look at a couple attempting to adjust to life after baby. The hit comedy stars Christina Applegate and Will Arnett as new parents, and it’s funny… because it’s true.
They argue about has gotten less sleep, attempt to relive their wild days on date nights without the baby, and try to maintain their relationships with kid-less friends (Maya Rudolph is hilarious as Applegate’s high-maintenance boss and best friend).
But what about the real star of the show… baby Amy!
The role of the adorable toddler is played by twins Carly and Delaney Prince – and their mom, Jennifer, was kind enough to answer some of our burning questions about these young starlets, as well as what it’s like to see your little ones on TV.
Our first big questions: When you’re the mom of adorable babies, and you want the world to see how cute they are, how do you get your kids on a show? What are the basic things a mom should know about show biz before getting her babies involved?
“We fell into the business and have had a blast on this show. For those moms interested, just know that it’s very time consuming and your schedule is at the mercy of production. We have hit the jackpot with a show that is beyond accommodating and understanding of our little ones’ daily routines. I don’t think all shows are created equal! Print and commercials are shorter, quick wins. Films are also shot in a condensed period of time. TV is a longer, ongoing commitment. Identical twins are typically desired up to age 4, for the obvious reasons of having ‘back up’ and longer working hours than one child.”
But of course, there are always challenges. There’s a lot of waiting when you don’t have the right gear and last minute schedule changes that moms have to flexible with. In other words, you have to be prepared to switch up your plans. It’s also hard during those times when you’ve got a tired, fussy baby who doesn’t want to play anymore.
“I think only once in Season One did both babies cry and not want to do a scene. Always, one of the girls would do well… but this one time, they both refused. That was frustrating, sad, and stressful for me as a mom. The show still got what they needed, thank goodness,” Jennifer says.
As Jennifer says, they got really lucky with Up All Night’s accommodating staff, and the girls enjoy being on the set and getting to know everyone.
“It’s really energizing to be on set, in the heart of the action, seeing how many people it takes to create amazing TV entertainment. We love everyone – cast and crew – and have really created special friendships. Seeing our girls interact with everyone, and all of the love and attention reassures me that this is rewarding in every way.”
Of course, we were dying to know what it’s like working with Will Arnett, Christina Applegate, and Maya Rudolph. All three, on top of being downright hilarious, are amazing parents. Jennifer told us that they even bring their kids to the set.
“Christina’s daughter visits her mom often, and is such a sweet, beautiful girl. She is great pals with Carly and Delaney, and we do play dates. Will’s sons are adorable boys who love their dad so much, and it’s special to see them all together. Maya is super-mom with her three kids, and they visit the set as well. As you can imagine, everyone loves when the kids are around… it lights things up, and who doesn’t love little ones?”
And as we expected, the actors are just as great in real life as they are on screen.
“They are the best, truly. I look forward to seeing them, talking about life and our families, and the madness of it all! They are all amazing parents who are so involved and present, regardless of their crazy busy lives. It’s admirable to see. And naturally… they are all so funny of course.”
To delve into her mommy experience on the set, we asked about the schedule. How crazy is it? Jennifer told us about the early mornings before she has to go to work, and occasionally going to set after a local client meeting for work.
“Each episode is a week of shooting, and every episode varies based on the script and when they need our girls. You need to make yourselves available all day when working, and you find out exact call times the night before. During production, we have to be in town for any shooting.”
She’s not the only one supporting the girls on the set. Having a team to help certainly alleviates some of the stress. “There is always a set teacher with us on set. It’s a law to have two adults for the two girls always on set, plus the set teacher.”
When she can’t be there, what does she do? “That’s when our nanny and grandparents help out, and sometimes friends! We are fortunate to have a huge support system in LA. Of course, when I can be there, I am there.”
There’s not a lot she can divulge about Season Two, but she says it’s going to be exciting and the girls have gotten much bigger! But as for what has been her most memorable moment of shooting? That’s easy.
“The First Birthday episode [in Season One] had a lot of Baby Amy in it, so that was probably our favorite episode. Our most memorable moment all season long was the photo montage in the beginning of the show with Delaney sitting on the bed while Christina and Will were sleeping… and that sweet facial expression! We loved seeing that photo every episode. The best scene for our girls was the walking scene where Baby Amy just cruised around with the walker toy and her mom and dad were amazed and so proud.”
And as can be expected, people are starting to recognize Baby Amy on the streets!
“Every now and then, people ask us if they are on the show and they get excited. It’s a great cocktail party conversation too, since everyone in our same life-stage watches and loves the show.”
Want to see Carly and Delaney in action? The second season of Up All Night premieres tonight – September 20th at 8:30pm on NBC.
