Kerri Kenney-Silver approaches her acting, particularly her role as Anne in Netflix's "The Four Seasons," with a distinct sense of musicality. She explains that she often develops playlists to capture the tonal essence of a character or scene, allowing her to embody the part without preconceived notions of delivery. This method, she notes, contrasts with her background in sketch comedy and broader characters, where a greater emphasis is placed on comedic timing and production considerations.
"I think sort of musically when I am acting," Kenney-Silver stated. "I will have playlists... so I’ll look at the script and think, ‘Okay, this is the tone.’ That way I don’t predetermine how I’m going to say something or the rhythm that I’m going to say it, but I’ll walk into the room with what I think the musical tone is in my head of that part of the story."
For Anne, Kenney-Silver has drawn inspiration from songs like Labi Siffre's "Bless the Telephone" and Chet Baker's "I Get Along Without You Very Well." The latter, a ballad about masking pain with a smile, resonated with Anne's journey in Season 1 as she navigated divorce and loneliness. In Season 2, the character continues to evolve, particularly as an empty nester and divorcee dealing with the loss of her ex-husband.
"The Four Seasons," co-created by Tina Fey, Tracey Wigfield, and Lang Fisher, reimagines the 1981 film, offering a more nuanced portrayal of Anne. Unlike the original film where she recedes after her divorce, the series keeps her integrated within the friend group and removes the problematic ex-husband. Kenney-Silver believes this shift, coupled with her performance, may have contributed to the character's expanded role.
Kenney-Silver describes her process as a "stripping away" of her own identity to access the character's raw, vulnerable moments. "It’s more of a stripping away of who I really am and my most vulnerable, raw moments, so that there is no thinking about how this is coming across? It really is just, ‘How do I feel in this moment with this actor?'" she said.
This approach allows her to excel in both the comedic and emotionally resonant aspects of the show. Anne's storylines often involve her friends attempting to set her up, which brings her confrontations with her own loneliness and expectations. A particularly poignant moment involves Anne fully embracing her ex-husband's new partner and her baby, showcasing a selfless tendency to care for others at the expense of her own needs—a trait Kenney-Silver finds relatable to many mothers.
Kenney-Silver also reflects on the significance of playing a character in her fifties on television, a demographic often relegated to minor roles. She contrasts this with the "silver renaissance" seen in shows like "Hacks" and "Only Murders in the Building," which focus on older protagonists, and notes that her character occupies a space in between, navigating life in her mid-50s. "Ten, 15 years ago, this stage of my life, a 56-year-old woman in television and film, I would be an incidental character," she stated. "There are so many of us out there."
For Kenney-Silver, this phase of life and career represents a "second launch." She sees it not as a decline but as a new beginning, acknowledging its limitations but celebrating its freedoms, especially as her children become more independent. This perspective informs her preparation for Season 3, which is expected to feature David Tennant.
"This feels to me like a second launch with all of its beautiful parts and with all of its limitations," she said. "Just because it’s maybe not as flawless looking from the outside as the initial launch in our 20s, out of college with perfect skin and bouncy hair and tons of energy, doesn’t mean that it’s not a launch."
As she prepares for the upcoming season, Kenney-Silver is focusing on maintaining her well-being and curating a playlist with more optimistic themes. "This summer is really about just kind of taking the next indicated step and doing what feels right for the for my family. Really, each season before is about being as healthy as I can be... and making my playlist, which I think is going to have a lot more optimism and a lot less songs will have the word ‘blue’ in them."
"The Four Seasons" seasons 1 and 2 are available for streaming on Netflix.