Made the mistake of asking Jane Krakowski about her specialization as self-absorbed and often self-deluded women, for several years as Jenna Maroni on “30 Rock” and then, in another Tina Fey-Robert Carlock project, “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt” currently streaming on Netflix, as Jacqueline Vorhees.
She even played that role in a few Tropicana commercials.
“This comes up a lot,” she said, indicating I was a little late to this party — of people who are clearly misinterpreting her performances.
“Initially, I think I was a bit surprised, but I get the association because of all the years that we did get to work together,” she said, indicating Fey. “And I think a lot of the cadence of the comedy is very similar.”
But not only does her present character change, because of streaming, you can watch it all happen in a single day of binge watching.
“I think what was wonderful about having the show released on Netflix was to see the A‑to‑Z journey of this character,” Krakowski said. “And I think initially, if you just watched episode one or two, that you would see more similarities to Jenna versus how the character grew.
“So I feel like if they started in a similar comedy world, I think they really diverted off. I think Jacqueline’s such a wonderful, brilliant gift that you guys have given me to play,” she said, looking to Fey and Carlock. “And I think that she is just worlds more vulnerable than Jenna ever was. And I think it was lovely to see her come to some self‑realization actually instead of deludedness ultimately.”
Carlock pointed out a moment in the second episode of Jacqueline with Kimmy in bed that Jenna wouldn’t have had. “Jenna would never have shown those emotions or cared what Kimmy thought,” he said.
Then Krakowski referred to her resume. “On my special skills, it’s says self‑delusion and tap.”
“And tap is part of self‑delusion,” Carlock said.