I’m in San Francisco,” Ike Barinholtz says through Zoom from his lodge room, then spins his laptop computer round to show it. “See? There’s Alcatraz.” It’s now official, although paparazzi images have all however confirmed it: Barinholtz is on the town filming Synthetic, Luca Guadagnino’s fact-based account of the behind-the-scenes turmoil that noticed OpenAI CEO Sam Altman fired and shortly rehired in 2023. Andrew Garfield performs Altman within the movie. And Barinholtz? He’s Elon Musk. No large deal — simply the richest, most recognizable, most controversial dude on the planet.

That casting coup caps a watershed 12 months for the 48-year-old Chicago native, nonetheless buzzing from having pulled off one of many funniest and most talked about roles of his profession: Sal Saperstein on Apple TV+’s uproarious Hollywood send-up The Studio. The foulmouthed film exec earned Barinholtz his first Emmy nomination, considered one of 23 for the hit sequence. Off digicam, Barinholtz finds time to be an precise studio exec (hopefully much less foulmouthed) on Operating Level, the Netflix professional basketball comedy he co-created with Mindy Kaling, in manufacturing on its second season. Says Kaling: “Ike is so humorous and has a lot coaching. He can do accents, bodily comedy, whole dedication at all times. He’ll throw vainness out the window if it makes the scene funnier. Typically we now have to beg him to provide a personality extra dignity, and he’ll simply squint and go, ‘Ought to they?’ That’s his entire ethos: No matter’s funniest wins.” After twenty years of scene-stealing and dues-paying, 2025 already feels prefer it belongs to Barinholtz, THR‘s Comedy Participant of the Yr.

So that you’re in San Francisco. Can I pry and ask what the work is?

Pry! Pry! I’m certainly going to play Elon Musk. I don’t know for those who’ve heard of him. He’s been within the information as of late.

You’re nice at accents. I’ve identified that since Eastbound & Down. How did you grasp Elon?

I positively have been watching him over time. It’s your normal Pretoria/Canada/Valley lady scenario, however with stuttering. It’s a visit to play somebody who’s alive and really highly effective, and I hope I don’t get put into some sort of mecha gulag or one thing.

It needs to be regarding contemplating how passionate his fan base is. What are you doing to gird your loins for what might come?

My loins stay ungirded. What occurs will occur. Whenever you get a chance to work with somebody like Luca and inform a narrative like this, you simply do it and cope with issues as they arrive.

Is it going to be a comedy?

It’s not as overtly comedic as, say, Blockers, but it surely’s positively humorous and disturbing. Luca is somebody tapped into discovering humor and irony even within the darkest topic.

L.A. has gone loopy for the Tesla Diner. There are three-hour strains.

I’ll move on that one. I’m extra excited for Phil Rosenthal’s diner, put it that manner.

It has been an incredible 12 months for you. Does Sal join with audiences in a brand new manner?

He positively looks like he lives in the identical universe as a number of the opposite characters I play, in that he’s obtained a number of id and says some dangerous issues. However the present as a complete actually linked with individuals. Clearly, individuals in our enterprise join with it. Whenever you’re on any set now, it doesn’t matter who’s within the crew, they’ll say, “I really like The Studio.” Individuals within the meals world have The Bear, and we now have The Studio. It’s one for us.

Is Sal somebody that you simply particularly have handled?

He’s an amalgam of execs I’ve labored with. I’ve had the pleasure of figuring out a number of nice execs. I’ve had the displeasure of figuring out a few shitty ones. The one factor that exists in all of them is that this vibe of, “Hey, you wish to seize a little bit meals, little drink?” That sort of slicing free a little bit bit, speaking some shit after work. That’s the essence of Sal Saperstein.

Do you want being requested out for drinks after work?

I do! It’s humorous, in L.A., you don’t do this. You go residence and also you see the household [Barinholtz has three daughters, ages 5 to 10], and also you stand up. However for the final two episodes of The Studio, we shot on location in Vegas for 2 weeks. It’s loopy since you wrap and it’s 9:30 p.m., and also you’re actually in a on line casino and everybody’s simply taking a look at one another, and Catherine O’Hara is like, “Does … anybody wish to get a martini?” And also you’re like, “Sure!“

You could possibly have made Sal a demon, however for all his foibles, he’s fairly likable. He’s beneficiant together with his pharmaceutical-grade cocaine, for instance.

It wouldn’t have been as enjoyable if he have been over-the-top vulgar and irredeemable. It could have been a little bit boring. That stems from [creators] Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg. They need even the craziest characters to have one thing human and relatable and, on the finish of the day, good. I do keep that we’re not with out our assholes, however the overwhelming majority of individuals in our enterprise are good and obtained into this enterprise as a result of they wish to entertain individuals. That’s the enjoyable vitality in The Studio. It’s not simply specializing in the ugly, cutthroat model of Hollywood.

You could have a singular perch as a busy actor, author and producer and have been in Hollywood for some time. What’s your prognosis of the trade proper now?

I wish to consider that AI will give us the issues it’s promised. It can remedy most cancers and create drought-resistant crops, you understand what I imply? However proper now, I see it primarily encroaching on the humanities, which I discover very troubling.

One factor Seth at all times says is that there have been so many downturns traditionally in Hollywood. But it surely simply takes one factor to show it round — like Barbenheimer. There’s an urge for food for going to the films greater than a pair years in the past, particularly popping out of COVID. I’m going to see The Bare Gun at present at a theater and haven’t been this excited in a very long time.

However you weigh that in opposition to the rise of AI and the collapse of worldwide capital, and the outlook shouldn’t be nice. Not only for our trade however most industries. I do assume it doesn’t matter what, individuals will nonetheless wish to hear tales.

You got here out of improv, and your first break was on the one sketch comedy present that posed a problem to SNL, MADtv. Did you ever audition for SNL?

I desperately needed to. I used to be in Chicago for just a few years after which went as much as Amsterdam for a few years at this theater referred to as Increase Chicago with a bunch of future stars — Seth Meyers, Jordan Peele, Jason Sudeikis. Then I moved to L.A., and I needed to audition for SNL however didn’t have an agent. A couple of 12 months and a half after busing tables, I obtained MADtv.

Was it your determination to go away MADtv?

I had your normal sort of late night time five-year contract, and I used to be getting a little bit stressed towards the top. I used to be like, “I’ll come again, however I need extra money.” And I bear in mind my supervisor referred to as me and goes, “So the supply is presently nothing.” I entered a three-year interval the place I barely labored in any respect. I had already requested my now-wife [Erica Hanson, an accountant] to maneuver to L.A. Six months later, I’m at residence all day making sandwiches.

Switching gears, your dad grew to become well-known for taking part in the choose on Jury Responsibility. He’s a lawyer. How did he get that audition?

It was such a fluke. He needed to be a comedy man within the ’70s and used to hang around at Second Metropolis and watch John Belushi. He did a little bit stand-up and was a theater main. At a sure level, he was like, “I’m simply going to be a lawyer. I wish to have a household and be capable of purchase them meals.” And so he sort of let his dream go however was very supportive of me.

He was beginning to consider retiring. Randomly, a pal of a pal was like, “Hey, we’re casting a present, and it’s like a pretend jury factor and I wish to put your dad on tape.” I bear in mind considering, like, “Man, the outdated man’s sort of good.” We despatched it in considering nothing would occur. A day later, Dave Bernad, who’s the producer of Jury Responsibility and The White Lotus, texted me — he’s a pal — and was like, “I’m going to forged your dad on this present.” Then it comes out, it turns into a giant hit. He began getting acknowledged a lot, and it was simply loopy. He couldn’t be happier. Getting a style of nepotism is sort of candy.

He’s a nepo … papi. Is he getting every other work?

That appears like a Netflix particular from a nasty comic: Nepo Papi. Nicely, you’ll be able to see him on such reveals as The Studio and Operating Level. He was additionally in The Accountant 2.

Did your mother and father — your mother is a fancy dress designer — transfer to L.A.?

They did. They stay in Van Nuys, and it’s the smartest thing to occur to our household. We’ll come over for dinner, and my dad will likely be like, “When you’ve gotten a couple of minutes, for those who may put me on tape for Mike Schur’s new present, I’d be actually grateful.” We’re a showbiz household now.

I’m questioning what your ideas are on the demise of The Late Present With Stephen Colbert.

I feel it’s horrible. It speaks to a a lot larger downside. Late night time comedy has at all times been a stress valve for individuals on the finish of the day. I bear in mind very properly watching Johnny Carson with my mother and father. I used to be obsessive about David Letterman, and I liked Conan. It’s essential for individuals in comedy to observe guys like that. The truth that it’s very potential that that is influenced by politics and Trump is no bueno. It’s like an actual piece of Americana that’s getting erased.

What are your impulses with politics and Trump after they floor, say, within the writers room?

I’m positive there are writers rooms the place they’re like, “Don’t focus on politics.” But it surely’s unnatural to not focus on it. It is vitally fast-paced in a really dangerous course, and I’m very fearful for the place we will likely be in a 12 months. And God, this isn’t humorous.

No, but it surely’s attention-grabbing. The query is, do you make one thing timeless that’ll be humorous in 20 years — or handle what’s occurring on the planet proper now?

There’s South Park, making shit about what is going on proper now, and it’s hilarious and really on the vanguard, which is loopy. Then there are reveals which are fully untethered to what’s occurring. I respect that as properly. There’ll come a day when the notion of making an attempt to separate issues is not going to work, however I don’t assume that day is but.

How do you divide all of your time between so many tasks?

We begin taking pictures Operating Level in a few weeks. If I’m doing The Studio 4 days per week, I’ll go to Operating Level two days per week.

Each of them shoot in Los Angeles?

I’m adamant about taking pictures in Los Angeles. This wants to stay a showbiz city. Take away no matter we have to take away to make it simple for jobs to remain in L.A. I’m Ike Barinholtz. I’m operating for governor.

You gained $1 million for charity on Superstar Jeopardy! in February of 2023. What was your charity?

Holly Grove, which is a part of Pacific Clinics. Holly Grove was the primary orphanage in Hollywood. Marilyn Monroe stayed there for a minute when she first arrived and she or he was nonetheless Norma Jean. They work with low-income of us coping with psychological well being points and are very hands-on.

Do you bear in mind what the Closing Jeopardy query was?

The class was Renaissance Painters: “Regardless of his identify, this painter was born in Delvecchio.” I considered “regardless of his identify,” and I do know Leonardo DaVinci means “Leonardo of Vinci.” So I used to be like, “I’m simply going to guess that.” And it was proper.

You then grew to become a semifinalist in actual Jeopardy! — the Event of Champions, no much less.

It was sort of a bucket-list factor. I went in, like, “I’m for positive going to get destroyed, and I’m simply going to have enjoyable and be humorous.” I used to be geeking out. I went up in opposition to Melissa Klapper and Ray Lalonde and was holding my very own a lot of the sport. Then that Closing Jeopardy got here. I feel I used to be in second place. The class was Roman Poetry. I used to be identical to, “I’m going to say Ovid.” And it was Ovid. So I went to the semifinals and went up in opposition to Ben Chan and [Jared Watson]. The Closing Jeopardy was Historical Literature: “This enemy of the Greeks mentioned one thing or different …” I used to be like, “It’s both the Spartans or the Persians.” I guessed the Spartans. It was the Persians, goddamn it. I solely take into consideration that three to 4 occasions a day. That’s down from 10. However I will likely be again. I shall return.

This story appeared within the Aug. 13 difficulty of The Hollywood Reporter journal. Click here to subscribe.