Finding Her Voice: Mollie Heckerling's Journey Through Comedy, Writing, and Performance
From Stage to Screen: Mollie Heckerling's Comedic Journey Beyond the Family Legacy
In the vibrant world of comedy, where laughter often masks the trials of creativity, Mollie Heckerling emerges as a unique voice, blending her love for writing and performance. As the daughter of acclaimed filmmaker Amy Heckerling, Mollie has navigated her own journey through the intricacies of the entertainment industry. With a childhood steeped in the influences of legendary comedians and sketch shows, she has cultivated a passion for humor that resonates deeply with her experiences. In this interview, Mollie candidly reflects on her early aspirations, her time at Saturday Night Live, and her memorable role in "Loser", as Annie, offering a glimpse into the life of a comedian who embraces both the chaos and joy of her craft. Heckerling met up with Journalist John Wisniewski to discuss her journey in further detail – learn more below.
1) Did you want to become a writer and stand up comedian when you were young and how did you get involved with both?
I didn’t know exactly what I wanted to be when I was young. I still have that problem now.
I always loved writing and I always loved performing. I always felt somewhat split between the two, even though they often go hand in hand. I had a love of stand up from an early age because I used to listen to a lot of stand-up cassette tapes in the car with my babysitter, Barbara. She had a very dark sense of humor. We listened to a lot of George Carlin, Chris Rock, and Jackie Mason. We also used to watch a lot of sketch comedy shows like “In Living Color”. From then on, I knew I wanted to be involved in comedy somehow, either as a writer or a performer.
2) You interned for Saturday night live, Mollie. What was that like?
I interned at SNL and, honestly, I was not a great fit. SNL was a revered institution and was in some ways an oppressive environment to work in. I felt like the weird kid in elementary school again who didn’t quite fit in. Everyone there was all polished and presentable and I felt like some mongrel who had just wandered in off the streets. I was also experiencing a certain level of burnout from working there for thirty hours a week while going to school and working part time as a cashier at The Laugh Factory. It was an educational time for me personally because I got to see so many different facets of how the comedy world operates - not all of them pretty.
3) Please tell us about acting in the film "Loser”.
Not a lot to tell on that front. I was fourteen at the time and my mother threw me a bone by giving me a part (Annie) as a day player in "Loser". It was fun throwing a rubber shoe a Thomas Sadowski - who is a brilliant actor who went on to win a Tony! I think in one take I threw the shoe and accidentally hit the camera. It was a fun time. All these years later, there’s still some creep on Facebook who DM’s me because I wore leather pants in the movie and he has some leather fetish or something. Oh well, nepotism pays off in strange ways, I guess.
4. Are there any comedians that have inspire you?
I’ve been inspired over the years by many different comedians. When I was growing up, I used to listen to Jackie Mason and Chris Rock on cassette in my babysitter’s car. She also introduced me to George Carlin. When I was in college, I LOVED Eddie Izzard and must have watched her standup special Dress to Kill repeatedly. I always admired performers like Gilbert Gottfried and Bobcat Goldthwait, but always knew their delivery was so unique to them there was no way to mimic it. In those cases, it almost felt more like they were cultivating characters like you would see in performance art. In my twenties I got heavily into Phyllis Diller, Cathleen Madigan, and Morgan Murphy. I also love Doug Stanhope, Dylan Moran, Mitch Hedberg, Tiffany Haddish, Ali Wong, Fred Stoller, Marc Maron, Louis CK (before masturbate-gate as I’ll call it, I guess), Ron White, Margaret Cho, Wanda Sykes… the list goes on and on. There are so many brilliant comics out there. One comic who I think deserves more love is Rick Shapiro. He’s out there, but there’s really no one else like him.
5. What inspires you to write comedy?
Comedy writing is in my blood, but I also enjoy writing other things. I guess it’s hard to say where or when inspiration will bludgeon you over the head. I find myself inspired and pleasantly agitated by other comedians and writers. I use the word agitated because sometimes agitation can be a positive thing because it moves you to action.
6. Any plans to appear in more films? Will you write a screenplay?
I would love to appear in films if anyone would cast me in one. I feel like for someone like me (a little offbeat and funny, not exactly a leading lady), I would have to write my own content and shove myself in that. I have been approached once to act. I starred in a play in the NYC Fringe Festival called “You’ll Never Eat Lunch in This Town Again” by Zach Williams. He saw me doing stand up and thought I’d make a great Julia Philips. It was exciting and scary, but I was proud that I was able to memorize fifty pages of dialogue. I would love to do more acting. I think if I am going to break into that world it will probably be through stand up, and probably when I’m older. Character actors tend to age into caricatures, and that’s when they really hit their stride.I have written a few scripts, but so far, I haven’t sold a script. Fingers crossed, one day…
7) How can fans follow you and find out about upcoming stand up performances?
Please follow across my social media platforms. Stay tuned for upcoming performances in New York City.
Twitter: @mollieschmollie
Instagram: Mollie Heckerling
Facebook: @molliesheckerling
About Mollie Heckerling
Mollie Heckerling, daughter of renowned filmmaker Amy Heckerling, has carved her own path in the entertainment industry as a writer, actor, and comedian. From an early age, she was drawn to comedy, influenced by stand-up cassettes and sketch shows. Heckerling has pursued her own path, balancing her love for both writing and performing in her career. The future is bright for the talented artist, and we look forward to more great performances from her on stage and film.
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