Talking With: Wendy Braun from “Atypical”

This edition of Talking With focuses on actress Wendy Braun, as the final season of the Netflix series “Atypical” is about to release and the comedy feature film “Donny’s Bar Mitzvah” already has.

Wendy heads back for her fourth season recurring as ‘Kathy’ on the popular Netflix series “Atypical,” which follows Sam Garner (Keir Gilchrist), a teenager on the autistic spectrum, and the ups-and-downs of growing up. During the first season, Sam’s mom, Elsa (Jennifer Jason Leigh), joined a local autism parent support group where she met Kathy (Braun), the uptight but well-intentioned group leader, and they’ve been friends ever since.

Earlier this year, Wendy got a little wild starring as ‘Sheryl’ alongside Danny Trejo in the raucous comedy film “Donny’s Bar Mitzvah,” from writer/director Jonathan Kaufman. Her mothering skills skewed neurotic and self-absorbed as her son Donny was entering manhood with a celebration like no other, including sex, drugs, and secrets, but of course left audiences with a warm-and-fuzzy ending.

These are only a few of the latest roles for this busy actress. Her recent credits also include "The Clapper" with Ed Helms and Tracy Morgan, and television shows "Grey’s Anatomy," "It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia" and "Documentary Now!"

To learn more, we are Talking With: Wendy Braun.

What excites you the most when you start a new project?

WENDY: Anytime I start a new project, I get excited about collaborating with all of the different creative talents who are coming together with the common goal of making something...everlasting. There’s a palpable energy to being part of something bigger than you. I love being on set and feeling that camaraderie.

Do you naturally gravitate towards comedy?

WENDY: I do. It’s really fun to go to work and laugh all day. There’s also no better medicine than laughter, and so to play a role in a film or on television that not only illuminates humanity, but also makes people laugh, is always such a gift.

Where do you begin when preparing for a role?

WENDY: I seek to really understand why my character is the way she is. I start by reading the script several times with the discerning eye of a detective to dissect the story, become familiar with all the elements and understand my character's role in it, without adding any judgment.

You’re coming back for the final season of “Atypical.” What’s it been like to play Kathy over the years?

WENDY: I found myself laughing out loud every time I read a new script and discovered what new wackiness Kathy was going to be up to each season. It’s been so much fun to play a character who is not as self-aware as she thinks she is. To me, the more flawed a character is, the more fun she is to play, so let’s just say, I’ve had a great time playing Kathy.

Has she evolved or is she pretty much the same woman as when we met her?

WENDY: Kathy probably thinks she’s evolved leaps and bounds in that time, but the reality is, she still cares more about the wearing the perfect matching sweater set, getting her workout in or being the leader of the autism parent support group than unpacking her own internal angst.

Why do you think this show has resonated with audiences so much?

WENDY: I think audiences love Atypical, because it’s a heartfelt, relatable and timely show, that promotes autism awareness and LGBTQ inclusion, while also being a funny and emotional journey of self-discovery. And I think viewers find it positive, full of hopefulness and light, while also relating to the fact that everyone struggles with the show's central theme: what does it really mean to be normal?

What was your favorite moment from working on it?

WENDY: I’d say getting my jai-ho on in Season 2 and reminding Elsa (Jennifer Jason Leigh) that “I’m very connected to the spirit world” while looking for cool pockets of air in her house in Season 3. And some fun moments I can’t mention yet in Season 4.

One of my family’s favorite sayings around the house now is: “Oh My Lord & Taylor.”

You’re also in the new film “Donny’s Bar Mitzvah”; tell us about that experience.

WENDY: It was a fast-paced, fun shoot with a large cast of talented actors. Many of us have improvisation backgrounds, so after we’d get the scene filmed as written, the director would just keep the camera rolling and let us play, so we had a lot of laughs.

We shot the film when Fortnite was a hugely popular videogame and there were a lot of teens on set, so in between takes, they helped me to perfect “The Floss.” My own kids thought that was really cool.

Was there anything specific you did to prep playing his uptight mother Sherryl?

WENDY: I grew up going to multiple Bar/Bat Mitzvahs every weekend when I was 13, so I understood the entire dynamic at play. I remembered all the stressed-out but put-together moms at many of those lavish parties and how perfect they wanted every detail, so Sheryl is a patchwork quilt of all of them. Gold sequined, of course.

Do you think these two mothers you portray, Sherryl and Kathy, are similar or totally different?

WENDY: They both want things to go well and look good (especially on the outside), but they each have a different approach. Kathy would ask you politely, but firmly to get out of her way, and Sherryl would just push you (and perhaps tell someone else, you tripped).

Did you discover anything about yourself from working on these projects?

WENDY: Yes. How much I deeply understand women who want things to go well and that I love playing dynamic comedic characters.

I also often found myself identifying with "Atypical’s" inspiring messages each season. My favorites are: Normal is overrated. The journey to success is atypical.

You also help other actors as a Transformation and Well-Being Expert. What is your best piece of advice for anyone reading this?

WENDY: Take time daily to express radical appreciation for who you are and all you have become. We often spend so much time comparing our journey to another’s, but remember the life you are living right now is someone else’s dream. Have a future vision for your life, but don’t forget to find the joy in this very moment. And when in doubt, choose kindness.

Lastly, what inspires you creatively?

WENDY: At the end of the day, it’s really about breathing life into others, whether it’s through entertaining an audience, or uplifting + empowering another creative warrior. To be an actress who inspires is truly why I’m here and what fuels me creatively.

Keep up with Wendy Braun at: wendybraun.com Instagram: @MsWendyBraun Twitter: @Wendy_Braun