Sean Whalen Shares How Drew Barrymore Supported Him on the Set of Never Been Kissed
Sean Whalen as Merkin and Drew Barrymore as Josie in “Never Been Kissed”.
Credit :
20th Century Fox
NEED TO KNOW
- Sean Whalen gained recognition from the first-ever “Got Milk?” commercial in 1993.
- He later starred as Merkin Burns in the 1999 film Never Been Kissed.
- The 61-year-old actor reflects on his experience working with Drew Barrymore.
Sean Whalen reminisced about the kindness extended to him during the production of Never Been Kissed. The actor depicted Merkin Burns, a character he describes as a “comedic standout” in his career.
“Drew Barrymore and her partner, Nancy Juvonen, let me create my entire character, Merkin,” Whalen said of the assistant to Drew Barrymore’s character, Josie Geller.
Whalen noted that he had significant creative freedom. “Literally, that entire role they let me create from the costume to the lines to everything, and the scene in the bar was completely improvised. But she fought for me. She fought for me with the studio and the director to say, ‘Sean’s got a really good idea. I want him to run with it,’” he recalled in a recent conversation.
Sean Whalen as Merkin Burns.
20th Century Fox
He emphasized the support he received from Barrymore, saying, “That was a standout for sure. I mean, Drew fought for me on day one, shot one, and said, ‘We’re not going to do anything that ruins this character for Sean. He’s worked too hard.’”
Whalen reflected on a specific moment that showcased Barrymore’s commitment to the role. “In the script, it said I had a booger on one of my things, and she goes, ‘Nope, we’re not even going to film that,’ to the director, ‘because I don’t want the studio to see it and ruin all of Sean’s hard work,’” he explained, noting the significance of that moment.
“It was literally day one, shot one. That was a standout, the way she fought for me on that,” he added.
Now, Whalen continues to evolve in his career, engaging in coaching and directing alongside his acting pursuits. “It’s the best to teach. It’s the best to watch someone grow,” he remarked, revealing his transition into teaching that began in 2015 at Playhouse West. He stated, “They appreciate that I’m honest because it’s a collaboration between the student and me to get their best work.”
