One Lesson ‘Seinfeld’ Star Jason Alexander Learned From Theatre Worked Like a Charm After Landing the Life-changing Role of George Costanza
- Jason Alexander reveals one learning from theatres that helped him on Seinfeld.
- The actor threatened to quit the show after not being included in one episode in Season 3.
- Jason Alexander says he's glad Larry David didn't ask him to leave.
Created by Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld, NBC’s sitcom Seinfeld, starring Jason Alexander, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Michael Richards, and Jerry Seinfeld himself, is regarded as one of the greatest and most influential sitcoms of all time. The sitcom that follows the lives of four individuals is often focused on the minutiae of daily life.
The series, which aired from 1989 to 1998, received positive reviews from the audience and the critics. Seinfeld, often referred to as ‘a show about nothing,’ managed to break several conventions of mainstream television at the time. Fans have long admired the show, and thus, they keep going back to watch the show and appreciate the actors for making it beautiful. Actor Jason Alexander shared one thing that made it easier for him to adjust to the Seinfeld.
Jason Alexander reveals how working in theatre helped during the filming of Seinfeld
Actor Jason Alexander played George Costanza in the NBC sitcom Seinfeld alongside Jerry Seinfeld. The actor was highly appreciated for his work on the show as Seinfeld’s best friend, a character that was based on co-creator Larry David. Prior to being cast on the show, Alexander performed on-stage and made his Broadway debut in 1981 with Merrily We Roll Along. He continued to stay active as he appeared in The Rink, Personals, Jerome Robbins’ Broadway, and more.
In an interview with Jake’s Takes, the actor was asked about important lesson he learned during his work on-stage that helped him to perform better on-screen. To which he said,
I think what the theatre teaches you more than anything else is that there are no solo acts. One of the things I did in New York was a thing called Jerome Robbins’ Broadway, there would be 60 of us on stage every night, and at any given moment somebody would have a spotlight. Some of those spotlighted moments went on to win Tony Awards.
He continued that if the guy two from the end in the fourth row back behind him does not show up for his job, there is nothing that the actor could do in that spotlight that is going to keep the illusion alive. Alexander explained that he has learned that everyone is dependent on the people they work with, and they have to work together for the show or anything they are working on to make it successful.
The actor mentioned that understanding the need and importance of working together was something that helped him when he signed onto Seinfeld. He added that despite the show having less visibility initially, all four core members were determined to make the show work and kept playing the game. He also added that they are grateful for the ones who supported them at the time. The actor concluded that his learning is very simple like it’s either all of them or none of them.
Michael Richards writes Jason Alexander threatened to quit Seinfeld
Actor Michael Richards, who played the neighbor across the hall named Cosmo Kramer on the show, shared in his memoir Entrances and Exits that Alexander threatened to leave the show. Richards recalled that George Costanza did not appear in just one episode of the entire sitcom and that was the Season 3 episode titled The Pen.
It is the episode where Seinfeld and Elaine visit Seinfeld’s parents in Florida, and it did not include Costanza or Kramer, which Richards explained that he accepted but Alexander was furious for being excluded. He writes (via Page Six),
But Jason threatens to quit after learning that he’s also not in the episode. He’s furious. Jason came onto the show with the most confidence of anyone. He had won a Tony Award on the New York stage, not an insignificant achievement, and until the table read for The Pen. But this business breeds both massive egos and incredible insecurity, and this episode is one of those ego-jarring wake-up calls.
Richards noted that Alexander had always assumed that the sitcom was a buddy show. According to Seinfeldia: How a Show About Nothing Changes Everything, Alexander snapped at the co-creator, Larry David, asking him to write his character off the show permanently if they were going to write him out for one episode.
David however tried to explain the actor that it was very challenging to include all four characters in all episodes, but Jason Alexander was firm on his decision stating that if they didn’t want him, he wouldn’t be there. The actor later shared with Access Hollywood that he’s so glad that Larry David didn’t ask him to leave because he’d have no life and no career without Seinfeld.
Seinfeld is available to stream on Netflix.
