Quick Links
If you haven’t seenThe Big Door Prize, you may not expect actorsChris O’DowdandJosh Segarrato form one of the most charming comedy parings of our time. But it makes sense, considering both are equally adept at comedy and drama.Josh Segarra is known forhis hunky, sweetly naive roles inTrainwreck,The Other Two, andShe-Hulk: Attorney at Law, but also his intense parts inArrowandFBI.The actor of Puerto Rican descent seems miles away (literally and figuratively) from Chris O’Dowd, the soft-spoken and hilarious Irishman who can be comically adorable (The IT Crowd, Bridesmaids, Moone Boy) or unnervingly sad (Calvary, Of Mice and Men).
Together, though, the actors have an immediate scent of “just pure, raw sex,” as O’Dowd jokes. It’s truer than he thinks, though. Beginning as competitive rivals in theApple TV+ seriesThe Big Door Prize, Dusty (O’Dowd) and Giorgio (Segarra) traverse a great relationship arc once Dusty’s wife makes it abundantly clear that she is not romantically interested in Giorgio. With totally different personalities that nonetheless overlap in areas of kindness and loyalty,Dusty is the Yin to Giorgio’s Yang.
The delightfulApple TV+ seriesfollows the citizens of Deerfield aftera mysterious machine arrives in their general store, promising to reveal each of their lives' full potential. The fantasy aspect is minimal, simply opening the door to the many unique characters of this small town in an existential and funny study of destiny, identity, and midlife crisis. Chris O’Dowd and Josh Segarra spoke with MovieWeb aboutthe second season ofThe Big Door Prize, and you can watch the interview above to see their comedic chemistry in action.
Jellystone and Josh Segarra’s Smile
The Big Door Prize
As you can see in the video and image above, Segarra and O’Dowd wear similar brown jackets. “Don’t we look like we could be in the background ofYellowstoneright now?” laughed O’Dowd. “I was thinking thatwe could have our own show calledJellystone,where we’re running a sugar factory.” Watching Segarra laugh at O’Dowd’s jokes is almost as fun as the latter’s humor itself. Hollywood, please cast these two in a buddy cop comedy.
And speaking of Segarra’s laughter, the actor has one of the all-time great smiles, something he wields effectively in many of his great comedy roles (especially as Lance inThe Other Two). “I have a lot of fun doing what I get to do.The most fun I have is when I play characters that are also having a lot of fun. So even if a smile may not work for that specific character, everybody’s a hero in their own story,” said Segarra, elaborating:
So Giorgio thinks that if he has the most fun, he can help everybody around him — and I, in every character, will attempt to find a way to have a good time. And when you’re having a good time, you’re smiling. I like having days at work like that. It’s the best way to work.
Related:The IT Crowd Still Has a Future Says Star Chris O’Dowd
“Your smile timing is excellent though,” said O’Dowd. “I have noticed. Becauseyou can overuse a weapon like that. But he keeps its sheath on. And when necessary, he de-sheaths.”
“Hell yeah,” added Segarra with a smile.
The Kindhearted Chemistry of Chris O’Dowd and Josh Segarra
Segarra was honest and heartwarming when discussing O’Dowd and their relationship, on and off set. “Man, I’ve been a fan of Chris' for so long before this, so when this came along,I knew I just wanted to do a good job for him. And then I met him, and he does that for everybody else. He’s an incredible leader. He’s always prepared. He’s mad that I’m talking about him this way, but he is,” said Segarra, adding:
We just have a lot of respect for him, and it’s really fun to work with somebody that you respect who’s talented as hell. And we just get to play, and we go to work and they write it for us. We get to have fun, and they write it for us! Easy breezy.
“Sorry, pal,” Segarra told O’Dowd with a smile.
Exclusive: Kyle Chandler, Weruche Opia, & Chris O’Dowd Discuss Netflix’s Slumberland
The cast talks about their roles in Netflix’s fantasy film, which streams on November 18.
The Big Door Prize’s Scratch-and-Sniff Season 3?
“I think everybody comes in with their own scent and aroma,” explained O’Dowd, “andI think ours together is just pure raw sex.” We all agreed that the third season ofThe Big Door Prizeshould be in Smell-O-Vision, a scratch-and-sniff rollercoaster of joy. “Maybe if this Vision Pro thing really takes off [for Apple] we’ll have a scratch-and-sniff Vision Pro,” laughed O’Dowd, scratching his head. “Why not?”
The second season ofThe Big Door Prizeis a beautiful surprise that takes everything good about the first season and generously adds more complex emotions, philosophical ideas, humorous surprises, and touching insights into the human condition. Season two premieres globally with three episodes on Wednesday, June 18, 2025, followed by one new episode weekly through June 11, 2025 on Apple TV+.The Big Prize Dooris currently streaming on Apple TV+ and you can catch up on the first season through the link below:
