‘The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel’: Rachel Brosnahan Says Midge Is ‘Questioning Who She Wants to Be’ in Season 4

Ileane Rudolph February 15, 2022, 3:00 pm

When last seen in the Season 3 finale of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, rising comic Miriam “Midge” Maisel (Emmy-winner Rachel Brosnahan) was dramatically fired on an airport tarmac from an international tour with superstar singer Shy Baldwin (Leroy McClain) after she nearly outed him on New York’s famed Apollo stage!

What’s up for Season 4? Well, to quote Midge in the show’s official trailer: “You know what’s great about me? It’s when I’m me every single show. I’m going to say exactly what’s on my mind!”

For more insight, we spoke to the marvelous Ms. Brosnahan on the showbiz comedy’s Brooklyn set as the season finished shooting, and more recently, on Zoom about what comes next for Midge, her career, and her family dynamics.

Look for more about the other Mrs. Maisel stars in an upcoming preview of the show on TV Insider.

Where do we find Midge when the season opens in the spring of 1960? How is she coping after the Shy disaster, both in her career and personally?

Rachel Brosnahan: Not well is an understatement! She’s been fueled by fury, humiliation, and desperation There’s no way to go but up, and that leads to a lot of good comedy. For the first time, Midge is questioning who she wants to be. She wants to skip traditional steps like being an opening act and to carve her own brand new path.

There are some interesting new clubs around this season. Does Midge try new places?

She does enter some new spaces in the pursuit of this new and improved Midge. She’ll try on new comedy styles for size, and perform in front of some new audiences. There might be more women in the audience, which I think the viewers will enjoy.

'The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel' Season 4 Will See Midge's 'Flat-Out Revenge'

Hmm. Does she clean up her act?

Oh, no! Midge will never clean up her act. It’s only getting grittier and raunchier.

Her former husband Joel (Michael Zegan) has a popular venue called The Button Club. Does that figure into her career?

Good question. Midge and Joel will always be in each other’s lives. They’re inextricable; they have children together. Midge may make a trip or two to The Button Club.

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Moving on from a past love, how about new romances?

Midge is on team Midge this year; she’s totally married to her career.

Is she dating at all, just for fun?

She’s experimenting. There’s maybe a man or two along the way. But it’s not a big part of the season.

Midge and Lenny Bruce (Luke Kirby) have sizzling chemistry. Will there be another serious kiss between them?

You’ll have to watch and find out!

Then there’s Milo Ventimiglia’s new character who looks pretty close to Midge in scenes that shot in Central Park.

It would seem that way. However, the real spoiler on Milo’s scenario is his relationship with Susie. [Midge’s often exasperated but loyal manager, played by the show’s two-time Emmy winner Alex Bornstein.] Milo and I had a blast spending a couple of fun days together. He’s phenomenal in all the ways you would expect.

Well, you won’t tell us his character’s name or what he does, but we do know that he’s half of the Gilmore Girls contingent this season with fellow alum and recurring Maisel star Kelly Bishop, whose name is also a secret. (Mrs. Maisel’s producers — Amy Sherman-Palladino and Daniel Palladino — also created that romantic comedy hit.)

I know! It’s been such a fun reunion. I grew up watching Gilmore Girls. Milo didn’t love hearing me say, ‘I loved you when I was 12’.”

It sounds like Midge makes some huge changes this season. How are you evolving?

So many of us are experiencing a push-pull between the lives that we led before [the pandemic] and the ways we were comfortable and secure, and also the way we see a new future for ourselves that we couldn’t have imagined… I think that’s something that people will really relate to in this season. She bought her old apartment back and her parents move in with her, so in some ways, she’s reverting back to an old life. But in a lot of ways, she’s pushing ahead and forging a brand new one.

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Where does Susie fit in?

“Smidge” is back and better than ever! Midge and Susie are still a dynamic duo. They hold each other accountable, they make each other better, they push each other, they’re family at this point. But they’re also exploring their own individual paths, too. Susie is expanding the “associates” part of Susie Myerson & Associates. And Midge has found this new home for herself at a club that Susie has mixed feelings about.

What else is doing with Midge’s folks and now roommates Abe (Tony Shalhoub) and Rose (Marin Hinkle)?

Abe and Rose are as strong as ever. They’ve been inspired by Midge beginning a new chapter in her life. Abe writes for the [counterculture] Village Voice now and Rose is expanding her matchmaking business. I especially enjoy the relationship between Abe and Midge this season. Amy said to me early on, that Midge thought she would become a carbon copy of Rose and have three [kids] by 30. Now she connects more and more with her father. She’s been learning surprising things about him. I’ve really loved watching that relationship evolve.