Jonathan Tropper has built his career around characters who walk the thin line between flawed humanity and outright chaos, whether in the pulpy B-movie action thrills of “Banshee,” the martial arts drama “Warrior,” or the family dysfunction of “This Is Where I Leave You.” Now, with his latest Apple TV+ series, “Your Friends & Neighbors,” Tropper heads to wealthy suburbia, exploring scandal, betrayal, and the hidden dangers lurking behind the facade of a seemingly perfect community. On the Bingeworthy podcast, Tropper joined host Mike DeAngelo to discuss his darkly comedic drama, collaborating with Jon Hamm, the show’s thematic ties to classic suburban films, and even his upcoming “Star Wars” project with director Shawn Levy.
“Your Friends & Neighbors” follows Andrew “Coop” Cooper (Jon Hamm), a hedge fund manager recently disgraced and fired, whose life unravels further after his divorce. Desperate to maintain his lifestyle, Coop turns to robbing the homes of his wealthy neighbors in the affluent Westmont Village—only to discover that the secrets hidden behind these upscale doors may be far more dangerous than he anticipated. The ensemble cast also includes Amanda Peet, Olivia Munn, Hoon Lee, Mark Tallman, and more.
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During the interview, Tropper discussed why morally ambiguous characters resonate with him: “I just think they’re slightly exaggerated versions of ourselves. We’d all like to think we’re morally solid, but most of us aren’t. It depends on the day, our desperation, and what we’re after. Seeing that play out in heightened terms is oddly relatable.”
Tropper also dove into why Jon Hamm was an ideal choice for the complex role of Coop, highlighting Hamm’s unique ability to deliver nuanced performances with minimal dialogue.
“Jon’s interesting because he’s incredibly well spoken, and he conveys a real intelligence, but he’s also not hyper-verbal,” Tropper explained. “He’s also laconic, and it’s a really interesting combination—you’ve got to say things really smart, but also in as few words as possible sometimes. He also has a fantastic ability to shift between comedy and drama, which is so important. So, part of my education working with him was learning how to move into comedy with him because he’s so good at that, too. This show really toes the line between comedy and drama, and he’s sort of the barometer for that.”
Initially designed with a clear three-season structure, Tropper confirmed that a second season is already in development, but don’t worry, there’s a plan. “It was never my intention for it to be a limited series. When I pitch any show, every show I’ve ever pitched, I always come in with a really understandable three-season arc, and that’s just almost for pitching purposes and for my own purposes to really understand where this story goes,” he explained. “What I don’t want to do is have dull or short episodes. I’d never keep a show going if I didn’t have the story to support it.”
Though “Your Friends & Neighbors” steps away from the action-packed worlds of “Banshee” and “Warrior,” Tropper maintains the show is equally thrilling in its own right. “I don’t feel like this show is any less wild,” he insisted. “We’re still pushing the edges of credibility—just doing it with brunches and birthday parties instead of bareknuckle fights.”
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Tropper also touched on his frequent collaborations with actor Hoon Lee, who has appeared and stood out in every series Tropper has done. And for good reason, he’s awesome. “I don’t do a show without Hoon,” he said warmly. “He’s a good friend, but beyond that, he makes everything smarter.”
The subject of his highly anticipated “Star Wars” project with Shawn Levy came up (recently announced as “Star Wars: Starfighter,” starring Ryan Gosling), Tropper humorously sidestepped revealing too many details but did share insight into his creative approach: “I can neither confirm nor deny anything,” he joked before giving at least a small amount of details. “Shawn and I sat down, we talked about the world, we talked about what we wanted to do, we were steered greatly by Dave Filoni and Kathy Kennedy, because there’s a lot that’s already been done. But for me, it’s writing another movie for Shawn before it’s writing a ‘Star Wars’ movie. That’s the key. I know what Shawn wants—and he knows what he’s doing.”
“Your Friends & Neighbors” is now streaming on Apple TV+. You can listen to the full conversation with Jonathan Tropper below:
The Playlist Presents: Jonathan Tropper’s Film/TV Recommendation Playlist:
- Slow Horses (Apple TV+)
- The White Lotus (HBO)
- American Beauty (1999)
- The Ice Storm (1997)
- This Is Where I Leave You (2014)
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