Michael Urie Says 'Incredible Talent' Brett Goldstein'sShrinkingRole Is 'Such a Departure from Roy Kent' (Exclusive)

Mar. 15, 2025

(L-R) Michael Urie; Brett Goldstein.Photo:Eric Charbonneau/Getty; Dominik Bindl/Getty

Eric Charbonneau/Getty; Dominik Bindl/Getty

Warning: This story contains spoilers for season 2 ofShrinking.

Michael Uriehas nothing but praise when it comes toBrett Goldstein’s casting inShrinking.

In the Nov. 12 episode, Brian informs Alice of his secret bond with Louis, leading her to request that they all meet. The trio then have a candid conversation while getting to know each other, and Alice even forgives Louis for his fatal mistake.

Urie praises the “brilliant” writers, co-creatorBill Lawrenceand Goldstein for their work.

(L-R) Jessica Williams, Jason Segel, Brett Goldstein, and Michael Urie from ‘Shrinking’.Matt Doyle Photo/Getty

Matt Doyle Photo/Getty

“Here comes Brett Goldstein, who is an incredible talent as a writer, as a stand-up comedian, as an actor. He’s right off of the success ofTed Lassoand Roy Kent and he comes into play Louis, which is such a departure from Roy Kent,” Urie, 44, tells PEOPLE exclusively. “It’s a completely different guy.”

“It’s marketing genius because people know he’s on it but don’t tell them what it is that they play. But anybody who watches the show, I love telling people, ‘Yeah, he’s on it, but you won’t believe who he plays,'” he continues, noting that Goldstein’s character is related to “an old story that you do already know and you’re not even thinking of it.”

TheUgly Bettyalum says that because viewers wouldn’t necessarily be “expecting” Goldstein’s cameo to be tied to such a twist, “It’s such a smart thing,” he says.

“The season’s about forgiveness and about chosen family, and that this person that is already in their lives ends up, in a complicated way, a part of their recovery together, their family. That is, I think, thrilling and beautiful,” he continues. “[The fact] that Brian is the one that helps both was both surprising and inevitable, I think.”

Urie adds, “When this season started, I thought if I have a couple of jokes in every episode, I’ll be happy and then, I get such juicy stuff. This story with Brian, Louis and Alice, I’m so proud of it.”

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source: people.com