Natalie Morales Almost Played A Completely Different Character In I'm Totally Fine - Exclusive
Although audiences have seen actress Natalie Morales nail all kinds of comedic roles, she's never been able to tackle the role of an extraterrestrial — until now.
The new film "I'm Totally Fine" follows her character's journey on Earth as she studies the human species. However, while it may seem obvious that her arrival stuns the first woman she comes into contact with, it's not just because she's from another planet. It's because she's taken on the human form of this woman's recently deceased friend.
This extraterrestrial role was a unique one. It required Morales to develop her own accent, depict out-of-this-world body movements, and drink out of many bottles of olive oil. "This character doesn't know what emotions are, or what it's like to be in a human body," the "Parks and Recreation" star explained during an exclusive interview with The List. Yet, she was up for this special challenge. "It's definitely scary to do," she added. "But it was fun."
Coming across an extraterrestrial in your kitchen would certainly be quite a fun surprise. Yet, another surprising fact is that Morales initially read for a completely different character in the film.
She originally read for Jillian Bell's role
When Natalie Morales initially laid eyes on the script for "I'm Totally Fine," she actually intended to step into the shoes of Jillian Bell's character Vanessa, who discovers an extraterrestrial that looks identical to her deceased friend. However, playing a grieving woman just didn't sound as appealing as playing someone who is visiting from outer space. "It sounded like more fun," Morales said with a laugh. "I didn't have to cry as much."
After reviewing each of the characters, the "Dead to Me" star wasn't the only one who didn't feel drawn to her original role. "Jillian and I both were reading the script and both had the desire to swap roles, which was very lucky," Morales told The List.
From there, her character's unique accent and hatred of eyebrows was born — and the otherworldly role would certainly not be the same if it wasn't for Morales.
"I'm Totally Fine" is in theaters now. The film is also available digitally and on demand.