Dan Levy Interview: ‘Schitt’s Creek’
“The whole show is built on this idea that love is not something you can buy,” explains Dan Levy of “Schitt’s Creek.” Levy wears several different hats for the hit comedy series which he co-created with his dad Eugene Levy. He stars as David Rose, serves as an executive producer and showrunner, plus he wrote and directed many episodes. In the sixth and final season, “Schitt’s Creek” dives into the massive personal growth of David and the rest of the Rose family. Watch the exclusive video interview above.
A major thread of Season 6 is the marriage of David and Patrick (Noah Reid), which takes place in the series finale, “Happy Ending.” Levy believes that David’s journey is about realizing that “life is better when you don’t have to try so hard.” Never having been lucky in love, he has to learn to let his guard down for this charming small town man who loves him for who he is.
“When you’re given the opportunity to write about your own community, it’s important to be really thorough and really careful” with how you tell the story, says Levy. He wanted to depict David and Patrick’s relationship with a certain nonchalance attitude since he grew up with LGBTQ people being “presented in film and television as life lessons or butts of jokes.” Levy also wrote and co-directed (with Andrew Cividino) the moving finale, so he was able to infuse the proceedings with a sense of “accuracy and care” that would be realistic and meaningful to queer people.
As an actor, Levy admits his biggest challenge was “being aware of the fine line between sentimentality, humor, and heavy-handedness.” A tall order for a series known for both its wacky humor and giant heart. But he praises the “unbelievable skill and work ethic” of veteran performers Catherine O’Hara and Eugene Levy for creating an “open and honest and free environment” where everyone could give their best. “There’s no real headlines in saying everybody loved each other and we all got along,” jokes Levy, but he considers the filming experience a “truly special time.”
The late surge of viewers and awards attention caught the small Canadian show off guard. Levy received his first Emmy nomination last year when “Schitt’s Creek” was nominated for Best Comedy Series. His father and O’Hara picked up lead acting bids. But that type of recognition was far from the creative’s mind given the show’s small beginnings. He reveals that after Season 1, he and his father satisfied themselves with the belief that “even if no one watched it…we made something that we loved.” It’s safe to say that plenty of people watched, and loved, this big-hearted series.
