Everyone could use a laugh amid life in quarantine—and Netflix’s new series, The Big Show Show, delivers just that. The family sitcom stars WWE champion Phil Wight (aka “The Big Show”), who finds himself facing an even bigger challenge than a wrestling match: raising three daughters with his wife in Florida. “The Big Show” helps his children navigate their life experiences, from hockey tryouts to escape room dates to television cooking segments, always leading with love and humor along the way. Lily Brooks O’Briant (The Tick; Marina; Broadway’s Matilda) plays Mandy in the series, the Type A, over-achieving middle daughter who never seems to run out of energy. Below, O’Briant allows readers a glimpse at her off-camera experiences.

 
What was the audition process like for The Big Show Show?

I lived in NYC before moving to LA at the end of July 2019 to film The Big Show Show. When my agent sent the audition for the role of Mandy, it was for a self-tape, but I was actually in LA for a voiceover, so casting squeezed me in for an in-person audition. It went amazing, but I didn’t hear anything back until a few weeks later when I was home in NYC. It was 9 p.m., and my mom got an email from my agent saying that casting wanted me to come in for a producer’s session the next day in LA. We had to send a self-tape because I couldn’t get across the country that quickly. I woke up the next morning and had a stomach virus, so I had to do it while I was sick. We heard a couple of weeks later, on my 13th birthday (the best 13th birthday gift ever!) at camp, that the producers wanted me to come for testing. We flew to LA the next week, and I found out I got the role the next day. We had nine days to move from NYC to LA. We drove because my mom wanted my siblings and our dog with us. It was a crazy cross-country adventure!

Who were some of your favorite cast members to work with, and why?

We became like a family instantly on set. I think our chemistry affected the rest of the cast and crew because everyone who came on as a guest star said it was really fun and family-like. Working with “The Big Show” was amazing! I was a little nervous because he’s over 7 ft tall, and in his wrestling pictures, he looks a little intimidating, but when I met him, he was so sweet and kind to me. He's the best TV dad and is protective of me, Reylynn [Caster], and Juliet [Donenfeld], my sisters on the show. We had some awesome, fun times on set. Allison Munn, who plays my mom, is a multi-cam veteran and was an incredible role model. She taught us so much. We haven’t been able to do press together because of COVID-19, and I’m sad I haven’t been able to see them. I was also really lucky that my character had a lot of friends in her storyline—I’m now close with a lot of the teens that came on the show. I hosted a Netflix virtual watch party a few weeks ago with all of Mandy’s friends from the show. We had a blast screening four episodes together! 

What was the hardest part of playing your character?

I think the most difficult part was making sure Mandy stayed true to what the writers intended. I had to make sure to show her flaws, funny side, and heart. Mandy is determined, smart, super optimistic, quirky, a little anxious, very driven, and too adult for her tween world. Mandy’s idols are Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Leslie Knope, Amy Poehler’s character on Parks & Recreation. Mandy wants to change the world and make a positive difference, but she doesn’t know how to do it just yet. She has her life planned in five-year increments. In the first episode, she’s having a full-on identity crisis because even though she loves her older half-sister, Lola, who’s moving in with the family for the first time, she’s no longer the oldest daughter in the family. This turns her world upside down because she doesn’t see herself as a middle child. The three Wight sisters are completely different, but they come together as a team to help each other. Just like normal siblings, though, there are some bumps along the way. 


How are you and Mandy similar? How are you different?

I’m very determined and organized like Mandy. I really do have three planners and make lots of lists like she does. I’m a lot like her but dialed back eight or nine notches. Mandy is a bit too anxious and has a hard time loosening up. 


Any behind-the-scenes bloopers you can share?

During one of the episodes, we had wrestling mats on the floor, and “The Big Show” taught the daughters some wrestling moves. He would joke around with us all of the time, was always encouraging and told us he was proud of us no matter what happened. Also, Juliet loves candy and would stash it everywhere, in pockets and on set sometimes. “The Big Show” would sneak in candy for us and take the wrappers so there was no evidence we had eaten. Additionally, the scene of me tap dancing wasn’t really planned that way. I tried a few different silly dances, but nothing felt right. I started tap dancing randomly during a camera adjustment, and they liked it. We tried it once, and it worked, except I ran off and forgot the backpack. I snuck back into frame and said, “Oops. Sorry!” Everyone laughed, and they changed the scene to include me coming back into frame to get the backpack while doing jazz hands. 

What’s one thing people may not know about being on the set of a Netflix show?

Netflix doesn’t usually shoot episodes in order. A lot of that had to do with the set building or schedules for directors. It could get a little confusing for continuity. Our script supervisor had a tough job, but she was incredible.


What is the main message you want people to take away from the show?

What makes The Big Show Show different is that it’s a fun show that has something for everyone in your family. My family and I love watching TV together, and sometimes it’s hard to find a show that’s appropriate for everyone to watch together. The Big Show Show is a series you can watch and enjoy as a family. I hope that people see not only how funny it is but also the real love that the cast shares for each other. “The Big Show” and Allison are the best TV dad and mom I could’ve asked for, and Juliet and Reylynn are now like my real-life sisters.

Follow Lily Brooks on Social Media:

Instagram: @lilybrooksobriant

Facebook: @lilybrooksobriant

TikTok: @lilybrooksobriant

Twitter: @iamlilybrooks