“Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt” is back for another season of insane humor, high-profile cameos and a dash of music.
Ellie Kemper returns as the titular heroine, now fully engaged in life in the Big Apple after being rescued from a 15-year stint in an underground bunker. This season, Kimmy is heading to college, but that doesn’t mean life will get any easier for the happy-go-lucky lead.
“The absurdity has only been heightened, and the sincerity has only been thickened,” Kemper told CNN at the recent Season 3 premiere of the Netflix comedy.
“The more we all know each other, the deeper it gets. And that’s not to say it gets less funny, because it gets very funny, but there are many more layers coming out,” revealed co-star Carol Kane.
Expect Kimmy to find new romance in the forthcoming block of 13 episodes. “Hamilton” breakout Daveed Diggs guest stars as a love interest for Kimmy — one of many famous faces who will make cameos.
Jon Hamm is back as Kimmy’s imprisoned former captor. Laura Dern and Ray Liotta will also appear, but their characters are being kept under wraps. Kemper teased that Liotta’s performance surprised her.
“He really is just like a little kitten. He’s so sweet,” said the actress. “He plays a lot of bad guys so I was a little worried. And then I had to tell myself, ‘Oh Ellie, he’s acting when he’s a bad guy!'”
Building off the show’s musical success — particularly Season 1’s viral hit “Peeno Noir” — the new season will feature some new tunes. They’re not quite ready for a full musical episode yet, though, series co-creator Robert Carlock told CNN.
Jane Krakowski gets to flex her pipes.
“Did I beg? Did I plead? A little,” Krakowski joked. “They have given me two pretty awesome musical numbers this year. They’re small, but I was thrilled to have them.”
Netflix first teased the new season with a video showing fan-favorite character Titus Andromedon (Tituss Burgess) donning his best yellow gown and baseball bat, à la Beyoncé’s “Lemonade.”
According to Burgess, filming the homage didn’t come without its own set of hiccups.
“That was pretty taxing to film because I had to spend a lot of time underwater and I don’t swim. So it wasn’t very fun,” explained Burgess.
The actor pulled it off with some assistance.
“I just had a bunch of lifeguards around me,” Burgess said.
Kemper didn’t appear in the Beyoncé parody, but found a connection between her character and the musician’s scorned-lover opus.
“I feel like Kimmy is ‘Lemonade’-ing her bunker past. That was what wronged her, and so she’s sort of making that right,” Kemper quipped.
The third season of “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt” streams on Netflix beginning May 19.
