From Bit Parts to Two Emmy Nods: Jeff Hiller’s Long Road to Success

**Jeff Hiller** (0:00)
At the end of the day, I look like I look, and you can't plug me in to just anything. Like no one's going to cast me as a romantic lead, and I don't need to play the romantic lead. A lot of times those are really boring parts.

**Kara Swisher** (0:26)
Hi everyone from New York Magazine and the Vox Media Podcast Network. This is On with Kara Swisher and I'm Kara Swisher. My guest today is actor and comedian Jeff Hiller. After years of playing bit roles as a stereotypical sassy gay man, Hiller finally got his big break in his mid-40s. It came from the HBO comedy drama, Somebody Somewhere. Hiller played Joel, the compassionate best friend to series star, Bridget Everett's character, Sam.

**Jeff Hiller** (0:50)
Do you remember that time you came to my house and we did Zumba? It's like the only time you ever did it with me.
And you were sitting in the garage and you said, you said, you don't know if I should get on this ride because you weren't sure if you were friendship material.

**SPEAKER_3** (1:08)
Yeah, it rings a bell.

**Jeff Hiller** (1:10)
I think about that all the time. God, I'm glad I didn't listen to you.

**Kara Swisher** (1:17)
The role earned Hiller his first Emmy award last year for outstanding supporting actor in a comedy series. He's up for another Emmy this year. It's for his guest appearance in the Apple TV show Pluribus, which is one of my favorite shows. He has a recurring role in another big Apple TV show right now, Widow's Bay, which was recently picked up for a second season. I really like character actors in general. Actually, Widow's Bay is rife with amazing character actors, and I just find them to be the most important and poignant people that don't get attention and they're often really stick with you long after their roles go away.
Let's get to my conversation with Jeff Hiller. Our expert question comes from actor and producer, Ali Wentworth, whom Jeff has worked with in the past. She cast him in her sitcom Nightcap, Don't Go Anywhere.
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**Kara Swisher** (3:47)
Jeff, thank you for coming on On.

**Jeff Hiller** (3:49)
Thank you for having me on On.

**Kara Swisher** (3:52)
On On. See, that's how I did it. That's how it works here. So, congratulations on your second M8 nomination.

**Jeff Hiller** (3:59)
Thank you.

**Kara Swisher** (3:59)
You've talked about how shocking your first nomination was last year after decades of just trying to make a living. As an actor, how did number two compare? Are you one of those happy to be nominated types, or are you just like, give me that fucking Emmy right now?

**Jeff Hiller** (4:14)
Okay. I know it's cheesy and I know this answer is like, come on, you're lying. But I swear to you, I truly believe that I am just happy to be in the conversation at all. Because I got to tell you, for a long, long time, I was like, you know, temping and teaching improv.
And just the idea that I get to be an actor at all is such a thrill for me. But also, it's like, I'm pretty sure I'm not going to win this one. I thought I wasn't going to win the last one either, so I don't know. But I am just sort of like...