America fell in love with Ellie Kemper’s generous smile and bubbly energy when she starred in the first season of Netflix’s Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.
And that’s rather impressive, seeing as how the St. Louis native plays a kidnapping victim building a new life in New York after being trapped in an underground bunker for years.
Now the popular comedy series is releasing its second season, which drops at 12:01 a.m. Friday with new faces, including Jeff Goldblum, Fred Armisen, Girls star Zosia Mamet, Pitch Perfect’s Anna Camp, and David Cross. 30 Rock’s Tina Fey and Amy Sedaris also return for the second season.
See also: Q&A: A Conversation With Ellie Kemper
"I can promise you there will be lots of laughs and crazier moments than the first season," Fey told Vogue at the season premiere. "You can trust me or you can call me a liar!"
Co-creator Robert Carlock hints that viewers may see another famous St. Louisan in the new season: Jon Hamm, who played the cult leader in season one. “He may appear quickly in a way that promises some stuff for season three,” Carlock told Vanity Fair.
Photography by Larsen&Talbert
But the real star is Kemper, who shines as the title character of a show that’s brimming with optimism and hope. The show centers on Kemper’s adventures with her Broadway-wannabe roommate, loopy landlady, and wealthy boss.
Unbreakable’s second season promises as many laughs as the first, but there’s more under the surface for Kemper’s character.
"In the second season she hasn't totally worked through what happened in her past," Kemper told the Associated Press. "So it bubbles up at weird times."
Even in the bad times, Kemper says she’s inspired by the character she plays on the show.
“We are both cheerful and I can have temper tantrums like her,” Kempler told Vanity Fair. “But one thing I really admire about Kimmy is her tenacity. She’s a very resilient woman and actually, as corny as it sounds, I draw strength from that when I am personally in a bad moment.”
Contact Lindsay Toler by an email at LToler@stlmag.com or on Twitter @StLouisLindsay. For more from St. Louis Magazine, subscribe or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
