Conan O'Brien spent years teasing his late-night TV show guests about casting him in dramatic roles. He finally got his chance in If I Had Legs I'd Kick You, and even impressed co-star Rose Byrne.
If I Had Legs I'd Kick You comes from writer/director Mary Bronstein. Byrne stars as Linda, who attempts to make sense of her child's mysterious illness while simultaneously dealing with a strained marriage and a missing person. O'Brien plays her therapist, and the two have what's described as "an increasingly hostile" relationship.
During the film's premiere at Sundance, Byrne told SFGate what it was like working with O'Brien on the dramatic film. "He was adorable. He was so engaged in the creative process," she said. The actress went on to call O'Brien a "great scene partner."
Byrne also made reference to the contentious dynamic between their characters. "We had very intense, weird scenes, and I'm very mean to him, and he showed up the next day."
O'Brien and Byrne did have some history to draw on before filming If I Had Legs I'd Kick You. She appeared two episodes of Late Night with Conan O'Brien, plus an episode each of The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien and Conan. Of course, filming a motion picture is a different ball game, but at least Byrne had an idea of what to expect with O'Brien in the room.
If I Had Legs I'd Kick You is on the film festival circuit right now. But early reviews have been mostly positive. Rose Byrne's performance has been praised as among the best of her career.
For his part, Conan O'Brien is also getting compliments for his role. RogerEbert.com's review called him "excellent," while Variety says the late-night host plays his part "amusingly."
Walking away from late-night TV has opened up a few more acting opportunities for O'Brien. In 2023, he played a small part in Please Don't Destroy: The Legend of Foggy Mountain, and he portrayed Andy Warhol in 2022's Weird: The Weird Al Story.
And if Rose Byrne's endorsement means anything, O'Brien could have even more projects coming up. Maybe he can work the room when he hosts the Oscars in March.