Exclusive

New Girl Scoop: Max Greenfield on How the Nick-Jess Kiss Will Rock the Loft

Exclusive! We chatted with the man behind Schmidt to get scoop on what comes next on the Fox comedy

By Jenna Mullins Feb 05, 2013 8:32 PMTags
Max Greenfield, New GirlFOX

It was the kiss heard 'round the Internet, from Twitter to Tumblr. We're talking of course about Nick (Jake Johnson) and Jess (Zooey Deschanel) finally locking lips on last week's New Girl. And now that all the GIFs have been watched and the fan fiction written, it's time to focus on what comes next. And not just for Nick and Jess, but for the rest of the roommates.

How come no one is asking how Schmidt will take the news? We did. Max Greenfield talked to us about how that kiss will shape the rest of the season for the loft, how Schmidt reacts and if there is any hope for Schmidt and Cece (Hannah Simone).

When will Schmidt and Winston find out about the kiss?
Max Greenfield: I think it's the next two [episodes]. I think Winston finds out and then I find out. You can imagine Schmidt's reaction. It's a little greater than Winston's. I don't know if greater is the right word, but it's certainly more intense. He has a more intense reaction.

Like a physical reaction? Are there screams?
At some point during the episode I was like, "I feel like I'm yelling this entire episode." I was like, ‘Why am I yelling?' I was like, "I really don't know how to do this dialogue other than to yell everything." It's just, you read it and you have to yell.

Was your throat a little sore at the end of the day?
There was one point in the script where it literally says he loses his voice, he's yelling so loud. And I totally lost my voice. I'm dreading the ADR that I'm going to have to do for this episode. I'm gonna have to redo total monologues and ADRs and it's going to be awful. It's gonna be like one of those kung fu movies.

FOX

Does the kiss change the dynamic between the group?
I think it becomes a push-and-pull between those two. It not only affects the two of them, it affects the four people who live in that loft. I think it's always going to bring up issues and uncomfortability, so we'll see. But I think it's a nice seed that's now been planted. I don't think they could get into a full-on relationship. I mean, we all know they're right for each other. But we want to see it happen organically.

Speaking of, is there any hope for Cece and Schmidt?
There's hope, and then that hope is dashed. And then there's hope again and that hope is broken and if it goes back and forth, back and forth.

Would you like to see them together?
Yeah, I would. I'm so tired. I feel like I'm chasing her every episode. At this point, like forget Schmidt! As an actor, I'm tired. I want to be in a relationship where we can just...like an episode where Schmidt and his girlfriend, Cece, watch TV, see what's on the DVR. "What did we TiVo today, honey?" That's real life.

An all new-episode of New Girl airs tonight on Fox.

—Reporting by Rose Curiel