Ellie Kemper's Bridesmaids: A Big Part?

Ellie Kemper is an American actress, best known for her role as Erin Hannon in the sitcom The Office. She also played Kimmy Schmidt in the sitcom Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt and has appeared in films such as Bridesmaids, 21 Jump Street, Sex Tape, and Home Sweet Home Alone. In Bridesmaids, Kemper played the role of Becca, a bridesmaid to the character Lillian, played by Maya Rudolph. Kemper's experience as a bridesmaid in real life helped inform her portrayal, as she had been a bridesmaid nine times before landing the role.

Ellie Kemper's role in Bridesmaids

Ellie Kemper played the role of Becca in the 2011 hit comedy film Bridesmaids. Kemper, who is best known for her role as Erin Hannon in the sitcom The Office, joined an all-star cast that included Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, and Melissa McCarthy.

Kemper's character in Bridesmaids was a naive, wide-eyed, and optimistic woman, similar to her role in The Office. She drew on her real-life experience of being a bridesmaid nine times to inform her portrayal of Becca.

In one scene, Becca suggests a Pixar-themed bridal shower, where everyone comes dressed as their favourite Pixar character. She also has some of the film's funniest lines, including: "You are more beautiful than Cinderella! You smell like pine needles, and have a face like sunshine!".

Kemper's experience as a bridesmaid

Ellie Kemper's experience as a bridesmaid in real life helped her land the role of Becca in the 2011 hit film 'Bridesmaids'. Kemper had been a bridesmaid nine times before she got the part, and her experience helped her relate to the character.

In her book, 'My Squirrel Days', Kemper wrote:

> "I was not at all surprised to learn that I had won the role. I was born to play Becca — I had already been a bridesmaid in real life nine times, and taking my story to the silver screen seemed, to me, the most natural thing in the world."

Kemper also felt that her character on the NBC sitcom 'The Office', Erin Hannon, further solidified her expertise in portraying Becca, as the roles were quite similar in personality type. Kemper explained:

> "I was just emerging from a second season on The Office playing Erin Hannon, a woman marked by her naiveté, her wide-eyed optimism, and her large face. One glance at the lone scene I had been given for our Bridesmaids audition assured me that Becca (I still don’t know if she had a last name) was a creature not only in possession of, but positively defined by, her naiveté, her wide-eyed optimism, and her large face."

Kemper noted that being a bridesmaid is "hard work" and can result in a long list of responsibilities, causing one to lose that festive "wedding" spirit. She recalled some of the many expenses that came with being in bridal parties, such as buying plane tickets and ugly dresses. She also shared some of the more unusual tasks she had been asked to do as a bridesmaid, including hiking to the peak of a hill in hot weather and bustling a gown.

Despite the challenges, Kemper's real-life experience as a bridesmaid helped her bring authenticity to the role of Becca and made her performance in the film all the more memorable.

Kemper's character, Becca

Ellie Kemper's character in the 2011 film Bridesmaids is Becca, a naïve, newlywed coworker of Lillian, the bride-to-be. Kemper, who has played similar roles in the past, felt she was born to play Becca, a sentiment further solidified by her real-life experience of being a bridesmaid nine times.

Kemper's character is marked by her naiveté, wide-eyed optimism, and large face. She is a creature defined by these characteristics, which also describe her role as Erin Hannon in the NBC sitcom The Office. Kemper's experience as a bridesmaid helped her understand the idiosyncrasies and nuances of the role. She knew the long list of responsibilities and the expenses that came with being a bridesmaid, and how the festive "wedding" spirit could be lost.

In the film, Becca is one of the bridesmaids who accompanies Annie (Kristen Wiig), the maid of honour, and Lillian (Maya Rudolph), the bride, on their wild ride to matrimony. Becca is optimistic about the wedding and tells Lillian, "You are more beautiful than Cinderella! You smell like pine needles, and have a face like sunshine!". She also suggests a Pixar-themed bridal shower, where everyone comes dressed as their favourite Pixar character.

However, Becca is also quick to distance herself from the other bridesmaids' more controversial ideas. When Annie goes on a rant about how Lillian and Helen, another bridesmaid, will ride around Paris with "berets and fucking baguettes in the basket on the front of [their] bikes", Becca quickly interjects, "I'm not" thinking that they are lesbians.

Bridesmaids' all-star cast

The 2011 comedy Bridesmaids features an all-star cast, including several well-known comedic actresses. The film stars Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Rose Byrne, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Ellie Kemper, Melissa McCarthy, and Jill Clayburgh.

Kristen Wiig, who also co-wrote the screenplay, plays the lead role of Annie Walker, a woman whose life unravels after being asked to serve as her best friend's maid of honour. Wiig is known for her work on Saturday Night Live and has appeared in films such as Knocked Up and The 40-Year-Old Virgin.

Maya Rudolph, a former colleague of Wiig's on Saturday Night Live, plays Lillian Donovan, the bride-to-be and Annie's best friend. Rudolph is known for her work on shows like Saturday Night Live and Up All Night, as well as films like Away We Go and Grown Ups.

Rose Byrne, an Australian actress, plays Helen Harris III, the wealthy and snobby wife of the groom's boss, who becomes Annie's rival. Byrne is known for her roles in films like Damages, Bridesmaids, and X-Men: First Class.

Wendi McLendon-Covey, an American actress and comedian, plays Rita, Lillian's long-married and cynical cousin. McLendon-Covey is known for her roles in films and TV shows like Reno 911!, Bridesmaids, and The Goldbergs.

Ellie Kemper, who plays Becca, the naive newlywed coworker of Lillian, is also part of the ensemble cast. Kemper is known for her roles in The Office and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. She has also appeared in films like Bridesmaids and 21 Jump Street.

Melissa McCarthy, an American actress and comedian, plays Megan Price, the raunchy and foul-mouthed but friendly sister of the groom. McCarthy has received numerous accolades for her comedic performances, including a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in Bridesmaids.

Finally, Jill Clayburgh, a veteran American actress, plays Judy Walker, Annie's mother. Clayburgh was known for her roles in films like An Unmarried Woman and Starting Over, and she passed away in 2010.

Kemper's other work

Ellie Kemper, born Elizabeth Claire Kemper, is an American actress, writer, and comedian. She is best known for her roles as Erin Hannon in the sitcom The Office and Kimmy Schmidt in the Netflix comedy series Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. Kemper's performance in Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt received critical acclaim, and she was nominated for multiple Screen Actors Guild Awards and Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series.

Kemper has also appeared in several films, including 21 Jump Street, Sex Tape, and Home Sweet Home Alone. In 2011, she played the role of Becca in the hit comedy Bridesmaids, alongside an all-star cast that included Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, and Melissa McCarthy. Kemper's real-life experience as a nine-time bridesmaid helped her land the role of Becca, a naive and optimistic character similar to her role in The Office.

In addition to her acting career, Kemper has contributed to various sketch comedy shows and written for satirical publications such as The Onion and McSweeney's. She has also published a book, My Squirrel Days, and recorded audiobooks, including The Legends of Greemulax, a novel attributed to her character Kimmy Schmidt.

Some of Kemper's other notable works include:

• The Secret Life of Pets and its sequel
• The Lego Batman Movie
• We Bare Bears: The Movie
• Somewhere
• Get Him to the Greek
• Subtle Sexuality (a set of The Office webisodes)
• How to Kick People (a performance combining comedy and literary performances)
• Dumb Girls (a one-woman show)

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