Shrinking may be one of television’s funniest comedies, but underneath the laughs is a series deeply invested in vulnerability, complicated relationships and characters confronting the things they would rather avoid.
That emotional side of the Apple TV series was front and center when The Buzz caught up with Jason Segel, Jessica Williams and Michael Urie on the Televerse 2026 red carpet.
The three stars each offered a different perspective on the work behind some of the season’s most emotionally significant moments.
Jason Segel on Jimmy’s Most Emotional Moments
For Jason Segel, one of the season’s most intense scenes came when Jimmy confronted Harrison Ford’s character over a painful professional disappointment.
Segel revealed that he had two scenes in particular that meant a great deal to him. The other was an emotional moment involving Jimmy and his daughter Alice, when Jimmy admits how badly he believes he failed as a father.
For scenes like those, Segel said his approach is to focus on being honest between “action” and “cut.”
“When they say action, try really hard not to show off,” Segel explained.
Rather than thinking about the cameras or trying to demonstrate what a good actor he is, Segel focuses on being present and listening to the person standing across from him.
That philosophy takes on an entirely different level when the person across from him is Harrison Ford.
Segel acknowledged how easy it would be to get caught up in the significance of sharing a scene with Ford, but instead tries to remain completely in the moment.
Jessica Williams on Gaby’s Confrontation with Louis
Jessica Williams also had an opportunity to explore some of Gaby’s most emotionally charged material this season.
Asked about Gaby’s confrontation with Louis, Williams described the experience as a dream opportunity.
Her preparation came down to the basics: learn the material, trust the writing and do the work.
Williams credited the writers with making the scene easy to learn, then approached the material line by line.
But she also explained why the opportunity meant so much beyond this particular storyline.
Williams spoke about how many Black actors and actresses are simply waiting for the opportunity to demonstrate what they can do.
For her, this was that opportunity.
She had been waiting for a scene she could truly sink her teeth into—and Gaby’s confrontation with Louis gave her exactly that.
Michael Urie on Brian’s Growth
Michael Urie offered another perspective on the season’s emotional development through Brian.
According to Urie, Brian had to learn how to take care of himself while also learning how to take care of other people.
The harder lesson was learning how to put someone else first.
Urie connected that growth to Brian’s relationship with Louis, explaining how Louis helped push Brian into an unfamiliar emotional space.
It is another example of Shrinking allowing its characters to evolve through their relationships rather than simply giving them easy answers.
Three Actors, Three Perspectives on the Heart of Shrinking
The conversations with Segel, Williams and Urie reveal three very different approaches to the show’s emotional material.
Segel focuses on honesty and presence.
Williams embraced the opportunity to finally tackle the kind of dramatic scene she’d been waiting for.
And Urie explored Brian’s realization that caring for someone else can require putting their needs ahead of your own.
Together, their comments illustrate what makes Shrinking such an effective balance of comedy and drama.
A Little “Baby Jason”
Of course, the conversation with Jason Segel couldn’t end without a little trip back in time.
After discussing Shrinking, Segel and I took a detour into Can’t Hardly Wait and Dead Man on Campus—two of my longtime favorites.
Segel jokingly referred to his younger self as “little baby Jason” and reflected on making those films as a teenager.
He even considered what might have happened if he had dropped out of high school to make Can’t Hardly Wait and that had been the end of his acting career.
Fortunately, it wasn’t. It led to Freaks and Geeks, and the rest, as they say, is history.
Watch the full conversations with Jason Segel, Jessica Williams, and Michael Urie by clicking the player above, or downloading on Spotify and all major podcast platforms.
