In an exclusive chat with MovieWeb, directorJessica Yuhas shared her experience working with the late, greatPaul Reubens, who sadly passed away in July at the age of 70. Reubens’ final film role will be in the comedyQuiz Ladyfrom director Jessica Yu, and which stars Sandra Oh and Awkwafina as sisters who embark on a cross-country journey with the aim of using their game-show skills to help pay off their mother’s gambling debts.
MW: “Can you discuss working with Paul Reubens specifically? I saw the film cold and didn’t realize he had a cameo. Pee-wee Herman is such an iconic figure. What was he like on set?”
Jessica Yu: “Paul was just completely delightful. Sandra called him, and he said, yes, he would join our silly reindeer games. The minute everyone heard Pee-Wee’s onset, everybody got really excited and faces just lifted. He just came and was ready to play. He had a really good time, watching him and Holland Taylor, it’s such a joyful memory. That’s now bittersweet. We were just blessed to be able to have him come in and bring a magical moment to the film.”
Best known for his portrayal of Pee-wee Herman in the likes ofThe Pee-wee Herman ShowandPee-wee’s Big Adventure, Paul Reubens features in a scene-stealing cameo as himself inQuiz Lady. The actor and comediansadly passed away on July 30, having been diagnosed with myelogenous leukemia and metastatic lung cancer. A diagnosis he decided to keep secret from the public.
Paul Reubens’ 10 Best Movies, Ranked by Rotten Tomatoes
Paul Reubens leaves behind a stellar filmography, including Pee-wee’s Big Adventure.
Quiz Lady Is Due to Land on Hulu
InQuiz Lady, a brilliant but tightly wound, gameshow-obsessed young woman, Anne (Awkwafina), and her estranged, train-wreck of a sister Jenny (Oh), must work together to help cover their mother’s gambling debts. When Anne’s beloved dog is kidnapped, they set out on a wild, cross-country trek to get the cash the only way they know how: by turning Anne into a bona-fide gameshow champion. A hilarious and heartfelt comedy about a dysfunctional family and the game show which just might be the key to their salvation, Quiz Lady has amassed an all-star cast alongside Awkwafina (Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Renfield) and Sandra Oh (Killing Eve, Grey’s Anatomy).
The rest of the cast includes the likes of Jason Schwartzman (Asteroid City), Holland Taylor (Legally Blonde), Tony Hale (Veep), and Will Ferrell (Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy). Directed by Jessica Yu, written by Jen D’Angelo, Quiz Lady counts the likes of Will Ferrell, Jessica Elbaum, Maggie Haskins, Itay Reiss, Jen D’Angelo, Awkwafina, and Sandra Oh as producers.
Quiz Ladypremiered at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival back in September and has sincebeen met with positive reviews, currently holding an approval rating of 80% on the review aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes.
Quiz Ladyis due to be released by 20th Century Studios via Hulu on July 27, 2025. Check out the trailer below:
