Actress Gigi Burgdorf continues to build momentum across television and film, with credits including HBO’s ‘The Rehearsal’ and Netflix’s ‘The Perfect Couple’. Now she appears in the upcoming comedy ‘Preschool’, directed by and starring Josh Duhamel, which was just released. Filmed in London, ‘Preschool’ centers on the absurd rivalry between two fathers competing for the final spot at an elite preschool. Burgdorf plays Roze, the nanny working for one of the families caught in the escalating battle. In this interview, Burgdorf speaks about working alongside Josh Duhamel and an ensemble cast including Charity Wakefield, James Cosmo, Michael Socha, and Antonia Thomas, filming inside a historic London manor house, and the projects that have shaped her career so far.

Your new comedy film ‘Preschool’, directed by and starring Josh Duhamel, is set to be released digitally on 17 March. Can you tell us about the story and what initially attracted you to the project?

The film is about two dads fighting over the last place in an elite preschool, and their behaviour gets increasingly absurd as their competition escalates.

“The comedy is silly and ridiculous, which is always a joy to play, and I love that at its heart the film is about the importance of having fun and not taking everything too seriously.”

In the film you play Roze, the nanny for a wealthy family caught in the middle of a rivalry between two fathers competing for a place at a prestigious preschool. What was it like stepping into this character and working alongside Josh Duhamel and the rest of the cast, including Charity Wakefield, James Cosmo, Michael Socha, and Antonia Thomas?

The lead cast all have a ton of really stellar credits under their belts, so it could have been daunting, especially playing a character who is somewhat subservient at the start and is trying her best to stay hidden. Plus Josh and I were the only two Americans in the cast, surrounded by Brits. But everyone was so friendly and welcoming that I quickly felt like part of the gang. The first scene I shot was with Josh, James, and Michael — three legends — and not only were they total pros on camera, but it was such fun to talk to them during breaks because they all had really good stories to share. And I loved the women on this cast too. The onscreen dynamic of the women staying calm and keeping things moving amidst the men’s antics occasionally carried over behind the scenes as well — that calm, maternal feeling is great on a film set. When we were shooting, Josh had a really nice way of trusting the cast and leaving room for improvisation, so the scenes always felt alive and playful, which really helps when you’re filming a comedy.

‘Preschool’ blends comedy with social commentary about class, parenting, and competition. What was the atmosphere like on set, and are there any memorable moments from filming in London that stood out to you?

It was a really fun set to work on. Josh set a collaborative and mischievous tone for the shoot, and we laughed every single day. A lot of my scenes were filmed in an old manor house, and like most very old houses it sometimes felt a bit creepy, especially late at night — with all the old furniture and antique dolls, and even a secret compartment used for hiding priests during Elizabethan times. One very late night between shots, Josh was leading a few of us on a tour around some rooms we hadn’t seen, and he disappeared ahead of us, only to jump out and scare us as we rounded a corner. Our shrieks of surprise were followed by a lot of laughter. I loved that even with the pressures of directing and starring in the film, he was like a kid just having fun.

Looking at your career so far, which projects would you say have been the most defining or rewarding for you as an actress to date, and why?

HBO’s ‘The Rehearsal’ marked a turning point in my career, as it was probably the first role a lot of people saw me play. I’d been auditioning and acting in small roles for about 20 years at that point, but that show is full of mysteries and unanswered questions, so a lot of people wanted to talk to me about it. And I loved being on the set of ‘The Perfect Couple’ (Netflix) with an absolutely stellar ensemble led by Nicole Kidman and Liev Schreiber, plus lavish costumes, a lush environment, and a great crew. It’s always fun to be part of something that big and colourful.

With ‘Preschool’ about to be released and other exciting projects on the horizon, what’s next for you? Are there particular roles, genres, or collaborations you’re especially excited to explore going forward?

I’m excited for the release of ‘One Second After’, a post-apocalyptic action thriller that we filmed last year. It was my first time filming big action scenes and it was a real challenge.

“I tend to gravitate towards comedy a lot of the time, so it was great to have a go at a really gritty drama.”

I’d love to do period drama at some point. Next week I’m making a short comedy that has nods to the Georgian and Victorian eras. I’m directing and acting in it, so I’m trying to channel Josh’s ability to balance those two roles while keeping things light and fun on set.

Featured photo credit: Nicholas Dawkes Photography