party report

Damon Wayans Jr. Snuck Inside Jokes Into His New Rom-Com, Players

Photo: Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic

Despite not seeing each other for almost two years, the cast of Netflix’s latest rom-com Players picked back up their playful banter at the film’s Los Angeles premiere earlier this month. Liza Koshy and Augustus Prew shimmied at each other during red carpet interviews; director Trish Sie almost lifted Koshy off the turf with a hug; Gina Rodriguez felt like a magnet when she arrived. Rodriguez plays Mack, a sports journalist who creates plays for snagging one-night stands until she’s met with her biggest game yet: playing for keeps. As Damon Wayans Jr., who portrays the lovable and attentive Adam, put it, production was a party — they got “way too honest with each other,†and their inside jokes could not be contained in between takes. “Damon Wayans Jr. would have a bit going on, and there’s a moment in the movie where we’re talking about — okay, we were talking about deep throating,†explained Koshy, pausing before realizing she doesn’t need to self-censor. “He goes, ‘You gotta give them that French Pepper!’ We cannot stop quoting that to each other.†Wayans laughed and said “French Pepper†was born out of late-night jokes on set and noted how comfortable it was to lean into the chaos. “Trish was really open to improv and just playing around and kept the set fun,†he said. For Rodriguez, the cheeky jokes continued long after filming ended, “It’s for life, I’m on group chats, side chats … you’re going to feel it in the movie.†To see the French Pepper in full action, Players is streaming now.

Damon Wayans Jr. Snuck Inside Jokes Into Players