Page 20 - Real Style February 2018

You may know Paul Adelstein for his roles on Girlfriends’ Guide
to Divorce, Prison Break and Scandal, but the 48-year-old actor has a brand new gig behind the
born Adelstein is breaking new ground with Imposters. We spoke with the actor about life as a showrunner, his inspiration for storylines and about his new show.
reaL styLe: What do you do as a showrunner?
PauL adeLsteIn: A showrunner is usually a writing position, a head writer position, but also I’m in charge of production. So, everything from writing the shows to casting the shows, overseeing the shooting of the show and sometimes directing the show, and then editing the show and delivering it to the network. We’re the co-creators too. I’m an actor primarily. I didn’t act on the show last year, but I am this year.
rs: Which part do you like the best?
Pa: I’m an actor by blood, so the writing and directing has come later. If you’re interested in lmmaking at all and you spend as much time
on sets as I have gotten to, you just start to ask questions. You start to learn by osmosis. When I worked with Adam Brooks, he directed the pilot of Girlfriends’ Guide to Divorce that I was in.
I was on the writing staff of that show as well. Adam was approached by the same company, Universal, with this idea. He came to me and said “Do you want to do this together?” and we did it. That’s how we met. We pitched it, we liked it and here we are, three years later, Season 2. One of the fun things of being an actor is that you’re not responsible for the entire thing, you’re
really just responsible for your bit. Obviously, this has its advantages and its disadvantages. Being responsible for everything is great, because Adam is a great partner and we had the same vision and we get to execute that, but it obviously comes with all sorts of challenges.
rs: Tell us about your character on the show. Pa: My name is Shelly Cohen and I am a strange
Paul adelstein
WIth hIs latest serIes, Paul adelsteIn goes behInd the scenes, as the WrIter behInd the neW bravo comedy ImPosters.
by eLen steInberg
scenes as a showrunner. Adelstein is the co- creator of the dark comedy series Imposters, which returns this spring on Bravo for Season 2. Not only does the triple threat actor write, direct and edit the TV series, but he also appears on screen as Shelly Cohen, opposite actress Uma Thurman, who plays Shelly’s ex-wife Lenny.
Clad in exquisite suits and starring alongside our glamorous cover girl Inbar Lavi, the Chicago-
20 Real Style February 2018
PhOtO, iNstariMaGes