The Big Picture
- Ronald Gladden, the standout star of the Emmy-nominated series Jury Duty, captured viewers’ admiration and renewed their faith in humanity.
- Gladden, selected from a pool of 2,500 applicants by showrunner Cody Heller and his production team, exceeded expectations at every turn.
- The show aimed to provide Gladden with a positive experience, and his kind and understanding nature shone through in unscripted moments, such as when he gave a heartfelt gift and makeover to a fellow character.
When it comes to the success of Amazon Prime Video’s Emmy-nominated comedy series Jury Duty, the credit undoubtedly goes to Ronald Gladden. As the central figure of the show, Gladden, unknowingly, became the highlight of the production. In a world where the other cast members were aware of the show’s premise, Gladden remained blissfully unaware. The eight-episode run of the show gave viewers a renewed belief in humanity, largely due to Gladden’s charming presence. But how did the production team discover such a remarkable person to be the show’s focal point? In a recent interview with Collider’s Christina Radish, showrunner and executive producer Cody Heller shared the details of Gladden’s casting.
“Alexis Sampietro, an incredible producer, along with her partner Jordan Cohen, found Ronald…and all the credit goes to them,” said Heller, acknowledging the brilliance behind the discovery of America’s kindest man. Sampietro and Cohen meticulously went through 2,500 applicants before ultimately selecting Gladden. “Not only did he meet our expectations, but he consistently exceeded them in ways we couldn’t have imagined. It was truly amazing to witness.” Heller emphasized that their goal was to never subject Gladden to traumatic or negative experiences. They sought to give him a hero’s journey and ensure he had a positive experience. Throughout the production, Gladden’s responses and actions were always met with open-mindedness and support, as there were no wrong answers in his unscripted interactions with the over-the-top situations presented to him.
Although there were no wrong answers, Gladden consistently chose kindness and understanding, even when faced with challenging circumstances. Heller highlighted that some of the most memorable moments of the show were improvised, such as the touching scene in which Gladden gifted the movie A Bug’s Life to the misunderstood character Todd and gave him a confidence-boosting makeover.
A Family Affair
Standing out from her previous productions, such as Wilfred and Hulu’s Deadbeat, Heller described her experience on Jury Duty as a truly collaborative endeavor where hierarchy was nonexistent. This family-like atmosphere allowed the production team and cast to embark on the ambitious goal of creating something entirely unique. “Let’s try to make this insane thing that’s never been done before. Let’s see if we can do it,” Heller explained.
All eight episodes of Jury Duty are now available for streaming on Amazon Prime Video. Don’t miss out on this extraordinary show. Check out the trailer below.
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Khushi Patel is a science fiction author who lives in Austin, Texas. She has published three novels, and her work has been praised for its originality and imagination. Khushi is a graduate of Rice University, and she has worked as a software engineer. She is a member of the Science Fiction Writers of America, and her books have been nominated for several awards.
