COMMUNITY: Yvette Nicole Brown & Malcolm Jamal Warner Make Nice

In tonight’s episode of Community, Malcolm Jamal Warner guest stars as Andre, the ex-husband of Yvette Nicole Brown’s character Shirley. While the storyline is a bit rocky between Andre and Shirley, there is plenty of mutual admiration between Yvette and Jamal who were playfully complimentary during a conference call with NiceGirlsTV.

In fact, Yvette admitted she had a girlhood crush on Malcolm, thus when she found out that her character was married on Community, she pushed to have Malcolm cast in the role. Embarrassed a bit during the call, Yvette instructed her co-star, “Malcolm, mute the call so you can’t hear what I’m about to say about you!” Then she confessed, “This is like my childhood dream come true. When I was like 13 years old I’m like, ‘I’m going to marry Theo [Huxtable]!’ and I’ve essentially married Theo so that’s awesome. And actually I was campaigning for Malcolm to be my ex-husband from the very first day of the show.”

To which Malcolm exclaimed, “I feel like I owe Yvette a commission check!”

As for Malcolm, he is simply thrilled to be working with Yvette on Community. He shared, “It’s actually been a good time because I watched the show and, you know, all the actors have such a great rapport off camera that it’s a really cool place to come to work.” He also happily revealed, “We’re having a good time,” with Yvette chiming-in, “He fits right in. It was like a seamless transition for him to be on set.”

While it has been a mutual love-fest between the co-stars, it is not such a bed of roses for their characters due to their rocky and acrimonious past. In fact, the potential reunion between Shirley and her ex has conjured up a lot of mixed emotions. Yvette said, “There’s been a lot of things that Andre has taken Shirley through that we’ve heard through Shirley’s eyes, really horrible things. And it’s really funny that his resurgence, or his first appearance on the show, it’s almost like Shirley has amnesia — and I think it’s because Shirley, as a character, tries really hard to always paint a perfect picture. So there’s a lot going on between them but I don’t know if in his first appearance you’re going to be able to see the seething underbelly of pain that is coursing between the two of them.” Malcolm even admitted, “You can guarantee that Andre is not necessarily very welcomed by the rest of the gang.” To which Yvette abashedly exclaimed, “Oh, you felt that?! Could you tell by their looks and their little comments when they saw you? Yeah, the rest of the study group is not – they have not forgotten what Andre has done.”

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As for how Andre’s upcoming story will arc on the show, Malcolm revealed that Andre will be appearing throughout the next few episodes while his story arc plays out. Malcolm also shared, “Obviously you’ve heard all these despicable things about this guy, but he’s learned some things. He’s really making an honest and genuine attempt at coming back and being a better man than what he has been in the past. So I think a lot of the turmoil and tension we’re going to feel, again, is really from the rest of the gang. Shirley definitely wants to give him another shot but no one else is as easily swayed as of yet.”

Yvette added, “When they draw in this character, he’s done all these horrible things. They were brilliant to cast Malcolm because his face instantly rehabilitates the character. It evens out the playing field so that he can now appear and not have the entire audience upset instantly. They’re going to actually give him a chance because he’s embodied by Malcolm. So I think it was a genius casting move.”

However, Yvette admitted that of all the characters, “The person that is the most upset about it is Britta. I think if anyone watches the show they’re aware that Britta has been Shirley’s greatest supporter as she’s struggled with everything that Andre has done over the last year. So I think Britta’s having the hardest time with it.” As to the rest of the cast characters, Yvette said, “Everyone else is a little concerned but based on their regular personalities on the show you can pretty much figure out where everybody will fall on that spectrum.”

The experience for Malcolm playing such a difficult character who is not instantly welcomed with open arms means that, “In the episodes coming up that despite all of the horrific things we’ve heard about Andre, we do see that Andre is making a genuine attempt at coming back to the relationship as a good guy — and he’s doing the best he can to make up for all of the horrible things that he’s done.” Which means that, while Shirley is ready to forgive and forget, the rest of the Community crew is not going to be so easily swayed.

Defending Shirley’s short memory Yvette explained, “Shirley is someone that believes when you pick your horse you ride it. You just ride it out whether it wins the race or not you just stay on that horse. And I think that’s also the reason why she’s always been very pro Britta and Jeff getting together. It’s not that she thinks they’re perfect together, it’s just that’s the horse he picked, ride your horse. So, I think that was probably a lot of what her frustration was also when Andre left the marriage she was thinking of the Christian mindset: for better or for worse and all of that. She believed the vows. So I think that’s what it is.” Yvette then mischievously added, “But then, again, they cast Malcolm Jamal Warner, wouldn’t you be keen to get back with him too? I mean, seriously, she’s only human, what can she do?!”

Yvette had to then confess, “Okay, look, I haven’t been very open and honest about my just ridiculous affection for Malcolm as a human being and as an actor. My best times with him have been just the great talks that we’ve had in between takes. I believe that by the time he leaves the show we will have solved every problem in the world. Don’t you feel it Malcolm? We’re really close. So for me that has been the best part for me of having him on set.”

Malcolm backed her up by adding, “I would actually really have to agree because I think between shots and between scenes it really seems like Yvette and Malcolm do more relating to each other than Shirley and Andre do at this point because we have been spending so much time together. It’s really been awesome. I would have to agree with Yvette in terms of the best times are times that we have exchanged dialogue as individuals.”

Describing what attracted him to the role of Andre, Malcolm shared, “I think those are really two of the main things: having seen the show and found it a funny show. There definitely was an attraction because of that — and I was obviously quite flattered and honored that Yvette wanted me to be on the show!”

As for what his experience was like jumping right in to a successful comedic ensemble as Community, Malcolm said, “What was really great was to walk in and just see how great a rapport everyone had with each other — and I tend to thrive best in those kinds of situations where everybody vibes well. So from the first day everybody was very welcoming and very inclusive in the work process.”

Yvette added, “I think it sounds corny and I think everybody says this but we really do like each other as people. And I think when you like each other you tend to have fun with each other no matter what you’re doing even if it’s 16 hours around a table, in a room. A lot of the stuff that you see on air, a lot of it is a byproduct of the fun that we’re having and we always laugh because a lot of the little jokes that make it on the show, it’s not that we’re not performing for the audience, because we are, but a lot of that stuff comes from ten hours around the table trying to make each other laugh. I think our silliness kind of translates and that’s what the audience sees hopefully.”

As for all the crazy antics and storylines on the show, Yvette revealed, “When we talk about the cast members we’re always amazed that we are not just on a sitcom. We’ve been on a film noir set. We’ve been on a cartoon set. This show has morphed into so many different things, and you get to be a thousand different characters even though you’re playing the same one. So that’s been a great gift. And Malcolm actually said something interesting yesterday about the show. He said it straddles the line between brilliant and absurd. So, at some moments it’s totally like a lucid straightforward comedy and then other moments it’s like Bizarro Land. But it kind of works in its craziness. And I think that’s what is great as an actor to play. So it’s been a great ride for us.”

Be sure to tune-in for an all-new Community when it returns as part of an all new Thursday night comedy lineup, tonight at 8/7c on NBC.