Holmes Talks ‘Overcompensating’ Series, New Fanbase And Season 2 Hopes

“I feel very safe that Hailee is for the girls and gays.”

Playing a bold, outspoken and rather fearless college freshman on the new Overcompensating Prime Video comedy series, actor Holmes is still trying to wrap her head around the popularity of the show and the growing fanbase that has been drawn to her wild & hilarious supporting performance as Hailee.

Created by Benito Skinner, Overcompensating follows the coming-of-age story of Benny (played by Skinner), a closeted football star from Idaho, who heads to college in hopes of finding the right friends, some possible romance and ultimately himself in the process. Written by Skinner & Scott King and co-starring Wally Baram as Carmen, Mary Beth Barone as Grace and Adam DiMarco as Peter, this A24 television production effectively blends sharp humor and relatable heart, as all of its characters seek out their own path towards self-discovery and acceptance.

Sitting down with Holmes, 31, at a coffee shop in Hollywood, California, she is completely unrecognizable from her on-screen persona, happily choosing to forgo the spray tan and heavy makeup that comes with Hailee. As we begin to chat, it is also evident that she is nothing like her Overcompensating character, which is both refreshing and impressive – a testament to the actor that she is.

Jeff Conway: Holmes, can you talk to me briefly about your upbringing and the early moments in your life where you knew that you wanted to create and perform within the entertainment space?

Holmes: I think I always knew. I would always put on like little shows. I was really obnoxious, growing up – like all of fifth grade, I went by “The Mighty Muffin” – my dad says – I have no recollection of this, but I would do shows as “The Mighty Muffin.” Fifth grade, kind of old. I grew up mostly in Nebraska, until the middle of high school – moved to Florida. I remember in elementary school, this program came into town. They like tested – took a bunch of kids who were interested in theater. I remember it so vividly that they had us all perform. They would move to a second round and I got to the second round. I don’t even know what this was, but I remember so much in my head being like – This is all I want to do – but it really did feel so intensely that there was no way that I could get into this world because of what I looked like. I think that that’s where I share that feeling with women and anyone who is not like a size zero, too. Growing up and being chubby, I was like there’s no way I could be an actor – but the improv – I remember watching The Office. I went and looked up all their Wikipedia pages, and I was like – Oh, I could do improv, because you can be anyone. I think that’s honestly what built me and got me ready to be Hailee.

Conway: How did the Overcompensating script and project initially get on your radar, and what was it about what you read about Hailee that not only intrigued you, but made you feel that you could take this type of outrageous character on?

Holmes: So basically, my team sent it to me. I had only met Benny twice before at different shows, but we weren’t friends. I thought he was really funny – he was great. He had mentioned the show. And so, I did say to one of my agents, I was like – “Hey, I think I would kill an audition for this – like I would love to get one.” She sent me one for Carmen and I did that one, which is more like the kind of role I get, normally – or how the script was written – because she was more awkward or whatever. Then, they said we loved her tape, but we want to see her as Hailee. I remember I smoked some weed and I just like read the script. I was laying in my Kansas City home alone in the dark with my cat. I was like – I can’t believe they’re letting me tape for this one and I was like – Let’s have like a blast. So then, I did it.

They called me for a chemistry test over Zoom. I told my team, I was like – “It’s mine” – because I just saw Benny in the Zoom and he just is busting, like he is laughing. Benny is so supportive. That’s what I wanted to say earlier with the women part of the show. When I watch the show, it’s like with Benny, you can feel how much he loves girls.

Conway: You bring up Benito Skinner and the Overcompensating series writing from him & Scott King, but can you talk to me about how you used your own skills & ideas to enhance Hailee best, from page to screen?

Holmes: I mean, they really just let me run. They would give me an amazing, incredible script – like the monologue that [Hailee] does was my audition, where she sits next to Carmen on the bed. In the audition process and after, I just literally had complete freedom to add whatever I wanted. Benny has told me before that, or maybe it was Scott – but me and Adam [DiMarco] made our characters the most different than they expected. We turned them into something different, but I think that just shows such incredible leadership, that they like let us do that – because I didn’t change, I only added. I would be curious what Benny would say, of how he thinks that she was. I know she was based on a real girl that he knew. I think maybe I made her a little weirder.

Conway: You have also played Melanie on Hacks, Camp Counselor Val in the Another Simple Favor sequel and more. So, taking a moment to reflect on your career thus far, Holmes, how would you describe your journey up to this point – the highs and the lows, the wins and the losses that can come with choosing to work in this industry?

Holmes: A lot of failing, and then a lot of being like – Well, you’re an artist. You like making art, so keep making art. I like to make people laugh and I like to make people feel seen. I love to play. So, I think, honestly – just following the play. My wins feel very big, or my lows feel very big. Why? Because I just want to be like – Who am I? Do I love my friends? Do I love my community? Am I being sweet to myself? Is my sister mad at me? I’ll be making art, even if I’m not making money for it.

Conway: Can you speak to your Overcompensating production as a whole, from Benny at the top, to your co-stars like Wally Baram and more? How would you describe your relationships, both working together on-screen, as well as your interactions off-set?

Holmes: I love Wally and just the whole team. I really love all of them. There’s not one person who I don’t love. Everyone is so talented. I think they did just an incredible job casting. I spent the most of my time with Wally because that’s who my scene partner was, but I would have been drawn to her, either way. She’s amazing. She’s literally one-of-a-kind and has so many talents. She’s younger than me and she just knows who she is. We’re both so blatantly honest.

Conway: You must also see how big of a gay fan following that your performance as Hailee has attracted, since Overcompensating premiered on Prime Video. Have you noticed that loyal attention and what are your thoughts about this love & praise that you are receiving from the LGBTQ+ community for your on-screen persona?

Holmes: I’m scared that I’m going let them down – that I’m not Hailee. I think that they want me to be Hailee and I’m scared when they find out that I don’t know how to do makeup like that. I’ve always had at least one gay best friend my whole life. Honestly, mostly, their names are Caleb – I don’t know how that happens. It’s really crazy, I have so many Caleb’s in my life. I feel very safe that Hailee is for the girls and gays.

Conway: After seeing everything that Hailee is so far on the series, would you, Holmes, ultimately be friends with Hailee, if you two were able to cross paths?

Holmes: I would love her – I would never hang out with an 18-year-old. If you catch me hanging out with an 18-year-old, call the cops – and I hate the cops – but call them because they need to be called. I think that’s my truth. I love her a lot and I would laugh at her, and I would say you’re going to grow into someone who I want to be friends with. Like honestly, my dream would be that we got to do season two in college still – and then season 3, we get to flash [forward] and they’re like adults. I want it so bad because I was a lunatic in college. A different one than Hailee, but a lunatic. I know she’s going be incredible, but yeah – sometimes, I’m like – Hailee, don’t do that.

Conway: Let’s talk about comedy today, Holmes. What are your favorite parts of the ways that comedy is being expressed lately within TV & film, and are there any ways of comedy right now that you are not loving or watching closely & cautiously, in hopes that a certain trend does not stick around?

Holmes: I don’t hope sticks is that all the scripts basically that are in my inbox right now, because auditions are definitely ramping up, finally – which, thank you – is that they’re just all written and directed by men. It’s out of control – you can feel the fear of the Trump administration from people. You know what else I don’t appreciate? All the remakes. I go – That’s enough but I’m not saying I won’t watch all of them. I don’t hate them.

A trend that I’d like to see is more things like Overcompensating, Adults, Dying for Sex. Jenny Slate [in Dying for Sex], that is my dream role. I want to play a role like that. She did amazing.

Where’s our next Insecure, you know? I want to see more Black women. I want to see literally just less written by, directed by “white guy.” Thank god, I found the best of them, like [Hacks co-creator] Paul [W. Downs] and Benny. I’m not talking just about in front of the camera. My girlfriends write the most genius things in the world and already have the most genius things, and they’re not getting made.

Conway: So, if and hopefully when a second season is announced for Overcompensating, where do you hope that the story will continue to develop further around who Hailee is and in featuring more of her specific college journey?

Holmes: I think that I would love to see – it’s hard because I don’t want to act it as much – but I do want to see what her love life, for real, looks like when she lets it feel. That person is obviously using people to feed her own, honestly anger. I think that Hailee is really angry about the oppression of women, deep down. I think that she doesn’t know that yet, but I think she’s pissed, you know? And so, I’d like to see her get some real feelings because we saw them [in season one], but then we saw her funnel them into sort of action or insanity, or not fully feel them. So, I’d like her to have a real crush or I’d love like just a night of her and Carmen, where when you’re roommates and you’re up all night – like the kind of nights that Carmen and Benny, we’ve got to see. I want to see that with Hailee.

That’s an 18-year-old who doesn’t know how to take a break yet. I want to see her in her quiet moments, because I think they’ll still be funny.

I also don’t care if this is a Hailee thing, and I think we saw hints of it with Grace’s character, but I really do think it would be a powerful – I know they discussed in the writer’s room for season one about eating disorder stuff. I know one girl who didn’t have an eating disorder in college. Hailee, it’s like when she’s out those nights drinking, I don’t think it even has to do with wanting to be thinner always at all. It’s more just like you’re away from your parents for the first time. You treat your body like such garbage in those years, right?

Conway: Lastly Holmes, if you could speak to Hailee, after embodying her so far on this Overcompensating series and could give her advice, a warning or a comforting message, what do you feel that she needs to hear, that she would appreciate hearing from you, the person who arguably knows her best from the outside in?

Holmes: I think what I would say to her, that doesn’t take away all that joy that she has from performing, look wise, would just be keep learning and trying, and don’t lose your power when people keep trying to take it away from you. I think she’s really strong, honestly. I think that Hailee is smart and will keep trying to keep it loud, and she’ll fine tune it. So, I’d say keep learning and changing forever, but you never have to shut up. I love you loud!