Nick Kroll opened up about what he saw as a difficult stretch for Hollywood production and said he hoped more filming in Los Angeles could help restore some of the city’s creative energy.
Kroll discussed the issue while speaking at the Variety Entertainment & Technology Summit. He also explained why he felt strongly about shooting his upcoming Netflix comedy A Hundred Percent in Los Angeles.
Nick Kroll hopes more Hollywood productions will bring vitality back to Los Angeles
Kroll told Variety that A Hundred Percent felt closely connected to the city because its characters lived there. He had spent nearly two decades in Los Angeles himself.
He co-created the series with Gabe Liedman and starred alongside Sam Richardson, Jason Mantzoukas and Vanessa Bayer. Diane Lane also joined the cast in a recurring role.
Kroll described the project as a “love letter” to Los Angeles and said filming there created a positive atmosphere for the cast and crew.
“It was an awesome experience, and I’m so grateful to the city for helping make that happen,” Kroll said.
He then addressed the broader state of Hollywood filming.
“I hope it continues to grow because I think all of the doldrums that we’ve all been feeling for so many years will hopefully begin to work itself out,” he said.
Kroll believed a stronger local production community could benefit Los Angeles beyond the financial impact.
“The more that we have a thriving, ongoing shooting community here in Los Angeles, it will bring life back,” he explained.
He added that more Los Angeles production could restore some of the excitement he associated with moving to Hollywood and being surrounded by people actively creating film and television.
Kroll also joked about the seriousness of his remarks after the audience applauded.
“That said, I’m personally moving to Austin to start a podcast network,” he quipped.
The Nick Kroll Netflix series A Hundred Percent focused on thought leaders, self-help figures and wellness influencers.
He also reflected on the challenge of holding viewers’ attention in an increasingly competitive entertainment environment.
For Kroll, however, keeping more productions in Los Angeles represented one way to bring momentum back to the city after the “doldrums” he said the industry had felt for years.
