Jemaine Clement admits fears over Alice and Steve age-gap romance: “Is it too awkward?”

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Jemaine Clement remembers his first scene with Nicola Walker in their new show, Alice and Steve, very clearly. “We were doing karaoke – ‘Total Eclipse of the Heart,'” he says. “It was 10 a.m., and we hadn’t met before. It was a pretty unusual way to break the ice!”

The first scene of the new Disney+ series, a six-part story about a friendship gone wrong, was intentionally chaotic and a little uncomfortable: an early morning karaoke session. The series follows Clement and Walker, two lifelong friends whose bond breaks down when Walker begins a relationship with Clement’s daughter, Izzy (played by Yali Topol Margalith).

Clement says the script, written by Sophie Goodhart, came from the same team behind the show Baby Reindeer. Having recently seen and admired Baby Reindeer, she felt confident in their abilities and trusted them with this project.

Stories about significant age gaps in relationships often face challenges, mainly the risk of alienating viewers who might see the dynamic as inappropriate. Actor Gary Clement, who is 52, shared these concerns when taking on a role with this type of relationship.

He worried the relationship between his character and a much younger woman would feel uncomfortable for viewers. He explained that even when he’s explained the story to others, some find it upsetting, and he’s even been called names by people he knows.

To get ready for the part, Clement watched the movie The Rewrite, a romantic comedy starring Hugh Grant as a college professor who becomes involved with a student. Clement initially pictured the character, Steve, as unpleasant – insecure and boastful. “I was going for a sort of unlikeable Hugh Grant,” he explains, “but Steve turned out to be kinder and more sensitive than I expected.”

The show establishes that Steve, recently divorced, wasn’t seeking a relationship with someone younger; Izzy initiates things. This seems like a deliberate effort to address potential concerns about a problematic power dynamic, or at least to introduce ambiguity that could create conflict. It makes you wonder if portraying Steve influenced actor Mark Clement’s perspective on age-gap relationships after filming.

He says he knows several couples with large age differences. While it might seem strange initially, he’s always understood their connection after getting to know them. He feels they simply have a natural compatibility.

As someone who’s spent time behind the scenes as a writer – most notably on Flight of the Conchords – I asked if it was a welcome change to just act in Alice and Steve, not worry about the script. He definitely agreed! He admitted to tinkering with lines here and there, but said it was a huge relief to not have that responsibility. He really seemed to enjoy simply being the character, saying a job where he only had to focus on that one thing was ‘much more fun than writing.’

Jemaine Clement is most famous for being one half of the musical comedy duo Flight of the Conchords, alongside Bret McKenzie. They gained recognition at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2003 and later achieved success with a popular BBC radio show that transitioned into a beloved HBO TV series, attracting a dedicated international following from 2007 to 2009. Clement and McKenzie first met while studying drama at Victoria University of Wellington in New Zealand, where Clement was raised, though a career in the arts wasn’t necessarily planned.

He remembers a childhood filled with creativity despite growing up with very little money. His father always had a flute, his mother – who is Maori – was a talented artist and avid reader, and his uncles were musical, playing guitar and trumpet and enjoying singing. However, because the family wasn’t wealthy, there was never any pressure to pursue a specific career path.

Clement and McKenzie started performing together in Wellington in the late 1990s. They honed their musical comedy through live performances, eventually earning a nomination for the Perrier Award at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and, ultimately, a radio commission from the BBC.

Clement explains that working with the BBC was a great learning experience because they hadn’t previously created longer pieces of content. Before Flight of the Conchords, he primarily wrote short sketches. Creating the radio show forced them to learn how to develop a story over a longer period, about half an hour, which ultimately prepared them to write the TV series.

What started as a quirky performance at small comedy clubs in Wellington, New Zealand, unexpectedly became a worldwide success. In 2018, they even sold out three shows in a row at the famous O2 Arena in London.

People often ask why the show has done so well in the UK and US, and I think it’s because we were heavily influenced by comedy from both countries. I remember being a kid and loving the British show The Young Ones, which was a huge inspiration. Honestly, I don’t think I’d be doing what I’m doing today without it—I might not even be having this conversation! For example, there’s a scene in Flight of the Conchords where one character is upset, and the other tries to make him feel better by pretending the stove can talk. That idea came directly from thinking about how The Young Ones would handle that situation – the stove would just start talking!

After an eight-year break from performing, Flight of the Conchords recently played two shows in Los Angeles. One of the members described it as challenging but enjoyable, explaining they were getting back into the swing of things. He admitted it felt like a memory test, as he’d been focusing on film and writing instead of live performances.

Clement has been incredibly busy lately, appearing in major Hollywood films like The BFG, Men in Black 3, and the animated hit Moana. He’s had the chance to work with directing giants Steven Spielberg (who praised Clement and his collaborators for revolutionizing American comedy) and James Cameron, contributing to Avatar: The Way of Water and its upcoming sequel, Fire and Ash.

He admires both of those individuals because they’re flexible in their approach. While he doesn’t plan things out as carefully as they do, he’s impressed by their ability to adjust to changing circumstances, and he found that really inspiring.

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After finding fame with Flight of the Conchords, Jemaine Clement successfully transitioned into directing, starting with the hilarious mockumentary What We Do in the Shadows. He not only directed it, but also co-wrote and starred in it alongside Taika Waititi, and the film later became a popular TV series. But what’s the secret to his diverse talents? Surprisingly, there isn’t a specific strategy – he just enjoys doing a bit of everything.

He confesses he’s still figuring out his path and isn’t sure where his talents lie, so he tries a little bit of everything. He’s drawn to challenges and finds it difficult to say no to things that scare him. He doesn’t want to get too comfortable, and thankfully, life keeps things interesting.

Clement can be confident Alice and Steve will resonate with audiences. The show was a critical and popular success, winning the top prize at the Canneseries TV Festival in April for its clever and engaging take on a complicated friendship. Clement, along with co-star Nicola Walker, is hoping the show will be renewed for another season.

“I had such a great time making this. I’d love to be back and working with those people again.”

Authors

Sarfraz Manzoor

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2026-06-02 14:35