Bad Monkey’s Lauren Buglioli Breaks Down Heather’s Brutal Death, How the Show Nailed It in 1 Take
Bad Monkey said goodbye to Heather With the Weather in a very brutal way — and Lauren Buglioli is breaking down what went into that iconic scene.
"It's so technical because there are so many moving parts that it feels very choreographed. You rehearse the choreography of it to make sure the blood is where it's supposed to be when it's supposed to be there. What a wild business," Buglioli joked during an exclusive interview with Us Weekly. "But the goal is to get it in one take. So it was really exciting to get it in one take and everyone on set was just at the top of their game, which made my job easy."
Buglioli called it "a dream" to get killed by Meredith Hagner's character Eve on screen.
"It was really fun because she was so supportive, which is like, 'Good job dying.' So it was great. She's so funny that I'm lying there trying to keep it together — but she's having a blast doing what she does," Buglioli recalled. "That's the beauty of this show is that you've got horrific and gory deaths that are broken up by these comedic geniuses. It's the best of both worlds in this show."
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Bad Monkey, which premiered earlier this month, is based on the novel of the same name by Carl Hiaasen. At the center of the series is former police detective Andrew Yancy (Vince Vaughn) who becomes a restaurant inspector but is sucked into a murder investigation when a severed arm is pulled out of the water.
Buglioli, meanwhile, played a meteorologist who Yancy had a crush on. Viewers saw her deliver her predictions for the weather multiple times before she ended up at the wrong place at the wrong time.
During the fourth episode, which was released on Wednesday, August 28, Heather overheard Eve (Hagner) and Nick a.k.a her secret boyfriend Christopher (Rob Delaney) discussing all the crimes they committed. This led to Eve murdering Heather in cold blood in a parking lot to keep their secret from getting out.
"I was really excited [to film the scene], to be honest. I like to joke that I cry a lot and die a lot on screen, and I absolutely love Meredith Hagner and Rob Delaney. I just have the utmost respect for them and everyone involved in this production," Buglioli told Us. "So that scene was really exciting to be a part of because while it was unexpected — it was a lot of fun on the day."
In addition to having a blast filming Heather's death scene, Buglioli first put in a lot of hard work to bring the character to life.
"I obsessively watched weather forecasts and I was lucky enough to interview two amazing meteorologists, who told me how surprisingly cutthroat their industry can be. They had to work very hard to get to where they were, it could often be thankless and people can be really, really competitive," she recalled. "So it helped me justify — not excuse — some of Heather's behavior and helped me make sense of who she is as a human."
Heather was briefly seen being rude to Rosa's (Natalie Martinez) sister, who was also her makeup artist. Buglioli found it easier to act out that scene once she developed more of Heather's back story.
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"I justified it by thinking about how tough her industry could be and that she was possibly stabbed in the back to try to get to where she is. So she has her defenses up and became an unpleasant human being," she joked. "I would not be friends with her. And I like to joke that we've all run into our fair share of mean girls so they gave me some inspiration as well."
While Heather didn't end up making it to the end of the season, Buglioli is incredibly grateful to have had the opportunity to work on the show.
"Some of the highlights for me were getting to talk to Vince in the trailer and him just being so kind and down to earth. Also working with Meredith and Rob and getting to meet [creator] Bill [Lawrence]. Sometimes you go in with a little bit of anticipation of, 'Are the people I respect going to be collaborative and kind?' And when they are, it's everything you could hope for."
Buglioli had nothing but praise for her former coworkers, adding, "My biggest takeaway [from the experience] was seeing that the people at the top of their game not only are professional and hardworking — but they're really kind people. That's important to me."
The actress appreciated how her costars appeared during their time on set.
"I always think about how important it is to be kind and easy to work with. Just walking away from this, no one had any ego. That's really, really incredible to see and to see it is possible in this industry. I only have wonderful things to report about this team," Buglioli added before sharing what she hoped to teach other actors through practice. "When things are high pressure and high stress, being able to bring joy and a steady positive attitude is really important. The incredible thing about working with all of these humans on Bad Monkey is they exemplify that."
Buglioli is hopeful that this isn't the last time she plays a character in Lawrence's TV universe. As a fan of his work, Buglioli considered it an honor getting to join in an official capacity, telling Us, "It's been beyond my wildest dreams and it keeps getting better. So if you told me I'd work with him again, I'd jump up and down and be screaming."
After years of acting, Buglioli's time in the industry has helped her develop an important perspective on the bigger picture.
"[For me it is about] always trusting that you're exactly where you're supposed to be. A younger version of myself wanted it all and wanted it all quickly. But there's something to a slow burn because you learn so much and you earn your stripes and have a deeper appreciation for the journey," she noted. "Had it come easily for me, I don't know that I would have such a sense of reverence for the experience. I try to remind people that every part of your journey is conditioning you for where you're headed. So the road's been really winding for me, but I think the reason I'm internally screaming with glee all the time is because it hasn't been easy and there's something to that."
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Buglioli has also found joy outside of the entertainment industry by giving back.
"I didn't have my health in my 20s. I was hospitalized for a while with bilateral pneumonia and someone from the Good Dog Foundation came in and brought their giant chow chow to visit me. It was the first time I had smiled in weeks. The second I get out of the hospital, I got a dog and started volunteering with the Good Dog Foundation," she shared with Us. "That gave me a sense of purpose and seeing how someone taking time out of their day to give back to a stranger changed the trajectory of my life. I volunteered with the Good Dog Foundation for 10 years and then found Chastain Horse Park. They teach horseback riding to children and adults of all abilities."
Buglioli highlighted the Heart Gallery organization as well for helping place children in foster care and forever homes, saying, "I got involved with both organizations organically and it helps me maintain perspective and to say, 'If that person hadn't shown up for you, you'd be a different human being.' So in the midst of a dream coming true, [it is all about] maintaining perspective, staying grounded and remembering what's really important and hopefully have enough of a platform to bring awareness to organizations like Heart Gallery and Chastain Horse Park. It's continuing to pursue the dream that can sometimes break your heart but coming back to what really matters."
Looking ahead, Buglioli is excited to keep taking on more challenging roles.
"The thing I love about this business is that it's really unexpected. I've been playing a lot of horrible people, but I think my family would really love for me to play a nice and well-adjusted woman," she quipped to Us. "So if anyone would like me to take a stab at that, it would be great just for my family's peace of mind. But honestly, I find complicated women really interesting to play. So I would love to continue working in comedy and I'd love to do some more horror and maybe a holiday movie somewhere in there."
New episodes of Bad Monkey premiere on Wednesdays on Apple TV+ through October 9.
