Abhiroop Das
Co-created by Bert Kreischer, Andrew Mogel, and Jarrad Paul, Netflix’s ‘Free Bert’ dives deep into the life of Bert Kreischer, a famous humorist who has grown tired of the very comedic stunts that put him on the map. As his identity grows clouded day by day, Bert, along with his wife, LeeAnn, wonders if he can perform and thrive outside of the routine he has set for himself, and thus begin their messy attempts at fitting in with social conceptions of normalcy. In his quest for acceptance, Bert lands in the middle of a wealthy group of dads, whose children, just like Bert’s two daughters, Georgia and Ila, study at Barklidge Academy. Desperate to make them school-famous, Bert abandons chunks of his personality, which in turn sends him on a search for the true meaning of the self and self-expression.
While Bert Kreischer plays a dramatized version of himself in this situational comedy series, many of the other narrative elements draw a partial influence from real life. The actor-comedian has confirmed that his on-screen family is loosely informed by his real-life one, which turns the characters of LeeAnn, Georgia, and Ila into the heart of the narrative.
Arden Myrin Adds Her Own Twists to the Character of LeeAnn
While LeeAnn Kreischer is the name of Bert Kreischer’s wife in real life, the character we see in the show has mainly been fictionalized. Actor Arden Myrin brings her own creative touch to the role, ensuring that LeeAnn stands out as one of the show’s most memorable characters. With more than a hundred acting credits under her belt, including performances in ‘Insatiable’ as Regina Sinclair and as Mrs. Moyers in ‘The Marvelous Ms. Maisel,’ Myrin is among the most experienced members of the ‘Free Bert’ cast. Some of her other popular roles come from TV shows such as ‘Working,’ ‘On the Spot,’ ‘Shameless,’ and ‘Secret Chef,’ where she plays Abby Cosgrove, Caramel, Dolores, and Cheffy, respectively.
In preparation for her work in ‘Free Bert,’ Myrin closely observed how Bert and LeeAnn interacted in real life. “Not like I was mimicking somebody,” she explained to US Weekly, “but like I could get the heart of this family.” The selection crew working behind the screens, which included the real-life LeeAnn, found Myrin to be a perfect fit because of how she always rooted for Bert’s character in her auditions. Still, she had to go through seven rounds of auditioning before she was locked in for the role. Myrin was reportedly given a lot of agency over how she wanted to mold the character, which included details such as dying her hair a slightly different color or making creative adjustments to the fictionalized version of LeeAnn.
Ava Ryan and Lilou Lang Steal the Spotlight as the Kreischer Sisters
Bert and LeeAnn’s two daughters, Georgia and Ila Kreischer, are also fictionalized as characters in the show, played by child actors Ava Ryan and Lilou Lang, respectively. Ava Ryan’s character, Georgia, is central to many story arcs this season, which gives the actor ample opportunities to flex her skills. Ava became an internet celebrity at just 18 months old in 2014, when her mother, Katie Ryan, began posting Vine videos together. With her ever-growing popularity, Ava began experimenting with different mediums and styles of content, including her first appearance in a TV show, ‘Yo Gabba GabbaLand!’ as Polly. In ‘Free Bert,’ she blends charm and sensitivity while depicting a troubled teenager in the form of Georgia.
The show also marks actor Lilou Lang’s first major performance in the form of Ila Kreischer, who is perhaps the family’s most enigmatic member, with a title shot at also being the funniest. An up-and-coming talent, Lang also briefly appears in the TV show ‘Drunk History,’ and has a bright future ahead in the industry. Despite being budding actors, both Lang and Ava keep up with veterans like Myrin and Bert, with the latter even stating on CBC Mornings that the child actors outperform him on numerous occasions. With their firm grasp on comedic as well as emotional beats, both actors are expected to reappear in a potential season 2 of the show, as well as in other creative projects in the future.
Read More: Where is Free Bert Filmed? All Shooting Locations
