Netflix’s ‘Unstable’ Interview: Rob Lowe

Premiering on Netflix March 30th is the new workplace comedy ‘Unstable,’ which was created by Victor Fresco, Rob Lowe, and his real-life son John Owen Lowe.

What is the plot of ‘Unstable?’

‘Unstable’ is a father-son comedy in which socially shy son Jackson (John Owen Lowe) begins working for his successful and admired, but eccentric and narcissistic-adjacent, father Ellis (Rob Lowe) at his high-tech bio research facility in order to help save him from spiraling further following the death of his wife.

Who is in the cast of ‘Unstable?’

‘Unstable’ stars Rob Lowe (‘Wayne’s World,’ ‘Tommy Boy‘) as Ellis Dragon, John Owen Lowe (‘The Grinder’) as Jackson Dragon, Sian Clifford (‘Fleabag’) as Anna, Fred Armisen (‘Wednesday’) as Leslie, and Christina Chang (‘Live Free or Die Hard’) as Jean.

Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Rob Lowe about his work on ‘Unstable,’ the origin of the series, his character, and working with his son John Owen Lowe.

Rob Lowe stars in Netflix’s ‘Unstable.’

You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews with Rob Lowe, John Owen Lowe and Sian Clifford.

Moviefone: To begin with, where did the idea of this series and working with your son come from?

Rob Lowe: So a few years ago he started trolling me on my Instagram and Twitter accounts, as sons will do. He was super funny. A little mean, if I’m going to be honest. People started noticing, and it became kind of a thing. It got covered in media outlets, and I couldn’t go on a talk show without people asking me about it. We realized, wow, the people like this. Whatever this thing between us is, people are interested in it. So that got us to thinking, is there a show, and what would the show look like that could capture this dynamic? And that was the impetus that eventually led us to ‘Unstable.’

(L to R) Rob Lowe as Ellis, John Owen Lowe as Jackson in ‘Unstable.’ Photo: John P. Fleenor/Netflix © 2023.

MF: Is the relationship between Ellis and Jackson on the series similar to your real-life relationship with your son?

RL: It’s a lot of it because I know that underneath it there’s lots of love and respect. It’s not just unrelenting ribbing, but when we go into that mode, it’s super authentic. I think that’s why people are enjoying it because it’s very meta. You can watch ‘Unstable’ and go, “I wonder how much of this is real, how much of it isn’t?” I always find that kind of thing super interesting.

Rob Lowe as Ellis in ‘Unstable.’ Photo: Courtesy of Netflix © 2023.

Related Article: Penelope Spheeris Talks ‘Wayne’s World’

MF: How would you describe the character of Ellis in your own words?

RL: Well, it’s important to establish that Ellis is truly a once in a lifetime thinker. I mean, he is touched by genius. He also may be touched by insanity. I think the line between genius and insanity can be very, very thin. He’s had people at his feet for years because he’s so smart, and he’s lost the plot a little bit about how regular life works. That kind of stuff is super funny in comedy. It allows the character to be both brilliant and incredibly lame at the same time. I love playing characters like that.

Rob Lowe as Ellis in ‘Unstable.’ Photo: John P. Fleenor/Netflix © 2023.

MF: Can you talk about why Ellis’ life is spiraling out of control?

RL: Well, as you come into the show in the first episode, Ellis, his beloved wife has passed away like six months ago, and he’s still not really over it. There’s a lot of pressure from a project he’s working on. But more than anything, he’s longing to reconnect with his estranged son. So there’s a whole lot of emotional angst that’s driving us into this first episode. The notion of a character like Ellis Dragon spiraling is just a gold mine for comedy. What would it look like if Elon Musk was really spiraling? I think we kind of know, and it’s kind of hilarious.

Rob Lowe as Ellis in ‘Unstable.’ Photo: John P. Fleenor/Netflix © 2023.

MF: As a parent, what is it like acting opposite your own son? Do you leave the set as a proud parent after watching him work?

RL: It’s so gratifying. It really is because you get to continue doing the things that you’ve loved as a dad, like teaching, leading by example, supporting him in his new career, and exposing him to new experiences. He’s coming to me for advice on how to navigate this world as a showrunner, as a writer, and as a lead actor. “Dad, what does a publicist do?” You know what I mean? It’s super fun to be able to help because I didn’t have anybody doing that for me. I had to make it up as I went along. So this is just an unbelievable gift for me, really, truly.

(L to R) John Owen Lowe and Rob Lowe attend the Netflix ‘Unstable’ premiere at Netflix Tudum Theater on March 23, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. Photo by Rich Polk/Getty Images for Netflix.

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