'Let's Have Kids!' Interview: Karen Gillan and Zoë Chao

(L to R) Zoë Chao and Karen Gillan in 'Let's Have Kids!' Photo: Republic Pictures.

Premiering on digital October 13th is the new comedy 'Let's Have Kids!', which was directed by Adam Sztykiel ('Black Adam'), and stars Karen Gillan ('Guardians of the Galaxy') and Zoë Chao ('Where'd You Go, Bernadette').

Let's Have Kids!

RComedy

Audience

Release Oct 13, 2026Runtime 1h 30m

Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Karen Gillan and Zoë Chao about their work on 'Let's Have Kids!', their first reactions to the screenplay, their character's unusual friendship, working together, acting pregnant, and collaborating with director Adam Sztykiel on set.

Karen Gillan in 'Let's Have Kids!' Photo: Republic Pictures.

Moviefone: To begin with, Karen, what was your first reaction to the screenplay and what excited you about being part of this project?

Karen Gillan: When I first read the screenplay, I was laughing out loud, and then I found myself crying, and then I was laughing again. I was like, okay, this is having the desired effect, I think. I thought the writing was really good. It felt like a good female friendship comedy that I hadn't seen in a long time and I wanted to work with Zoe. I think she's so brilliant. So it was kind of a no-brainer for me.

MF: Zoë, can you talk about Emma and Phoebe's friendship and creating that on screen with Karen?

Zoë Chao: It was easy so far as, you meet Karen and you want to pal around. I don't know, I feel like we are of the same world and could have been best pals in the sandbox. So, getting to act with her is such a joy. You kind of forget that it's work, which I mean, it doesn't feel that way. So it was really fun. It felt natural to slip into Phoebe and Emma together and hang out every day.

(L to R) Karen Gillan and Zoë Chao in 'Let's Have Kids!' Photo: Republic Pictures.

MF: Zoë, Phoebe and Karen were born on the same day in the same hospital, and have been friends ever since. Can you talk about the bond that formed between them, and have you ever hear of anything like that happening in real life?

ZC: I mean, it's wild. My boyfriend's sister was born in the same hospital as her husband, on the same day. I think that's right or maybe it's one day apart. But you see them together and you believe it because there's just something really special and kind of otherworldly about their connection. It feels so lucky that Phoebe and Emma have that. I wish I had that as well. I think my sister is someone who that relationship is maybe similar to.

MF: Karen can you talk about the FOMO Emma experiences when Phoebe gets pregnant and how that jeopardizes their friendship?

KG: Emma is the one that comes up with this whole grand plan that they're going to do it at the same time. As a person, she's extremely efficient. Everything's very well planned out. She's a teacher. Everything must go according to the plan. When it doesn't, it kind of throws her for a loop, which ultimately turns out to be probably one of the best things that could happen for her, being thrown into the unknown and having to face something going off track. It's definitely something I could relate to. I mean, I've definitely had friends go through major life changes and had that fear of like, is this going to drive a wedge between us? Are we going to be as close? So, it's something I could certainly relate to.

MF: Karen, was there a lot of improvisation? Did you have room to find the humor on set with Zoë?

KG: I think that there was quite a bit of improv on set. I remember singing "Last Resort" by Papa Roach, to Zoë, which didn't make the cut shockingly. But also, funnily enough, my husband (Nick Kocher), who's a writer, was in town and he knows Adam, the writer, director, and so he ended up daily writing a bunch of alt jokes for everyone. It was very playful and loose.

MF: Zoë, can you talk about the challenges of acting pregnant?

ZC: Well, there have been so many human beings who have done it. It really felt like, man, I couldn't misrepresent this, so many people will be like, liar! But then, there were a lot of moms and dads on set so anytime I had questions someone would jump in and reassure or give me some pointers. I did get pregnant last year and I actually think I really held back in the movie. From my experience, I think that actually I could have amped it up a little bit more and that would have been more realistic.

MF: Finally, Karen, what was it like working with Adam Sztykiel, and how do you think his experience as a screenwriter informed his work as a director on set?

KG: He's brilliant. I love working with a director who has written the script because they just have a level of understanding of what the intention of each scene was on a whole other level. He's so kind of actor friendly. Is that the way to say it? Like he is really supportive of being playful and trying stuff and taking swings and, he's not heavy-handed with his direction. He's very much like, whatever you want to try, and he's going to construct it in the edit. So, I had a lovely experience working with him.

What is the plot of 'Let's Have Kids!'?

Two best friends, Emma (Karen Gillan) and Phoebe (Zoë Chao), decide to get pregnant simultaneously to navigate motherhood together, but their friendship is tested when only one of them conceives.