Although Nina Dobrev is often associated with her formative TV series The Vampire Diaries, the actress has since made a concerted effort to diversify her on-screen roles. After departing the CW series in 2015, Dobrev has veered between action, comedy, drama, and horror without pause. Her 2021 holiday flick, Love Hard, was particularly compelling, cementing Dobrev as the perfect rom-com leading lady. Now she’s helming an even funnier movie: The Out-Laws, a Netflix heist comedy about a soon-to-be-married couple whose wedding plans are interrupted by the bride’s criminal parents.
In the film, out July 7 on Netflix, Dobrev plays Parker McDermott, a yoga teacher who hasn’t seen her mom and dad in years. She’s set to marry Owen Browning (Adam DeVine), a good-natured bank manager with quirky parents of his own. After Parker’s parents, played by Pierce Brosnan and Ellen Barkin, randomly appear, Owen’s bank is robbed by the notorious Ghost Bandits, and a series of chaotic, ridiculous events unfold. Working on the film for two months in Atlanta was a delight for Dobrev, who has known DeVine for years. It’s also one of five movies the actress has coming out this year, along with The League, Reunion, Sick Girl, and Bricklayer.
Dobrev spoke with Shondaland about her love for comedy, working with Brosnan, and why it’s been important for her to take charge of her career.
EMILY ZEMLER: The answer is probably obvious, but what appealed to you about this movie?
NINA DOBREV: I grew up doing comedies, and when I read the script, it was so fun and playful. I’ve always wanted to work with [producer] Adam Sandler. And Adam DeVine is a really close friend of mine. And obviously, getting to work with Pierce Brosnan and Ellen Barkin — everything came together. The script is really funny, and I jumped at the opportunity to get to collaborate with these clever, incredible human beings.
EZ: What is it about comedy that you find exciting?
ND: It’s so unpredictable. So, you have to be on your toes and paying attention to riff or improv if you have to, depending on what the scene calls for. And laughing every day is so appealing. Shooting comedy, the energy on set is so lighthearted, and everyone is happy to be laughing all day, whether it’s on camera or off camera. Everyone just brought it, and it was so fun.
EZ: You had worked with Adam DeVine before, right?
ND: Yeah, Adam and I had worked together almost a decade ago — around a decade ago — on a movie called The Final Girls. And that one was a similar experience: a comedy. We were obviously in our 20s, and the whole cast was around the same age, so it was like a summer camp for adults. We lived outside of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and we all bonded really well on that one. I was excited to work with him again. We are like brother and sister at this point, or at least I feel like he’s my family. We recently traveled to Indonesia for my birthday with a group of my friends and with his wife, and he’s just a part of my family at this point.
![los angeles, california june 26 l r adam devine, nina dobrev and pierce brosnan attend the los angeles premiere of netflixs the out laws at regal la live on june 26, 2023 in los angeles, california photo by matt winkelmeyergetty images](https://hips.hearstapps.com/hmg-prod/images/gettyimages-1502718966-649dcb3309b44.jpg?resize=980:* "Los Angeles Premiere Of Netflix's "The Out-Laws" - Arrivals")
EZ: How much did you work with him, Ellen, and Pierce to build your on-screen relationships?
ND: Adam and I talked about it at length before we started. The fact that we had this built-in friendship and relationship was something we could bring to the characters. That shared history we had helped to make the characters really familiar and comfortable with each other. They’re a couple who [are] about to get married, so it helps to recall that history, and luckily we already had it. And with Pierce and Ellen, we got along really well. I met them on this film — I didn’t have any sort of history with them. But we clicked immediately. Pierce is one of the most lovely human beings on the planet. I love having him as my daddy.
EZ: Did you have a surreal moment when you were like, “Oh, my God, Pierce Brosnan is playing my dad”?
ND: Yeah, absolutely. But he’s just a regular dude. I mean, it was exciting because James Bond is your father. But other than that, as soon as he showed up on set, what was also cool about him and why I ultimately love him even more is he’s so down to earth and normal and sweet and kind to the cast and crew and patient. He’s just a stand-up guy all around.
EZ: One of the things that’s really striking about the film is that the central couple don’t have any real issues. The conflict isn’t about them, and we get to see a functional, happy couple on-screen. Is that something you talked about?
ND: I don’t think I noticed that until you pointed it out! But you’re right; the conflict isn’t about them. It was more about the in-laws for both sides of the couple. I think it’s a very relatable feeling: Everything is going well with you two, but then family can sometimes complicate things because there’s so many more personalities and so much more trauma and shared history with them that actually gets in the way of the couple. I definitely have seen that in relationships that I’ve encountered. It’s a really relatable situation.
EZ: These in-laws are slightly more ridiculous than the average family, but there is definitely something relatable about it.
ND: The movie is definitely outrageous in so many ways, but that’s what’s so fun about it. And that’s the whole point: It’s not a movie where we’re looking to cure cancer. It’s fun and exciting, and it’s a wild ride. I genuinely feel like if you’re down to just have a good time and laugh a lot, this is a movie for you. That’s the movie that we set out to make.
EZ: Does it feel good as an actress to be able to give people those moments of relief from day-to-day life?
ND: Yeah, because I find myself on the other side of the screen needing this kind of content to watch to escape everything. Everyone’s got good days and bad days, and movies are a way to escape from everyday problems for a moment. Being a part of that is very rewarding and wonderful. I don’t take it for granted at all.
EZ: In general, is there something you’re looking for in a script these days?
ND: The director. The script itself feeling good, and feeling like it checks a box for me. As you get older, your taste changes, and the stuff you want to do changes. That has definitely evolved. But the character, script, and director are the main things for me.
EZ: Do you still get approached with projects or roles that feel similar to The Vampire Diaries?
ND: Every now and then, something comes through that feels similar. But I’ve worked on a lot of different things over the past few years, and I’ve made a conscious effort to diversify the kinds of projects that I am in. This year, I have five films coming out — a couple that I’ve produced, a couple that I’m acting in — and they’re all so different. They couldn’t be more different, and it’s exciting to explore different characters and different genres in that way.
EZ: You have five films coming out this year?
ND: Yeah! None of this was necessarily planned. It was just how the universe put it together. Some of them were indies I made years ago, and with smaller films, it just takes a little bit longer to get it together with financing and editing, and it’s more of a labor of love. Those just happened to coincide and come out this year with a couple of the other movies that are coming out. It was just happenstance.
EZ: Why is it important for you to produce some of your own projects?
ND: I love working on something that I found or something that I helped put together from its inception. I think that’s important. And in a way, it’s more rewarding when an audience sees it for the first time. I premiered The League last week at the Tribeca Film Festival, and that one took many years and a huge group of incredible individuals to bring to life. It wasn’t just me — it was a group effort. Finally having an audience see it live for the first time and sharing that experience with them gave me such ownership and pride. I hope to have more experiences like that in my career.
Emily Zemler is a freelance writer and journalist based in London. She regularly contributes to the Los Angeles Times, Rolling Stone, PureWow, and TripSavvy, and is the author of two books. Follow her on Twitter @emilyzemler.
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