He’s just a jealous guy. Season 4 of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel welcomes Milo Ventimiglia as a new love interest for the titular character, but her ex-husband Joel won’t be as thrilled as the viewers.
“Well, I think any new guy that they introduce is gonna affect Joel. It’s not like he’s just moved on and he’s over it,” actor Michael Zegen exclusively told Us Weekly at the press junket for the Amazon Prime Video dramedy earlier this month.
While the New Jersey native’s character and Midge (Rachel Brosnahan) broke up at the beginning of the series due to his infidelity, subsequent seasons of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel have kept the exes close. They coparent their two kids, and Joel’s protective side often comes out, whether he’s hitting Midge’s hecklers or taking care of her finances. While Joel has had plenty of other romances throughout the show, it’s clear he still has a lot of love for the comedian.
“Even despite the fact that he’s with Mei [Stephanie Hsu], any guy who ends up with Midge, I think [Joel’s] gonna be insanely jealous of him,” the Girls alum dished. “I mean, he’s the father of her children, and they have a history. There’s a shared love between each other. So, I get it. Milo’s a really good-looking guy, but — and obviously there will be jealousy as well — but I think it’s really anybody. It can be the ugliest dude in the world. And, you know, if he hears that they’re together, it’s gonna cause some problems.”
Zegen revealed that he doesn’t have scenes with Ventimiglia, 44, whose specific role has remained top secret.
Though there may be tension as Midge moves on, Joel’s jealousy doesn’t mean they’ll get back together. The actor said he isn’t so sure the former flames should give it another go.
“I don’t know. I mean, that’s what everybody asks me, but right now, they seem to be doing well on their own,” he told Us. “They both have these newfound careers that they’re thriving in. He’s finally found this club which gives him a sense of purpose, and Midge obviously has this new career that’s — well, last season, it didn’t go so well, but you know, there’s hope.”
Both have professional issues. While Midge was suddenly fired from Shy Baldwin’s overseas tour, Joel accidentally rented a club with an illegal mob-run casino in the basement. Rekindling their romance may be the last thing on their minds.
“What exactly would be the point of them getting back together?” Zegen asked. “At least right now. Maybe some someday in the far future, perhaps. But as of now, they’re both thriving and doing really well. So I don’t wanna interrupt that.”
Of course, Joel and Ventimiglia’s new character aren’t Midge’s only options. Lenny Bruce (Luke Kirby) has had a flirtation with the mother of two throughout the series, and they came close to finally getting together in season 3. Kirby, 43, exclusively told Us that he doesn’t mind if the pair aren’t endgame, but he’d like to see Midge and Lenny get together — even if it’s only temporary.
“It’s really not up to me. I mean, I think, as with anybody that crosses that threshold knows, there’s always some good things that come with it and some newfound frictions,” Kirby teased at the press junket, adding that he’d leave that decision up to executive producers Amy Sherman-Palladino and Daniel Palladino.
“I’m a sucker for people going for it. So, you know, what’s the point of saying goodbye? We’re all gonna have to say goodbye eventually. Let’s, you know, spend the night together,” Kirby reasoned.
Brosnahan, however, isn’t too concerned about Midge’s love life. “I’m Team Midge or Team Smidge, which is team Susie [Alex Borstein] and Midge, all the way,” the three-time Emmy Award winner, 31, told Us at The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel Skate Night in Bryant Park in New York City on February 5.
The star continued, “I love that Midge is reinventing herself. She’s leaving that part of her life behind where she felt like she needed to be in some kind of relationship to be whole, and I’m really excited for this chapter of her journey.”
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel season 4 premieres on Amazon Prime Friday, February 18, with two episodes. While previous seasons were released all at once, new episodes will debut every Friday this time.
Reporting by Christina Garibaldi
