If you've ever scrolled through a list of shows that ended before their time, Netflix's GLOW is almost certainly on it. The Liz Flahive and Carly Mensch-created series debuted in 2017 and quickly won over audiences with its vibrant ensemble of larger-than-life characters.
Alison Brie stars as Ruth Wilder, a struggling actor who lands a one-of-a-kind gig: in 1985, she's cast in the Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling, the first all-female wrestling TV show. Alongside Betty Gilpin's Debbie, Gayle Rankin's Sheila, Jackie Tohn's Melrose, and Sydelle Noel's Cherry, Ruth takes the underdog production on a wild ride that ends up in Las Vegas. Season 3 closes on a hopeful note, but we never got to see if Debbie and Bash's (Chris Lowell) plan succeeded. Netflix canceled GLOW in October 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, despite having already renewed it for a fourth and final season.
Seven years later, the show's stars are still thinking about it. While promoting her new movie Masters of the Universe, Brie appeared on Collider Ladies Night and was moved to tears recalling her collaboration with Gilpin.
Alison Brie & Betty Gilpin: 'We Fit Together Perfectly'
When asked about scene partners who left an indelible mark, Brie immediately pointed to Gilpin. Before diving into details, she warned, 'I'm gonna cry. Every time I talk about Betty, I want to cry.' Her eyes welled up as she smiled and said, 'Oh, god, I actually am getting emotional! I love her so much.'
'Betty is just the most phenomenal actress, and I think the person that I have learned the most from in my career,' Brie explained. 'I joke all the time that we're soulmates, but I truly believe it. When we found each other on GLOW, we just had the most fun. We approach the work really differently, but we fit together perfectly. We complemented each other so perfectly.'
Their bond extends beyond the set. 'It was part of what made GLOW so special, and why she is such an important person in my life as a friend, and just as an actor and a person I admire, is because we had both of those things in one. We worked so symbiotically together, and also, I'd just be like, 'Oh! You do that? Maybe I should be doing that.''
Brie also opened up about a new phase in her career she calls 'releasing of control.' She's writing and producing more than ever, but when she's purely acting, she feels a freedom that wasn't there before. That freedom shines in Masters of the Universe, where she plays Evil-Lyn. 'I've never shot something quite like this. GLOW had big, silly characters, but this is a different beast. I thought a lot about how free I felt on set, how much fun I was having. I hope fans love my version, but I can't take that on. It's too much!'
Brie added, 'I just felt really free. I feel like you see it in the movie in my body language. I'm having a blast.' Her enthusiasm is infectious and makes Masters of the Universe a delight.
For more from Brie on how GLOW changed her career and why she's feeling freer than ever, check out her full Collider Ladies Night interview. And if you're looking for more great Netflix content, don't miss our list of must-see shows to stream starting June 8 or the new Netflix hit The Marked Woman.
