Judy Greer's Shocking Visit to Californication

• Oct 1, 2007 04:00 AM ET
• by Carita Rizzo

After he made TV history when his main character had a tryst with a minor in Californication's first episode, you can trust Tom Kapinos, the show's creator, to dream up even more shocking visuals — like David Duchovny's Hank Moody snorting cocaine off Judy Greer's behind. Greer, best known for her roles in romantic comedies opposite Jennifer Lopez and Jennifer Garner, as well as her stint on Arrested Development, joins the show for its eighth episode as a prostitute who is there for Hank Moody in a time of need. We caught up with Greer to find out how she found herself in this compromising position.

TVGuide.com: How did you get involved with Californication?
Judy Greer: Well, I did a movie a couple of years ago called The TV Set with David Duchovny, and he and I stayed in touch because we had a really good time making it. He was like, "You know, if my show gets picked up, you should do an episode." And I was like, "Yeah!" He and I were actually traveling to Las Vegas to do ShoWest for The TV Set and it was so funny — we were at the airport in Las Vegas when he found out his show got picked up. I was like, "Oh, my god, you're going to be a TV star." [Laughs]

TVGuide.com: How did they present the part to you?
Greer: David had asked me about a couple of different roles over the episodes they had been shooting, but I was working — I was shooting a movie over the summer. I had just wrapped when they called me and asked, "How about playing a hooker?" And I was like, "Yeah" because I am so not the actress who gets called in to play the hooker. So that's how it was presented. My manager called and said, " Do you want to have David Duchovny snort cocaine off your ass in Californication?" And I said, "As long as it's not my naked ass — yes."

TVGuide.com: So it's not your naked ass?
Greer: Maybe at some point. I'm not sure, I'll have to see it. I wasn't paying too much attention that day because I was like, "Oh, let it be over.... " As I've been watching the show, I've realized that I got off pretty easy.

TVGuide.com: Did you guys have fun doing it?
Greer: Oh, yeah. It was such a good time that I was kind of fantasizing that they would call the hooker back, because I could totally do this every week. The people were great and the material is so well written that it's so easy to perform. It's funny but it's simple. Does that make sense? It feels like how people really talk, and not like an insane concept.

TVGuide.com: Although sometimes it is. So you don't think she'll be back?
Greer: I don't know. I'm not going to say no, but I'm going to say that I hope she is.

TVGuide.com: And you're working on a show now called Miss/Guided that will be on ABC?
Greer: Yeah, midseason. It's such a great show. The girl who wrote Miss/Guided came from the writing staff of The Office. Ashton Kutcher's company is producing and he'll also be on an episode or two. We have Todd Holland, who's won three Emmys, as executive producer and director. We have this amazing group of people who are making the show, so I think it's got a lot of potential.

TVGuide.com: And what's the concept of it?
Greer: The concept is that you're basically never really out of high school. It's about a girl who's a guidance counselor at the high school she went to. She was a big loser and her overall goal is to do it better the second time around.

TVGuide.com: That's quite a leap from the hooker.
Greer: That's why I was so excited! I was like, I'm going to go in and start playing this reformed loser who is really dorky and earnest and innocent, and the week before I got to go and be a prostitute. It was awesome.

Find more shocking Californication moments in our Online Video Guide.

The Oct. 1 issue of TV Guide features an in-depth preview of Heroes, featuring Hayden Panettiere, Ali Larter and the newest hero, Kristen Bell. Plus: Inside Jerry Seinfeld's return to television on 30 Rock. Try four risk-free issues now!

Send your comments on this Q&A to online_insider@tvguide.com.