Allow Iris Apatow To Introduce Herself

In Iris Apatow’s family, cats outnumber people five to four. But when we chat over Zoom, the 21-year-old actor and her little guy, Kumo, are on a solo mission in London, where she’s been taking ballet classes in preparation for the survivalist thriller Ballerina Overdrive.

She’s not as graceful as she expected to be, she confesses. “Professional ballerinas have been doing it since they were, like, 3,” says Apatow, who’ll play a dancer stranded with her troupe en route to competition. “They’re so incredibly buff and strong, and they train for years and years, so when you come in at 21, you’re not there. Your body isn’t prepared.”

Long before viewers will see her pirouette, they can catch her in the second season of Netflix’s workplace comedy Unstable, out now, as Georgia, an intern at the central biotech company.

She plays the role with simmering eagerness, aiming to sidestep the oft-bemoaned “nuisance” of an intern. “I wanted to add that second layer of how insecure this girl is, but she’s trying to pretend she’s cool and failing,” says the actor, whose character is the ex-stepdaughter of the CFO (played by Fleabag’s Sian Clifford).

The nepotism conversation permeates Unstable in playful ways. After all, its stars and co-creators are real-life father and son Rob Lowe and John Owen Lowe, and neither shies away from talking about the topic. Apatow, too, knows it well.

“When people comment, like, ‘nepo baby,’ it gets you at first,” says Apatow, whose parents are Judd Apatow and Leslie Mann. “People stumble, because it does feel like an ego kick, but it should be more excitement, that you can prove yourself and make things that are great and make people happy.”

Her first screen role came as a toddler in her dad’s 2007 comedy Knocked Up, alongside her mom and older sister, Maude Apatow. In the years since, she collaborated on several projects with family, including the 2022 quarantine comedy The Bubble, but has been branching out recently, whether in Unstable, an Olivia Rodrigo music video, or, soon, the ballet thriller.

“At the end of the day, I’m proud of both things. I’m proud of the work that will come out of being on my own, but obviously [family connections] helped me,” she says. “So I always want to be very transparent that I am aware of that, and understand it now.”

Apatow talks effusively about things inspiring her, from co-workers (“Sian Clifford is the funniest,” she says. “I would do anything to just watch her.”) to TV (Vanderpump Rules and Dexter). She finds solace in baking, having worked at a vegan bake shop during her first two years at the University of Southern California.

“I was a barista, and I decorated the cakes, and it was very enjoyable,” she says with a smile. “It was a super small, pink shop. I’m glad I got to work there.”

She also discovered a passion for production design at USC, and worked on the delightfully bizarre short film Lovebugs, about a snail who lives in an intricate, miniature library.

For now, Apatow’s taking a break from school to focus on work. But, no, she’s not dropping out. “I’m lucky enough to be like, ‘OK, I’m going to take some time off, and I will come back to it when I can,’” she says. “I really want to.” The dream, she says, is to write something of her own — and wherever that goal takes her, she’ll bring Kumo along.

In The Bustle Booth

What’s your coffee order?

Iced mocha with almond milk.

What are the saved weather locations on your phone?

Bangkok, Limerick, California, Sicily, Tuscany, Koloa.

What’s your sign?

Libra.

Favorite overused movie quote?

“Hell is a teenage girl.” —Jennifer’s Body

What was your favorite cartoon as a kid?

Spongebob.

Who is your celeb idol?

Lana Del Rey.

If you had to be on a reality TV show, what would it be?

Jersey Shore.

Go-to karaoke song?

“Rose’s Turn” from Gypsy.

What’s something that’s inspiring you lately?

Ballerinas.

What is something you would want people to say about you?

To be called loyal feels like the kindest thing to be called.