What if a secret society has been influencing world events since the Black Plague? Mike Myers and Tim Kirkby's The Pentaverate tackles this plotpoint, based on a throwaway joke featured in Myers' 1993 black comedy So I Married An Axe Murderer. The Pentaverate is a group comprised of five wealthy elites, all played by Myers, who also steps into the role of lead journalist Ken Scarborough, and the show's creator and co-writer. The series has an all-star cast including Myers' Axe Murderer co-star Debi Mazar as the brainy executive assistant Patty Davis, Ken Jeong as casino mogul Skip Cho, Keegan-Michael Key as nuclear physicist Dr. Hobart Clark, Richard McCabe as head of security Exalted Pikeman Higgins, Jennifer Saunders as brother-and-sister Maester of Dubrovnik and Saester of Dubrovnik, and Lydia West as Scarborough's protege Reilly Clayton.
The Netflix comedy plays out over six episodes and follows Ken on his career-saving mission to expose the secrety society. In a conversation with Game Rant, Ken Jeong, Debi Mazar, Lydia West, Richard McCabe discuss working with Mike Myers, being cast in The Pentaverate, their character's journeys, their favorite scenes, and more.
Game Rant: How would you describe the series in one sentence?
Lydia West: A group of five elites run the world, the only difference is that they are nice.
Richard McCabe: Isn't that the publicity blurb?
West: Yes, I read the press briefing. I did my work.
McCabe: It is a comedy series with a serious message about the way we live our lives today.
GR: What drew you to the show initially?
Debi Mazar: The paycheck? Kidding.
Ken Jeong: It was Mike. Mike called me and had thought of me for this role. They had me at “Mike Myers.” He's one of the reasons I got into comedy. He's one of my heroes. I could have played a piece of paper in the show and I would have been so happy. I wanted to watch his process of playing eight characters.
There was the selfish fan part of me that just wanted to watch his process. How does he pull this off? He's a master. It's so hard. He pulls it off effortlessly because he’s not just this virtuoso actor. He's a virtuoso writer, showrunner, and editor. He is the painter. He paints it all.
McCabe: When you get a call from Mike Myers, it is very hard to turn it down. He is a comedy genius and the opportunity to work with him is just irresistible. When I found out the character he wanted me to play, I couldn't help but wonder “why me?” But once I got over those fears, it was an absolute joy.
GR: Debi, did you enjoy reuniting with Mike?
Mazar: Well, funny enough, I didn't really feel like we were reuniting because it had been so many years, quite frankly. When I got the phone call that Mike was interested in having a Zoom call with me because he wanted me to play this character, I was sort of like, “Whoa.”
I became a fan of his as opposed to having just worked with him. I even forgot that I had worked with him. When we talked, I was a little nervous because I was going to have to play his ex mother-in-law and I didn't want it to be like SNL's "Coffee Talk." We talked about it and he chose me. I wanted to live up to what his ideal Patty was, and deliver and go beyond that.
GR: What was your process getting into character?
Mazar: I felt like I had to rise to the occasion of working with brilliant comedians and sketch artists like Keegan-Michael Key, Jennifer Saunders, and Lydia West. I had a physical transformation. I had this crazy wig and contacts. We worked under tough conditions but we had a blast with the set direction, green screen, costumes, and the extras. Every day going to work was a joy. I know actors say that, but trust me it really was this time.
GR: Richard, what was the scariest part about playing Higgins?
McCabe: All of it. He is an ex Hollywood stuntman and he's head of security for The Pentaverate, and he wears this costume from the 14th century.
GR: Lydia, can you tease Riley's journey throughout the series?
West: She is a young Canadian journalist working at a news station with Ken Scarborough. She embarks on a quest to get Ken's job back because he loses it. Their relationship is one of fondness. It's quite father-daughter like and she loves him.
GR: Do you share any characteristics with your character?
West: We both have the same physical characteristics. We both look very similar. We both sound similar in some ways. We have the same body shape. We both like the same exercises. But other than that, not much.
GR: Were you familiar with So I Married An Ax Murderer before joining the cast?
McCabe: I remember seeing it when it first came out. Who would have thought that that little bit of information would be expanded all these years later? I loved it at the time.
West: I saw it recently. I hadn't seen it. It just makes sense to make The Pentaverate.
GR: Richard, can you tease your favorite Higgins scene in the series?
McCabe: You shouldn't have asked me that. My favorite scene has been cut. It was him describing what it was like working on a war movie and watching all these poor guys standing in line for their vegan meal from craft services, and it just choked him up. He's suffering from PTSD from the whole experience.
GR: Richard, I will start the petition to get that scene released.
The Pentaverate is streaming on Netflix.