“I moved too fast for people to pigeonhole me on my way into the business,” ‘Fargo’ and ‘Legion’ Hawley told THR.
“Certainly as a showrunner in broadcast, you put everything you have into a show and they cancel it after two episodes, and then you have nothing,” Fargo and Legion creator Noah Hawley told The Hollywood Reporter during the Drama Showrunner Roundtable. “The more things you have going, the less you’re riding that roller coaster.”
“You just have to be OK with risk and the unknown. You have to be OK with the fact that when you’re done, you’re done, and you have to come up with something else,” said Hawley. “I had two shows canceled after one season. I’ve never made a second season of anything, and I find it exciting. Doing a second season of Legion will be the first time I have to continue the story.”
Hawley’s luck has turned around, now having two hit shows on simultaneously. “At the point at which the show that you make is successful, then whatever you say yes to is going to get made. I was still in the old paradigm. So that’s how I found myself with so many things. I’ve learned to say no. Well, I’m not sure I have yet, but I’m learning. There will be a no soon.”
More roundtables featuring comedy and drama actresses, actors, showrunners and reality creators will continue through July in print and online. Tune in to new episodes of Close Up With The Hollywood Reporter starting May 25 on Sundance TV, and look for clips at THR.com/topic/roundtables with full episodes on THR.com after broadcast.