‘Upload’ Cast and Creators Talk Sophomore Season, Working With “Genius” Greg Daniels

On Tuesday evening, the cast and crew of Prime Video’s Upload gathered for the first time to celebrate the show’s sophomore run. The first season debuted at the start of the pandemic in 2020, leaving the group without an official season one premiere. 

Led by sitcom veteran and The Office creator Greg Daniels, Upload was a concept that Daniels had in the works since his days working as a writer on Saturday Night Live in the late 1980s. Despite having the idea for a few decades, Daniels said the show has since evolved from its original trajectory.

“The actors bring so [many] new aspects to the show that you didn’t anticipate,” said the producer. “Once you see them doing that, you start writing towards them. There’s an awful lot in it that I had no idea was coming.”

The West Hollywood Edition hotel played host to the special screening of the season’s first two episodes, followed by an afterparty at the hotel’s restaurant Ardor. Conan O’Brien — Daniels’ long-time friend, fellow Harvard alum and former SNL co-worker — was also in attendance, along with The Office star Angela Kinsey. 

“I’ve watched The Office 900,000 times,” said Zainab Johnson, who plays Aleesha on the show. “Too many times — to the point that when we did our table read at Paramount Studios, I’m sitting at the table with [Greg] and [executive producer Howard Klein], and I’m giving word-for-word lines from the show.”

“I’m obviously surprised that it has gotten so relevant,” said Daniels, in regard to the revived popularity of his hits like The Office and Parks and Recreation, thanks to their availability on streaming services. “It’s super gratifying. Netflix and Amazon, all the streamers are great platforms to show you stuff that you used to have to watch at 6 p.m. during dinner, but now they have it. And it all looks just as fresh as anything else. I think it really helps shows that have arcs, which is what The Office and Parks have, as well as Upload and Space Force.”

“We really just want the funniest show possible,” said Owen Daniels, who works as a writer on Upload, in addition to starring as A.I. Guy on the show. He’s also Greg Daniels’ son. 

“We’re very comfortable talking to each other,” Daniels said of working with his dad. “If he doesn’t like something, he’ll really tell me. But then we kind of have to be very polite, but because we’re like, ‘Oh, maybe they don’t know if we’re joking or not.’” He continued, “He’s the best mentor ever and he’s really smart, and it pisses me off.”

The show’s leading man Robbie Amell, who plays Nathan, was also in attendance with his own father on the red carpet. “Last night, I took [my dad] to the [show’s] billboard across the street. I took a picture of him taking a picture of the billboard, and it’s just one of those moments I’ll never forget,” he told THR. As for seeing himself on billboards throughout Los Angeles, the actor confirmed that “it’ll never not be weird.”

In regard to future seasons of the show, Amell hinted that the last episode of season two leaves audiences on a major cliffhanger. “I think Greg did such a great job of furthering the storylines from season one,” Amell said of what’s to come in the series. “I think that he really took what people loved about the first season and just kind of pushed it a little more.”

“[Greg is] as successful as anyone in the business and he’s still so collaborative,” Amell added about working with Daniels. “If anybody has anything funnier, which is rare because he’s such a genius, he’s all for it. There’s no ego. It makes my job a lot easier when I have his words to say.”

Upload season two starts streaming on Amazon on Friday.