Yes, Also Yes, Also - Jeff Hiller
Mar 17, 2026
Jeff Hiller, veteran improviser and Emmy-winning actor and author, shares stories from UCB and musical improv. He discusses winning an Emmy, risking big career moves, the power of object work, making bold character choices fast, reframing politeness to participate, and favorite exercises to force emotion and specificity.
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Basement Improv To An Emmy Win
- Jeff described going from doing countless unpaid improv shows to unexpectedly winning an Emmy after Somebody Somewhere, framing it as a product of long persistence and luck.
- He credits timing and visibility (his book release and podcast appearances) for getting noticed during Emmy voting, calling the win "crazy luck."
How An Accidental Audition Changed Everything
- Jeff told how he discovered improv in Denver after reluctantly attending a friend's audition and surprising himself by being good at it on the spot.
- That success led him to fly to Chicago for a Second City audition, then enroll at UCB instead and move to New York in 2001 to pursue improv.
Creep Team Turned Quirk Into A Strength
- Jeff described his UCB teams Police Chief Rumble and Creep; the latter organically became a theatrical, musical-theater-obsessed group who leaned into show tunes and choreography.
- Coach Billy Merritt encouraged exploiting that "unique sauce," leading to theatrical edits, dance routines, and themed openings like Rent night.
