How Richard Lewis Felt About Curb Your Enthusiasm Using His Real Name
One of the more fascinating aspects of "Curb Your Enthusiasm" is just how much of its recurring cast is playing themselves. Ted Danson plays Ted Danson, Cheryl Hines plays Cheryl Hines. Even when the actors are playing completely fictional characters, they still often keep the same name: Jeff Garlin plays Jeff Greene, for instance, just as Susie Essman plays Susie Greene. The result is a strange blend of fiction and reality. Logically, we know that Lin Manuel-Miranda is not actually a petty guy who gets in literal duels like his "Hamilton" main character, but a lot of the humor in his storyline is based in the idea that this is indeed what he's like in real life.
For Larry David, he's often remarked that this approach gives him a strange kind of freedom; he can do all the petty things he wants to do in real life, but now the consequences of such behavior don't extend beyond the set. For Richard Lewis, who has tragically passed away at 76 due to a fatal heart attack, playing "himself" had a different feeling to it. As he explained in a recent Vanity Fair interview:
"I'm different than Larry on this note. I don't really see a difference with me on screen, except for an occasional time when I might be a little harsher than I might be in general. Generally speaking, though, I'm myself."
All Larry's idea
When asked how the decision to have Lewis play himself came about, he explained, "[Larry] came over to my house, and he said he wanted me to play myself. He wanted to have this relationship." It's a decision that seems in line with the general rules of the series: the more closely connected the actor is with Larry in real life, the more likely they are to be playing themself. It seems, from Larry's perspective, it'd simply be too weird to be acting alongside a version of Richard Lewis who he must pretend isn't his life-long friend.
"It's spectacularly unique to be able to be in a scene where other actors are not themselves and I'm myself," Lewis continued. "It's a strange feeling." Strangeness aside, Lewis always seemed happy to give audiences these little exaggerated glimpses into his friendship with Larry David. They've known each other since they were 12 years old, Lewis has confirmed, which helped the two to be as petty and honest with each other as only long-time friends can truly be. "He knows the buttons I have emotionally," he said in a 2023 interview. "When he teases me on his show, it's exactly what he'll do in real life."
Despite their many grudges over the years, Lewis maintained to the end that he was honored to be Larry's occasionally-antagonistic friend, be it on or off the camera. "Hard to believe we started in 2000," Lewis tweeted after filming his final scene on "Curb" last year. "The cast and crew all knew we were working for a genius. When that rarity happens, no one ever takes a moment for granted. We love you LD."