‘I had to wear all those pleated clothes’

Kaley Cuoco and Chris Messina are back for a second season of Peacock’s Based on a true story, a darkly comedic thriller series that skewers pop culture’s obsession with true crime.

They star as new parents who, three months after welcoming a child, return to work – Ava in real estate and Nathan in giving private tennis lessons – but they have a renewed interest in investigating a series of local murders.

Cuoco and Messina spoke to Yahoo Entertainment about what the new season has to offer, from Ava defending her love of true crime to the couple attending a sex party (as part of an investigation, of course).

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Kaley, I know you and your character Ava share a passion for true crime. This season she has to defend her passion – have you ever had to do that?

Kaley Cuoco: Yes, to Chris [Messina]. My passion for true crime and murder – that’s one of the things that initially drew me to the show years ago. It checks so many boxes, and I laughed because I thought, “I am this person!” I watch true crime shows when I go to sleep. I have them in my ear. I listen to it on my drive to work. I have had to defend them to my partner Tom, who sees me watching these programs as I go to sleep. He thinks there is something wrong with me mentally. He says, ‘You shouldn’t go to sleep at these scary shows! But I love it. It actually calms me down. That’s how I understand Ava, that obsession. It’s also a way to escape your own life for an hour. So many normal people make really crazy decisions and do crazy things, so it’s very believable that this kind of thing – oh! I gotta tell you, that’s the first bad word I’ve said all day.

I am honored.

Cuoco: Thank you. You should be honored. That’s the first curse word of the day. I’m so proud of myself. Well, damn. Let’s just keep going. [Laughter] Balls to the wall. Okay, no, stop. Beep beep.

Cuoco and Chis Messina, together: Beep beep beep beep!

Cuoco (to Messina): Anyway, you’re talking now.

Messina: What were we talking about?

Cuoco: But don’t swear.

Chris, what are your thoughts on true crime? Does it not bother you, or do you find it strange or uninteresting?

Messina: No, not at all. It’s not weird. I think I’m just panicking in life and I don’t need fear anymore. But I can totally understand why other people are interested in it. I watched it and became addicted to the thought, “Maybe this will help me if I’m ever in a bad situation.”

Chris, I know your character, Nathan, will be teaching tennis again this season. Tennis is currently having a huge cultural moment, thanks in part to… Challengers. Have you seen that movie?

Messina: I loved it. Yes. I love those actors. Josh O’Connor. I love that guy. I have the bug of playing. Last season I took classes before the show, and this season I took classes throughout the show. Yesterday I took another lesson. I fell in love with it. However, Kaley is the true tennis pro. She’s a bad guy.

Cuoco: I grew up playing, so I appreciate the sport too. It’s great because you can play at all ages. It’s social, it’s good exercise, it’s mostly outside. I understand why it takes a while. Pickleball is having a moment too! This is cliche and obvious, but standing on the tennis court and having everything locked down, and focused on getting the ball over the net — it’s very zen.

That’s it. I have to say, the fact that Ava and Nathan are going to a sex party this season is in the trailerand it really stands out.

Cuoco: Why don’t we talk about the sex party anymore?

Messina: You were the first to bring this up.

Cuoco: Nobody cares. You were the first to bring this up. And the first curse word. This is a very special interview.

Messina: This is it.

Can you talk about what happens in that scene for people who haven’t seen the fourth episode yet?

Cuoco: Well, we got sexy. I was really sick that day. Do you remember that?

Messina: No, you had a neck problem.

Cuoco: Oh, that’s right. I couldn’t move.

Messina: Yes. You weren’t much fun.

Cuoco: Well, it wasn’t easy. I had to wear all those pleated clothes.

Messina: Why did Are we going to that sex party?

Cuoco: To investigate!

Messina: Well, I guess we’re trying to spice things up.

Cuoco: He has no idea I’m trying to get back on the research train – Ms. Nancy Drew – so he says, “She wants to go to this sex party, this is great!” But I have ulterior motives.

Messina: They actually did a very authentic sex party scene, so I didn’t feel like looking around.

Cuoco (jokingly): Chris has been there a lot, so he knew how to prepare.

Messina: I helped them. But you couldn’t look anywhere because everywhere you looked there was a naked part.

Cuoco: Yes. Chris just walked around with his eyes closed.

Messina: I did most of it this way. [Covers his eyes.] There were a lot of naked people.

All eight episodes of Based on a true story Season 2 is now streaming on Peacock.