Tina Fey talks Victoria Frankenstein at Epic Universe
Would Tina Fey want to portray Victoria Frankenstein at Universal Epic Universe? The multi-hyphenate entertainer talked in detail about Orlando theme parks on Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang’s podcast.
When Epic Universe opens at Universal Orlando Resort in 2025, the new theme park will include Dark Universe as one of its five worlds. The area will be themed to the Universal Classic Monsters franchise.
In an official announcement in January, Universal said Dark Universe will be where “guests encounter everything from the experiments of Dr. Victoria Frankenstein to the shadowy landscape where monsters roam in a world of myth and mystery.”
Last month, Tina Fey appeared on the podcast “Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang.” Seeing as both Fey and Yang work frequently with NBCUniversal, Yang asked Fey her thoughts about Epic Universe.
The conversation quickly evolved into a deep dive on not only Epic Universe, but theme parks at large.
Disney is “SNL” to Universal’s “Mad TV,” Fey Says
“Listen, I’m gonna check it out,” Fey said of Epic Universe.
At the end of the day, though, she thinks Walt Disney World Resort down the road will remain the top dog in Orlando. Fey compared the destinations to two sketch comedy shows: If Disney World is “Saturday Night Live,” Universal Orlando is “Mad TV.” In other words, both may serve similar purposes, but Disney may always have the upper hand in being the industry leader.
“My gut instinct is: Oh, honey, it’s ‘SNL’/‘Mad TV,’” Fey continued. “The tastemaker at the core defines the thing. Walt Disney—”
“—is Lorne,” Yang completed the sentence, referring to Lorne Michaels, “SNL” creator. In the defense of “Mad TV,” though, Yang remarked, “We like ‘Mad TV.’”
“And there are amazing things at ‘Mad TV,'” Fey continued, “and amazing, hilarious people came out of ‘Mad TV,’ but there just wasn’t that unifying core taste.”
Fan-casting Tina Fey as Victoria Frankenstein
Rogers presented a counterpoint.
“What if I told you … there’s gonna be a Frankenstein ride and the star of the pre-show is Victoria Frankenstein, the great-granddaughter of Dr. Victor Frankenstein?”
While Universal hasn’t revealed if Victoria Frankenstein will be in a ride’s pre-show specifically, the new character will be a focal point of the land’s backstory.
Rogers’ idea, along with Fey and Yang’s subsequent discourse, displays a well-informed knowledge about Orlando parks. These aren’t the words of casual tourists. Every person in the conversation is clearly a theme park stan.
“Universal’s trying to use that Universal Monsters catalogue in fun ways, and I’m enjoying that,” Fey said.
“If you went in there and said, ‘I’ll play Dr. Victoria Frankenstein,'” Rogers proposed to Fey, “first of all, you’d book it immediately.”
“Performing every day!” Yang exclaimed. In this imagined scenario, Fey would presumably be a live performer in the park, rather than an actor in a prerecorded video. “You wouldn’t even do the pre-show?”
“Listen, in my heart of hearts,” Fey replied, “am I holding out for a Disney queue? Of course.”
Photo by bioreconstruct
Fey said she once pitched to her Disney World tour guide the idea of herself and Amy Poehler portraying Sarah Palin and Hillary Clinton, respectively, in The Hall of Presidents.
For what it’s worth, starring in a Universal attraction doesn’t necessarily negate the ability to also appear in a Disney one, or vice versa. Just ask Chris Pratt, who features prominently in both resorts’ arguably highest-profile new attractions. Pratt stars in Jurassic World VelociCoaster for Universal and Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind for Disney.
Photo by bioreconstruct
Fan-casting Bowen Yang in Avatar Flight of Passage
Speaking of Cosmic Rewind, Fey, Rogers, and Yang all love the Epcot roller coaster. Yang said he rode the attraction no less than seven times in a row on a recent visit, which Fey noted “is not medically advisable.”
Rogers then turned the tables and fan-casted Yang in an Orlando pre-show role: Dr. Stevens in the Avatar Flight of Passage pre-show at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park. You may know Dr. Stevens as the character who informs you about linking with your Ikran, so that you can connect with the beauty of Pandora “and, uh, fly.”
Photo by Attractions Magazine
“100%,” Fey emphatically agreed with the idea.
“You have the scientific gravitas to carry that pre-show through,” Rogers told Yang.
“I don’t want us to fully raise a middle finger to that guy, though,” Yang replied.
The Disney Relationship
Fey, Rogers, and Yang summed up their conversation by divulging a new “rule of culture,” the podcast’s signature term of culturally important colloquialisms.
“Rule of culture #88: The Disney relationship is a special relationship.”
Fey’s Disney résumé includes starring as Nadia the prison guard in 2014’s “Muppets Most Wanted,” narrating the 2015 Disneynature film “Monkey Kingdom,” and voicing 22 in the 2020 Pixar movie “Soul.” She also starred in last year’s “A Haunting In Venice” with the Disney-owned 20th Century Studios.
Rogers and Yang co-starred in 2022’s “Fire Island” for Disney’s Searchlight Pictures.
Yang also voiced night guard Roni in 2022’s “Night at the Museum: Kahmunrah Rises Again” and portrayed Jafar from “Aladdin” on “Saturday Night Live.” Stopping by the Weekend Update desk in 2023, Jafar shared his thoughts about the ongoing arguments between Disney executives and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis about LGBTQIA+ legislation.
Epic Universe is No Longer a Niche Topic
The “Las Culturistas” Epic Universe conversation underscores that the new park is no longer a niche subject matter. For over four years, Epic Universe remained mostly discussed among theme park communities. Now it’s on the radar of celebrities as renowned as Tina Fey. Before long, the park will welcome its first guests and become part of the zeitgeist of American vacation destinations.
Watch or listen to the full “Las Culturistas” episode below. The theme park convo begins around nine minutes into the YouTube version and about 10.5 minutes into the Spotify version.
To geek out over Epic Universe alongside Fey, Rogers, and Yang, check out Universal’s announcement video and our breakdown of Epic Universe details.
