Busy Philipps has the pandemic to thank for one thing: her latest role! The actress shared with Ryan Seacrest if it weren't for her sporadic, "pandemic brain" move to New York City, she wouldn't be cast in new comedy series Girls5eva.

Girls5eva is a hilarious new comedy series from executive producer Tina Fey about a pop group from the 1990s that tries to make a comeback. Busy stars in the series alongside Sara Bareilles, Renée Elise Goldsberry and Paula Pell.

"I don’t know how to explain it other than pandemic brain just did a number on everyone and when the fires started in Los Angeles in … September 2020 I couldn’t breathe, I was coughing a lot, my older kid has asthma and … we were looking on Airbnb and … because so many people had left New York City there was a lot of availabilities," Busy shared of why they made the decision to move from Los Angeles at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. "So we thought we'll just go for three weeks and … and then Tina Fey called me week two and offered me this TV show. … It was like crazy.”

Busy explained Tina and her are pals and have a work history together - her late-night talk show and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt - but because Tina had no idea she was living in NYC she didn't think it'd be possible to cast her.

"The timing of it was wild," she added. "She had DM’d me on Instagram and said, 'Wait, why are you guys in New York?' And I said it's a long story, Tina."

Watch back the full interview with Busy above for more and don't miss the premiere of Girls5eva on streaming platform Peacock.

Toby Knapp

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