Popcorn With Peter Travers Season 10 Episode 55 Kumail Nanjiani, Emily V. Gordon On Their Real-life Love Story in 'The Big Sick'

In this episode of Popcorn with Peter Travers, Travers sits down with Kumail Nanjiani and Emily V. Gordon, the real-life couple behind the hit film "The Big Sick." The film, which Nanjiani co-wrote and starred in alongside Zoe Kazan, is based on the couple's own unconventional love story. Nanjiani and Gordon talk to Travers about the challenges of making a romantic comedy based on their own lives and the humor and heartbreak they experienced while trying to make their relationship work.

Nanjiani and Gordon met in Chicago while Nanjiani was performing stand-up comedy and Gordon was a therapist. Nanjiani, who is originally from Pakistan, was raised in a conservative Muslim family that expected him to marry someone within his own culture. But when he fell in love with Gordon, who is white and non-religious, he knew he would face tough opposition from his family. In "The Big Sick," Nanjiani plays a character based on himself who must navigate these cultural differences and ultimately win over Gordon's parents, played by Holly Hunter and Ray Romano.

Despite the film's heavy subject matter, Nanjiani and Gordon say they wanted to infuse it with humor and optimism. "The Big Sick" has been widely praised for its balance of comedy and drama, and Nanjiani and Gordon credit their own experiences as stand-up comedians for helping them find that balance. They talk to Travers about the challenge of making audiences laugh while also telling a serious story, and how they had to constantly recalibrate the tone of the film while writing and filming.

Throughout the interview, Nanjiani and Gordon are warm and engaging, clearly still in love after 10 years together. They discuss the ways in which their relationship has evolved since they first met, and how they've learned to compromise and work together through difficult circumstances. They also talk about their own experiences with illness and how those experiences influenced the film. Gordon was diagnosed with a rare autoimmune disease in 2010, and Nanjiani was her caregiver for months while she was in a medically induced coma. In "The Big Sick," Nanjiani's character goes through a similar experience when Gordon's character falls ill, and the couple talk about the ways in which their own story informed the film.

Overall, this episode of Popcorn with Peter Travers is a fascinating look into the making of "The Big Sick" and the real-life love story behind it. Nanjiani and Gordon are charming and insightful, and their story is both heartwarming and thought-provoking. Whether you're a fan of the film or just interested in the creative process behind it, this episode is well worth a watch.