Alison Brie Says She Fell in Love Again Working With Husband Dave Franco on “Somebody I Used to Know”

Not only are Alison Brie and Dave Franco a happily married couple of nearly six years, but they’re also co-workers. Besides supporting one another in their personal lives, the actors have quite the track record of successful films that they’ve collaborated on in their professional lives. Their latest movie that they co-wrote in 2020, the romantic comedy Somebody That I Used to Know—which will premiere on Amazon’s Prime Video on February 10, 2023—stars Brie as the main character Ally, with Franco as the director.

In an interview with People, which was published on February 2, 2023, Brie reflected on her experience shooting the rom-com in 2021. The actress told the outlet that watching her husband behind the camera was a heartwarming experience that ignited the spark. "I’ve always known that he is an incredibly kind, genuine, curious person, but seeing him in action as a director and the way that he collaborates with the crew, it makes me fall in love with him every time—all over again,” she gushes. “I know it sounds so cheesy. He just really digs the collaboration element to filmmaking, and I think he brings out the best in everyone around him and then lets them also do their thing and lets them shine and take ownership of every department. It becomes such a great vibe on set.”

In Somebody I Used to Know, Brie’s character Ally is a reality television producer who returns to her hometown in Washington. While she’s back in town, she runs into her ex-boyfriend Sean, played by Jay Ellis. She starts developing feelings but realizes he’s engaged to Cassidy, played by Kiersey Clemons. Although the story sounds like a typical rom-com, the couple made sure to incorporate plenty of adult humor. “We have fun playing with rom-com tropes and try to take them someplace unexpected,” Brie explains. 

The idea for the movie took shape when the duo visited Franco’s family in Palo Alto, California before the pandemic. “We just sort of tossed around the idea about being back in your hometown and also about the one that got away and people’s amnesia when it comes to relationships and breakups and why those things happen,” she shares. A few months after that getaway, the pandemic hit, and the world went on lockdown. The actors used that time to write their script. After receiving feedback from friends and writing several drafts, they finally had the finished product. 

Now, the couple is co-writing their next project together. “I’m really fulfilled by the work that I’m doing,” Brie expresses. “I’m really happy in my marriage. This is a great moment in my life.” Brie and Franco first started their stint as colleagues in 2017—the same year they tied the knot—when they starred in The Little Hours and The Disaster together. Then, in 2020, Franco assumed the role of director while Brie acted in The Rental.