Sarah Silverman Talks 'I Smile Back' Film, Depression & More With Howard Stern

Empty Lighthouse is a reader-supported site. This article may contain affiliate links to Amazon and other sites. We earn a commission on purchases made through these links.

Critics are raving about Sarah Silverman's role in I Smile Back and she stops by the Howard Stern Show to talk about the film, how she got the role, depression and much more.

Stern says that Silverman got the role in I Smile Back because the author of the book heard her on his show and wanted her for the role, according to MarksFriggin.

"Howard is a busy man and she doesn't waste her emails to him," according to the report.

"Howard said Amy Schumer came to him before the movie came out telling him that Judd Apatow had heard her on the show and wanted to do a movie with her."

Silverman downplays her role in terms of the effect that it can have on her potentially winning a Golden Globe or Oscar. Instead she said that a Spirit award might be more fitting.

"Howard asked if she stayed in character during the filming of the movie. Howard said that's what the director said," according to the report.

"Howard said she must have thought that was crazy. Sarah said she didn't do that. She said it's not easy for her to access her emotions. She said she had to get them to do this.

She said she thought she could have a good time during scenes but she had to act out. Howard said to play a depressed person she has to stay in the depressed mode.

Sarah said it wasn't a choice. She said she's not an old salt at acting."

Silverman was reportedly offered a job on Mad Men and also turned down the script for Bridesmaids, though she did say that she loved the movie.

She told Stern that she likes dramas and further on discussed the fact that she was depressed as a teenager.

"Howard said that Sarah was depressed when she was like 13 years old and they put her on Xanax," according to MarksFriggin.

"Sarah said that she went to a doctor who had her taking 4 Xanax 4 times a day. She said this woman should be in jail for that."

Silverman admits that she still takes a Zoloft a day and likes to smoke weed, however, she doesn't smoke it as much as people would think. While she remains vocal about it, she says she does not smoke everyday.

Over the course of the show, Stern alluded to a "new Sarah" and believed that she was morphing. The interview continued as Stern and Silverman joked about how she was jealous of his relationship with Jimmy Kimmel, who sat in on the majority of Stern's show last week.

Silverman was very open about her depression and from her demeanor, you would never believe that she was battling with it which is pretty commendable. You can read the full interview here.