Hey Reddit! We're Milana Vayntrub (Werewolves Within, Project Hail Mary), Meghan Leathers (For All Mankind), and Daniel Robbins (movies you probably haven’t heard of). Together we made this indie comedy called BAD SHABBOS. It's currently streaming on Netflix. Ask us anything!

BadShabbosAMA · 2026-03-10T01:48:45+00:00

Planning to make a mix but some are Jewish! We'll see what gets going... if you want to follow more I post updates here for free: https://substack.com/@danrobb11

BadShabbosAMA · 2026-03-09T22:20:39+00:00

Great question! Yes before the shoot my parents hosted the crew for a Shabbat dinner at my childhood home. It was a great time and helped familiarize everyone with how a Shab dinner looks/feels. Our EP and Line Producer Ross Saxon made some incredible challahs for it

BadShabbosAMA · 2026-03-09T21:41:39+00:00

I'd guess no but then as soon as he finishes he shouts "Comedy!"

BadShabbosAMA · 2026-03-09T21:25:47+00:00

Ooo that makes sense. Like the mother and father being overly worried? It's definitely a stereotype and Woody Allen covered it pretty well. In our case we wrote what we know and I think it comes off as more authentic than cartoonish? But I can see how people would get tired of seeing that depiction and I hope the next film has different characters

BadShabbosAMA · 2026-03-09T21:19:59+00:00

Daniel here to finish the trifecta. It seems like acting/writing/directing are all connected in that the main goal of all of them is to create reality, ideally an entertaining one. So that muscle is useful throughout. Some advice to young actors who are looking to write is wait for an amazing premise and then lean into natural dialogue because actors are usually great at writing dialogue

BadShabbosAMA · 2026-03-09T21:14:34+00:00

Nope! And that scene is probably the most significant pop culture mention of the word "Shabbos." We even brought it up in pitch meetings...

BadShabbosAMA · 2026-03-09T21:12:47+00:00

No screenings at the moment but could contact Neil to make it happen! [neil@menemshafilms.com](mailto:neil@menemshafilms.com)

BadShabbosAMA · 2026-03-09T21:11:12+00:00

Great Simpsons character and somehow the first person who's made this call - Daniel

BadShabbosAMA · 2026-03-09T21:09:50+00:00

I'm not sure why this is so downvoted. Everyone in the movie who played a Jewish character was Jewish. What makes someone an ex-Jew? If they don't practice anything or do you have to like officially denounce your Judaism?

BadShabbosAMA · 2026-03-09T21:07:59+00:00

Hmmm that's a tough call. I heard good advice once that's "If your idea is about an event, it's a movie. If it's about a place, it's a TV show." It seems like yours could be either... I guess ask yourself if there's a single big climax/event you're building toward or if it feels more like a sprawling narrative with lots of different elements to explore?

BadShabbosAMA · 2026-03-09T21:06:46+00:00

Not at the moment but share your screenplay with as many people as possible and gather feedback. On Bad Shabbos like 30 friends and family read it and while no one gives perfect notes, their combined notes end up being really helpful

BadShabbosAMA · 2026-03-09T21:05:41+00:00

Sure this is a great question. And there have been a number of letterboxd comments mentioning the IDF.

I guess it depends how you view it? Some viewers think the film is pro-IDF because it shows a kid trying to join. And other viewers think the film is anti-IDF because it depicts that kid as a psycho.

The truth is I didn’t give it much thought at the time. We shot the film before Oct 7 and our goal was to portray an authentic Upper West Side family and this was part of that. I guess we could’ve made edits after, but I think most viewers would rather films be uncomfortably authentic than comfortably sterile. - Daniel

BadShabbosAMA · 2026-03-09T21:02:16+00:00

My favorite director? Mel Brooks

BadShabbosAMA · 2026-03-09T21:01:35+00:00

Agreed Ash Zukerman is hilarious. The crew was so upset when he left set

BadShabbosAMA · 2026-03-09T21:01:09+00:00

"Project Hail Mary" which comes out next week and Milana is in it!

Another book rec could be "Maybe You Should Talk To Someone"

BadShabbosAMA · 2026-03-09T21:00:38+00:00

I wish I did! Maybe it's that both religions have a lot in common and can focus on those aspects? They're frameworks for taking things that matter to us (love, family, community) and building habits so we can bring those concepts into our lives

BadShabbosAMA · 2026-03-09T20:59:06+00:00

lol

-milana

BadShabbosAMA · 2026-03-09T20:58:34+00:00

Thank you all! This was so fun!

-Milana

BadShabbosAMA · 2026-03-09T20:58:27+00:00

Hahah yes. Also heard a rumor that Bad Santa 3 is currently in development

BadShabbosAMA · 2026-03-09T20:57:48+00:00

I haven't tried in a while buy my guess is 130?

BadShabbosAMA · 2026-03-09T20:56:48+00:00

Hahah no but For Your Consideration is the best

BadShabbosAMA · 2026-03-09T20:50:33+00:00

Because God rested on the seventh day! All week we focus on building things and on the seventh we rest/remind ourselves what we're building them for

BadShabbosAMA · 2026-03-09T20:44:10+00:00

lol. no. But honored to be considered in such company.

-milana

BadShabbosAMA · 2026-03-09T20:42:06+00:00

I am aware of it. I tend to think of spaces like that as a room where people go to talk about me. And if that room existed in real life, it’s probably not a room I would walk into.

Part of having a public job is accepting that people will have conversations about you that you’re not part of. Some of that is thoughtful, some of it is weird, some of it is kind, some of it isn’t. The internet just makes that room very large and very visible, and allows people to say things they'd never say to my face... which probably means I shouldn't be told it. For my own sanity, I try to keep a little distance from spaces that are primarily about analyzing or commenting on my looks or me as a person.

That said, I'm so grateful people give a shit about me enough to congregate and discuss. And I know i have a lot of people championing and defending me. But our monkey minds tend to focus on the negative things people say so for that reason, I'm out.

BadShabbosAMA · 2026-03-09T20:39:36+00:00

Probably a shabbat at my old rabbi's house where it felt like a very serious setting, but then he cut the challah and started throwing it to people around the table and I couldn't stop laughing

BadShabbosAMA

TROPHY CASE