'Bumblebee' 's Stephen Schneider Reveals He Hilariously Prank Texted Pamela Adlon As Steven Spielberg

Stephen Schneider reveals how he and Bumblebee costar Pamela Adlon bonded over a practical joke

Published on January 9, 2019 09:30 AM

After arriving on the set of Transformers prequel Bumblebee, actor Stephen Schneider instantly hit it off with costar Pamela Adlon.

“We became buddies. After the table read she gave me her phone number so we could connect off-set,” Schneider tells PEOPLE exclusively of his friendship with the Better Things actress. “Later that day I texted her — she didn’t have my number. I texted her, ‘Hey Pam, Just wanted to let you know, I just watched the table read via satellite, you were phenomenal. Also, I’m a huge fan of your show. This is Steven Spielberg.’”

At first Adlon didn’t realize she was being pranked and Schneider kept impersonating the legendary director.

“She’s like, ‘Oh my God!’ I go, ‘Yeah, I’m making another movie and I think I have a part you’re perfect for. It’s called ET 2, and I think you’d fit perfectly in the suit.’ And she’s like, ‘SCHNEIDER,’ he adds.

Ultimately the joke brought the pair closer together and Schneider says, “That was really the foray into our friendship. We spent a lot of time working together on set. She’s so freaking funny, and I just had a blast with her.”

The Broad City actor admits working with such an amazing cast was one of the best things about making the film, which was released last month.

The film stars Hailee Steinfeld and John Cena and the popular yellow Transformers robot who is on the run in 1987. Bumblebee seeks refuge in a California junkyard and Steinfeld’s character Charlie discovers him and seeks to revive the hero who can transform into a yellow Volkswagen bug.

Schneider was particularly impressed by Steinfeld, who he calls a “phenomenal” actress.

“This girl was nominated for an Academy Award when she was a fetus. It was a cool opportunity to get to work with a great cast of people, and this girl is at the top of the list,” he says.

At the end of the day, he knows he can count on his wife, Jenn Proske, for support, even after a hilarious plotline on Broad City landed him with the nickname “Dildo Guy.”

“People come up to me constantly. I was at the airport and somebody shouted across the airport, ‘Hey, Dildo Guy,’ he says. “I immediately turned around and said, ‘Yeah, how can I help you?’ They’re like, ‘We love Broad City.’”

Proske doesn’t seem to mind her husband’s nickname and actually introduces him as ‘Dildo Guy.’

“She’s super supportive, always has been. I come from irreverent comedy and doing tons of weird stuff and sketches that are out there, so she knew what she’s was getting into when we got together and has always been super supportive,” he says.