‘The Drew Barrymore Show’: Clive Owen Reveals Why He Felt “Out Of My Depth” When He Appeared On ‘Curb Your Enthusiasm’

Working on Larry David‘s long-running (and improv-heavy) sitcom Curb Your Enthusiasm can be intimidating, according to actor Clive Owen, who guest-starred on a 2020 episode.

Despite being an Academy Award-nominated actor, Owen told Drew Barrymore that he felt “out of [his] depth” when he appeared as himself in the hit series.

“I walked into a dinner scene and there was, you know, the whole group of them and I felt so out of my depth because they’re so good,” he said on this morning’s episode of The Drew Barrymore Show. “And they’re so good at improvising.”

When Barrymore pressed for more about the improv aspect of the show, Owen confirmed that you “don’t get a script” — just an outline of the scene.

“When they get going, you just have to sit,” he said. “I thought the safest thing to do was just be the straight guy. Do it as straight as you can. Don’t try to be funny against these heavyweights.”

Still, Owen said the experience was the “highlight” of his career, adding that he’s the “biggest fan of the show, of all the people in it, and of” David.

“He’s kind of brilliant,” he said of the show creator, actor and writer. “He’s kind of like the show.”

Curb Your Enthusiasm first premiered on HBO in October 2000. It follows the Seinfeld creator as a fictionalized version of himself — a television writer and producer living in Los Angeles. Aside from David, the sitcom also stars Cheryl Hines and Jeff Garlin — and often welcomes a number of celebrities as guest stars.

Since its inception, the series has been nominated for more than 40 Primetime Emmy Awards and won the 2002 Golden Globe Award for Best Television Series — Musical or Comedy. 

While the show took a pause after its eighth season in 2011, it picked back up in 2017. The 12th and final season is set to premiere on Feb. 4, 2024.

The Drew Barrymore Show airs on weekdays on CBS. You can check the website for local airtimes.