From the brilliant mind of Ramy Youssef comes #1 Happy Family USA, a bold and irreverent adult-animated series that turns paranoia on its head.
Centered around the Husseins – a relentlessly cheerful, hyper-patriotic, and comically “definitely-not-suspicious” Muslim family in a jittery, post-9/11 “Amreeka” – the show leans into absurdity and satire to explore themes of identity, surveillance, and what it means to be seen as “other” during a turbulent time in American history as they navigate the prejudices of their suburban neighborhood.
In addition to Youssef, the series stars the ensemble cast of Alia Shawkat, Mandy Moore, Timothy Olyphant, Kieran Culkin, Salma Hindy, Randa Jarrar, Chris Redd, Akaash Singh, Paul Elia, and Whitmer Thomas.
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#1 Happy Family USA is now streaming on Prime Video, and Instinct recently had the opportunity to sit down with Shawkat, along with co-creator Pam Brady and executive producer Mona Chalabi, to dive into the heart behind the hilarity.
In the conversation, Shawkat shares what initially drew her to this project and how she crafted the voice and layered personality of her character, Mona Hussein. She also reflects on how #1 Happy Family USA fits within her diverse and unconventional body of work, discusses Mona’s nuanced engagement with queer identity, and explores how the series pushes the needle forward when it comes to authentic and inclusive representation.
Meanwhile, Brady opens up about what compelled her to be part of such a provocative story, comparing its tone and ambition to her past work on South Park and Lady Dynamite, while Chalabi offers insight into how her background in data journalism and visual storytelling helped shape her approach as executive producer. The pair also touch on the delicate balance between humor and cultural sensitivity, the core values embedded in the Husseins’ story, and the kinds of meaningful conversations they hope the series sparks in today’s sociopolitical landscape.
Check out the full video interviews below.
