Strong bonds can sometimes form among cast members and extend well beyond the show’s run. Alison Brie, best known for her role in Community, shared with PEOPLE that she and her former castmates remain close, maintaining their connection through a group text.
“We’re always messaging one another. It’s the whole main group,” Brie, now 41, revealed. The chat is aptly named “Greendale,” after the fictional community college from the show.
She described the group’s messages as primarily revolving around birthdays and career milestones, saying, “Most of the time, it’s a ‘Happy Birthday’ thread, and the next most common thing is ‘Congrats on your new job!’”
Alison Brie reveals the Community cast stays connected through a group chat named “Greendale”
Brie explained that the cast — which includes Donald Glover, Ken Jeong, Joel McHale, Yvette Nicole Brown, Danny Pudi, and Gillian Jacobs — also shares humorous memes and updates whenever they meet up. “Two of us will go on a hike, and then we’ll text everyone, ‘Love you guys,’ and suddenly there’s a flood of messages like, ‘Why aren’t we all there?’”
Watching her former co-stars achieve success has been a meaningful experience for Brie. “It’s amazing. Honestly, it brings me so much pride,” she said, adding that the connections they built feel like family. “We genuinely care about each other and support one another through everything. It’s been a joy to see everyone grow.”
The years on the Community set hold fond memories for Brie, who admitted to feeling nostalgic for that time. The series premiered in 2009, long before Donald Glover’s rise to fame as Childish Gambino. Brie recalled listening to Glover’s early music while they were filming. “We’d hear his songs and think, ‘Oh wow, you’re really serious about this music thing,’” she said with a laugh.
Brie’s playful side hasn’t changed much over the years. “One of my favorite things back then was rapping Donald’s lyrics to him just to make him cringe,” she joked. “And honestly, I still enjoy doing that.”
Her pride extends to all her castmates. “It’s been great seeing Joel and Gillian on The Bear,” she said. “Watching them step into these different roles has been so fun, and they’re all such good people. It makes me really happy to see them thriving.”
Brie is also preparing to reunite with her former co-stars for a Community movie. After years of speculation, NBC announced in 2022 that the project would be coming to Peacock, fulfilling the fan-driven slogan, #SixSeasonsAndAMovie. Joel McHale confirmed in a July interview with GQ that the film is fully funded, though production won’t begin until 2025 due to scheduling conflicts. (Chevy Chase will not be part of the film.)
Yvette Nicole Brown recently provided an update to The Wrap. “We’ve all read the complete script, so it’s definitely real,” she shared. The actress mentioned that delays were partly caused by the 2023 strike and that organizing everyone’s schedules remains a challenge. “But it’s happening. We’re all on board, and the movie will get made,” she assured fans.
