Julia Louis-Dreyfus Isn't Sure Shows Like Seinfeld Or Veep Would Be Made Today

In the decades since she got her start in the entertainment world, Julia Louis-Dreyfus has become a television icon. While she has numerous notable credits to her name, most would agree that two small screen titles stand above all others: "Seinfeld" and "Veep." In the roles of Elaine Benes (who almost had a different name) and Selina Meyer, respectively, she entertained audiences with her comedic talent while elevating each show to the next level. Although, in her eyes, she wouldn't have gotten the opportunity to do so had these programs attempted to break into the modern TV landscape.

In January 2023, Louis-Dreyfus spoke with Variety about several aspects of her career up to that point. The conversation eventually strayed to "Seinfeld" and "Veep," which are two shows she isn't too sure would cut it these days. Louis-Dreyfus feels that the influx of streaming services has complicated the world of TV and that it's unlikely that HBO and NBC would be interested in such programs today. "All the comedy still holds up. Whether people would make it right now? I'm not sure," she said, admitting that she doesn't quite understand streaming herself.

Julia Louis-Dreyfus isn't wrong, streaming has certainly muddied the waters on the small screen. At the same time, one has to imagine that fans would love more "Seinfeld" and "Veep" episodes, but would she take part?

Overall, Julia Louis-Dreyfus has mixed feelings when it comes to potential revivals for "Seinfeld" and "Veep." As for the first of the two TV staples, she's stated that she's not that interested in returning to the role of Elaine Benes. "I don't want to sully it. It was pretty special, and it's been a long time now," she told Net-a-Porter in an April 2019 interview. She explains that "Seinfeld" was a special show, and she'd hate to return to it and totally mess it up, thus harming its pop culture legacy.

Meanwhile, when it comes to "Veep," Louis-Dreyfus is far more open to another batch of episodes. Although, when she spoke to Variety about the idea, she noted that we'd need a few years of political normalcy in the United States before giving it a shot. When asked if "Veep" — a political satire — were to return and tackle an episode lampooning the January 6, 2021 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, Louis-Dreyfus understandably expressed no desire to go that direction. "I don't know how to make that funny, especially when people lost their lives," she stated.

Thankfully, even if "Seinfeld" and "Veep" never return for one last ride, at least we can all look back on them with fondness — products of a much different time in TV history.