CHICAGO — A high school reunion becomes a murder mystery when one of the alumni, played by Dave Franco, ends up dead in the Apple TV+ comedic whodunit “The Afterparty,” which also stars Chicago native Ike Barinholtz as one of the possible suspects, a bruiser who was the big man on campus in his teenage heyday.
“He’s still basking in that afterglow and, like a lot of guys who peaked early, trying to pick up the pieces but still holding on to that swagger,” said Barinholtz. “I love the concept of a guy who has not let go of high school.” Who was Barinholtz in high school? “I would say I was popular but not cool, if that makes sense. I played sports, I did a little theater, I was on the 1994 Illinois State Championships Scholastic Bowls team, thank you very much. I went to Latin, over on North and Clark, and it’s a really small school — we only had 72 kids in our graduating class — so everyone kind of got along.”
Barinholtz’s credits include everything from “MADtv” to “The Mindy Project” to “Neighbors”. He’s a screenwriter as well, which makes sense considering he got his start as part of Chicago’s sketch and improv scene, wherein performers are also their own writers.
