Stephanie Koenig is smart, down to earth, naturally beautiful and gifted artist who wants nothing more than to be sure everyone gets a dose of the best medicine there is….laughter. she is bringing smiles to many faces starring as History teacher Gwen Sanders in season 2 English Teacher on FX. we met up at our Brooklyn studio where Stephanie stepped into a few sweaters by designer Rachel Antonoff and proceeded to leap and twirl (as a longtime dancer does) across our rooftop. so scroll on down and check her in action plus a few words on her character, costars, creating with her husband, family humor history, ginger haircare, the bare essential that prevents breakouts and the all important laugh attacks.

the bare magazine: can you share some of your favorite highlights of season 2 and what you love about your character in it?

Stephanie Koenig: I really hope season 2 makes people laugh even more than season 1. The students from last season are back and so funny and there are some new students that really crack me up. A highlight for me that stands out was a stunt I did. Season 1 had a great Gwen stunt, so we had to step it up with another one. I had to slam into someone, holding a bunch of things, and tumble down on the ground. It sounds easy, but it had to be funny, and we had to do it in one take. With my dance background, and our stunt coordinator Elizabeth, I was confident that we could make it happen and overall, I think what we did really worked.

My character gets to do a lot of funny stuff this season. There are a couple scenes throughout the season where Gwen is basically in a horror movie, while everyone else is in a TV show.

bare: what do you think is the winning formula that makes the show such a hit?

SK: I love hearing that it’s a hit; there’s a lot of components to what makes a show great — Good writing, good cast, good crew, good directing, good leaders, good network. Good vibe on set. We have all those elements in spades. We’re super lucky.

I think the added ingredient we have is that each step of the way, in the writers room, on set, in ADR, in the editing, there’s a freedom and flexibility to try everything and anything and the best moment/joke will always come through. There’s never a wrong choice or any judgement about a joke you make. It feels very safe. Or maybe it’s none of these reasons and it’s just the fact that we have a lot of dogs on set.

bare: share a few words that pop in your head about your costars?

SK:

Sean Patton: Kind. Generous. His brain does back flips around jokes.

Brian Jordan Alvarez: Inspires others to do their best work. Insanely funny.

Enrico Collantoni: Huge heart. Leader. Still a little kid at theater camp.

Carmen Christopher: Best alternate jokes. Makes the crew break.

bare: did you grow up around family/friends that had a great sense of humor? in what way is laughter important to you in your real life?

SK: Yes. The Koenig family is stupid funny, and my friends make me howl with laughter. I have so many cousins, aunts and uncles, and my grandma and grandpa were hilarious. When I picture my family, I just picture their scrunched-up faces in tears laughing.

My dad is funny in a way he’s barely aware of it, and my mom is funny in a witty way. I feel lucky to have had them as parents. They always put an importance on making everyone laugh. Laughing attacks are like a drug to me.

bare: you and your husband are so creative and talented... has that been a plus in making your bond thrive?

SK: Yes. I love my husband so much and we work very well together. We get giddy working together, like it’s summer camp. He inspires me so much and I hope I do the same for him. There’s an instant comfort I get when he’s on set. I feel seen and taken care of. I can also always ask him if I have something in my teeth or if I smell.

bare: we had a blast shooting on our brooklyn rooftop! is it true you have a dancer background? the leaps and poses were divine!

SK: We did have a blast and I do have a dancer background! I grew up competitive dancing from age four until I graduated high school. My dance teacher would probably disagree with you that my leaps were divine. I lost all of my flexibility but, I can still do a triple turn.

bare: on to your flaming, gorgeous red hair! tell us your routine, products, do you have a go-to stylist? what do you love about being a ginger?

SK: It is flaming, thank you. I usually go to Yukari Yokomizo in West Hollywood for cut and color, but I’ve been traveling so much lately that I often have to do the color myself. I will often highlight it myself too. That’s usually a bold move and I don’t recommend it.

But I’ll tell you how I do it. For the color, I’ll go on sleekshop.com or some similar website and buy these products: 7kg Goldwell, 7cc and 8cc in Shades EQ, or a 7-40,7cc Loreal Dia Richesse. I also buy powder bleach and a 20 volume developer. The 7cc and 8cc Shades EQ mixes with a developer and I do an overall blend. When I’m feeling crazy, I’ll add a little bit of bleach powder into those colors. Start with the bottom roots and go to the top, brush the roots through and then mix it all in. Wait 20 minutes. Wash out. Boom.

I also bought a highlight brush, that pieces out tiny bits of hair, I’ll sometimes just like mix color with bleach and say a prayer. I don’t recommend doing any of this, go see a professional.