In an industry where factual content often treads a fine line between education and entertainment, Polly Billam has mastered the alchemy of turning nature’s raw drama into gripping, emotionally charged narratives — with a dash of irreverent humour for good measure. A writer who seamlessly blends the wit of comedy with the depth of documentary storytelling, she’s the creative force behind some of the most captivating natural history series, including Nat Geo/Disney+’s Queens, a celebration of matriarchy in the animal kingdom, and Underdogs, a project that brought her into the orbit of Ryan Reynolds’ Maximum Effort.
From scripting Sir David Attenborough’s majestic musings to tailoring laughs for Paul Rudd and intensity for Tom Hardy, Polly’s voice is as versatile as it is distinctive, proving that even the wildest truths can be told with heart, humour and the occasional well-placed punchline. From one writer to another, Jessica Levitt sat down with Polly to talk creative process, collaborating with Hollywood’s funniest (and fiercest), and why the best stories – whether about animal matriarchs or A-listers – always start with a great hook.
Jessica Levitt: You sound like you all had a lot of fun on Underdogs…
Polly: It was a lot of fun. I once heard a famous UK film critic say that when actors and filmmakers call something “fun to make,” it usually means the movie is terrible. So hopefully, that’s not true of Underdogs. It was genuinely the most fun any of us on the production team has ever had on a project. They’re all fun for different reasons, but this one was a step above from beginning to end.
JL: I think one of the biggest misconceptions is that when work feels fun or light, it means less effort. But nailing that tone actually requires more critical thinking – am I right?
PB: Yeah, totally. It’s interesting you’re a writer too – thanks for asking about the show’s writing. These projects take years – three or four – in production. We were lucky Ryan [Reynolds] was attached from the start. There’d be no Underdogs without him – he was the only person we ever envisioned for it. From conception to filming to editing, we embedded his voice into every creative decision, working closely with his team at Maximum Effort. I researched relentlessly: all his films and TV ads. Writing for a specific voice is like learning a language – you immerse yourself until you think in it. But Ryan is a master improviser, so our scripts were more like source material.
JL: You’ve pre-empted my next question! Having written for Angela Bassett and David Attenborough, does your approach shift for someone like Ryan?
PB: Absolutely. It’s an honour writing for those voices, and I take it seriously. Ryan and his team were involved throughout. We even adjusted post-production to capture his riffing – re-cutting episodes around his final takes to ensure none of that gold was left behind.
JL: The series reframes underdogs as resilient survivors. Did working on it change your perspective on animals – or societal underdogs?
PB: Definitely. I’m not a natural history expert, so researching these animals was eye-opening. Typically, documentaries focus on the 0.001 per cent – lions, tigers – but Underdogs spotlights the rest. Take Sebastian the bowerbird: a nerdy collector who decorates his bower with trash (real behaviour!) but doesn’t get the girl. Or the macaques in Unusual Suspects – they steal and barter (also real!). We dial up their personalities, but the science is ironclad. Nat Geo’s fact-checking is rigorous.
JL: You blend drama/comedy into factual content. How do you balance humour with scientific integrity?
PB: Science is our foundation. Most of our team are scientists, and we work with experts on location. Ryan loves Nat Geo’s authenticity – he watches it with his kids. So, while we amp up relatability (everyone should find an underdog they connect with), the behaviours are real. The truth is stranger than fiction. We walk a line – you can humanise too much. That’s why we’re so rigorous about scientific accuracy. But I think there’s room for this approach. There’s already incredible specialist factual content out there, but today, especially for young people, that disconnect from nature is wider than ever.
We wanted to create something with broad appeal…a gateway. Ryan’s reach pulls in a new audience, and once they’re hooked, there’s a whole world of Nat Geo and Disney content to explore. If this sparks curiosity about these animals, that’s the win.
