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NEED TO KNOW
- Keegan-Michael Key and Danny McBride are an irreverent comedy duo in State Farm’s latest Super Bowl ad
- The pair plays to agency from Halfway There Insurance, and their company promises to deliver you less than the bare minimum
- Hailee Steinfeld and Katseye also feature in the commercial, which will be aired in it’s entirety during the first half of the big game Sunday
Keegan-Michael Key and Danny McBride are not good neighbors — at least not in their latest roles.
In a new State Farm Super Bowl commercial, titled “Stop Livin’ on a Prayer,” released on Feb. 2, the comedians play two chaotic agents from Halfway There Insurance, who do everything but get you the coverage you need.
A perplexed Hailee Steinfeld inquires, “So you guys are just like State Farm, right?” which is followed by a list of all the things they don’t actually do. Boats by the dock? Barely covered. Bike coverage? Whether you have one or not, their plans “leave out a lot.” And if any damage occurs to your house, well, good luck.
What they can do? Proudly belt out all of their shortcomings in ’80s rocker wigs to the tune of “Livin’ on a Prayer” (as in, if you don’t use State Farm, you might as well be … ).
It’s the fun, irreverent type of commercial State Farm has come to be known for, and that’s part of why both comedians agreed to be involved.
“I felt like the ad was really funny. It made me laugh,” McBride tells PEOPLE exclusively. “And then once I found out Keegan was going to be in it, it was sort of like a no-brainer. Why not? [I get to] be with this cool guy.”
“I think both of us, being people who work in comedy a lot, that’s our space typically. It’s nice to find a fun spot that’s clear,” Key adds. “And also for me, State Farm is an iconic brand. They’ve been killing it in the ad space for a decade now. And it was one thing to do a Super Bowl spot, but I’m like, ‘I’m going to do a Super Bowl ad with Danny McBride for State Farm?’ It’s the best. Yeah. And it was, again, no-brainer-ville.”
State Farm
As the two are known for their improv skills and deep commitment to a bit, the filming process — while scripted — did get to run amok in the best way.
“There was a wonderful kind of excitement, because you got to keep your head on a swivel. Because I know I’m allowed to improvise, I know he’s allowed to improvise. So there’s this nice energy, this kind of crackling, unknown energy in the air, which was really fun,” Key explains.
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“Sometimes on commercials, you don’t get to have that feeling of things being spontaneous because of the time,” McBride adds. “But this one was just… It felt like we were making a movie or making a TV show. It just felt fun. One of the first days, we’re hanging in a garage from wires, and it was not your typical day on a commercial set. It was great.”
State Farm
In addition to Hailee Steinfeld, popular girl group Katseye also make a cameo in the spot. However, one particular celebrity appearance had the actors in awe.
“Every single day was something exciting to look forward to. We shot over the course of three days and every set was unique,” McBride reveals. “Every day, there were different actors. And we were… I don’t want to speak for Keegan, but the moment that Jake [from State Farm, above] showed up on set, I think we both got a little quiet. We both were a little starstruck,” McBride admits.
“There was some reverence,” Key concurs.
The teaser spot ends with a “To Be Continued …” and viewers will have to tune in to the Super Bowl to see how those wire stunts worked out.




