Posted onWritten byJessicaComments Off on Under the Radar Interviews Mary
Under the Radar magazine caught up with Mary and her All About Nina director Eva Vives during the Tribeca Film Festival last week. You can read part of the interview below and click the link provided to read it in full:
Do either of you have any experience doing stand-up?
Winstead: Now I do. This was my first foray into it.
Eva Vives: I was there for her first performance.
Winstead: It was one of the most nerve-wracking things I’ve ever done, I think. I was kind of paralyzed with fear about it. When we were just at the stage of getting ready to do it, I’d always thought I’d really throw myself into it, and immerse myself in it. I’d do open mics, and I’d do all of these things. But then, I was scared to do it. And then part of me thought, “You know, I’m not really a comedian.” Like, [my character] is supposed to be good at it, and if I just went and did open mics, I’d suck at it. [Laughs] it wasn’t necessarily going to do what I wanted it to do, you know?
So instead I just tried to harness her confidence with it. I’d just go in and believe in what I was saying, and believe that it was funny. It helped that it was funny, between what Eva had written and the consultant we worked with, Jamie Loftus, who came in and helped us as well.
Mary, what are things that excited you most about the role?
Winstead: I mean, all of those things: the layers of the character are undeniable. Sometimes you read scripts, and especially for a woman looking for an interesting role, it’s really clear when it’s there on the page, because it doesn’t happen all the time.
At first I was reading the script just casually, but then I was reading it, and reading it, and reading it, and I got through to the end and just went, “Oh my god.” This was an incredible opportunity to be really challenged by a character, and also to do something really meaningful in terms of what it was saying. It was kind of a no-brainer. When I met with Eva, I was so on board immediately.
The role looks like it was very challenging. The character shows such a wide range of emotion – she’ll be on stage, confident and in command in one scene, and then a crying mess moments later.
Winstead: It was a challenge, which is what I wanted. The best experiences, for me, are when you’re excited about something and then you go to do it, and you’re sick with nerves over whether you actually might be able to pull it off. As awful as that moment is, it’s always the best. That’s really what I strive for in the roles I take on.
Posted onWritten byJessicaComments Off on New ‘All About Nina’ Interview and Review
Following some reviews praising Mary’s performance in All About Nina, I’ve found one more interview with her and director Eva Vives which you can [partly] read below. Click here to read it in full. Additionally, The Playlist has also written their review applauding Mary’s work. You can read that after the cut…
You’re taking on this new role as a wayward comedian. Did you ever get involved and go to the comedy clubs and get on stage?
I did but I did not get on stage—even though I intended to! I talked a big talk for awhile there. I was like, “yeah we’re gonna get out there and do some open-mics and do that.” But the thought of that made me want to throw up. I really just couldn’t do that. And the closer we got to shooting, the more scared I was getting. So I decided to approach it more from an acting perspective as playing someone who’s a really good comic because I felt that I myself wouldn’t be. So instead I watched a lot of comedy and saw a lot of shows with Eva [Vives]. We took a lot from what we saw and then we worked with other comedians in terms of trying to craft and create a character that could feel like it could come from me but isn’t me.
Was there any newfound respect or hatred you gained going through that experience?
I mean yes and no because I’ve always had huge respect for comedians. I’ve always seen it as something that seems like the most nerve-wracking, difficult thing to do. To get up on stage and ask for their laughter is to me just an incredibly vulnerable thing to do. It’s just really brave. I’ve always felt like that and I think that’s one of the reasons why I wanted to take the part. I thought it would be a great thing to at least pretend to be that kind of person to have the balls to go up and do that.
Posted onWritten byJessicaComments Off on Vulture Interviews ‘All About Nina’ Cast; Eva Vives Talks Working With Mary
Vulture interviewed Mary, her All About Nina co-star Common and the film’s director Eva Vives during the Tribeca Film Festival. You can watch their Q&A below along with a game they played.
Additionally, moveable interviewed Eva and what it was like working with Mary during production:
It was great. I mean, what a cast to have for a first film especially. And I love their acting, but [Mary and Common] are also the two of the nicest people. I got so lucky with Mary in particular, because I was a little worried that it’s a punishing part in many ways and I don’t think she looked at it that way – because she’s insane, and I mean that in a good way [laughs] – but she makes it look so easy. I remember one day I looked at the schedule and it was the [scene where] she met Rafe, [a different scene where she] made out with that dude in the closet, and [another where she] fucked Mike on the same day. Plus, she did a [standup] routine and some other thing. I was like, “Oh, my god. How does she do this?”
It’s very intense to be playing Nina. There’s a lot of funny stuff in it – and she obviously does comedy and can make people laugh, but then there’s also drama. And she dances. There’s a sex scene. It’s just endless. Mostly, we talked about it a lot. [Mary’s] not big into rehearsing, and I can go either way, so we talked about who she is and where she was coming from and what was happening in each scene and the parts we did rehearse were the stand up, which I think was the part that worried her the most although I knew she was going to be totally fine. It was just a question of getting her comfortable and in the rhythm. Together and separately, we watched a lot of comedy, we went to shows and I’m very familiar with the comedy scene, more New York than in LA because I used to be in it, and we had a great comedy consultant in the movie, Jamie Loftus, who is a young comedian who was integral in this because it was her and I, and Mary sometimes, adding jokes and taking it further. Jay Mohr was helpful as well. We just ran our routines past him and took notes.
Posted onWritten byJessicaComments Off on Mary Spotted on the ‘Gemini Man’ Set; New Podcast Interview
Lots of new updates and news to throw your way. First up, filming on Ang Lee’s new sci-fi thriller Gemini Man has officially kicked off in Georgia and Mary was seen on set exiting her trailer. I’ve added HQ photos into the gallery.
In addition to Will Smith and Clive Owen being part of the cast, actor Benedict Wong has joined the film, but there are no details about his role.
And finally, a new podcast interview is up over on “That One Audition“. In it, she reveals how an audition with Oliver Stone went downhill and what the audition process was like for Quentin Tarantino. You can also listen to the interview on iTunes.
Mary took part in 2 new Fargo related interviews. The first one is a radio interview with Leonard Maltin discussing Fargo, her film career, working with Quentin Tarantino in Death Proof and towards the end, reveals that she’ll have a new project coming up where she plays a stand-up comedian and that’ll begin filming later this summer. You can listen to that interview here.
In another interview with Deadline, Mary discusses how she wasn’t expecting to take on the role of Nikki Swango and the stunt work she had to perform:
How did Fargo come your way? Did you have to read for the role? Your attachment seemed to happen fast in the wake of CBS’ BrainDead.
I sat down with Noah (Hawley) about the first season. That’s when I first met him when they were looking for someone. I don’t think it would have been the right fit at the time. We hit it off and both wanted to work with each other. They called me about a second season cameo, but that didn’t work out. I wanted to be on the show after seeing the first season. I was like ‘Wow, this could be cool.’ At first, I didn’t know it was going to be so great and I was in awe of what he did, and how great the performances were. By the time he called about season 3, I was like ‘Oh, yes, put me in, however many lines.’ I was fully on board before I knew the role which turned out to be unexpected and a pleasant surprise. It wasn’t the type of character I was expecting to play.
Why was Nikki the type of character you weren’t expecting to play?
Because initially after reading the first episode, I wasn’t sure if she was the femme fatale. It wasn’t clear if she was someone you would root against or was a villainous character. I wasn’t really sure of what to make of her. I was used to Fargo and I’ve often played nice, polite people, and thought that’s why Noah wanted me for the show. It was sort of a turn for me to play this person with her sexuality, her confidence, her brashness and boldness. I’ve played this before in subtle ways, but never ever to this extent. I was like ‘Wow, I didn’t think many people would think of me for this.’ That’s what makes Noah great at what he does: He spots the right people for the right roles, which are so subversive and never cliché. They’re always going to be complex. By the second reading, I saw that Nikki wasn’t the femme fatale. She’s inspiring, sweet, not hardened. Once I felt she wasn’t this hardened criminal, then I was able to open up and bring a real lightness to her, something that was very suited to me and I created a character that I was comfortable with.
Were the stunts on Fargo more intense than your previous roles? I mean, you flip over in a bus.
On the sound stage, we did a real flip. Everything was real and I was chained to Russell Harvard [Mr. Wrench] for weeks on end. We were really chained. I was covered in bruises head to toe. It was so much fun, and these were the most challenging stunts I’ve ever done and I’ve done a lot of stunts before in movies. There was this incredibly ambitious schedule with various elements to the shots. But it was such a cool sequence and completely rewarding. It felt a little bit like 10 Cloverfield Lane. That was physical and low budget and we had to do things on the fly. Nikki is very different character from Michelle in that movie, but they’re similar in their resilience and their will to survive. We had one stunt rehearsal for Fargo, a couple of hours on a Sunday to block out what was going to go down. We just went in there and did it, bruised, soaking wet from the snow, just trying to get through it. That’s what our characters were doing. Nikki was just surviving, clawing, scratching her way out.
Posted onWritten byJessicaComments Off on Fargo Season 3 Finale Interviews
Now that season 3 of Fargo is done, Mary chatted with The Daily Beast to talk about the fate of her character Nikki Swango. Creator/show runner Noah Hawley also discussed the show with The Wrap. Both of these interviews are heavy with spoilers, so if you haven’t seen the final ep of 3×10, read at your own risk. First up is Mary’s interview with TDB:
Wow, Nikki Swango went through a lot of shit on Fargo this season. How are you feeling now that this whole thing is coming to an end?
It’s kind of bittersweet, the whole thing. It was such a profound experience for me playing her; it was such an incredible arc of a character, so much fun. I think I was pushed in so many directions that I hadn’t been pushed in before, so I don’t really want to say goodbye to Nikki Swango. It’s a little bit sad that it’s officially, officially ending.
What was it like doing that scene opposite David Thewlis?
I got such a rush when I read that scene in the script. I was so excited to get to work with David. He’s so immensely talented and had been doing such incredible work all season long. He is also the loveliest person. So that was something that I was just over the moon to have the chance to have a big, meaty scene with him to do. And again, it’s a similar thing with Ewan. With some actors, it’s just so easy that it’s almost embarrassing, like I can’t believe I get paid to do this, that this is a job. There’s nothing that could be easier than playing opposite David Thewlis and just reacting off of what he’s giving me, because he’s so incredibly brilliant and does so much with the role.
Now that this project is officially over, do you feel like it’s changed the direction of your career or made you want to go after different types of things?
Any time you do something where the material is at such a high level and everyone around you is working at a really high level, it really just makes it difficult to find something that makes you feel that way. So that’s really all I’m doing now, is trying to find the next thing that makes me feel the way that Fargo did, which is you’re surrounded by people you’re totally inspired by, who stretch you and make you want to be better. And material that feels so good to perform that it feels like you’re not working at all. That’s what I’m always looking for, to be honest. But every now and then you do a project that makes you want to step it up even just that much further, and Fargo was definitely that for me.
Posted onWritten byJessicaComments Off on Entertainment Weekly Interviews Mary
When Mary was in New York earlier this month to promote Fargo, Entertainment Weekly caught up with her to talk about the show. You can watch her segment below:
Posted onWritten byJessicaComments Off on Mary Discusses Fargo with the Observer
The Observer caught up with Mary last week while she was in New York and one of the things they discussed was filming that epic scene in the woods for 3×08 of Fargo with her co-star Russell Harvard. You can read her full interview by clicking the link above:
“By the end of it, he and I had our own kind of communication that was just ours,” Winstead said of the grueling shoot alongside Harvard. The actor, like his on-screen counterpart, is deaf. “Obviously, I don’t speak sign language, but I was able to pick up some things from him. Then, beyond that, we were wordlessly communicating the entire time time, helping him to know what was going on. When we were going to say ‘action’ or ‘cut’ we had signals for each other for all those things. “It was so worth it, for such an incredible, epic sequence,” she said. “It became a really special friendship for everyone involved.”
Mary also revealed to The Wrap that she was the one really driving the truck in tonight’s episode (3×09) and why she loves playing the role of Nikki Swango:
“She’s so not polite. She’s so not Minnesota nice. She’s very brash and bold and in your face … It just feels so much more like she’s in her body and not sort of pretending to be something other than what she is. So many characters on ‘Fargo’ tend to get into that territory where they’re being so nice even though they’ve got these dark, sinister things going on.”
You can watch her full interview using the player below:
Posted onWritten byJessicaComments Off on Noah Hawley Talks Fargo
Fargo showrunner Noah Hawley sat down with IGN at the ATX panel last week and while discussing the show, he talked about how Mary’s character seems to be cheating death and if her character really loved Ray.
IGN: First off, I want to tell you how much I love Nikki. With each episode this season, I’ve grown to love her more because she’s constantly showing me that she’s not what I assumed she was. Which was, initially, a femme fatale-type who was probably using Ray to get her hands on some cash. Was it always the plan to make her lean away from that archetype?
Noah Hawley: Yeah, I mean I went through, in the writing process and in the room – we gamed it out in different ways and I think there was a gravitational pull toward her running a con on him [Ray] and I just found that uninteresting, honestly. Everyone always says that conflict is drama and I agree but I also don’t think you need drama everywhere. Or conflict everywhere. Like with Patrick Wilson and Cristin Milioti last year. I mean, she had cancer but they never fought and there was never any conflict between them. I think with a story that has as much violence as we have you want to give the audience a place where they feel safe. And something they love. And the idea that she loves Ray, you know what I mean? She’s the first person in his life who thinks he’s the better brother. We love her for that.
IGN: I think I’ve thought that Nikki was done for probably two of three times on the season so far. I just thought “she’s dead.” Or “she’s going to die.” But she survives and now, with this last escape, it seemed like she was being protected by mystical forces. Was it always the plan to have this Eastern Block mysticism in Season 3? The Jewish folklore aspects?
Hawley: This season was a really serendipitous collision of things that I wanted to do with the moment that we’re in. The whole Cossack story was fueled by my grandmother’s story – my mother’s mom – and how she escaped from the Ukraine in the middle of the night with her parents and their ten kids being pursued by the Cossacks. And then them coming to America. So I was thinking of exploring that with the Yuri character. And then we also got into the whole Russia hacking and stuff like that. All that stuff was in the mix, the idea of really looking at how shielded we are here, on some level, from the real carnage that occurs in countries around the world. This idea that Stalin starved 20 million people. Or 20 million Russians died in World War II. So it was looking at all those elements and then using it with what I’ve read and the research I’ve done. And I came across the story of Rabbi Nachman and going to the mass graves and it all just sort of came together for me in a way. Obviously, we had a UFO last year and it just seemed like these people are in the wilderness and they’re so far away from everything and there’s a literal and metaphorical quality to it. But it does feel like something that fits into a Coen Brothers universe.
