When Olivia Wilde told her mom she wanted to be an actress, her mom didn’t say, “Oh that’s cute, honey,” nor did she start dialing agents. She carefully explained the steps involved. Young Olivia’s takeaway? Actors study and work hard. Through more recent experience (specifically, Drinking Buddies, Meadowland, motherhood) she’s learned to become more present, open and confident. Both are valuable lessons – one’ll help you get to be an actor; the other will help you be a really good one. The second member of the Sudeikis/Wilde clan to grace Off Camera joins us to talk about what’s become most important to her as an artist, the characters we relate to versus the ones Hollywood usually shows us, and why she could make “the shittiest movie ever” and still have it be called an important film.
When Olivia Wilde told her mom she wanted to be an actress, her mom didn’t say, “Oh that’s cute, honey,” nor did she start dialing agents. She carefully explained the steps involved. Young Olivia’s takeaway? Actors study and work hard. Through more recent experience (specifically, Drinking Buddies, Meadowland, motherhood) she’s learned to become more present, open and confident. Both are valuable lessons – one’ll help you get to be an actor; the other will help you be a really good one. The second member of the Sudeikis/Wilde clan to grace Off Camera joins us to talk about what’s become most important to her as an artist, the characters we relate to versus the ones Hollywood usually shows us, and why she could make “the shittiest movie ever” and still have it be called an important film.
The sci-fi-averse who’ve found themselves among the swelling ranks of Orphan Black addicts likely owe their fascination to its lead – and almost sole – actress, Tatiana Maslany. Perhaps that’s because she doesn’t view it as a genre show, but as a character drama. Investing one character with enough life and personality to enthrall us is match enough for the abilities of any talented actor. Doing the same with upwards of ten in one show requires the stamina of an athlete, an all-consuming love of craft, and probably above all, the curiosity and unfettered imagination of a six-year-old. Maslany and our host discuss her start in improv and its influence on her hit series, the dangers of buying into our childhood rewards system, the two clones she finds most challenging to play and the proper pronunciation of “route”. Because we’re already very clear on the proper pronunciation of “Regina”.
The sci-fi-averse who’ve found themselves among the swelling ranks of Orphan Black addicts likely owe their fascination to its lead – and almost sole – actress, Tatiana Maslany. Perhaps that’s because she doesn’t view it as a genre show, but as a character drama. Investing one character with enough life and personality to enthrall us is match enough for the abilities of any talented actor. Doing the same with upwards of ten in one show requires the stamina of an athlete, an all-consuming love of craft, and probably above all, the curiosity and unfettered imagination of a six-year-old. Maslany and our host discuss her start in improv and its influence on her hit series, the dangers of buying into our childhood rewards system, the two clones she finds most challenging to play and the proper pronunciation of “route”. Because we’re already very clear on the proper pronunciation of “Regina”.
The sci-fi-averse who’ve found themselves among the swelling ranks of Orphan Black addicts likely owe their fascination to its lead – and almost sole – actress, Tatiana Maslany. Perhaps that’s because she doesn’t view it as a genre show, but as a character drama. Investing one character with enough life and personality to enthrall us is match enough for the abilities of any talented actor. Doing the same with upwards of ten in one show requires the stamina of an athlete, an all-consuming love of craft, and probably above all, the curiosity and unfettered imagination of a six-year-old. Maslany and our host discuss her start in improv and its influence on her hit series, the dangers of buying into our childhood rewards system, the two clones she finds most challenging to play and the proper pronunciation of “route”. Because we’re already very clear on the proper pronunciation of “Regina”.
It’s hard to imagine anyone more suited to play Freeheld’s reluctant activist Stacie Andree, who finds herself battling for domestic partner rights while dealing with the death of the love of her life. Page’s own journey out of the closet was quite public, and while its ultimate effect on her career is still a question mark, its effect on her personal life and her art has been nothing short of transformative – getting rid of shame you didn’t know you carried will do that to a person. We discuss the process of making a feature version of a documentary, building to pre-Juno fame in Halifax versus Hollywood, what a video game taught her about acting and why it was such a simple joy to flirt with a woman a parking lot. (Though that last one probably doesn’t even require an answer, given the woman in question was Julianne Moore.) Page says she “selfishly” intends to use her position in the industry to tell stories she’s interested in and create parts for herself. If she also creates more opportunities for women and visibility for minority communities in the process, well, what can you do with these self-centered actors anyway, right?
It’s hard to imagine anyone more suited to play Freeheld’s reluctant activist Stacie Andree, who finds herself battling for domestic partner rights while dealing with the death of the love of her life. Page’s own journey out of the closet was quite public, and while its ultimate effect on her career is still a question mark, its effect on her personal life and her art has been nothing short of transformative – getting rid of shame you didn’t know you carried will do that to a person. We discuss the process of making a feature version of a documentary, building to pre-Juno fame in Halifax versus Hollywood, what a video game taught her about acting and why it was such a simple joy to flirt with a woman a parking lot. (Though that last one probably doesn’t even require an answer, given the woman in question was Julianne Moore.) Page says she “selfishly” intends to use her position in the industry to tell stories she’s interested in and create parts for herself. If she also creates more opportunities for women and visibility for minority communities in the process, well, what can you do with these self-centered actors anyway, right?
It’s hard to imagine anyone more suited to play Freeheld’s reluctant activist Stacie Andree, who finds herself battling for domestic partner rights while dealing with the death of the love of her life. Page’s own journey out of the closet was quite public, and while its ultimate effect on her career is still a question mark, its effect on her personal life and her art has been nothing short of transformative – getting rid of shame you didn’t know you carried will do that to a person. We discuss the process of making a feature version of a documentary, building to pre-Juno fame in Halifax versus Hollywood, what a video game taught her about acting and why it was such a simple joy to flirt with a woman a parking lot. (Though that last one probably doesn’t even require an answer, given the woman in question was Julianne Moore.) Page says she “selfishly” intends to use her position in the industry to tell stories she’s interested in and create parts for herself. If she also creates more opportunities for women and visibility for minority communities in the process, well, what can you do with these self-centered actors anyway, right?
