So how are you?
Now Christina. Jon, who directs this movie, he was your colleague on Mad Men, and now
he's your boss on this film. Is it any different?
Is he my boss?
Is the director the boss?
I guess the director's the boss. Yeah probably.
Now you have a great relationship with him, but is it different? Do you jump from being
actors together on a TV show to him then having all the pressure of being the director? Does
the relationship change in anyway?
Well the nice thing is he had directed several episodes of Mad Men. So I had worked with
him as a director in that way. He's very similar. I mean, he's very chill and knows what he
wants and is incredibly professional and very well prepared. I think the difference is that
we were walking onto a set with all new people, a new DP and new actors, and in some ways
it was certainly intimidating for me, and I don't know if Jon would say the same thing,
but it was nice to at, the end of the day or in the middle of the day, look over and
see someone who was so familiar and you're so comfortable with in the middle of all this
newness and be like... make eye connection and be like... Thank you. There's someone
I trust over there.
I can't imagine you being intimidated though.
By Richard Jenkins and Philip Seymour Hoffman and Eddie Marsan, really? Like the best actors
in the world? I mean, of course I was. Of course I was intimidated.
Yeah, but then... How does that? I find if you get overwhelmed like that, then there
must be ways in which you just go right I can't let this affect me because I'm going
to end up just blowing takes.
Well yeah. Your survival instincts kick in. It's funny because I was talking to Jon later,
and I said "I was a mess of nerves." He said, "I didn't know you were nervous one single
day." And I said, "Well I'm not going to show you." I want to give my director confidence
in me and show him that I'm there to play ball and do the best I can do. And that's
just what you have to do.
Working with Philip Seymour Hoffman, I imagine, he was such an amazing actor... that you think
part of me, there'd be an insecurity in me going, he thinks I'm rubbish. I can see it
in his eyes. I know he thinks I'm rubbish or whatever. Did you sort of have to think
well look Academy Award winner, I've just got to get on with this? Again, it's not an
option for me to have an inner monologue.
Yeah, it's not an option. But you know, as actors I think we're very emotional people
and constantly questioning ourselves. You know, whether it's Philip Seymour Hoffman
or the person you worked with every single day, you're like... Do they think I'm rubbish?
Do they think I'm awful? Which I think, you know, is a good motivator.
Yeah.
You're constantly striving to not be that.
There's also... Just because we're on the subject, and I'll get off it very quickly.
But just because I mentioned it to Jon as well, it's from a viewer's point of view, it's just
desperately sad to watch the movie because he's again - Philip - so brilliant in it.
There's a... You sense the tragedy because you think, well, you want more of this, and
we're not going to get any of that. So do you have that experience when you see it back?
I do.
There's this strange feeling that because we're talking about it, promoting it and experiencing
the film - that I sort of still feel like he's here with us. And maybe I haven't fully
digested what's happened because we still get to be, we still get to watch him. We still
get to watch his performance, and I hope the audience...
I think everyone felt his loss. He really made an impact on people globally with his
performances and his talent, his sort of honesty that he'd bring to things. I hope that when
people watch us, they can lose themselves for a little bit and just enjoy what he does
best and enjoy the movie.
You can't ignore the facts, but I hope that people can just enjoy it as a piece of work.
Yeah, and it is a fantastic piece of work.
Oh good. I'm glad you liked it.
And your performance in it is a very moody, twisted, atmospheric tale.
Yeah.
And obviously, with your character, explain a little bit like what she brings to the mix
because she's a bit of a mess.
Yeah, she is a mess.
She cries a lot.
Well yeah, I mean it was a very difficult film because I think there was about two scenes
in the beginning where her son is still alive and after that, she's grieving. This happens
in just a few days. So this whole film takes place in a few days, so it was difficult to
sort of figure out how to mourn and grieve and still, not only is she having that, but
she's having miscommunication with her husband, the community seems to have turned on her.
She doesn't have any answers. She's desperate. She's a purely desperate person, and that
is her experience through the entire film. And so it is a lot, and it is moody and it is
heavy.
Yeah, you're brilliant in it. Before I go, Mad Men question. Can I ask? I read that Jon
got to keep one of the lamps. He got to take a prop away.
Oh did he? Because he wanted that lamp for a long time. I'm glad he got it.
And I'm sure it sits... I can imagine him having some ornate, very cool study somewhere
in his house. Did they let you pinch anything from the set?
I pinched a few things. Oddly enough, they charged us for them.
But you know, fair enough. At least I get to... There were a few things from Joan's
apartment that were sentimental to me, that I wanted and so, I don't have them yet. But
I hear they're waiting for me when I get back to Los Angeles.
Okay and what's up next for you? What are you going to be on to next?
Well, I'm supposed to do a film in London in fact.
Woohoo!
Yeah coming back. I spend a lot of time here. I love it. Probably do that in January. I
won't describe what it is quite yet because it's all locked in. But right now, my husband's
shooting a show in New York, and I moved to New York two weeks ago, and I haven't lived
there for 18 years, and I'm embracing being there and having time off after five years
of working straight.
That's what I'd do.
Well it was nice to meet you.
Nice to meet you too. Thank you. Have a great day.