This movie plays with a lot of different modes and genres, but a good portion of it takes place in David and Pam’s apartment. It’s like a chamber piece—there are a lot of people and it’s a lot of dialogue. Given your background working in ensembles, how were those scenes for you?
Great. I mean, there’s no bad apples on a Spike Lee joint. Some of the people I knew—Dean Winters, I’ve known for years, just through New York City circles and nightlife. Jeffrey Wright, he was coming off of American Fiction, and my grandmother and I watched that movie three times together. I’ve been such a fan of his for so long. And LaChanze, who plays one of the detectives… I mean, when you’re hanging out between setups or light changes or whatever, it kind of felt like being in the theater, in some way. Like you’re waiting in the wings or in your dressing room with all of your actor friends.
What would you say you look for in a part these days? What flips the switch for you?
I read this script recently—it was for this Taylor Sheridan project. I didn’t get it; a friend, Juliana Canfield, got it, and I’m so thrilled for her. But the part was a wife, but she’s also this badass, passionate, ass-kicking, grenade-throwing, amazing Child Protective Services agent. So, multifaceted characters with depth and conflict and stories of their own—things that I can sink my teeth into.
I mean, any kind of physical transformation would be incredible. To have to take it there and transform your body for a role is a challenge in a wonderful way. I think any project where you have to learn a new skill, whether it’s wielding a katana or knitting a quilt. I think it’s all a fascinating part of the process.
And where do you find stimulation, or engagement, or joy outside of work? How do you like to spend your time?
Doing things that make my body feel good. I really prioritize movement and sweat and exercise in my life. I feel like there’s so much outside of our control in the world around us, that our bodies are, if we’re lucky, the one thing that we can have say on, whether it’s the food we put into it or the work we do on it. So I spend a lot of time with my fitness community. Otherwise, I’m a homebody. I love hanging out with my dog. And I love cooking: I am a huge New York Times recipe follower. I feel like life is full, whether you’re working or not. Life is full.
