#hfrpcomiccon23

1.) Who did you play?

I've played three real characters, crazy, I know. I played the most incredible women. Tammy Faye Bakker in The Eyes of Tammy Faye, Tammy Wynette in George & Tammy and Amy Loughren in The Good Nurse.

2.) What gravitated you to that role?

It's a very long story, but when I was doing press for Zero Dark Thirty, I was in a hotel room and came upon a documentary called The Eyes of Tammy Faye. I felt an instant connection with Tammy, there was so much nuance, and she was so much more than the press had made her out to be. With Tammy Wynette, I've been a country fan basically since I was born, and I wanted her story to be out there. Same with Amy, she's an incredible woman who discovered the horrible crimes that Charles Cullen had committed, and she helped the police catch him. I felt like we needed more stories about how incredible women are, and I was fortunate enough to produce all three projects.

3.) What was prep like for your role?

I actually studied Tammy Faye for 12 years before playing her. In 2010 I bought the rights of her story and documentary, and I had hundreds of hours of unseen footage. I was so invested in doing her justice. For both Tammys, I had vocal and singing coaches. Their accents were so different and I had to sing in both projects. Singing is by far the most nerve-wracking thing I've ever done. I cannot begin to tell you how nervous and anxious I was about the singing parts. And with Amy, I went to nursing boot camp, an inside joke that we had. For five months, I shadowed several nurses, learned to do sutures, change IVs, and many more things. I wanted the performance to be as real as possible.

Horror Panel: Maika Monroe

Stranger Things Panel: Natalia Dyer

Who did you play?

I played Tonya Harding in the film I, Tonya.

What gravitated you to that role?

The script had been available and I read it for our production comapny and thought, “Wow, this story is insane.” It was such a good script and I wasn’t aware any of this really happened. I’m from Australia, so we weren’t familiar with Tonya Harding, her story or her headlines. The more I learned about it, the more I wanted to play this complicated character and just put her and Jeff’s sides of the story out there. Tonya had so much taken from her and never really got to have her story put out there, the film does such a good job of giving you their accounts and not swaying you either way. You can decide how you feel about it, what you believe happened. 

What was prep like for your role? 

A lot of time at the ice skating rink. I had ice skated before but not on figure skates. I had skated for my ice hockey team and not very well, might I add. I more so just crashed into the boards and other plays while I played hockey. Hockey skates and figure skates are very different. I also took some ballet classes since that really helped with the poise and discipline of skating. Of course, I watched a documentary about Tonya Harding and anything else I could find on her.

Was there anything about the role that didn’t resonate with you? 

Oh, a lot. Especially Tonya and Jeff’s toxic relationship. The abuse towards one another.. It was a very delicate subject but we had created such a safe space on set. As most of you know, my husband played Jeff and we had met in the auditions. We both felt so comfortable playing these characters with one another in what’s such an uncomfortable situation. We really pushed each other to limits we didn’t know we had as actors and it was one of my best acting experiences. That was such a credit to Seb. There was a scene we did and I just remember blacking out, getting lost in the scene and genuinely forgetting I was playing a role.. There’s only two times that’s happened and one of those times was with Seb. It got turned into this love story and I always credit him for that..  He played Jeff in a way that no one else had approached it in auditions. But anyway, at the end of the day, Jeff and Tonya truly did love each other and that can be what’s so difficult to wrap your head around. You can have a love story, in a weird way, and show how complicated and toxic their relationship was. 

Would you play this person again?

I don’t think so. I loved playing Tonya, I loved the experience and I’m so proud of the film we made but I think we left it all out on the field.. or ice. I think we told her story and there’s no reason to return. I don’t think we can top it.

Did you find out anything about yourself while playing another person?

I learned there was muscles I had that I wasn’t aware of! And as I said, I learned just how far I could go acting-wise, pushing myself to the limits. We filmed over a hundred scenes in just 35 days. Everyone told us we couldn’t make this film, it was impossible.. but it just made us want to make it even more, to prove people wrong. After we finished this film, I finally felt like I was at a stage in my acting career where I felt good enough to reach out to certain directors. Once Tonya was released, I actually wrote my letter to Quentin Tarantino about working with him and then the rest is history!

What was the most challenging thing about being in a biopic? 

The most challenging thing is probably knowing you’re playing a real life person and wanting to get it right, wanting to do them justice. But at the same time, you’re not exactly playing this person.. you’re playing a character of them. That differentiation is so important in playing a real life person and it helps take the pressure off a bit.

Have you met the person you played?

1.) Who did you play?

I played Elvis Presley spanning from the 1950s until his death in the 1970s.

2.) What gravitated you to that role?

I've always appreciated older music, especially Elvis. I did a play with Denzel Washington and he got into contact with Baz Luhrmann, the director of Elvis and ended up getting me an audition. Also my previous partner. She encouraged me and kind of manifested it so to speak.

3.) What was prep like for your role?

Extensive. I prepped at home before flying to Australia. I spent nearly two years talking like Elvis, listening to every interview he ever gave, trying to replicate his laugh and mannerisms, dancing. I had a vocal coach and a movement coach. I started smoking. At one point I tried to gain weight for the end of the movie when I had to play Elvis shortly before his passing. I microwaved Haagen-Daz and ate a lot of donuts. Otherwise the pressure, the pressure of trying to uphold and portray someone as monumental as Elvis Presley has mentally exhausting. I loved it, but my body began shutting down the day after filming wrapped. I ended up in the hospital for a week with a virus that mimicked appendicitis. I'd wake up during those two years of preparing and everything to heart palpitations in the early hours of the morning and couldn't sleep.

4.) Was there anything about the role that didn’t resonate with you?

I think maybe how recording studios really work and what it was like to go on tour as a musician. I play music and I always have, but there's a difference between loving music and being a performer of music I think.

5.) Would you play this person again?

I don't think there's any possibility of Elvis 2 happening. All jokes aside, I'm dressed like him now, right? So I guess in a way, yes. But also no. I put my body under such stress and my mental and emotional wellbeing, I think I'd just crack if I did it now. Not to say I wouldn't, but I have my reservations and will always, always be so grateful for the opportunity.

6.) Did you find out anything about yourself while playing another person?

Yes, I found out that I'm not invincible and that I should give myself more credit for the work I've done. Also I've learned it's not a smart idea to not talk to your father for three years and when you do talk to him, maybe don't sound like Elvis.

7.) What was the most challenging thing about being in a biopic?

The pressure of expectations. Having to please Elvis's loved ones; Priscilla, his grandkids and of course the late Lisa-Marie. Having their blessing was a gigantic weight off my shoulders, but it was still so much pressure. Having to portray this man properly and gain their approval was one of the biggest things for me.

8.) Have you met the person you played?

1.) What was your first impression of the other girls when you first met?

first impressions are sometimes hard, ya know? sometimes you've heard things before meeting someone, read things that made you think they are one way and then you meet them and it's completely different. when meeting the girls, it was easy peasy. they slid so easily into my life and i found myself counting them as my best friends before i knew it. each one of them - Ashley, Shay, Troian - they are beautiful souls and even though i might not keep up with them as much as i used to, they became a part of my soul.

2.) If you could change one storyline on the show, what would it be and why?

the storylines were always changing, always evolving, always something new and creepy. all the love stories that happened in the end, they were how they were supposed to be. so, to be completely honest, i don't think there was anything i would have changed.

3.) What do you miss most about the show?

the connections that were made. not only did i fall in love with the girls but the guys were just as fun to be around. plus, the pranks that were held? yeah, nah, it got out of hand sometimes.

4.) Do you have any funny anecdotes from the set or auditions?

the only thing that comes to mind is how everyone would pat me on the head and tell me how tiny i was. at first i hated it - HATED IT - then it just became and every day thing and i rolled my eyes, put my big girl pants on and did the thing. another thing, Troian used to make fun of me 'cause i fell asleep anywhere i could. night shoots are exhausting. can you blame me? geesh.

5.) What would you say to your character if you met them in real life?

giiiiiiiiiirl, falling in love with older guys is hot but you should have made sure he wasn't gonna unexpectedly fall into your life and things go insane. also, the purple streaks were weird. i love some color in my hair but that was just no.

6.) How did you feel when you read the final script?

so, funny story - i knew what was going to happen before everyone else did. when one of the guys who was leaving the show - not gonna point fingers cough Drew cough - left, he told me who was truly A and it broke a part of me that can't be fixed. ever. i didn't want to know until the end! i may admit to bawling my eyes out a little but keeping my mouth shut so i wouldn't ruin it for everyone else.

7.) Were you satisfied with the ending of the series?

to be completely honest with you - no. i had hoped for something wild and an adventure, who wouldn't when it comes to shows like Pretty Little Liars? but it wasn't the wild adventure that i was hoping for.

8.) Did you keep anything from the set as a memento? If so, what was it and what does it mean to you?