Page 23 - Real Style October 2017

of him. So I wondered if I was going to be scared shitless seeing him. And of course, he is just a lovely, warm, relaxed guy. He is very much himself when we were rst shooting, so I felt very much at ease and relaxed. But when we were in the scene together
in character, I had a lot of fun enjoying the fact that I was going to let him know just how little I think of him. Negan is a terrible man, but I love playing opposite of him; I’d love to see more of that. I think it is fantastic.
rs: Were you given a chance to play Jadis how you wanted,
or were the directors rigid in how they wanted her portrayed?
pm: It is not really about rigidity; it is about the dialogue, and that’s how it should be, because the show is so well-written. You can come up with ideas and you can play little moments that weren’t written, and nd places where you won’t screw up the situation. It is interesting to see actors who have been on the show much longer than myself, like Andy [Andrew Lincoln] for instance, suggest something, because they really know their character better than anybody else. I’ve seen Andy say “Hey, how about we shoot this like this.” He has a real visual eye, so even directors have listened
to him and loved to collaborate with him because he really knows his character and really loves the show and is looking out for the show as a whole. So I see people like Andy doing that, and I totally respect it, but I’m not at that stage yet. I have ideas, but I’m quite in their hands, and I’m happy to be.
rs: You play another strong female lead in the upcoming lm Blood Ride. Are you drawn to these sorts of characters or are
you pulled into them?
pm: I wouldn’t say pulled into, but I would de nitely say, just
like any job, people get to know you for something that you do
well and they want to offer you those things. But, it’s also that I auditioned for that lm, and they liked what I was giving them. Often, with strong characters,
and in the case of women, there is more room for nuance because they are not ascribing to a speci c “female.” It always just makes
the character more interesting if they are shedding some of those expectations. I also think the fact that I am 5’11, broad-shouldered, dark-haired and have a strong voice probably has something to do with it too. I remember there was a role I really wanted to
play; the character was suicidal after she lost her husband.
They decided I just didn’t look delicate enough. And I thought, what about all those six-foot
obese women who have lost
their husbands and are suicidal; don’t they get to be played by
somebody? Does it always have to be some delicate looking bird? So, I think, when you think of characters sometimes, you still think of physical shape. And I think that is a real shame.
rs: You’ve been very vocal about body type in the past when it comes to casting. Do you think things are changing at all in the movie industry?
pm: I think they are slowly shifting. Yes, we are seeing
some of that. But it is still pretty traditional. Like, if you are not skinny, you’ve got to be really
big and then you’re a character actor and you play the best friend role. You know, I still see so much of it. I have friends of so many shapes and sizes so I can look
at the way things are being cast outside of my own experience. I still see those archetypes being clung onto. We get used to seeing something and then we think it is normal, but we really have to be reminded that actually it is not. But, I think what I am seeing is
that there is more of an interest in and more of an acceptance of what they call the female voice.
I think we are going to see more and more opening up to different possibilities. I think it is a really exciting time as an actor and as a lmmaker.
rs: So after The Walking Dead Season 8 premieres later this month and Blood Ride hits theatres later this year, what’s next for you? pm: Well, I am directing a lm
in December. It is going to be
my feature debut. I am really excited. I can’t say what it is about or anything like that, but I’ll be playing a role in it too. And that is what I am preparing for simultaneously. I think I have quite enough going on at the moment.
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