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I first saw you inThe Leftovers, where your character didnt do a ton of talking.
It was really exciting and a fun challenge to come over to Shondaland, with all these monologues.
Im actually much more intimidated by one line than I am by huge monologues.
You were in one episode ofGreys Anatomya while back.
And Im like, Thats not how it works.
And then I got this show!
She was like, Oh, well, youre welcome.
We were Skyping over Christmas, which should have been her holiday break.
We Skyped for an hour and she probably got six phone calls from clients, like it was nonstop.
That was incredible insight to the reality of what that life is like.
Obviously, Allison has a completely different viewpoint.
Were you interested in these kind of issues before joining the show?Not really.
Im becoming passionate about things I was, maybe, more passively interested in before.
For example, weed becoming legalized in so many states.
Over on our side, on the public defender side, we have a blast.
We are just pranking each other on set and telling goofy stories and cracking up.
We all go to karaoke together.
Rather than flying back to L.A., I just stayed in Australia and my girlfriend went with me.
We just rented a car and put 6,000 miles on it in 30 days.
There were so many impressive actors and writers and directors on that show.
What did you learn on the set?It felt like a master class in acting for me.
To then join them and get to do that, it was incredible.
Kevin Carroll, who played my dad, we talked a lot about acting.
It was like a big acting class.
In that episode in Melbourne, Evie shoots such incredibly withering glares at Kevin Garvey when shes haunting him.
Did you spend much time perfecting that look?I more did a lot of work on Evies anger.
I just let it happen on the day.
I understand that feeling of everyone around you lying and being the odd one out.
It was very healing.
Afterwards, I felt less angry.
Youve gone between these two extreme types of acting.
Are there other styles that you want to do?I want to do more comedy.
I would really love to do a female-driven comedy.
Thats something I havent done very much of, but that I love to do.
I want to explore just other sides of filmmaking, apart from acting.
And I miss theater.
I would love to go and work on Broadway or Off Broadway.
What do you tend to write?Theyre definitely not comedies.
You said you just moved to L.A. when you were doingThe Leftovers.
You grew up in Oregon, right?
I was just very fearless.
When I think about the move now, its more intimidating that it was at the time.
It was just the next step, the thing to do, and I wasnt scared at all.
I had $2,000 and I was like, Thats so much money!
Now Im like, What?
Who moves with $2,000?
But at the time, it was a lot, you know?
Was there a moment when you felt like youd figured things out?Id say thats happening now.
I just got a car.
Thats a big step for me.
Im not worried about making rent for the first time in a while, so thats nice.
Im at that spot now and it feels very good.
