Megan Mullally interview
Megan Mullally talks about playing tattooed prisoner Leanne and how the script's blockbuster feel attracted her to the show.
How would you describe your character?
When we first meet Leanne, she is incarcerated in a women's prison in Oklahoma. She's the leader of the white supremacist faction of the prison and she has a swastika tattooed on her forehead. She's someone who's been raised badly and grown up in a community of ignorance. Her whole ethos is pretty upset. When Rhonda, played by Jenna Fischer, is wrongly convicted of a crime and incarcerated in the cell next to her, she takes an interest in her. At first, it's because Rhonda is a kind of celebrity because her face has been on the news a lot. But then, she grows fond of Rhonda and this odd friendship develops between the two of them.
What attracted you to You, Me And The Apocalypse as a whole?
It's different from anything else. It's more like a big blockbuster kind of movie and it is shot on a very big scale. The scope of the show is quite different from a lot of other shows I've seen for television. Also, it takes place all over the world and it has an international cast. A lot of great British actors are in it like Pauline Quirke and Mathew Baynton and Diana Rigg, as well as Jenna and Rob Lowe.
Also, there's quite a lot of pace and energy to the show because there's this obvious sense of urgency. It's very suspenseful. When I was reading the script I didn't know who was going to make it or not make it or, in fact, if anybody was going to make it. It was quite a page-turner.
Have you enjoyed working with Jenna?
Jenna's great, we instantly hit it off. I loved working with her. During the first several episodes, all of my scenes were just with Jenna. As a matter of fact, I didn't meet the rest of the cast until a lot later on. I didn't know at first Diana Rigg was in the show. It was great surprise. I am obsessed with her, she's unbelievable.
What were the rest of the cast like to work with?
It's lucky that we have such a good group because it just makes it really fun. All the actors are really fun and there are a lot of good senses of humour. We've giggled a lot.
Your real-life husband, Nick Offerman, appears briefly. Was it fun to work together again?
Yes. Nick came to visit while we were shooting in South Africa and they put him in this really fun role as a cross-dresser. So you'll be seeing him as you've never seen him before! We had a lot of fun shooting that day. He and I have worked together quite a bit - we actually met doing a play together. We've done a lot of things over the years and it was nice to get to do something else.
Obviously this is a British production. Are you a fan of British TV?
Yes, I like The Office and Getting On and a lot of Sharon Horgan's shows like Pulling, and Downton Abbey, of course. All the Americans love Downton Abbey! I'm obsessed with Sherlock and Black Mirror is unbelievable genius.
The show begins 34 days before the end of the world. If you received news about something like that, what would you do?
I feel like the people in this show are a lot more plucky than I would be if I heard that news.
And if you had the option to go into a bunker to try to survive the end of the world, would you take it?
Oh I would. Wouldn't you? Yes I would definitely go into the bunker.
How do you think the industry has changed since you started out?
It's completely different. There's hardly anything left of what it used to be. First of all, actors weren't allowed to have an opinion or improvise a line. Now, it's so different and I feel like people welcome a freer approach. The landscape has expanded in a way I don't think anybody 30 years ago could have foreseen. With cable TV and now on demand services, there are so many more opportunities and jobs. There are still not enough jobs for women, though, because most shows have about 500 men and two women but other than that... It's so hard to get a movie made that many of the great writers and directors have moved to television and are making great shows. It's a really exciting time.
Why should viewers tune in to You, Me And The Apocalypse?
It's really entertaining and it's got broad appeal. It's not elitist and yet it's not dumbed down or silly or over-the-top. It rides the line between comedy and drama and a thriller and it's smart.