Sask.-born Maslany is one busy star
Sask.-born star talks about role on Gould jury, says she isn't new She-hulk
Going over all of the nominees and getting to learn about some artists that I hadn't heard of or didn't know the full breadth of their work was really incredible.
Regina- born Emmy Award-winning actor Tatiana Maslany spoke with Postmedia News a few days ago.
The main reason: Maslany was a juror for the Glenn Gould Prize, newly awarded to prolific Canadian Indigenous filmmaker Alanis Obomsawin.
In a quick seven-minute phone call, Maslany also discussed her own work — and said her SheHulk (Disney +) casting is just a rumour.
Q What was it like being on this jury (which included author Neil Gaiman, musician Chilly Gonzales, and many other accomplished artists)?
A It was an incredible honour to be on the jury, and I feel like I've learned so much in the last week in terms of just getting to have discussions with people from so many different disciplines who are just absolute masters of their art form … And going over all of the nominees and getting to learn about some artists that I hadn't heard of or didn't know the full breadth of their work was really incredible.
Q So there was a list of 20-some artists and you all had to discuss and deliberate who would be awarded the prize — how did you narrow it down?
A Well exactly. Not only are we all from such disparate experiences, but also all of the nominees were from all kinds of different disciplines and countries and all of it. I think any one of them could have been awarded this and it would have made sense, but Alanis feels so important in terms of what her art is speaking about and speaking to, and just the breadth of her work. She's been doing this for so many decades and was on set when we called her to tell her she won; she was on set between takes, and she's 88 years old. It's just incredible.
Q Had you met Alanis Obomsawin or experienced her work before?
A No, this was my intro. And I think that also really made me feel quite strongly about giving her voice a platform in whatever way that we could, because I'm Canadian and hadn't been made aware of her work before, and that's such a shame.
And I think it's quite a common experience for so many Canadians who aren't Indigenous, that we are so separated from that community, and it's just an awful truth. And so I was just really moved by her; I couldn't stop thinking about her and I couldn't stop coming back to her as we deliberated. She just stuck in my head and I felt very emotionally connected to her.
Q Jury chair Laurie Anderson said you had “so many interesting things to say from a slightly different perspective from some of the other people on the jury.” Do you know what she meant by that? What was your perspective?
A No, I don't entirely know. I think I come from a different discipline than anyone else on that panel. Not that any of us were in the same boat, but so many people were musicians and so many people were really prolific musicians or composers, so they just had a music element to their work. So I think my perspective being an actor is a different thing; (I'm) more a fan of music ...
Q As a fan of music, what are you listening to right now?
A Right now, that's such a good question. Every time I get asked that I blank. ... I'm listening to all over the map. This guy called A.G. Cook I'm really into right now, who's like a PC Music guy. I always come back to Sophie. I'm listening to the new Die Antwoord album. I'm going back to Death Grips and Kendrick — I just started listening to, it's called Dissect, where this guy breaks down mostly hip-hop albums and he's going through Kendrick Lamar's Damn and it's giving me double — like I already am such a huge fan of his, but I get to really break down why he's so genius. It's really exciting.
Q I was hoping to ask you about some of the stuff you've got going on too. Obviously you are the new She-hulk, which is a pretty big deal —
A That actually isn't a real thing and it's like a press release that's gotten out of hand. It's totally not — I've been connected to these things in the past and press has gotten onto it, but it's not actually a thing, unfortunately.
Q Seriously? I think I even saw it on the BBC, like serious news outlets.
A Yeah, I don't know how these things get — I don't know, I don't know. You know better; I have no idea. (Laughs.)
Q OK, I won't ask you about that then! What else is going on in your working life? I'm sure COVID threw a wrench into things.
A Yeah. I think a cartoon that
I'm part of just got announced... It's called Harper House and it's a great new comedic animation. I play a little oddball called Ollie, who's the daughter of this family and her brain operates on a very different plane and she's very cool, very smart without being smart. ... It's for adults, for sure.
Maslany had to rush off to another call before I got to ask about living in Toronto (which her Instagram suggests — she had been living in Los Angeles) and giving a platform to marginalized voices (again, pointing to her Instagram).
I also wondered whether she misses Orphan Black, and whether she still does improv (remember the General Fools? So good). Questions for next time!