‘QUINN TERRIFIES ME!’
QHOW IS QUINN KING EVOLVING IN THE THIRD SEASON AND WHAT WILL BE THE MAJOR CHANGE IN HER CHARACTER IN THE UPCOMING EPISODES?
I would say Quinn will be unravelling a little more than she has in the last seasons, which to me was a scary thing to do. Yes! I was excited to do it because I don’t believe somebody can pull off such schemes without having them affect her. And because of what happened in the second season and the death at the end, I was excited that we would be able to show how it affects her, how she deals with it and struggles to still be on top and in control.
QIN HOUSE OF CARDS, YOU PLAYED A JOURNALIST, IN UNREAL YOU ARE AN EXECUTIVE PRODUCER; WHAT KIND OF RESEARCH GOES ON BEHIND YOUR CHARACTERS?
I don’t do a lot of research; I have a very selfish reason for that. I don’t want anyone to claim that my character was inspired from them! I am also one of those weird actors for whom, many a time, the characters come in when he/she is in the wardrobe. Sometimes, it happens when I get my hair done, or during make-up, and when Constance disappears. So, a lot of my research lies in me and how I develop with what I am given. Mind you, if I end up doing a role in history, I will take back my words and do more research (laughs).
QHOW DOES CONSTANCE ZIMMER LOOK AT QUINN KING? Oh! She terrifies me. More often than not, I look at the script and wonder how am I going to make it believable. Those are always the challenges for me, which makes playing Quinn fun. I am constantly in shock at what I am given to do. I have even fought for the things that were on the pages saying, ‘I am not going to do that, I don’t know how to make that work’.
But, at the moment, when they say action, something takes over and I don’t question Quinn or the things that come out of my mouth. I have to remove the Constance part of me, the part which questions a lot about the things that we are allowed to say. Quinn doesn’t!
QYOU ONCE SAID THE SOFT PART OF QUINN COMES FROM CONSTANCE, SO WHERE DOES THE TOUGH AND SCHEMING PART OF HER COME FROM?
I wonder myself. Does it come from feeling alone, struggling about who you are or what you are going to do with your life? I really don’t know. That’s the frightening thing about her. I have never raised my voice to anyone in my life ever, so I think Quinn is the best therapy I’ve had in life (laughs).
QDID YOU THINK AT THE OUTSET THAT THIS CHARACTER WAS GOING TO GET THE CRITICAL ACCLAIM THAT IT HAS GOT NOW?
No, I had no idea. I was just hoping that people would watch this show. I never ever thought that I would be nominated for an Emmy, let alone win the Critic’s Choice. That was beyond anything I had hoped for the character and the show.
QYOU HAVE DIRECTED AN EPISODE IN SEASON 3, HOW WAS IT TO BE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE CAMERA?
It was amazing. I had so much fun! I was also unbelievably exhausted. It was hard to turn off Quinn, and be Constance, the director. There were few times when I had to yell across the room, and I was dressed as Quinn and in her mode. Everybody started laughing that Quinn is actually directing in real now. It was very very weird for many.
(Watch Seasons 1&2 of UnReal on Star World at 9 pm)