KATHERINE WATERSTON
[THE Q&A] From insane live TV episodes to epic period dramas, KATHERINE WATERSTON has not let 2020 slow her down
The American actress on being in a muddy field with Jude Law, and an Alien: Covenant sequel.
KATHERINE WATERSTON HASN’T really stopped working. Since making her debut in 2007’s Michael Clayton, she’s been constantly in demand, battling aliens and fantastic beasts alike — all the while keeping one foot in challenging indie fare such as her breakout role in Paul Thomas Anderson’s Inherent Vice. Her latest, the lesbian period drama The World To Come, has earned her the best reviews of her career, with a rare 100 per cent rating on Rotten Tomatoes and Oscar buzz from its Venice premiere.
What was your first impression of your character, Abigail, in The World To Come?
There’s a line of voiceover that didn’t end up making it into the film, that was at the top of the first page [of the script]. The line was: “At night I often wonder if those who have been my intimates had found me to be a steep hill, whose view does not repay the ascent.” And I just knew I had to do the part. I was so struck. That line alone told me so much about the character and really drew me in. It communicated so efficiently that she’s the type of person who is kept up at night not from the anxiety of what she hasn’t gotten out of life — but what she hasn’t given in life. It took the wind out of me, reading that line. As I continued to read, I wasn’t any less intrigued. It’s a perfect script. There was like a Shakespearean richness to it, that demanded of us more in-depth examination than most scripts demand of us.
So was it an evolving experience, getting to know this character, all the way through the shoot?
Definitely. We just used every waking moment to work on it.
We rehearsed on weekends, before dawn, whenever we could find a moment to try to dig in further. And then I did the voiceover with Mona [Fastvold, director], in postproduction — which was sort of like making a second film. We really took our time. I was adamant that we didn’t rush through that because it’s such an integral part of the story. That was actually a really fascinating experience — kind of learning to be an editor.
Did you see the film in a different light, during that voiceover process?
It was quite similar, in a way, from an actor’s perspective, in that it’s just one more chance to try to give more for the film. Every take feels like that. Every take, even a voiceover take, is a chance! I mean, I could have done it for years. I just love the trying. What’s so interesting in editing is how the placement of a single word over a particular shot, and then a nudge to the right or the left, by a matter of milliseconds, can completely change how something feels. I mean, I’m such a nerd for this stuff, I really love it.
You’re currently shooting the next Fantastic Beasts film. Can we expect any surprises?
I never really know what I’m supposed to say or not say. But yes, I can confirm there will be surprises. I just thought of one, in fact. It surprised me! I think that’s about as far as I can go.
Alien: Covenant was left on a cliffhanger. Will we see your character again?
I hope so! I had just such a good experience on that film. Ridley Scott is so wonderful and energetic for a man who is now into his eighties. I had this fantasy of that character becoming a warrior in the next film. You start to see that at the end of Covenant. But I feel like if it was going to happen, it would have happened by now.
They recently announced an Alien TV series...
I did not know that! You see, you actually find out this sort of thing before me. Well, we’ll see. But I haven’t heard anything.
We have to ask about The Third Day. What was it like being a part of that insane live episode?
Oh my God, it was just wonderful. It felt a wonderful sort of ‘fuck you’ to the pandemic that has taken down the theatre community. Getting to be a part of it was one of the great experiences of my career. And certainly the most unusual.