Following up his blockbuster The Avengers, Joss Whedon is returning this summer with an ensemble of another variety with the Shakespeare-noir Much Ado About Nothing. I was lucky enough to sit down with one of the members of the cast, the versatile actress Amy Acker, over a month ago in her hometown of Dallas, while she toured with the film to talk about her career to date. We chatted about her evolving roles around geek projects, how she answers a phone call from Whedon, what she nerds out for in terms of television, what movie scared her away from horror films, what she learned from the hectic schedule of shooting Much Ado, whether she has ever pushed for a role in a Whedon project, and much more. Check out the conversation below.
The Film Stage: So, you’re a Dallas native.
Amy Acker: Yeah!
So, have you been to this hotel before?
No. I don’t think I’ve ever stayed in a hotel in Dallas before. Usually I would just stay at my parents’ house. But yesterday was my 10-year anniversary.
Congratulations.
So yesterday we went fancy and stayed at a hotel.
So, this is one of the first films where you’re really kind of headlining, if I’m not mistaken. There are other actors in the film, but you and Alexis Denisof become the main focus of the film. Is it interesting to be on this side of things?
The whole experience was so fun and exciting. I can’t imagine that I’ll ever have this great of an experience again, so I’m just excited to be a part of it. I think that’s the great thing about this production is that every part, no matter what size it is, adds something to the movie. The Watchmen, they always joke, “Oh, well we steal the movie.” But at some points they kind of do. [Laughs]. Every character who you may skip over in a normal production brings something interesting.
You’ve said that the costume designer actually went into your closets and picked out some clothing for you to wear during the production. So when the costume designer was rummaging through your closet, did you have an idea of what they might pick? Were you crossing your fingers, “please don’t pick that dress”?
[Laughs] Yeah, yeah. I hid some stuff. Joss and I are good friends also and we had gone to a dinner for Alexis’ birthday with a lot of other friends and when we were doing the movie he said, “Would you wear that dress you wore to Alexis’ birthday?” So I kind of knew the feeling he was going for when we started.
So, this wasn’t actually shot in black and white. It was post-converted, right?
Yeah.
There’s a sequence where he has orange cones. I never noticed it but I read an interview where he was mentioning that yeah, there’s orange traffic cones. One of those kinds of Easter Eggs.
[Laughs]
Obviously you are dealing with a very tight production, but did you have any fun with the fact that everything is going to end up black or white or shades of that? Maybe wear some colors that would clash?
No. I think that was part of the reason it was black and white. I mean, the real reason is that he wanted to evoke a noir feeling with the movie and was inspired by the noir movies and he wanted that sense of timelessness that black and white gave the movie even though there’s iPhones and we are in modern dress. It’s not too specifically linked to present day. But also when you’re pulling stuff from everyone’s closet into a house that you’re not going to repaint walls for… it makes everything look pretty all of a sudden.
[Both laugh]
In an interesting way, I guess that sped up production.
Yeah. And we just didn’t have the budget to make things uniform. But I don’t remember anything sticking out and looking terrible. But I’m not a director nor cinematographer so I wasn’t really looking for it. It just seemed like real people. It was nice because everyone felt comfortable in their clothes because they were their real clothes.
[Both laugh]
This film was obviously put into production while he was in the middle of taking a vacation while shooting The Avengers. I can’t imagine what was going through his head when he decided that, but I’m curious. Did you get a call? Did you get an email? I’ve read a couple of different people got different things.
He called me and Alexis. He had talked to Alexis and then called me and said, “Will you play Beatrice?”
Did he hint that he needed an answer fast?
Well, when Joss calls I just pick up the phone and say, “Yes.” And he’s like, “Hi Amy,” and I’m like, “Yes.” “I haven’t even asked you anything yet.” “Yes.”
[Both laugh]
Whatever it is, I know I want in on it. There wasn’t a need to delay. He said that we were going to start in three weeks and you pretty much have to know the whole play by then. He mentioned that they would rehearse it because they were going to shoot it fast.
And I had read that you and Alexis had done some fun reads. Apparently this is Joss’ thing. He has a lot of Shakespeare readings.
Yeah. We’re really nerdy. [Laughs]
So, when you sat down, you had played that role?
We had done a reading of Much Ado at Joss’s and it was him as Benedict and me as Beatrice.
So you were familiar with those lines.
Yeah.
You didn’t have to cram?
Well, that was the excitement of the movie as well. It brought the ensemble feeling together. Everyone who was involved was learning lines and coaching each other on the side and Alexis is super smart and great at Shakespeare, so even Joss would go up to him. Alexis would say, “Well, actually, this is blah blah blah for blah blah blah.” [Laughs] And Joss would be like, “Yeah, that’s what I thought.” Everyone brought different stuff and helped each other out in all aspects. There was one girl who was helping everyone with hair and makeup. It was a real community project. I think that’s the most fun aspect of watching it because you can really see how much everyone loves each other when their making it and how much fun we were having.
You’re a big part of a lot of geek projects. There’s obviously Angel. There’s Person of Interest right now, which I love, but I’m curious because your character’s role in the show has gradually expanded. Are you getting scripts of episodes that you’re not even in?
No!
So you’re watching along with the rest of us?
I watch and sometimes I’ve been back in and the episodes haven’t aired yet so I’m like, “Wait, should I know this?” It’s a little tricky but most of my stuff lately has been with Michael [Emerson] who is so awesome and so much fun to work with. There was one occasion where I was saying something and they were like, “Actually, you were in that episode but we used a body double.” [Laughs] “Oh, so, wait, what did I do?”
And you were involved with Cabin in the Woods as well. But I was reading that you actually don’t like scary movies.
I’m very wimpy, yeah.
What movie did you discover that?
I went to see Silence of the Lambs, and the part when she knocks on his door at the end, I left and I don’t know what happens for the rest of the movie. And I don’t really want to know. [Laughs]
It’s a good ending there, huh?
I figure it probably ends up better than my imagination, actually. But from doing Cabin and I was super lucky because I got to be paired up with Drew [Goddard], who directed it, for a lot of the press for the movie. Listening to him talk about horror movies and why they made the movie and the movies they’ve drawn on, it has made me be more interested and feel like, “Ohhh, maybe I should watch Evil Dead.” But I haven’t yet. [Laughs]
I read that he showed all the cast and crew, I think, The Thing or something like that.
I think that was the kids, actually. All the young people. Should I watch it?
I think you should. To be honest, yeah. Maybe watch The Evil Dead 2. That one’s a little bit more fun.
Not the new one?
No. Don’t watch the new one. If you’re not into gore and stuff like that, yeah. No, that will mess you up.
[Both laugh]
Having all this fandom surrounding all these geek projects. Going to Comic-Con, and things like that. Do you geek out about anything in particular? Is there anything that you’re kind of like, “Wow, I wish I could do that.”
I’m even geekier. When I’m in New York by myself, I watched the entire season two of Downton Abbey in one day. I probably shouldn’t say that out loud. [Laughs] There’s definitely shows that I love and from an acting standpoint I just feel so lucky. I don’t think of them as geek shows. I just think of them as the best shows you get to act in. You get to do so many different things. Root on Person of Interest, there just aren’t that many characters like that on TV. I never know what I’m going to do and script to script I’m always surprised, “Oh, I’m even crazier.” [Laughs]. Or getting to find out there’s a reason why she feels that way. I’ve enjoyed, like you said, that character develop. And I’m kind of in the same shoes as you guys. I don’t know what they have in mind from the beginning, so getting to see a character grow and getting to see stuff that maybe I got to add in acting wise that show up later. With Joss, he’s let me play so many different parts. I mean, some of the parts, like Wendy Lynn in Cabin in the Woods, you wouldn’t expect. I started off in Angel as a crazy girl in a cave in a demon dimension wearing a potato sack and ended up as a blue goddess. There’s just so many different things you get to do and it’s always exciting and fun and pushes you. As long as I’m trying something, well, if it fails, at least I want it to be a bold failure.
Obviously you have a long-standing working relationship with Joss Whedon. Do you ever push him to get into certain projects? I mean, I know there’s Avengers 2 coming up. I mean, are you ever so bold?
Oooh. Well, that’s the thing about Joss. I know that if he thinks I’m right for something that he’ll call. Like with Dollhouse, I think originally that character was written to be a 50-year-old woman and when he would start talking to me about this new idea for a TV show he had, I was like, “Wow, that sounds awesome.” Can I be your assistant? [Laughs] It just didn’t sound like there was anything there for me. Then after he read some people for the part, he called me one day and was like, “Actually, would you be Dr. Saunders? I think I had you in mind when I wrote it.” So, it’s if he wants to. He does that with everybody. The people he likes to work with, he keeps bringing them back and into different roles. So I feel like if there’s something that’s right, he’ll have me back.
Was there anything that you took away from the frantic pace of filming Much Ado?
A lot. I have so many friends other than Joss who are also super talented. Great writers and great actors. Great musicians. So much of the time you’re sitting around, drinking a glass of wine and saying, “We should just do something.” “That’s a great idea! We should make it.” And, while he is Joss, just having someone be like, “Well, we’re making it. In three weeks, we’re doing it. Whoever wants to come, come.” That’s been really exciting and inspirational. We’re trying right now to get together a project to shoot in June that’s the same kind of thing. A two week thing. My sister’s husband is the DP and he’s got a camera and we have a friend that’s got a great script. Everyone’s pitching in. If you’re around people that you’re inspired by and excited by, I think ultimately there’s going to be a good result. It may not end up going to all the festivals and getting to do all the stuff that Much Ado has done, but I think if I can be an actor, playing in something, and do that with my friends, then it’s worth it.
Much Ado About Nothing is now in limited release.