- 8 hours ago
"When Quinn breaks down, it is kind of ugly," said Zimmer of her 'UnReal' character.
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00:00Hey guys, I'm Chris Gardner from The Hollywood Reporter, and I'm joined today
00:03in the studio by someone who doesn't need an introduction, but I'm gonna do it
00:07anyway. Constance Zimmer from Lifetime's Unreal. Hi, Constance.
00:11Hi. Welcome back. I think this is almost our one-year anniversary, or close to,
00:17I think. She came in the studio last year to talk about her Emmy nomination for
00:22Unreal. So today we have a lot of ground to cover. I know you've just returned
00:26from Canada shooting season three, but before we get there, I'm gonna start off
00:29with a question that no journalist should really start off an interview this way,
00:33because I think I know the answer, but I'm gonna do it anyway. Looking back on this
00:37past season, season two of Unreal, what was your most challenging scene, and did it
00:42involve a golf club? Oh my gosh, you're so funny. Okay, so like really the comparison
00:48between season two and season three, right? Right. Okay, did anything compare to the
00:54golf club scene? No. I would definitely say no. There's nothing that is that physical,
01:02because I was pretty physical and emotional, but I would say there's some challenging things
01:11that I had to do, which might not seem challenging when you watch it, but physically challenging in a
01:19whole different way that I can't, I'm so sad I can't reveal it, but hopefully it'll be so intriguing.
01:26You'll wait the eight months before the show actually gets on television, but, which is like a whole
01:31nother conversation, right? We gotta talk about that. We gotta talk about that too, but was that, I mean,
01:35I know that the golf club scene was a physically challenging part, but you had a lot of other
01:39emotionally challenging scenes this season. Would you say that scene was the most challenging of this past season,
01:47or was there something else in regards to your character's arc? You know, there was, there was some
01:53love there. Well. There was a lot of emotional vulnerability that we're not used to seeing from
01:58Quinn. Right. Would you, what would be your definition of the most challenging scene? I mean, that for me is
02:03that scene, because it wasn't just the golf club smashing it, which felt really good, by the way.
02:09Um, no, it was definitely the emotional side of that, and how I had to flip so fast, uh, from
02:18falling in love
02:19and being super happy, to then being completely crushed, and my whole world kind of collapsing down around me,
02:26when it was a world that I didn't even know that I wanted. Like, the whole, like, no, now you,
02:30oh, I wanna have kids,
02:31I don't wanna have kids, oh, you can't have kids, oh, what the, you know. So, it was. I think
02:37that episode
02:38in itself was, was, was the most challenging, because it went up high, and then it really dropped. And trying
02:44to keep Quinn strong, and the character that she is, and the character that we all have come to, uh,
02:50love and hate
02:52at the same time. That, uh, and having that vulnerability be real, true to her. Like, because me as Constance,
02:59I could cry every day, but, but Quinn doesn't. So, if, when Quinn's gonna break down, it's, it's gotta be,
03:05like, kind of ugly.
03:07It's, it can't be, like, a, a beautiful thing, necessarily, right? Uh, so yeah, it was, that was, that was,
03:14uh, it was, it was hard, but it was good.
03:17Like, it felt great. It looked great. We just re-watched it this morning in preparation,
03:22just because it was such a cool scene. Um, but I'm, I'm curious, too, because, you know, a lot of
03:28people
03:28know where to go to find that rage, but for you, as an actress, where did you go to find
03:32that vulnerability
03:33and softer side, because you've been playing this woman who, who didn't ever show, or didn't show that up until
03:38this point. So, where did you go, uh, what was your process like to find that softness?
03:43Um, you know, I think because the softness of Quinn ultimately has to come from, that's, like, the one
03:53thing I take from Constance, and I put in Quinn, um, is that, you know, it's hard, right? Because a
04:03super
04:04strong woman being vulnerable is a really fine line to walk, and you can't just jump across it all of
04:12a sudden. So,
04:12for that scene in particular, it was really, I had a friend, one of my dear, dear friends, this
04:20actually happened to her, where she had never wanted kids her entire life. It really, like, not really any
04:26interest in having kids, and then one day, met this guy, and was really in love, and just thought, oh,
04:32this, this could be great. Okay, maybe I do want to have kids, and then was told she couldn't. And
04:38that was not the plan.
04:41That wasn't part of the plan, is just being told no. And so, for me, that's where I drew a
04:49lot of that
04:49personal pain from that, that I also think a lot of women deal with every day. Not, not about whether
04:57or not you can have kids, but just women being given the choice to say no to whatever that is
05:04in life. A lot of
05:05times, women, we are not given the choice, because we're never even given the opportunity sometime. So, there was so
05:12much of that going on, too, that I, that I think made it be a vulnerableness that was Quinn, and
05:18not a
05:19vulnerableness that was Constance. Because if it was me, I would have been, like, inconsolable. Like, I can't even
05:25talk when I get that emotional. So, that's where it was kind of like a combination of a few things.
05:32Well, I'm going to try not to make you too emotional, because I need you to keep talking. But I
05:35do wish we could sort of
05:37rewind everything you just said, because there's so much that was so rich in other tangents that I
05:42wanted to go on. So, we'll start with the very first thing you said about how there's a, that you
05:46took that
05:46one piece of you out. And I always find it so fascinating. I've stood on a lot of red carpets.
05:51I've interviewed you on a lot of red carpets. And I always hear this question when people say,
05:55what part of you is in your character? And, you know, for you, I assume that's not always been a
06:00really great
06:00question to ask. You're such a, on that show, what part of that is you?
06:05Do you like that question? How do you, how do you feel about reporters when they ask you that question?
06:11I think it's, you know, I think it's an important question, because I do believe, weirdly enough,
06:15as much of us as actors that play parts that are the complete opposite of who we are,
06:21they are innately being played by us. So, there has to be some part of who you are that makes
06:28that
06:28character what is that character. So, no, I think it's a question that is important.
06:35And interesting. And you can't cut yourself off. I mean, it's, it's this, it's not like I'm not this person.
06:43It's just how do you make that character be real and believable and not feel like a caricature.
06:52Yeah. Right. Yeah. So, it is true. So, that's, that's what you were saying. Sorry, I didn't mean to cut
06:57you off.
06:57But it is the vulnerableness. That's, that's the part of Constance that is Quinn.
07:02That's nice. It's a nice side to have. And I think the much more important question out of what you
07:06just said was the opportunities for women,
07:09which your show has, has been a part of this wave and, and been central and, and deserving.
07:15It's, it's, it's deserved its place as part of this, this swing that we're seeing in, in Hollywood where women
07:21at the center,
07:22the center of, of shows that can work, and that are doing well, continues this conversation and more opportunities.
07:28So I want to, I want to get to that in a second because I know that you have more
07:32opportunities on season three that we, that are crucial to this conversation.
07:35So we'll put press pause on that. Um, but I wanted to then move on to, um, see what happened
07:41in season two was also a part of another conversation
07:44because you guys introduced a black suitor on the show, which snagged a lot of headlines.
07:49Cause it's something that had not yet been done, um, on that other dating reality show on TV, which has
07:55now been done.
07:56You mean the bachelor? Yeah, the bachelor. Sorry. I was trying to be mysterious and that was dumb.
08:01It wasn't. It wasn't.
08:03So, um, but now ABC has a, has a black bachelorette. Um, do you think at all unreal had any
08:09part to play in that?
08:10Or is it something that you guys discussed on set?
08:13Well, I think that our show did have, I believe, I believe that it had a little bit to do
08:22with it because it sparked such a great conversation.
08:24Now, it's sad that you have to do that to incite a conversation.
08:30But I believe that that is what our show is doing is we are not by any means claiming to
08:36have any of the answers,
08:38but we can ask the questions. And so we can start the conversations. And that's what it did.
08:44I mean, people were talking about it and it became like, why is this an issue? It seems so ridiculous.
08:52So whether we did or whether we didn't, I would like to believe that we did. And, um, I've heard
08:58it's a fantastic season.
09:00Do you guys watch? Can you watch?
09:02I don't. I don't. I don't watch the show. No.
09:04You're busy. You have a lot of other things to talk about.
09:07Very busy. And so much television to watch.
09:10Right.
09:10With so many incredible women and so many incredible parts. You know, it's just, I, I would, I want to
09:17watch some real acting.
09:19Yeah. So speaking of that, what are you watching right now? What's next on your DVR?
09:23Well, next on my, my list or I don't even my screen or my, I don't even know what I
09:29say. I don't even say anything anymore.
09:31I just, I just say, Oh, I haven't watched it, but I know that what I should be watching.
09:36Like I should go home right now is Handmaid's Tale is my, that is the next thing that when I
09:41turn the television on, that is going to be on my television.
09:45Great. Well, when you come back, we're going to talk about that.
09:47Um, and then I know you can't talk about sort of specific plot points or, or anything, but, but looking
09:53ahead to season three for the fans who might be watching, can you say anything about just how you think
10:01that they're going to receive this season?
10:03Because season two, uh, to be honest, was a little divisive with critics and fans.
10:07So do you think this, this season changes that, that narrative for them or, or what are you thinking about?
10:13I mean, look, I would hope that every season is interesting and intriguing and controversial because otherwise, why are we
10:25making this show?
10:26This show is not a safe show.
10:29And I think that what they did with the second season was they took super big swings and I appreciated
10:37it for all of what they tried to do.
10:40And that's better than not trying.
10:43And so this season is so much different because we have a female sutress.
10:51Uh, and so it's changing the narrative once again, within a formula that everybody loves.
10:57It's all these hot men and now not only do you have two strong women, you have three.
11:04And it is a crazy trifecta of women wanting to help other women, but not knowing the best path.
11:15Wow.
11:15And believing that their path will direct them in the right, in the right direction, uh, you know, it's complicated.
11:25They're, and they're diving a little bit deeper again into the characters behind the scenes because we're the ones that
11:33are the, even more complicated than the ones in, that are on camera.
11:37Right.
11:38Wow.
11:39So it's, there's a lot.
11:40It's a, they've, there's some incredible conversations that they've brought up, uh, with this, you know, feminism versus objectifying men
11:50and how we can all do it together.
11:55Um, that's great. I would all watch anything that objectifies men.
11:59Uh, can we cut that? Um, just kidding.
12:01Uh, there's also something we haven't talked about is, is part of this, this season three is there's a new
12:06show runner, um, Stacy, who's been there since day one.
12:09What can you say about her, uh, her vision for the show and, and why she was the right choice
12:14to lead this, um, uh, show?
12:16Well, Stacy did an incredible job because as you said, she has been there from day one.
12:21And she's been a part of the writing staff and one of the producers and all of that.
12:27And it's a hard show.
12:28This is a very hard show to work on, to write, to produce, to get made everything across the board.
12:35And Stacy, having been there from day one and having been brought on, I think originally from Marty Noxon as
12:43well, they, we all know what we want the show to be.
12:47And it's about who can step up and protect it.
12:52And Stacy is there to protect it.
12:55And Sarah, Gertrude Shapiro, who is also still there.
12:59And, um, you know, the whole show runner versus non show runner to me is a little of a blurry
13:08line when there's, it's such a collaboration.
13:11It's why this show is so great is that everybody is doing their best, no matter their title, to make
13:19this the show that we are the most proud of.
13:22So I think Stacy has been such a great ringleader.
13:25And that is what we need.
13:27We need somebody to say, come on guys, let's go.
13:30Let's tether this all up and, you know, regroup or whatever.
13:34So, and, and speaking of, of control, um, when you, how much control do you have over Quinn's arc?
13:41I mean, you know, your, your, your, um, your performance is something that people look to so much.
13:47And, and the storylines have been so fascinating, but how, how much ahead of time do you know what Quinn's
13:52going to do or say, or, uh, or do you get involved in that process?
13:56I really have no say about her arc because there's stuff that happens in season three that I, I was
14:05not, not that into.
14:08And, you know, we have discussions and I rarely win because again, they, they have the whole arc in mind.
14:17They have the whole season and, and I put all my trust and my faith in them and know that
14:25they know the story they want to tell.
14:27And I'm just kind of the person that gets to tell it.
14:31That's great.
14:31And you're doing a great job.
14:33Um, we, uh, we just read the news or heard the news recently that, that the, that the launch of
14:39this new season has been pushed back a little bit.
14:41So, um, can you talk about how you feel about that decision and, and, um, what that, what that means
14:47for the fans, uh, or, or for the reception for the show?
14:50Because, you know, it's going to be off the air for some time.
14:54Obviously I was sad.
14:55I was sad just like all of you, because I know we have gotten very used to it being a
15:01summer show.
15:01So it, it's like, oh, the summer comes, oh, Unreal's on.
15:04But I have to say, I think in the long run, it's actually much better for our show because Lifetime
15:10has a few new shows that they are adding to their network that they would like to pair with our
15:17show.
15:18And I think everybody needs a good partner in crime and we didn't really have a show to air with
15:26us.
15:27And so I think waiting is going to be hard because we all thought it was going to be on
15:32by now.
15:33And I know there's a lot of fans that are very mad and I'm very sorry, but just hang in
15:38there, you know, go to the beach, drink some margaritas.
15:42Like, and before you know it, the summer will be over.
15:45It'll be fall.
15:46We'll all be cold, kind of.
15:48And then it'll, all of a sudden it'll be 2018 and we'll say, where did the year go?
15:53Oh my God, Unreal is on.
15:55Amazing.
15:56So we're just going to kick off 2018.
15:59That's amazing.
15:59Because 2017, let's be honest, has not been that great.
16:03So let's just start 2018 better with season three of Unreal.
16:08I love that.
16:09It's so something to look forward to.
16:11That's right.
16:11I mean, who needs New Year's?
16:12I mean, that's why we need New Year's Eve.
16:14There you go.
16:14The start of Unreal.
16:15That's right.
16:16That was amazing.
16:17What are you doing this summer though, by the way?
16:19You know, I just moved.
16:22Oh, wow.
16:22So I'm going to try and actually unpack some boxes.
16:25But I might take like little tiny, tiny trips.
16:29Nothing too spectacular.
16:30Yeah, because you've got to unpack those boxes.
16:32I've got to unpack boxes, people.
16:34Well...
16:34I live a very glamorous life.
16:40So do I, by the way, because I'm here with you.
16:42But I wanted to go back to what the opportunities for women, and I mentioned your opportunities,
16:48especially on this show, and I don't know if people know this or not yet, that you directed
16:52an episode of season three.
16:54So congratulations about that.
16:56What can you tell us about what that process was like and how it felt and why you chose that
17:01specific episode?
17:02Well, we don't get to choose which episode.
17:05They tell us this is the one you're directing.
17:09So it was so much fun, so exhausting, gave me amazing amounts of anxiety, but the most fulfilling
17:20job since acting that I've done.
17:23And could, like, honestly not have imagined it on any other place because everybody was
17:30so supportive and really wanted me to get all the opportunities that anybody would get
17:38on that show.
17:39And, I mean, the crew was incredible.
17:41The cast was incredible.
17:44And I just made sure I was so prepared, that I was, like, over-prepared, that I had answers
17:50to every question, that I knew exactly what I wanted to achieve in every scene.
17:55Because I had one day where I just thought, if I can get through this day, I can do anything.
18:02I had to shoot 12 pages in one day.
18:07One day, people.
18:09That's a 12-hour day because you can't go over.
18:12I'm not, as a new director, I'm not going to go over time.
18:15So I had 12 hours to shoot 12 pages and I had 10 actors or more in each scene.
18:23Wow.
18:25Wow.
18:25So, I was, that was definitely the most stressful day.
18:29But I did it and I didn't go over and I got almost every single scene I had wanted to
18:36get in the ways that I wanted.
18:39And that felt really good.
18:41And then all the other days after that, I was like, I can do this.
18:45This is great.
18:46Congratulations.
18:47That's amazing.
18:48But what was the most challenging part?
18:49Was it the technical direction that you had to do or was it directing the actors?
18:55Oh, no.
18:55Directing the actors is easy.
18:56I mean, I do that even when it's not my job.
19:00In a nice way, in a very nice way.
19:02I do it with some kind of like eyes and winking or maybe, but definitely the technical.
19:08I'm not going to pretend that I know about lenses and, you know, what shoulder you're
19:15supposed to shoot over and whose eye line is right or left or, you know, that stuff is,
19:20I just said to myself, that's not my job right now.
19:22My job is to tell a story and make sure that I'm getting great performances and that the
19:27story that's on the page is being told.
19:31And so for me, that was what I cared about the most.
19:34And then I could say to the crew because they were so great, I'd say, this is what I would
19:39want, this is what I want it to look like.
19:41Let's see how we can achieve that.
19:43I had this idea of this being here, but, you know, and they were like, well, we can't
19:46get the camera there.
19:47And I said, okay, well, if you can't get the camera there, where can you get the camera
19:51so that I can have this look and then this comes across and, you know, so, but I learned
19:55a lot.
19:56And, but my husband, who's a director, was very smart.
19:59He said, listen, don't go in there pretending that you know camera lenses.
20:03That's not your job.
20:04That's the camera department's job.
20:06And that freed me up to just really focus on what was important for me, which was performances
20:11and telling the story.
20:13That's amazing.
20:14And so will you do more directing?
20:16I would love to.
20:18I just would prefer to not be acting in it at the same time.
20:21I want to just focus on one thing.
20:24And it's, it's fun though.
20:26It was a really great challenge.
20:27But when I direct, I would like to not, I'll still do another episode of Unreal.
20:33Don't get me wrong.
20:33I would do that in a heartbeat.
20:36But in the future, I would then also like to just direct and not be in it.
20:41But do you see that as a, as a new career chapter for you, or do you still want to
20:45continue
20:45to do both your, for the rest of your career?
20:48I would love to do both.
20:49I mean, I would love to be able to act and direct and produce and pretty much take over
20:55the world guys.
20:57No, but I, you know, look, I let's do it.
21:00Let's go.
21:00We got to open these opportunities up.
21:02We got it.
21:02You take them and you run with them.
21:05And it, it really felt good.
21:07I just loved being in control of everything.
21:11I was like, I don't like that pencil on that desk.
21:14I would like to move it.
21:15Oh, I can do that.
21:17That's amazing.
21:18At least now I know what those little winks you're giving me are trying to do with my
21:22questions.
21:23Just kidding.
21:25This is, but this is your second year on the Emmy circuit following your nomination last
21:29year, which is really amazing.
21:32And I'm just curious as to what you enjoy, or curious if you could tell me what you enjoy
21:38about the Emmy process and how you're feeling about it this year.
21:41I have to say, I just love being part of the conversation.
21:46It feels like you're doing something that's making an impact.
21:52I don't know what that impact is.
21:54I don't know how big or small, but it doesn't matter.
21:56It's something that I never strive for when I take a part or I do a job.
22:03It's not about like, ooh, what can I get for this?
22:05Because the reward is really just the job and people watching it and being affected by
22:14it.
22:15And when you throw the, the whole category of, of nominations and awards and all of this
22:22at it, it just becomes more of, you know, it's the icing on the cake.
22:26And it's never expected and never anticipated.
22:31So I just like it when people want to talk to me.
22:37I always want to talk to you.
22:38And I think there are a lot of people that do, and I'm going to call you out as we
22:41end
22:41because I don't know if you remember, but you said something to me that I've thought
22:44about ever since we had this conversation on an awards show.
22:48It was like an awards event last December.
22:51Oh, it was the party at the hotel.
22:53Yeah.
22:54I mean at the, oh yes, I know exactly what you're talking about.
22:56And we were talking about it because you had mentioned, I had asked you a question about
23:00politics and sort of the future of our country.
23:03That's a huge question, especially perfect for my purpose.
23:06And you had just sort of challenged me to ask questions in a different way to sort of
23:10change the narrative that people present about politics or just about positivity and negativity
23:15in the world.
23:16So thank you for that.
23:17I, I will admit I haven't always done it because it's so easy to fall back on negativity
23:22sometimes when that's all we're sort of presented with.
23:26But anyway, so thanks for coming in and giving us some positivity today.
23:30And I'm so happy for this new phase of your career or this new piece of your career.
23:35It's not a new phase, a new piece of your career.
23:36I'll take it.
23:37I'll take all of it.
23:38Yeah.
23:38And I'm glad we got through this without crying.
23:40I know.
23:41I got really close there for a second, almost.
23:43I was just like, oh, I started talking about Emmys and I just go right back to like
23:47last year when I was so verklempt, like forever.
23:51Wow.
23:51It's still there.
23:52It's still there.
23:53It's still there.
23:53But you made it.
23:55Thank you so much for coming in.
23:57And thank you guys so much for watching.
24:00Continue to watch Unreal.
24:01Remember, 2018.
24:03So have fun this summer.
24:05So just drink.
24:06I'm not going to tell everybody to drink their summer away.
24:08But you know, just do things so that every time passes very quickly.
24:11Yeah.
24:12Like go to the beach and do fun stuff and unpack boxes if that's your thing, too.
24:15So thank you.
24:16That does not make time go quickly, by the way.
24:18No.
24:19Thank you, Constance.
24:20And thank you guys for watching.
24:21For more news on Unreal and about the world of entertainment,
24:25check out THR.com and we'll see you next time.
24:27Bye.
24:27Bye.
24:27Bye-bye.
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