Actress Ann Dowd on how she builds her twisted, darkly iconic characters on The Handmaid's Tale and The Leftovers.

Actress Ann Dowd on how she builds her twisted, darkly iconic characters on The Handmaid's Tale and The Leftovers.

Author: Vox August 23, 2017 Duration: 1:00:49
After more than 20 years building her stage and screen resume, Ann Dowd has become a star thanks to her roles as Patti Levin on The Leftovers and the menacing yet maternal Aunt Lydia on The Handmaid’s Tale. Her characters are a product of the fractured worlds around them, but she manages to imbue them with depth and dimensionality that suggests their tragic origins. They’re villains, but ones who feel just as human as the protagonists they play against. With season two of The Handmaid’s Tale confirmed and a host of other projects in the works, Dowd now finds herself one of the most in-demand character actresses on television. She speaks with Todd about her theater roots, what it was like to be filming the first season of The Handmaid’s Tale while Donald Trump rose to prominence, and how having children later in her career has given her valuable perspective and balance. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Every Thursday, Vox’s critic-at-large Emily VanDerWerff sits down for a conversation that goes beyond the usual promotional chatter. The I Think You're Interesting podcast is built on the premise that the people who make the movies, TV shows, and art we love have fascinating stories and creative processes worth exploring in detail. These are frank, uncensored talks with a wide range of guests-from household names to emerging talents and essential behind-the-scenes figures-all of whom have shaped the current landscape of entertainment and pop culture. You’ll hear them discuss not just their latest project, but the influences and inspirations that fuel their work, the pivotal moments in their careers, and the ideas they can’t stop thinking about. It’s a series of deep dives into the minds of interesting people, hosted by someone who knows how to ask the questions that get to the heart of why they do what they do. This isn't about reviews or hot takes; it's about the human element behind the art we consume. Each episode feels like eavesdropping on a great, meandering conversation between two people genuinely engaged in figuring out what makes creativity tick, all delivered with the thoughtful perspective you expect from Vox.
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I Think You're Interesting
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