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By
Suzanne

Interview with Kathy Bates of
"American Horror Story: Freak Show" on
FX 12/5/14
It was quite an honor to speak with Kathy Bates. I
believe she's the fourth Academy Award winner that I've
interviewed! She couldn't be more normal and down-to-earth
on the phone.
Final Transcript
FX NETWORK: American Horror Story
December 5, 2014/10:00 a.m. PST
SPEAKERS
Roslyn Bibby-Madison
Kathy Bates
PRESENTATION
Moderator: Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for standing by.
Welcome to the American Horror Story: Freak Show. At this
time, all participants are in a listen-only mode. Later, we
will conduct a question and answer session; instructions
will be given at that time. (Operator instructions.) Due to
the number of journalists on the call, please limit yourself
to one question.
I would now like to turn the conference over to Roslyn Bibby.
Please go ahead.
Roslyn: Thank you, Gloria. Hi, everyone, and thank you for
taking the time to be on the call with us. We have Ms. Kathy
Bates, who portrays “Ethel” on American Horror Story: Freak
Show. Hi, Kathy and thank you for joining us today.
Kathy: It’s my pleasure. Thank you, Roslyn.
Roslyn: Sure. Gloria, we can open the line for questions.
Thank you.
Moderator: (Operator instructions.) One moment, please. Our
first question will come from the line of Jamie Ruby with
SciFiVision.com. Please go ahead.
Jamie: Hi, Kathy. Thank you so much for talking to us today.
Kathy: Hi, Jamie. How are you?
Jamie: Great, you?
Kathy: I’m fine.
Jamie: Awesome. Can you start by talking about, what is it
that you most identify with in Ethel?
Kathy: Her authenticity and her strength, her struggle and
also since I’m a cancer survivor, although she certainly had
the liver cancer. I really identified with that scene in the
doctor’s office.
Jamie: Thank you so much.
Moderator: We’ll go to the line of Jerry Nunn with Windy City
Times. Please go ahead.
Jerry: Hi, Kathy, calling you from Chicago.
Kathy: Hi, how are you?
Jerry: Excellent. How scratchy was that beard, and did it
make you want to—
Kathy: It wasn’t. It felt like a little hummingbird’s nest.
Jerry: [Indiscernible].
Kathy: I have a wonderful wig lady, her name is Victoria
Wood. She works with a lot of people. I first got to see her
work with Melissa McCarthy on our movie Tammy. It took me a
while to realize it was a wig, and I said, “That’s a wig?”
and she said, “Oh, yes.” She gave me Victoria’s name.
Then we hooked up for this and she made the red performance
wig and she also made the beards that you see. We went
through some getting used to it at the beginning in terms of
application and what different pieces we would use on the
face in order to keep the faces as mobile as possible and
also so that the makeup people wouldn’t have to mess with me
too much during the day.
Jerry: Yes. Did the beard make you want to play with more
gender roles with this character?
Kathy: Oh, God. One of my fantasies would have been that, in
order to break out and see the world that “Ethel” would’ve
gone out as a man and been in a suit and a fedora and
everything else just to see what it was like out there.
Especially since I don’t have breasts anymore, there’s
always an upside to that, you can do character tits. I think
it would’ve been a lot of fun to do that.
Moderator: We do have a question from the line of Robyn
Candyce with MovieHole.net. Please go ahead.
Robyn: Kathy, thank you so much for talking with us.
Kathy: Thank you.
Robyn: No problem. What is the audition process for this
series like? Do you have to audition for each season
separately? Is there an audition process or did they come to
you?
Kathy: Well, I haven’t had to audition for many years, but
what I did do is, I went in and had a meeting with Ryan
Murphy, January before the first season that I worked with
him. I have to start back and say, I was telling the
previous gentleman, my show, Harry’s Law got cancelled and
then right after that, literally right after that, I was
told I had breast cancer and I had a double mastectomy. I
was in pretty low shape, especially considering my age
because that was the main reason they cancelled Harry’s Law
is that our viewership was too old even though we had seven
to eleven—okay, just stop. I have to let that go.
Anyway, I was in a very low mood, let’s say, and my friend
Jessica Lange spoke to Ryan. I had a great meeting with
Ryan, and my inner child just woke up during that meeting
and got so excited about the character of “Delphine LaLaurie.”
I credit Ryan for not only rejuvenating my career, but
rejuvenating my spirit.
Moderator: Next, we’ll go to the line of Allison Piwowarski
with Bustle. Please go ahead.
Allison: Hi. Thank you so much for speaking with us.
Kathy: You’re welcome.
Allison: My question is, and I overheard that you’re still in
New Orleans so it definitely can set the first part of this
question. I’m wondering, if you can speak to it, at what
capacity “Ethel” could be returning, and if you also feel
like maybe her character had more to contribute to the
season with her big twist in the most recent episode; her
being killed by her long-time friend, “Elsa”; if you thought
that [indiscernible] into the other characters.
Kathy: Well, I always say, and it’s an old saying in showbiz,
leave them laughing. You want to leave them when they’re
still in love with you. I trust Ryan. It’s been a great go
for me, and we’ll see what happens next.
Moderator: We do have a question from the line of Taylor
Ferber with VH1. Please go ahead.
Taylor: Hi, Kathy. How are you?
Kathy: I’m well, thank you.
Taylor: Thank you for taking time today for us.
Kathy: Thank you.
Taylor: This season, in particular, we’ve seen a ton of guest
appearances from Matt Bomer, Wes Bentley. Who’s been your
favorite?
Kathy: Well, I didn’t get to work with Matt Bomer, and I had
seen him on Normal Heart and thought he was just wonderful.
I’ve seen, of course, Wes. He reminded me that we had met at
a party ten years ago. I said to him, “I really want to work
with you.” He said, “Now, ten years later we’ve had the
chance.”
I just loved working with him with “Mordrake.” I was so
excited. I thought he did a lovely job with that; trying to
create a character who’s not really real or used to be
alive, but has that aura of elegant. I just thought he did a
wonderful job treading that line.
Moderator: Next, we’ll go to the line of Bruce Eisen with
Here Is TV. Please go ahead.
Bruce: Good morning, Kathy.
Kathy: Good morning.
Bruce: Hi. I’m wondering, when you’re not working do you like
to watch TV and, if so, what do you watch?
Kathy: I binge. I just watched The Bletchley Circle. I troll
Netflix for interesting movies. I really troll it for
Korean, for Italian, French movies. I have to catch up on
The Newsroom.
A friend of mine, who was the show runner for Six Feet
Under—he was not the show runner, he was one of our
producers and he produced Newsroom, as well. When I get home
I’m going to binge. I’m also a fan of Homeland. It’s not
network TV, but it’s more HBO and movies on Netflix.
Moderator: Next, we’ll go to the line of Suzanne Lanoue.
Please go ahead, with The TV MegaSite.
Suzanne: Good morning, Kathy. I was wondering if you know yet
whether you’ll be back for the next American Horror Story or
not?
Kathy: I really hope so. It’s just such a unique situation to
be in as an actor for television that you’ve got a whole new
character to create for the next year. I think Ryan really
appreciates older actresses who seem to have been—well, I
said it earlier. He’s rejuvenated our careers, and he’s put
us in front of the public at our best. We have a younger fan
base now, and that’s all the reasons why I would come back.
It’s a wonderful opportunity, and I can’t wait to hear what
the next part he might propose would be.
Moderator: Next, we’ll go to the line of Diana Price with
Examiner.com. Please go ahead.
Diana: Thank you for taking our questions today, Kathy.
Kathy: You’re welcome.
Diana: Now, of course, the whole cast is wonderful but
touching on the last question, you’ve got some serious
female power on the set. What’s it like working with Angela
and Jessica for a second season, and especially because I
believe Jessica said this would be her last season and that
she’s retiring? Has that added something extra special to
the season for you?
Kathy: I won’t think about it. I don’t want to think about
Jessica not being here next year. We’ve gotten to be such
close friends now over the last couple of years, and I love
her dearly. Working with her is a mystery I never want to
solve.
Angela, she rocks it. I just saw the trailer on BuzzFeed for
Whitney. I’m getting chills now talking about it because I
just watched it last night, twice; it looks amazing. I love
working with her as an actress, she’s a powerhouse. I love
the friendship that we had this year with “Ethel,” and
“Desiree” had more to do together with those characters. I
think that would’ve been a really interesting arc to
explore.
Moderator: Next, we’ll go to the line of Jasmine Alyce with
Fanbolt.com. Please go ahead.
Jasmine: Hi, Kathy. Thank you so much for talking with us
today.
Kathy: Alright.
Jasmine: I wanted to know, how far in advance did you find
out about Ethel’s death, and what was your reaction when you
found out how she was going to go?
Kathy: You know, I really can’t remember. Somebody asked me
that the other day. They must have told me, and then I read
it in the script. I thought, okay, there it is in black and
white. I thought, well, it’s been a good run and we’ll see
what happens next; you never know with American Horror
Story.
Jasmine: Right.
Kathy: It’s weird to see yourself get killed on TV, but I was
really happy with the scene between us. It was bittersweet.
Moderator: Next, we’ll go to the line of Renee Macek with
Voice of TV. Please go ahead.
Renee: Hi, Kathy. Thank you so much for speaking with us.
Kathy: You’re welcome.
Renee: You had some really great scenes with both Evan Peters
and Michael Chiklis this season. What was it like shooting
with them, because I know you didn’t really shoot much with
Evan last season and, Michael, of course, has been new to
the season?
Kathy: Well, I’ve shot a lot with Evan. I don’t know what it
is, but I always forget my lines when I’m working with him.
I don’t know if it’s because he’s so cute or when I just get
lost in his eyes. When you look into his eyes, working with
him, he’s just so real; it just knocks me for a loop. I know
it sounds silly saying that.
We had a funny scene—well, I can’t tell you about that.
Anyway, Michael and I just have a solidity there that I’ve
appreciated with him. He’s a sweetheart of a man, and just
the opposite of what he looks like. I’ve enjoyed that. I
felt like I’ve worked with him before somehow.
Moderator: You do have a question from Alex Paredes with
NNT.com. Please go ahead.
Alex: Hi, Kathy. How are you?
Kathy: I’m good. How are you?
Alex: I’m great, thank you. Thank you so much for your time
today.
Kathy: Sure.
Alex: Throughout your career, and then especially with
American Horror Story, you’ve played some very powerful
roles and sometimes a little controversial. How do you pull
that power when it comes to performing these characters, and
how do you wind down after it?
Kathy: Oh, how do I wind down?
Alex: Yes, after. You come together for these characters and
then how do you wind down after—
Kathy: After they’re completely done or after shooting a
scene?
Alex: A little bit of both.
Kathy: Yes. When we’re working, unfortunately it takes me a
couple hours to come down at the end of the day because
we’re all jacked up. Sometimes it’s 12, 14 hours a day, and
you have to just pace yourself. Then, afterwards, when you
lose a character—sometimes when you’ve gotten really close
with the character, like a friend, like you would in a way,
and then you have to move on, you miss that character.
I know Sarah Paulson has often mourned “Lana Winters,” not
being able to play “Lana Winters” again because that was
such a favorite role of hers. Yes, they stay with you; there
are some roles for 25 years.
Moderator: We do have a question from Sabienna Bowman with TV
Equals. Please go ahead.
Sabienna: Hi, Ms. Bates. It’s so nice to speak with you
today.
Kathy: Hi. Thank you.
Sabienna: The versatility that American Horror Story provides
the actors is just amazing. I was wondering, for you, how
does it feel to go from “Delphine” in Coven to “Ethel” in
Freak Show?
Kathy: Oh, from “Delphine?” They’re very different. How did
it feel to me? I don’t know, I kind of had to go easy with
Ethel when I first got here whereas, with “Delphine,” she
just explodes. I had to find my way gently with “Ethel.”
Of course, “Delphine” was a real person. I had a lot of
research for her that I was able to rely on, so I was very
confident taking off like a bullet with her. With “Ethel,” I
really wanted to, well, I just said it; I guess ease into it
and find her as we were moving on. I know that sounds kind
of, you didn’t know before you started working. I think in
some cases you know some things and then you discover other
things as you were going along. I think there was a point
where I thought, okay, now I know who this woman is. That’s
it.
Moderator: Next, we’ll go to the line of Minyvonne Burke with
HNGN.com. Please go ahead.
Minyvonne: Hi, Kathy. How are you?
Kathy: I’m well, thank you.
Minyvonne: I was interested to know how you felt about this
season because it was a little twisted and dark. Was there a
part of this season that freaked you out a little bit?
Kathy: Well, you know what? I’ve got the DVDs, and my friend
who’s coming to visit me for Christmas hasn’t seen them
because he lives in France. I’m looking forward to binging
with him, just to sit back and see the thing as a whole
piece and see how I feel. That would be the only way I could
answer your question would be after I’ve done that.
I thought what was shocking at the beginning of the first
episode was when the freaks went and chopped the policeman
up, and I thought, oh dear God, you’ve just shown these
wonderful, quirky people and already fallen in love with
them and then they go out and do this. “Twisty” was just
unbearable, so I guess, in a way, it has been. Because it is
set in the real world, I guess—my sister said this, she
said, “I’m not scared of goblins and all that stuff.” She
said, “But the real world is what scares me.”
Moderator: We’ll go to the line of Mark Harris with
RedCarpetCrash.com.
Mark: Hi, Kathy. How are you doing?
Kathy: I’m good. How are you?
Mark: Good. I want to tell you, the other night that scene
with you and Jessica Lange was just incredible. If you guys
both don’t win Emmy’s for that there’s something wrong with
the system.
Kathy: Well, we’ve been very generously given our Emmy’s, but
thank you for that.
Mark: Did you guys rehearse that a lot, or did you guys just
talk about it a little and just go in and do it? What was
the reaction once you guys finally finished it?
Kathy: Well, relief when we were done. Let me start back at
the beginning. When we got the script, and we actually had a
couple of meetings with the director on it to talk about the
scene itself and how we were going to approach it because on
the page it looks like Greek theater; it’s one monologue
after another monologue after another monologue. With these
kinds of arguments, in real life, it would be people would
be talking over each other and all of that kind of stuff. It
wasn’t constructed like that, so we couldn’t approach it
from that direction.
We did a lot of talking about what was going on in the
character’s minds and where they were coming from and would
this be enough to—I know one concern from Jessica was, would
this be enough for her to turn around and kill Ethel. Then,
the shooting of it, oh my, Lord. For some reason it got
scheduled on the last day of the week at 11:00 at night.
She, especially, was just dragging because she had been
working all day and all week.
Then, I had no idea she was going to knock the table over
and do all of that. I thought the blocking was good, too. I
thought Brad Buecker blocked it very interestingly because
she’s got this huge tent; we were circling each other.
That’s what we tried to accomplish was, to make those
monologues really effective and real, even though they were
written as these two titans, Greek gods fighting.
Moderator: We do have a question from Candice Brock with
Toofab.com. Please go ahead.
Candice: Hi, Kathy.
Kathy: Hi.
Candice: We touched a little bit on Wednesday’s episode and
how you were killed off, but what happens on set after you
film your final scene? Are there any goodbye traditions for
you?
Kathy: No, because you’re not sure if you’ve finished the
scene. We left that night not knowing if we had to come back
and do a couple of pieces or not. No, you don’t say goodbye,
you move on.
Moderator: Brittany Lovely with Hypable.com. Please go ahead.
Brittany: Hi, Kathy. How are you doing today?
Kathy: I’m well, thank you.
Brittany: My question is, last season you had this wonderful
dress that really brought “Delphine” to life and this season
you’re very toned down but that accent. Can you speak to how
that accent came about, and was it hard to stay in it the
whole time filming?
Kathy: Well, gosh, that accent has become so controversial. I
didn’t really have a dialect coach to help me, that’s first
of all. I knew she was from Baltimore. Ryan said, but light.
When I got into it, I studied Mikulski a lot. I actually had
a dialect coach friend of mine spell it out phonetically,
what it was supposed to be.
Then online, I found, if you can believe this, how to speak
Baltimorese, and from that you had a link that could go to
the “Star Spangled Banner” in Baltimorese, which really
helped me prepare every day. Although, I did stay in it for
the first—I spoke that way every day. It just got to be sort
of ridiculous how perplexing and how people got turned off
by it and there were things online, they got two scholars,
which I just couldn’t believe.
At times I thought, oh my God, am I not doing this right? A
close friend of Ryan’s was on set for a while, from that
area, and he really helped me with it. You can’t do it
lightly, it’s a heavy accent and I also wanted it to sound
like old-fashioned working class, so that’s even more
different than what people are used to hearing. Then, the
funny thing was is that a guy asked two of his friends who
were from Baltimore what they thought of my accent. They
said, “What accent?” I feel like, okay, case closed. I’m
moving on.
Moderator: Next, we’ll go to the line of Preston Barta with
FreshFiction. Please go ahead.
Preston: Hello, Kathy.
Kathy: Hi.
Preston: Thank you for [indiscernible] today. This season, to
me, is definitely the most visually appealing of the series.
Even though there are some supernatural aspects and it’s one
of the, if not the most, believable season, to me. It’s more
unnerving since scary things that happen in the show are
carried out by humans, yet we gravitate towards it as an
audience. What do you think that says about us? Do you think
that we all just have this dark side to us that we just live
vicariously from the safety of our couches when watching
shows like this?
Kathy: Well, I think that’s an aspect of it. It’s sort of
like homeopathy; you take a little bit at a time. I also
think that the world has always been a troubled place to
live. We think these are the worst times, and maybe they are
in some cases because of the issues that we’re dealing with,
certainly with the Ferguson and the Garner, which I’ve been
watching.
These things happen, people do go on serial killers like
“Twisty.” They might not be all dressed up but look at Ed
Gein. It’s like my sister did say, it’s the bad things that
go on in the real world that are more upsetting and more
frightening. Anyway, I think I’ve gone on too long about
this.
Moderator: We’ll go to the line of Bunny Voodoo with Blood
over Texas. Please go ahead.
Bunny: Hello. Greetings from Austin, Texas, Kathy.
Kathy: Hi, there.
Bunny: I really enjoyed all of the seasons of American Horror
Story. If it were up to you, when you come back next season,
which we know you will, what world would you like to see
yourself in?
Kathy: Well, I was telling Sarah, I said, okay, I would love
to be dressed in all of St. John, St. John mitts and stuff
and I would love to be sitting in this beautiful, carved
chair and I would love to have cloudy eyes, totally cloudy
that you couldn’t see out of and be a modern day Delphic
oracle. I don’t know why I see that character.
Then, she gets to sit down all the time because I hate
getting up and walking around. I’m so d*** lazy. It would
just be so much fun for her to be there, and in a kind of
rarified eye cloud, as it were, and have her expend her
advice every now and then. That’s just a joke. I’m sure Ryan
will come up with something much better than that.
Bunny: Well, I love your idea so I’d like to see it.
Kathy: Isn’t that a cool idea? Maybe I shouldn’t have said
it, but I would love that. The Crone, she would be the
Crone.
Moderator: Ann Hale with Popbreak.com. Please go ahead.
Ann: Good morning, Kathy.
Kathy: Good morning.
Ann: The relationship between “Ethel” and “Elsa,” it’s very
reminiscent of “Dolores Claiborne” and “Vera Donovan.”
Kathy: I never thought that.
Ann: Was that relationship—that was my question. Was it
written that way, maybe, to pay some homage to what I would
say is arguably your greatest role—
Kathy: Oh, thank you.
Ann: —or, would you say that maybe you brought that little
bit of “Dolores” to “Ethel?”
Kathy: Well, I didn’t think about it to tell you the truth; I
don’t know why. I guess because I start from scratch each
time. But I do have to agree with you, that’s my favorite
film role.
I did say to Jesse when we were starting; we were both
looking at the scripts. I said, “D*** it I’m playing your
maid again this year.” Yes, now that you bring it up it’s
absolutely true. Yes.
Moderator: We’ll go to the line of Anastasia Washington with
Legion of Leia. Please go ahead.
Anastasia: Hi, it’s Anastasia. Thank you so much for talking
to us today.
Kathy: You’re welcome.
Anastasia: Hi. I just wanted to ask, is there a fear that you
haven’t seen on American Horror Story that you would love to
delve into and see brought to life.
Kathy: The thing that just sprang into my mind was
self-image—
Anastasia: Okay.
Kathy: —and this is a very female thing, but maybe it’s
becoming a male thing, as well; how we worship beauty and
how to explore that issue. Not necessarily, it could be
modern day, it go across the decades; but to go to bed a
Venus and then come back and have to deal with cellulite;
something like that. They would have to come out in the
world and be a size 14 instead of a size 2 and live with
that reality and how that changes people’s view of you.
Anastasia: Wow, that was a terrifying [indiscernible].
Kathy: He’s explored ageism last year a lot and in Jessica’s
character this year. I remember years and years ago having
dinner with Diane Keaton, and she said, “After 40, you
become invisible.” Jessica was saying the same thing the
other night at this award thing that she received. She was
the only woman to receive the Kirk Douglas Award at the
Santa Barbara Film Festival; it’s all been men.
She remarked that when she saw her film clips she could see
that at about age 40 the films got fewer and far between,
especially for leading ladies. I would love to see some
exploration of that, and vice versa; what would it be like
it you woke up and you were a Venus and having to deal with
everybody’s attention and men coming onto you constantly and
what that might be like. It’s always, maybe the grass is
greener. I don’t know.
Moderator: Next, we’ll go to the line of Suzanne Lanoue with
The TV MegaSite. Please go ahead.
Suzanne: Hi, this is a follow-up question.
Kathy: Hi.
Suzanne: How are you? I was wondering, you said that the show
had rejuvenated your careers and I was wondering, had that
translated into anything like do you have more upcoming
roles that you’ve been offered that you’re going to be
doing?
Kathy: Yes. Actually, I’m going to have a wonderful role, and
Xavier Don—I know I was going to screw this up. Oh, I have
to look it up, Xavier. I’ll look it up on my phone because I
just met him.
He’s from Montreal, and he won the Jury Prize at Cannes and
he’s got this wonderful screenplay that we’re doing this
fall. He’s 25 years old, this kid, and he’s just so much
fun. I’ll get his name here in a minute; Xavier Dolan,
D-o-l-a-n. I met with him in L.A. a couple weeks ago, and
just brilliant script, brilliant, brilliant, brilliant
script. I’m very excited that that’s come my way.
Another screenplay that Jeff Blitz has written called Table
19, which I’m hoping to do later this spring, about a
wedding. I hope I’m not saying too much out of school. I
don’t know if they’ve announced any of this. It’s about a
wedding, and Table 19 is the group of people that nobody
wanted to invite to the wedding but they had to. It’s very
funny and a wonderful screenplay, so I’m very excited that I
have lots of things on my dance card now.
Moderator: Next, we’ll go to the line of Lora Bofill with
Eclipse Magazine. Please go ahead.
Lora: Hi, Kathy. I just wanted to first of all say that
you’re an incredible actress. I’ve been a fan of yours. This
is truly, truly a lovely opportunity to get a chance to ask
you this question.
Kathy: Aww, thank you.
Lora: Thank you. I wanted to ask—you’ve directed before. I
don’t know if a lot of people know that, and you actually
[indiscernible]—
Kathy: Say that again.
Lora: You’ve directed before. In fact, you had a DGA
nomination for Six Feet Under several years ago.
Kathy: Yes.
Lora: If you had the opportunity to direct an episode of
American Horror Story, would you jump at the opportunity to
do that?
Kathy: Yes and no. I threw it out to them, but now when I see
what happens with the schedules, and the directors sometimes
running back and forth between sound stages, they’re doing
two and three episodes at the same time; I don’t think so. I
would love to do more television, though.
I’m very keen to see Whitney that Angela’s done, and it just
looks incredible as I said earlier in this interview. It
made me feel like, gee, I’d like to get back to it. If it
were the right situation where I knew I’d have the time to
repair and I wasn’t rushing around like a chicken with my
head cut off I would love to do it because I love to direct
actors.
Lora: Yes, that’s wonderful. Thank you so much.
Kathy: You’re welcome.
Moderator: Jamie Ruby with SciFiVision.com. Please go ahead.
Jamie: Hi, again. I was just curious, you said earlier how
certain roles stay with you for a long, long time. Do you
have any more examples of roles that have affected you that
much?
Kathy: I did a playoff on Broadway that won the Pulitzer
Prize called ‘Night, Mother in 1983, so doing the math
probably 20, 25 years ago. That role of “Jessie Cates” has
stayed with me, probably will until I die; it just gets in
your marrow. And “Dolores Claiborne”—it all has with time
and not the time in between—what I mean is, it’s like
anything that you take time to create, and we don’t take
time. You work so fast, and those things that you have made
and taken time to make are the ones that stay with you.
Here, we work so fast. Jessica and I were talking about, if
we had to do film class we would have a kid learn a
monologue and then say, okay, you’re getting ready to go do
the monologue and suddenly people descend on you; hair,
makeup, the director saying, could you just change something
here and the DP says, “We had to move your mark.” It’s so
fast and you have to make choices so quickly and yet stay so
plugged into this character that you’re still discovering.
I’ve answered your question and probably more than
overshared as the young people say nowadays. It’s the ones
that you’ve crafted well that stay with you and that you
miss and that you feel proud of. “Jessie” was the role I
felt proudest of on stage and probably in my whole career,
and “Dolores” on film.
Now, these roles that I’ve been able to do on television I’m
very, very proud of. I’m as proud of “Ethel” this year as I
was in a different way for “Delphine” last year.
Moderator: Earl Dittman with Digital Journal. Please go
ahead.
Earl: Hi, Kathy, a belated congratulations on your Emmy win.
Kathy: Thank you.
Earl: I know that every role that you take, an actor always
learns something a little different approach [sic]. The
nature that you said, the unique nature of Ryan’s repertory
company, has that maybe taught you or changed your approach
acting as an artist and as a person?
Kathy: Well, I learned a long time ago, somebody very wise
said that acting was like practicing veterinary medicine,
and each one is a different animal. As I said Earl:ier, you
really start from scratch. Could you repeat your
question—is, because I think—
Earl: The repertory nature of this being—I guess the familiar
nature of being around people all the time, does that help
you with the role, make it easier to do since you’re in a
familiar environment?
Kathy: That’s true, working with some of the similar people,
the same people. I think, also, there’s an excitement of, oh
gosh, [indiscernible] now. It’s like a kid playing dress up
really. You just get very excited about the newest one.
Earl: Yes. You’re wonderful. Thank you.
Kathy: Thank you.
Roslyn: We have time for one last question. Thank you,
Gloria.
Moderator: That will come from Theresa Argie with America’s
Most Haunted. Please go ahead.
Theresa: Hi, Kathy. Thank you so much for speaking with us
today.
Kathy: Oh, it’s been my pleasure. I hope I’ve been able to
give you all enough and not talk too much on some questions.
Theresa: It’s wonderful. My question is, the American Horror
Story has had a supernatural theme, for the most part, for
every season, not so much this one. This one, other than
Mordrake’s character hasn’t really been that focused on the
supernatural elements, but yet it’s still very compelling
and completely fascinating. What is your personal thought on
the paranormal? Do you believe in ghosts and spirits?
Kathy: Yes.
Theresa: You do? Have you ever had an experience?
Kathy: Well, my beloved Yorkie, Griffin died. He was a
rescue, and he was just my heart dog. When he passed away, I
asked him to wait for me. This is before I had gotten
another couple of puppies, but I’d feel him jump up on the
bed.
Oh, and another thing happened, too. I was looking around to
get another dog after him. At first I wasn’t sure and then
we picked up a rescue and I brought him home and walked into
the bedroom and Griffin’s picture fell off the mantelpiece.
It was like he was saying, not here, not now.
I did end up getting two puppies after my operation. I think
he’s moved over to my niece, Linda, who he adored. Often
times she’ll tell me that she’ll be driving and he’ll either
be in the back seat or the passenger’s seat and she’ll just
catch a glimpse of him and he’s there. I think he’s still
hanging around, but he may be a little put out with me
because I’ve got these other dogs.
I believe in it, it’s just not the dogs either. I think
there are people around. I know there was a woman who lived
in the house that I have now who was an artist. There were
two big paintings of hers in the studio. She was there while
the paintings were there and she left when the paintings
left.
Theresa: Wow.
Kathy: Yes. My friends used to stay in the room where she
died; it was a guest room. They would always say, okay,
Marion [ph] was there last night. So, yes, I do believe.
Theresa: Excellent. Thank you so much.
Kathy: Oh, it’s a good question to end on isn’t it?
Roslyn: Thank you, Kathy. Thank you so much.
Kathy: You’re welcome.
Roslyn: We appreciate your time, and we thank the journalists
for being here on the call and for supporting the show.
Kathy: Yes. Thank you so much. The questions were so
interesting today, and I loved speaking with you all.
Roslyn: American Horror Story: Freak Show will air Episode 9
next Wednesday at 10:00 p.m. on FX, so please continue to
tune in. Transcripts from this call will be available one to
two business days, so please let me know if you’d like to
receive a copy and if you have any other questions. Have a
great weekend, everyone. Bye, Kathy.
Kathy: Bye, bye.
Moderator: Ladies and gentlemen, that does conclude our
conference for today. Thank you for your participation and
for using AT&T Executive TeleConference service. You may now
disconnect.
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