merritt wever and danielle macdonald related
And that probably has to do with the kind of parts that I was getting. I thought of her as somebody who was starving for something. People cope differently, react differently," Kaitlyn says. Im holding this bubble inside me and I couldnt let it go. There are a lot of sirens, and I cant pretend Ive been out of the house recently, she says by phone from her Brooklyn apartment. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=um4P4b3i-eI&embeds_euri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.indiewire.com%2F&source_ve_path=MjM4NTE&feature=emb_title. [6] Since she began her career, Wever has performed in numerous feature films, including: Into the Wild, Neal Cassady, Michael Clayton, Series 7: The Contenders, Signs, The Adventures of Sebastian Cole, Bringing Rain, Tiny Furniture and All I Wanna Do, among others. [23] It was cancelled after one season. Why am I wrapped in bandages? And someone was like, Because youve been letting someone hit you over the head with a hammer for 25 years. But again, I dont think that that is unique to what I do for a living. I dont think I get any messages that women in other professions dont get all the time. In the pivotal role of Amber Stevenson, Macdonald manages to convey so much with little screen time. And I think its incredible that she allowed that in the first place. It was such a fun one. DEADLINE: Theres a scene where Ambers describing the rapist to Merritt Wevers character in absolute, calm detail. I guess well see them when we see them. And Just Like Thatwill return to Max in June. DM: I didnt get to meet the person that my character is based off of. "We have to treat these kind of cases more singularly.". Subscribe to Deadline Breaking News Alerts and keep your inbox happy. When I read the pilot, and I thought it was incredibly well-written. Only one. I was like, Wait, why doesnt this make sense? Patti Cake$ star Danielle Macdonald has been cast opposite Toni Collette, Merritt Wever and Kaitlyn Dever in Unbelievable, an eight-episode Netflix limited series from Erin Brockovich writer Susannah Grant, CBS TV Studios, studio-based producers Sarah Timberman and Carl Beverly (Masters of Sex, Elementary) and Katie Couric. Or you arent speaking directly to the camera. It was difficult. Parker and Pruitt portray real-life investigators Sgt. Meredith Blake is an entertainment reporter for the Los Angeles Times based out of New York City, where she primarily covers television. Jamie Bell and Danielle Macdonald pose together as they arrive at the premiere of Skin on Wednesday night (July 24) at The Roxy Cinema in New York City. And I loved having that energy there. I was definitely thinking about her honestly, throughout filming. You can also visit online.rainn.org to receive support via confidential online chat. After that shell star opposite Jamie Bell in Skin and will appear with Emma Roberts in Paradise Hills. All Rights Reserved. that you love and care about and being worried about their reaction of you is something that people really do face. Honestly, yeah. You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times. It helps with having compassion and what people have going on in their lives. MACDONALD: I hope so. Tell me about the decisions you made to play her that way? You come onto set and you have an idea of where your head is at, and where Ambers head is at, and then you get in the car with Merritt and she just brings out so many other sides of you because shes Merritt and shes incredible. I dont mean at all that you shouldnt. amount of emotions that brought up truly had me hooked instantly, because you know its a real story. This content is imported from youTube. I thought that was something amazing. In 2019, Wever starred in another Netflix miniseries Unbelievable, opposite Toni Collette and Kaitlyn Dever released on September 13, 2019. Beth Dubber/Netflix With a cast led by Merritt Wever, Toni Collette, and Kaitlyn Dever, Unbelievable also features performances of staggering realism from its supporting players like Annaleigh Ashford, Jayne Taini, and Danielle Macdonald. Since Netflix first premiered the limited series, both critics and curious streamers alike have been raving about the central performances. Patti Cake$ star Danielle Macdonald has been cast opposite Toni Collette, Merritt Wever and Kaitlyn Dever in Unbelievable, an eight-episode Netflix limited series from Erin Brockovich writer Susannah Grant, CBS TV Studios, studio-based producers Sarah Timberman and Carl Beverly (Masters of Sex, Elementary) and Katie Couric. They dont know there are various kinds of trauma. They sent me the pilot script, which Im not in. Was it the script or was it something to do with the amazing team of women behind it? However, it has been proved to be a false claim. Were there conversations with Lisa, or with Susannah? But obviously, it is such a delicate subject matter. How could you cast me as as this?. This was harder, in a way. In the pivotal role of Amber Stevenson, Macdonald manages to convey so much with little screen time. But complaining now feels wrong", "Best. He is a Rotten Tomatoes approved critic, and he has also appeared in Xtra Magazine. In 1997, Merritt Wever made her first TV show appearance as Myra in the Mad Dog episode of the crime drama TV series,Law & Order. Its not going to hurt me. And then 25 years later, I woke up and I was like, Why am I bleeding? Beth Dubber/Netflix What's more, Stacy's partner on the greater sexual-assault investigation,. I gotta go. Youre not acting them out so youre not experiencing that emotion, and thats entirely new for me. It was crazy because when youre filming on set, youre surrounded by the same people every day. Honestly, learning the different types of traumathats because I did so much research on it. Did you have to paint those conversations yourself with how Eric may have reacted to the assault or did you speak to the writers about that at all? Why do I have bumps all over my head? It feels like another time.. 'Unbelievable': Toni Collette, Merritt Wever & Kaitlyn Dever To Star In Netflix Limited Series, Dozens Of 'Star Trek' Actors Converge For Snoop Dogg's Parody Pic 'Unbelievable' - Watch The Trailer, Refinery29 Unveils Season 2 Lineup For Female-Driven Film Series; Snoop Dogg Joins 'Unbelievable!!!!! Timberman & Beverly and Couric had been independently pursuing the rights to An Unbelievable Story of Rape and decided to join forces on the project. Merritt Wever - Bio, Age, Parents, Siblings. Titles Unbelievable. "We can't just treat these people as one large group we can't do that. We want to hear from you! [The entirety of Wever's acceptance speech after winning the 2013 Emmy Award for outstanding supporting actress in a comedy series] AD: This could have been just a standard procedural, but the subject matter is handled with such exquisite care. Now you might have a better understanding of what someone has gone through. Thats how Im going to survive this. I think that when I first came onto this, from the podcast, you hear, She was fine. I was like, What does that, mean? Like, youre not fine when stuff like this happens. Edna Hendershot (Grace Rasmussen in the show), had investigated more than 100 rapes by 2011. I instantly felt . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA Enterprise and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. AD: I like how you said that trauma isnt a blanket experience for everyone. I know what its like to be in a relationship with someone and feel like your best self with them. I dont think his character is a bad person, but these people arent trainedtheyre not taught. Synopsis: Inspired by real events, a teen reports (Kaitlyn Dever) and eventually recants her reported rape, while two female detectives (Wever and Toni Collette), states away, investigate evidence that could reveal the truth. When somebody is finally offered what it is that they crave or they need or theyve denied themselves of for a long time, they are not going to be able to keep themselves from taking it. I am having to explain to someone how rape cases are handled so insensitivity by police in America," one viewer tweeted. But yeah, just Falling for Figaro and French Exit right now. As much as this is a return to Billy, I wanted it to also be a return to herself. You just have to work a little harder. AD: There are so many moments where the emotion comes out, but they are times where the camera isnt entirely focused on you. [12] Wever received widespread critical acclaim for her role on the show. Witnesses offer conflicting accounts, Mars Voltas lead singer broke with Scientology and reunited with the band. Unlike most TV shows, Wever and Gleeson carry most of the screen time together. Umthank you so much! "I'm watching #Unbelievable and the differences of approach in questioning rape victims by male and female cops is incredibly alarming. 2023 Deadline Hollywood, LLC. Senior Editor, Editorial Business Development, 'Unbelievable' Star Kaitlyn Dever Speaks Out About the Portrayal of Police in the Netflix Series, The Heartbreaking True Story of Marie Adler, 'NCIS' Fans, Mark Harmon Made a Huge Career Move, the National Sexual Violence Resource Center, Your Privacy Choices: Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads. It's a difficult watch, but never gruelling, and never sexualised. That partly has to do with how Merritt [Wever] and Toni [Collette] respond to the victims. I'm torn all over again . Im okay with that. I didnt expect me. I started doing this professionally when I was 15, and my first agent told me, Well, if you dont lose X amount of pounds, youll only ever play the best friend. And I remember thinking, Well, Id be lucky to play a best friend. Because I knew that stuff was bull and because I came from a community and an environment that didnt subscribe to those kinds of ideas, I thought that I could somehow participate in this business without having it affect me. If you would like to talk to Joey about cheese, corgis, or Julianne Moore, follow him on Twitter or Instagram. Unbelievable remains one of the best limited series of the year, and it has a real shot at being a major contender at this years Emmy Awards. I think I internalized that maybe more than I had ever understood before this audition process. Thats all stuff from the outside. MACDONALD: Yes, theyre in post-production. Merritt Wever and Danielle Macdonald in Unbelievable (2019) People Merritt Wever, Danielle Macdonald. Even though this was true, she recanted her claim soon after and said she made it all up. Flash forward a few years later to the state of Colorado, where Detective Karen Duvall (Merritt Wever) is interviewing a rape victim named Amber (Danielle Macdonald), whose story contains a myriad . Best Dressed at Met Gala 2023 - The Top 30 Red Carpet Looks, Ranked in Order! Hats! I might regret saying, but I told someone that being in this business, doing this job meant that I had to agree to get hit over the head with a hammer and I had said, Thats OK. Subscribe to Deadline Breaking News Alerts and keep your inbox happy. Its all important information, but you have to fill in all the blanks by yourself. Because I get it. Thats really powerful. Unbelievable is streaming now on Netflix. She doesnt have any official social media account. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. And I think that that was really key in me wanting to do this. The 33-year-old actor looked handsome in. I know multiple people that have been, and it gives me a better understanding and maybe that means I dont understand what theyve been through, you know what I mean? Unbelievable 's Detective Karen Duvall, a.k.a. But its truly strange to be even trying to remember before right now. Danielle Macdonald (who plays Amber) talks with Merritt Wever (Stacy Galbraith, in real life). I had never seen anything that was so clearly from a survivors perspective, and the trauma that they go through. If you believe enough and try hard enough and work hard enough, you can find an answer. I love and admire the courage of these women. Her retraction came after detectives Sgt. We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. Thats not okay. Grant, Chabon, Waldman, Timberman, Beverly and Couric executive produce. And we had briefly spoken about this before, but never in this kind of depth. The sheer volume and the fact that nothing really happens. You have to remember that the characters life is continuing. We know people that this has happened to. They had a belief in doing something right and justice. MACDONALD: That was a lot of fun. We filmed in LA, so I was at home. Prior to her new position, she was the Senior News and Entertainment Editor for the brand, covering and editing all things in the entertainment, pop culture and celebrity world forGood Housekeeping. [20] The series received critical acclaim, with Wever receiving her first Golden Globe Awards nomination for Best Actress- Miniseries or Television Film. its an absolute minefield. I think all we can do after that is protect her identity and just really go with the facts of the story and what happened. "I think this show has done that incredibly well, and was never about gender or saying 'Because they were male detectives, that's why they didn't have compassion for it. She has also delivered memorable performances in popular shows such asThe Walking Dead and New Girl. Patti Cake$ star Danielle Macdonald has been cast opposite Toni Collette, Merritt Wever and Kaitlyn Dever in Unbelievable, an eight-episode Netflix limited series from Erin Brockovich. Once I heard who was behind it and got to talk to them about where they wanted to go with it, I knew it was something I wanted to be a part of. My whole life doesnt exist when Im on a set. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. The team behind Netflix's upcoming limited series 'Unbelievable,' based on a ProPublica story and a 'This American Life' episode about intersecting rape investigations, talks about how the TV show . Entertainment Weekly titled its review of Godless "Merritt Wever rides tall in Netflix's Godless" and wrote that "no one is more electric than the always extraordinary Merritt Wever". Last week, we at TVLine revealed our 20 finalists for Performer of the Year. Merritt Wever was supposed to be on the promotional circuit for her HBO comedy Run this month, hitting the red carpet and dutifully fielding questions at press junkets. Amber is very calm and very courteous to her. While growing up, she used to go to socialist summer camps. Merritt Wever. [5][6] Her mother is from Texas, and is a feminist and political activist.[7][8]. The three ladies were also joined at the event by co-star Eric Lange, as well as showrunner Susannah Grant, producers Sarah Timberman and Lisa Cholodenko, and Netflix original series VP's Allie Goss and Cindy Holland. Youre in it. Merritt most recently won an Emmy Award for her role in Netflix's 2018 western Godless, and Toni recently starred in raunchy BBC One drama Wanderlust. DM: Id carry it home with me a lot. I found it very powerful. Deciding to play Amber as smiling and pulled-together post-assault, Macdonald leaned into a powerful desire to give a realistic voice to those survivors whose stories are so often disbelieved. Merritt Wever is an American actress who got her big breakthrough with an important role in the medical drama TV series, Nurse Jackie. How do you make this entertaining but tell a true story, but also give a voice to victims and survivors everywhere. She said in interviews that she had been intimidated by the role: "I spent so much of this shoot thinking I would come off as a fool, that nobody would buy me as this and it wouldn't be believable. By subscribing, I agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. I feel like the. I need to do this and this and then thisits the only way I know Ill be on top of my own stress. ), Michael J. Titles Unbelievable. I knew instantly that I wanted to be a part of it after talking to them, because they knew exactly what they were doing. DM: I feel like when youre the lead of a film, I feel so all encompassed in that character and I go through every single thing with that person. performer: "You Could Drive a Person Crazy", Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance). Starred in "Cavedweller", off-Broadway, with Dee Dee O'Connell. She was raised as an only child by her single mother to be politically progressive. She appeared in the films Birdman, Into the Wild, Neal Cassady, Michael Clayton, Series 7: The Contenders, Signs, The Adventures of Sebastian Cole, Bringing Rain, All I Wanna Do, and Marriage Story, among others. DM: That moment crushed me. "It is showing Amber's detectives were educated about survivors, they understand these cases, and Marie's detectives never really had cases like this before, and they didn't know.". Did Amber feel like she needed to react in a certain way? And I know that they were very much about protecting the identity of these people and I know that Susannah didnt get to talk to Amber in real life. There are so many ways to do this wrong, in my opinion. UmI gotta go. Emmys. Because of her passion for the LGBT cause, she has been often assumed to be homosexual. The audio was produced and edited by Jessica Reedy. And that was the best thing I think I could have done, because I went into the role after that saying, Okay, this is exactly whats going through Ambers head. And I made that choice and I spoke to everyone involved. You know this actually happened to people and I instantly wanted to see where this was going. This year, almost everyone said that the Oscars were "back to normal," so will that be the case with this At this time last year, Oscar-sweeper Everything Everywhere All At Once was in theaters and many awards pundits began forecasting From director Yorgos Lanthimos and writer Tony McNamara comes Poor Things. Born Name Goes Out newsletter, with the week's best events, to help you explore and experience our city. And I dont think theres anything wrong with that, and if this show that we made not long ago at all, but at a very different time and in a very different world, can provide that to people, thats our pleasure. I think that when you do this kind of subject matter, it is really difficult to make sure that youre telling the story in the right light, and youre really giving a voice to the survivors and not trying to put your own opinion on it. And maybe it also just felt right because they were so involved about this, and they knew exactly what they wanted to do with this, that you felt safe going into it and you knew it was going to be told the right way, and you felt safe and taken care of within that. Wever played a lead role in 2017's miniseries Godless as Mary Agnes McNue, a tough leader of a female-dominated town. (Laughs). Eventually, it was revealed that Jeffrey and Jerry's interactions with Marie included "bullying" and "hounding," and were nothing short of the victim being coerced into admitting that she lied about the rape.. Education, Ethnicity She is someone who is very easy to feel joy with but this is such a carefully rendered portrayal of this young womans specific pain. Thats where, I think, the system needs to pick up. After all, a review of research from the National Sexual Violence Resource Center (NSVRC) finds that the prevalence of false reporting is very low between 2 and 10%. And there was something about making Run that brought into focus how I had internalized those messages more than I realized. Deadline Launches Contenders Television: Documentary + Unscripted Streaming Site, WGA Officially On Strike After Studio Talks Fail; Picket Lines Start Tuesday, 20 Questions On Deadline Podcast: Sheryl Lee Ralph Talks Abbott Elementary Season 3, Her Secrets To Happiness & Best Life Advice, 20 Questions On Deadline Podcast: Wild Author Cheryl Strayed On New Hulu Series Tiny Beautiful Things, Her New Janis Joplin Project & Life Advice, Jennifer Garner On The Last Thing He Told Me: I Didnt Think I Could Survive If Somebody Else Played The Role; Author Laura Dave Hints Season 2 Contenders TV, What Went Wrong? Danielle Macdonald (who plays Amber) talks with Merritt Wever (Stacy Galbraith, in real life). By contrast, Jeffrey had only taken on two rape cases before Marie's, while Jerry worked as a technician in the aerospace industry before becoming a detective. EVER: An Underdog Takes Home an Emmy", "The Walking Dead Actor Responds to Controversial Death on Last Night's Episode", "The Walking Dead's Latest Gruesome Death Is Part of a Troubling TV Trend", "How Merritt Wever Found Vulnerability in Godless's Toughest Character", "Merritt Wever rides tall in Netflix's Godless", "Golden Globes Nominations: 'Marriage Story', Netflix, 'Once Upon A Time In Hollywood' Lead Way In FilmFull List Of Nominations", "Double Dutch International To Launch World Sales For Merritt Wever Drama 'Midday Black Midnight Blue' At AFM", "Critics' Choice TV Awards 2014: And the nominees are", "Washington DC Area Film Critics Association names 'Boyhood' its Best Film of 2014", "Independent Spirit Awards Redresses Female Balance With Wins For Lulu Wang, Olivia Wilde & Julia Reichert Complete Winners List", "Golden Globes 2020: Full list of winners and nominees", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Merritt_Wever&oldid=1152107173, 2 Episodes: Season 2 Episodes 10-11: "Storm Warnings" and "Bad Dreams. AD: Other than that aspect about the show, what do you want people to take away most from Unbelievable? Wever graduated from Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School and Sarah Lawrence College,[9] and she trained in acting in New York. 4 of 156. It was interesting to film something like this and just come in for small parts. It made me really understand what she was going through. This content is imported from twitter. AD: There is that moment where Erics character gets a call from another detective and the way that he says, Theres no victim here really hit me hard. Merritt Wever is an American actress, who earned an Emmy Award for playing the character Zoey on the Showtime series Nurse Jackie. They were able to talk through a counselor to her about her experiences. Ive been told that. . Amber is courteous while she answers Wevers questionsthe trauma hasnt hit yet. It was honestly very fun to film and funny, and Jo is hilarious, and Hugh Skinner is amazing. Kendall Jenner (in a Sheer Dress) & Bad Bunny Couple Up at Met Gala 2023 After Party (Photos), Met Gala 2023: See Every Celeb's Red Carpet Fashion, Full Guest List Revealed (Photos), Florence Pugh Debuts Newly Shaved Head at Met Gala 2023. Then I spoke to them about it because my characters not even in the pilot script. DM: I didnt think of how she wouldve reacted if her cops were men, but I did think of how Amber wouldve reacted if she had Kaitlyn [Dever]s characters cops. It affected my personal life. They really wanted to tell the story in the right way. Unbelievable (2019) Merritt Wever and Danielle Macdonald in Unbelievable (2019) People Merritt Wever, Danielle Macdonald. Performances we love: In Netflixs Unbelievable, Merritt Wever delivers not so much a performance as a near-spiritual service to the message of the series. So, I didnt expect to hear anything, and I completely understand and respect that because this is such a personal situation. I think thats one of the terrifying things is I think everyone I know, knows someone that has been sexually assaulted, and I know multiple people that have. I think that what I do for a living just sometimes brings it into stark relief in certain moments. [13], Wever was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series in 2012 and 2013 for her role in Nurse Jackie, winning the award in 2013 and delivering a memorable speech that consisted only of her stunned reaction: "Thanks so much. Thats rare for me. Youre not fine. Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. We want to hear from you! Merritt Wever plays Rasmussen's detective partner Karen Duvall. Signup for Breaking News Alerts & Newsletters. If I can keep this together, maybe they can catch him. Danielle Macdonald and Kaitlyn Dever strike a pose alongside their co-star Merritt Wever while attending the cast and crew screening of their Netflix series Unbelievable held at The Landmark on Monday evening (August 26) in Los Angeles. Its very important that Unbelievable drives home to its audience that not every trauma is the same and neither is the reaction to that trauma, and that is something Macdonald learned while doing research on the real victims. It's based on a true story about a . I'm torn all over again," another said. Get our L.A. Merritt Carmen Wever[1] (born August 11, 1980)[2][3] is an American actress. Macdonald is an actress whose emotions very easily transfer to the audience. And it felt almost like betraying that truth, if I were to present it that way. Based on The Marshall Project and ProPublica Pulitzer Prize-winning article, "An Unbelievable Story of Rape," written by T. Christian Miller and Ken Armstrong, and the This American Life radio episode, "Anatomy of Doubt," Unbelievable is a story of unspeakable trauma, unwavering tenacity, and astounding resilience. With a cast led by Merritt Wever, Toni Collette, and Kaitlyn Dever, Unbelievable also features performances of staggering realism from its supporting players like Annaleigh Ashford, Jayne Taini, and Danielle Macdonald. I then read ProPublicas article that it was based on and the podcast, so I had a sense where it was going. She grabbed the opportunity with both hands and went on to win an Emmy Award for her work on the show. She was a feminist and a political activist and a caseworker for the city of New York and did not subscribe to a lot of what mainstream culture is. '; - Film Briefs, Get more from Deadline.com: Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Newsletter, Don't got live if you want it: 'The Voice' Season 23's frustratingly brief, previously taped Playoffs begin, 'American Idol' royal shakeup: Katy Perry, Lionel Richie to be (temporarily) dethroned by '90s queen, pop prince, Aaron Carter's ex-fiance says his 'downfall' was losing custody of son Prince: doc, Before 'Guardians,' Chris Pratt says he was crushed by rejections for 'Captain America' and 'Thor.' Bye. [19] In 2018, she won an Emmy for the role. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Merritt Wever, Kaitlyn Dever, and Danielle Macdonald at an event for Unbelievable (2019) We obviously had a lot of male crew members as well and they were great, but it really was a female-oriented production and I have never actually hadI hope this is correctI dont think Ive actually ever had a female DP until I worked on Unbelievable.