Original-Cin Q&A: Severance's Britt Lower on Marriage Help from a Serial Killer in Psycho Therapy
Britt Lower is on a roll. Coming off Season 2 of the hit series Severance, where she plays Helly R., Britt has been spending her downtime making movies (including Darkest Miriam, shot and set in Toronto).
Her latest is a starring role in the quirky new dark comedy, Psycho Therapy: The Shallow Tale of a Writer Who Decided to Write about a Serial Killer. It involves a writer (John Magaro) who befriends a retired serial killer (Steve Buscemi) in a desperate attempt to find inspiration for his next novel and save his marriage to his long-suffering wife, Suzie (Lower).
Bonnie Laufer spoke with Britt Lower about inhabiting yet another quirky and compelling character.
Psycho Therapy: The Shallow Tale of a Writer Who Decided to Write about a Serial Killer will be released on VOD/Digital on Friday, April 18.
John Magaro, Steve Buscemi and Britt Lower in Psycho Therapy
ORIGINAL-CIN: I think this is the year of Britt Lower.
BRITT LOWER: Oh, wow, that's so kind. Thank you. It’s really been quite a ride this past year. I feel like I’m bringing all the younger versions of myself along for the ride right now.
I was doing Jimmy Fallon a couple of nights ago and standing behind the curtain before I walked out, I reverted back to my 13-year-old self looking at what's happening and just feeling so much gratitude. I'm in a kind of state of awe, if I'm being honest.
O-C: When you were given this script and read the full title of this movie, I would think that your reaction was no brainer. I'm in.
LOWER: Oh absolutely. There's something kind of totally bold about Tolga (Karaçelik the writer/director) putting that title on a script. I was definitely grabbed from the start and was immediately intrigued by my character Suzie. ‘
I could just already feel this very interesting yet sad component to her life. What really hooked me was the onion scene. There's a whole scene where she's chopping onions non-stop. I think we used about 11. She’s just chopping and chopping because she likes the sound of it, and when I read that scene I said to myself, “That's all I need to know. I can't wait to figure out who she is based on that alone.”
O-C: You had worked with John Magaro before, many years ago, but having screen time with Steve Buscemi must have been a thrill.
LOWER: He was so great to work with and I love him in this film. Also, getting to film in New York City, the city that we all live in and love, was a dream come true. Steve is a true hero of mine. I adore his work and truthfully it was just fun to watch him let alone work with him.
I had worked with John over a decade ago in Brooklyn on some independent films. We were having a little bit of deja vu while we were filming a few of the scenes shooting in some location that we shot in 10 years ago.
O-C: In the film, John’s character has been writing this book about homo sapiens and Neanderthals, which is acted out by both of you. I would think that this was a career first?
LOWER: (Laughs) John was a Neanderthal and I was a Homo Sapiens. His book was about the last Neanderthal man and a Homo Sapiens woman. I did have a really beautiful unibrow that I was really proud of. I thought it was quite fashionable.
O-C: The film was written and directed by Tolga Karaçelik who is Turkish. I understand this was his first English language film. What was it like to work with him?
LOWER: He was fantastic and so present. I love his film, Butterflies. Tolga is an absolute delight. He just has a sense of humour like no one else I've ever met and is a complete joy to work with. He was very collaborative and allowed us great freedom to make suggestions about our characters. I loved collaborating with him on this film.
O-C: Your character Suzie is very stoic for a lot of the film but we know the wheels are turning in her head. Then we discover she's a real badass too. What was it like to have that arc ?
LOWER: She is a person who is really hungry for connection and meaning in her life. And somehow, the misadventures of her husband and as this marriage counselor, kind of rattle her and wake her up to a kind of curiosity that she's never felt or hasn't felt in a long time.
I think by the end of the film she feels a kind of empowerment and takes on a leadership role. Somehow, no matter how bizarre it might be, Steve Busemi playing this retired serial killer, weirdly ends up being kind of a good marriage counselor for this particular couple, and really helps her. I think it’s just what she needed to give her that new look on life.
O-C: I can’t not ask you about Severance. Season Two was so satisfying with such a great cliffhanger. We know there's going to be a Season three, So I have to know, who are you looking forward to playing more? Helly R or Helena Egan.
LOWER: I can't choose, they are both such great characters. I love my job so much and love the fact that I get to play both her innie and her outie, two such diverse characters whom I can explore.
To be honest, this character is a joy in either direction. If I am going to be honest though, I am a little biased towards Helly R, because I spent more time with her on Season One. But I've grown to really have a great curiosity about Helena as well. I also can’t wait to see how it all plays out in Season 3.