Sarah Gadon "was not allowed" to play the script while filming "True Detective" Season 3

Journalist Elisa Montgomery (Sarah Gadon), seated at the final session of her documentary "True Criminal", watches Detective Wayne Hays (Mahershala Ali), who is suffering from dementia, constantly questioning her about the missing children case haunting him for 35 years. Could the disappearance of Will and Julie Purcell be linked to a wider circle of criminals? She thinks so

"In 2012, two former Louisiana State police officers arrested a serial killer associated with some sort of pedophile network. Despite evidence of accomplices, the case has never widened, "she says, citing the exciting investigation conducted as part of" True Detective "Season 1 by Rust Cohle (Matthew McConaughey) and Marty Hart (Woody Harrelson). "I think what happened to the Purcell kids was related to a similar group. I think one or both parents sold them, probably with the help of the cousin. That's why they all left, disappeared, were killed, remained silent. "

With this monologue, the character of Gadon went from random documentary to that of Theory Queen by the fans of "True Detective".

When the actress, who is best known for her performance in the 2017 TV series "Alias ​​Grace" by Margaret Atwood, initially signed for the HBO show on Nicolzolatto, she knew that "the best" actress, who is best known for her performance in she would play the role of a journalist investigating a crime. in the Ozarks. Gadon only received his own scenes in the screenplay – and remained in the dark regarding the vital roles of Ali and Stephen Dorff as officers of Hays and Roland West officers.

She quickly discovered that her character would speak to a larger line made by the creator Pizzolatto – a line that would turn viewers' heads with a Season 1 connection.

Below, Gadon talks about his modest but crucial role in "True Detective" and shamelessly admits watching Ali win an Oscar instead of watching the last episode of Season 3.

So did you attend one of the Oscars parties on Sunday night?

No, I certainly do not. I was having a party at home with friends, in sweatpants, eating to go. It was fun!

It seems a lot more fun. But the finale of season 3 of "True Detective" was also broadcast. And I must say that for having played a small role in the series, Elisa Montgomery becomes a very important part of the big picture. How were you involved in the series?

I think, because "True Detective" was a very popular TV show, I auditioned for the role, not knowing any of it. I have not read any script. I just had a brief description of the characters and scenes, and I thought the scenes were really interesting. According to the writing, I knew what they were trying to do with the character, so I auditioned and I got the role.

In light of our televised obsession with real crime, the link between Season 1 and this character seems particularly perfect. Did that attract you too?

Yes, absolutely. I like the genre and I had a lot of fun exploring it by doing 'Alias ​​Grace'. I knew that the interview method was very essential to the storytelling and the plot, but I thought that what was unique, it was to add this layer of Real judicial reporter, the sycophant, the person who tries to approach the issue from a different angle, projecting on crime all his experiences, his prejudices and his perspective of privilege. I thought it was an interesting thing that I did not see it, so I was really excited about this plot.

His scenes challenge the viewer's expectations and illustrate how his own theories or experiences can easily tarnish a detective's investigation.

Absolutely. I think that often as a reporter when you interview someone, you can not help but bring your own experience to the conversation. And sometimes this can eventually confuse the conversation. I do not test you at this point[[[[Laughs]; I'm just saying that's what I found really curious about this. In addition, as an actor, I was attracted by this dynamic because it is rare that the chat and mouse interview type dialogue takes place in the middle of a real TV series.

I could I bring my own expectations to our conversation and I will do it as an entertainment journalist who constantly watches this kind of shows as a detective on TV. I found Elisa as a representative of viewers who were trying to tie everything up to seasons 1 and 3. Did you feel it too when you talked to Nic Pizzolatto about the role?

Not really. It was a challenge because I did not read the script. I was only given my scenes, which was really difficult because I had no idea how my character was going to relate to other things. I was not allowed to read it! But when Nic steered and the other administrators came in, I asked them, "What does that really mean? Am I referring to this? So they kind of guided me in the process. It was truly a unique experience. I had never done anything like this before.

Did they keep the secret scripts for a reason?

I do not know! I mean, I think sometimes when the series or the movies are really popular, they do not want to run away, and I know it was a problem with Season 2, that someone leaked the script. So, that was obviously a concern for them. But it's interesting.

I am not completely caught up in the series. Usually, you do not run to watch your own work! In this case, I was curious to watch the whole show because I did not really know what was going to happen. I have not watched the final of the season yet!

I can not even spoil anything that happens next!

Yeah, do not mess up for me!

Well, Nic Pizzolatto tends to stay away from twists or excessive finals. And this episode, like many others, had a dark vibe, exploring the characters more than the crime. So, did your parts of the script ever give you an idea of ​​where he was heading? Or was it really "I have no idea what's going on elsewhere"?

There was a bit of that for sure. It's interesting that you say black because I really agree with the meaning that I think it's really a character study in human behavior. And what I really like is that many of his writings in our scenes were very literary, especially the character I was playing. It's a representation of a journalist that you do not see often on television. You have the journalist who is the intruder, but what I liked about her was that everything seemed so theoretical in her way of speaking. At times, I thought it might be a little funny, because she was looking at this case in such an objective, detached way and trying to attract these big themes, like the intersectionality of oppressed people. She speaks from such a privileged perspective and Mahershala really does everything possible and reclaims a lot of power by saying, "I do not want to be seen in such a detached and literal way."

How was it to work with someone like Mahershala Ali?

It was a treat. He is an incredible actor, but he is also an incredible person. He wears the show with such grace. As a young actor, it was really nice to see how generous he was with me and the other members of the cast. It was also a joy to see him lead in such a powerful yet respectful way. Sometimes, interviewing scenes with two people sitting down and talking to each other can be a little boring for the team because there is not much to do for them. And instead of letting the set tone press us for our lines and rush us through our scene, he made sure we had the time and space to insert the material and find the moment in all the dialogue. Seeing him lead and at the same time take the space he needed to make sure the work was going to be great at the end of the day was amazing.

I noticed that there was a scenario supervisor sitting behind you in most scenes. I thought it looked like someone from Season 2 and I started theorizing, of course. It turned out that I was very incorrect. So who is this guy?

[[[[Laughs]He is an actor and another actor also played the role of cameraman. These were such soldiers because we often shot with three cameras, which meant that the position of their bodies could make or break the shot. This seems like an easy task in the background, but it's also a real test of endurance for them.

Putting these actors in the background, as well as the role of your character or the straw dolls on the crime scene, has become a trick to attract spectators. Were you an observer of Season 1 and did you see similarities right away by reading your scenes?

Yes, I did. I love season 1 and it has become a real touchstone of television. It was one of the first examples of director directing an entire television season and it really became an example of non-traditional television. And so, of course, I was looking for all the similarities between this season and the first.

The finale offers a small clue that your investigation could continue and we will see what lies ahead.

Speaking of which, will your real crime documentary ever be shown on Netflix?

[[[[Laughs]It's incredible! What a good idea. Perhaps there could be competing documentaries: one for Netflix and one for Hulu.

The new Fyre Fest [documentaries].

Let's start the campaign right here.