“I think that it feels very of the time, and I think the reason why Kathleen was interested in writing it was so that she could write two really complex female characters at the helm of kind of a larger, broader vision for the project,” Shipka said of the Roku original in a new interview with Parade.com. “I think the fact that this sort of flips the original movie on its head, takes the concept and runs with it elsewhere is a compelling way to do a reboot because it’s not really a reboot. It’s sort of just, you know, inspired by, which is nice,” the Mad Men alum added. Kruger steps into the shoes—and throws one—of studio CEO Joyce Holt, who is the object of intern-turned-assistant (Shipka) Lou Simms’ obsession. While the series is about the dark side of the Hollywood studio system, Kruger told Parade.com, “[Showrunner] Kathleen always describes it as a sort of love story between these two women.” Continue reading to find out what Diane Kruger and Kiernan Shipka saidabout their roles on Swimming with Sharks—premiering Friday, April 15, on The Roku Channel—in a joint interview with Parade.com…
Swimming with Sharks shows the dark side of Hollywood. Did any moments kind of hit close to home for either of you?
Kruger: I mean, yes and no, right? Shipka: Cutthroat nature. Kruger: Yeah, cutthroat… I mean, we’ve definitely all, the whole world, has seen that bad behavior in the figures, you know, whether that’s the Weinsteins of this world crumble under the visibility of the Me Too movement and so forth. So, it felt very familiar even though I personally have never worked for an executive, so I’ve never been subjected to such extreme power, abuse. But I’ve definitely had my fair share of questionable encounters with people like that. And the show’s not about that really, right? It’s about these two women. And Kathleen always describes it as a sort of love story between these two women. So it’s not really a commentary on bad leadership, I think.
Diane, what was it like channeling this powerful woman for this series?
Kruger: You know, it was so fun. I mean to be honest like when do you ever get to be so outrageously bad And I don’t think it’s a good example of female leadership, right? Or any leadership in particular, but it sure was real fun to throw a shoe at someone. I feel like the more outrageous and crazy I got to be as a boss, the more intimate, vulnerable side of her at home and those fertility struggles and the cheating husband paid off because it really shows the complexities of what we women deal with in the workplace.
Kiernan, this is a new role for you. What was it about Lou that drew you to this project?
Shipka: I liked that she was different than roles that I’d played, but she also did remind me of a role I played in 2015 that I loved doing so much. So I kind of wanted to take another go at a really quiet, calculating girl and coming off of Sabrina taking something that was grittier and edgier than other things that I’d done certainly was appealing. And obviously, the cast and sort of the project at large was just like, very much so a yes for me, so it was really fun.
In the series, Lou reinvents herself. Obviously not to that extreme, has there ever been a period in your life where you felt like you wanted to reinvent yourself, either personally or professionally?
Shipka: Oh my God, yes. My biggest fantasy always and I think that’s like part of being an actor is stepping into other people’s shoes for a minute. There’s something to say about that. But I think the idea of just kind of being able to change people’s perception of you and your own perception of yourself. I do it in little ways all the time, but I think kind of like the ultimate self overhaul is always going to be intoxicating to me. Maybe one day I’ll do it. I don’t know.
How about you Diane, have you ever felt like you wanted to reinvent yourself?
Kruger: Oh yeah. All the time. Every role, right? You’re trying to bring out another part of you. Yes. I mean, that’s why we do what we do, I think. Shipka: I mean, I cut bangs two weeks ago and I feel like that was my version of reinventing myself was like I’ve taken on a new life. I do think that we’re always looking for like little ways to do that. We couldn’t get away with becoming other people entirely. Kruger: No! For more than three months- Shipka: Diane’s simply too iconic for that. That wouldn’t fly. People would know. This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity Swimming with Sharks will be available for free on The Roku Channel on April 15
