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If you haven't noticed from my Breaking Bad recaps, I'm mildly obsessed with actress Betsy Brandt. Her portrayal of Marie Schraeder on the show is incredibly moving, complex, and an immense pleasure to watch. I'm such a fan of hers, in fact, my stomach was in knots before our interview. Turns out, she's one of the easiest people to talk to in the world and we had a lovely time (dare I say) forming some what of a friendship. Actually, no, we're BFF's. You can quote me on that.

Read my Breaking Bad recaps here, yo, before you read one of the best interviews of all time.


More Ology Interviews

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Hi Besty! Have you finished shooting Season 4 of Breaking Bad?
 
Yes, we finished mid-June.
 
Oh wow, so are you back at home having fun, having a little vacation?
 
Yes. I still haven't really unpacked, there's crap in my garage that I haven't unpacked from Season 2. It's pathetic. Every year it just gets worse.
 
Unpacking is overrated.
 
I am so glad that you said that! Because that, too, is my philosophy. Unless I really need it. There's a picture of all of us from Season 2 -- the whole cast and the producers -- and I know it's in my garage somewhere and I would like to have that up.
 
Are you excited about this season?
 
Yes, I am so excited. You know, I thought Season 3 -- as far as for the characters -- was amazing. And I say every year, "How are they going to top that?" And then, they do. When I get the scrips they always blow me away and I get extremely excited to shoot them. It's a dream job.
 
We just saw the episode, "Open House" which is a big episode for you. How do you feel when you see Marie is getting back into some of her old habits? Was that hard for you to dive back into or are you excited?
 
No because you know as far as the plot goes, there really hasn't been that much time lapse. We talked about it in Season 2 even though nothing happed but it never really went away for me, and I didn't think it did for the writers either. I don't think they would say, "Oh let's do this," but have it not mean anything. So it was always in the back of my mind because that is part of this character and part of who she is. The fact that she hasn't taken anything or gone back to that in Seasons 2 or 3 didn't mean to me that she resolved all her issues.
 
Absolutely. I think she is kinda the queen of hiding emotions.
 
She is total basket case, too! I love it. It is completely opposite with how I am in my life. You know, I cry, and she just doesn't. Sometimes when we shoot things, I ask if we got it to make sure and then I just sob because of the stuff she goes through. It's just so sad. (laughs) But she just doesn't.
 
Is that stuff hard to take home with you? She builds so much stuff up inside.
 
It's the keeping it in. Packing is overrated and keeping it all in, it's just not good. That is also my philosophy. But I am okay because I let it out before I get home and I am always thankful for the journey. I make her, too, but I don't have to live it when I get home; it's not my personal journey. It's only my personal journey while we're shooting and when it's over, it's over for me. She still lives it the next episode, next season, next whoever knows a lot but I can just go home to my husband who hasn't been shot.
 
Yeah or not collecting rocks or minerals...
 
No, not collecting rocks or being a jackass to me.
 
Yeah, exactly. (laughs) Every episode this season, when I watch it, I wonder and get so mad that Hank is such an asshole.
 
I know! When we shoot it I am living Marie's part but I don't know -- maybe this is just something I tell myself to get through my character -- but I don't know if it's that crazy. I mean, being where he is physically, I think that would just drive you insane. Also, having someone almost kill you, it has to just change everything. And I think for Marie, too, she believed he was strong and so tough, that's one of the reasons she fell in love with him. Then, this happened. It's a whole new ballgame.
 
And we already know, Hank's character has a history of post-traumatic stress. The whole thing is fascinating and I couldn't be happier to see more of that relationship the two of them have on-screen.
 
I agree. I love it. I loved their relationship in the pilot. We didn't even know them very well yet but I remember saying to Dean Norris, "I'm so glad I'm in this couple." It's not an easy road for Walt and Skyler. Not that it's an easy road for us either, it turns out, but their so loving, I think it's one of the happier moments in our show. They're very loving toward one another. They are going through this right now, but they've always been really supportive and I think it's beautiful she'll just take it because she won't allow herself to get upset at her husband that is having a really hard time and almost died.
 
Yeah. He's her hero.
 
Yes. The whole thing with the insurance makes her so angry because it is so wrong since he was a hero and they are not doing everything they can for him. And she blames the DEA for him not having a gun.
 
Yeah. This show gives me goosebumps! I'm such a nerd about it. (laughs) But it is an intense show. When you are shooting it, is there any way you guys break the tension?
 
We do laugh a lot. For as dark as the show is, we laugh a lot. I have such a great time working with Dean Norris. I couldn't have it any better for an on-screen husband. He's really talented and a really good guy and a lot fun to be around. We just got along really well from the beginning. We're both from the midwest; we come from big families... you know.
 
Yeah. What has been your favorite episode to shoot this season?
 
Episode 3. Our writer/producer, Sam Catlin, wrote it. He's so funny and he's also a very sweet man and writer. I was so happy to get the material and then to be able to work on it with him. The director, David Slade, he directed Twilight: Eclipse, and he is a big fan of the show so he came on to direct the episode. I never met but him but I enjoyed working with him, and once I saw the episode, I was so happy with the choices he made -- the way he shot certain things and what he did in the editing room -- I was really happy with it.
 
I love the bit when you, Marie, comes out of the house with her purse and is yelling at the realtor lady. That whole moment was so ripened.
 
I loved doing it! And Jennifer, the woman who played the realtor, was such a great sport and such great fun. I said to her, before we shot it, "I know you know we're acting, but I just have to apologize to you before I call you 'fatty." And she's not even fat! (laughs) Which is what makes it work. But Marie, you know, she is the same person that wouldn't apologize to Skyler after she stole the tiara. She knew she was wrong but she just would not admit it. You have to know someone like that. I do!
 
I do, too! Where do you see Marie in five years?
 
Oh, I don't know. So, in five years, Walt will not be with us. I think she would really step up and help her sister. And, we keep batting ideas around, I am not satisfied with any reason to why Hank and Marie don't have kids.
 
Yeah, I always find that really interesting 'cause it's kind of brough up but more quickly squashed than it is actually mentioned.
 
I can see Marie watching Madonna adopt David from Milawi and thinking she could do that and she should do that 'cause it would be the right thing to do. She would do it and then not even tell Hank until she goes to pick up the baby from the airport. (laughs) 
 
Or she could steal a baby. (laughs)
 
I don't think she would steal a baby because she would say it's not just. When she stole the shoes and the store clerk was rude, that's okay to do because she deserves it and that store deserved being stolen from on that clerk's watch. So she thinks everyone she steals from deserves it and wouldn't steal a baby, but she would think, "I will raise this child right and not make all the mistakes my sister is making."
 
I know you can't give away too much but further in the season is she going to find out more about Walt? Can you give us any dirt for the upcoming season?
 
She gets a little bit closer to being a little more on the inside. Listen, I would love it if she were telling the Cartel people what to do, but I don't think that is going to happen for my character. But it's a crazy show and anything is possible. Some of the things that have happened I can't believe. But it really is an intense season. I would love for her to get in on the action but I don't know if that's in the cards for me.
 
Well, maybe in the upcoming seasons.
 
She would be tough! I ask Vince Gilligan every year, every season, for Marie to have a gun and is a really good shot. He could do with that what he will. (Laughs) I had a list of characters this season I was willing to shoot and pretty much everybody was on the list. I just want to be a character that gets in on the action.
 
(Laughs) That's really great!
 
I've never done that. I've been a hostage or around someone with a gun but I have never been a character with the gun or committing any violence. I'd like to be a hardass. I don't know if it's really Marie, but it never hurts to ask.
 
Yeah, exactly! Let's talk about the color purple -- not the book or the movie -- the actual color purple that Marie is obsessed with. Whose idea was that? I think it's brilliant.
 
A) It's a universally flattering color. B) We all have colors. Kathleen, our costume designer, I tell her one of her super powers is working with characters and colors. And Vince, too, there is something both are intune with. I thought it was a great concept, especially when shooting a pilot, anything that will tell you anything about a character is great. So I said to Vince, "I don't think Marie does anything half-assed." Like if she's needling her sister, she is really needling her sister, it is not subtle. She might try to be subtle, but it never comes off like that. So I said, "If she likes purple, she really likes purple." What's great about it, is it showed us is she's different, she's quirky, and a little lost. And I also love how far they went with the house, there's a purple wall and Hank puts up with it. There's all this purple in this machismo guy's house. I look at that, and that also gives you a feeling about who this couple is.
 
Exactly. I always thought it was a great, and in the past few episodes, there has been an explosion of purple.
 
But then it's funny because you also see more yellow coming in, like the yellow purse! I got excited when I saw yellow come up because I was like, "Oh there is going to be a change for her, something is going to happen." I love to watch Walt's colors change. You know that one episode when he wore that bright pink sweater and you're like, "Oh my god. It just stands out." Visually I think our show is amazing. I love how Michael Slovis shoots it. I love the juxtaposition of the beauty of New Mexico with the beautiful skies and sunsets compared with some of the hard stuff to watch on the show. It can be so grim. It's very real and honest. Someone asked me if people ever say things to me about being on a show about meth, if it's glamorizing meth, and if you see the show it is not, it makes meth look so bad. I mean, no one on the show who does meth has a healthy relationship with meth or is doing well. I feel like there is no other way to do that but to make it look real, as bas as it is. And we get a lot of responses from meth users saying that's exactly how it was. Sometimes that makes it hard to watch too, but when you survive it, you survive it.

Absolutely. It's something to only be survived.

When Jesse when to rehab, I was completely pulling for him, I love all these characters. I just wanted him to get his life together and for him to get a real job.

My heart's been breaking this season for him!

It just gets better! We just came out of the gate! Now it's just getting better. I was talking to a friend of mine about that moment in Episode 2 when Mike was scraping the blood off his shirt. It's wonderful because Mike and Victor had a relationship with each other and that moment may not mean something to you if you haven't seen the show, but it's also putting a lot of faith and love back in the show.

Well, the show doesn't pander to anyone, you guys aren't trying to get sweeps.

No, they come up with a plan and what they want to do and that's where they go. Don't get me wrong, I'm elated that the show is doing really well. Even if it weren't, I would be completely OK with that. What am I going to do, act harder? It's just honest and truthful and a really fun show to do.

Are you working on any other projects?

I'm trying to fit a few TV shows that I want to do before I start rehersals for a play, for which I start rehersals at the end of August. I'm going to be in the season premiere of The Practice this year. It's so fun to do, my first TV job ever was on Judging Amy with Amy Brenneman and now we're working together again.

Full circle!

Greg Turk wrote this episode and he wrote a bunch of Law & Order and I am a huge Law & Order fan. Maybe that's where my whole gun thing comes from. I just love that show- the relationships between all the regulars, I just love it. I mean, Sam Waterson is just so good.

I'd love to grab a beer with him.

I hear he's very nice, he probably would. I would also love to play the love interest of Chris Noth.

Wouldn't we all?

...but I would only refer to him as Logan.

When I first moved to New York and saw him, he winked at me and I died. My heart stopped.

Did it? I probably would have peed myself. I love how we're not even talking about the show anymore. This is great.
 
(Ed Note: Betsy and I then went on to talk about L.A. and gym protocol for a while She told me a story about how she saw a blonde bimbo just fully checking herself out in the mirror, pouting and primping. "How are you not embarassed?" She asked. It proved to be further evidence of how awesome Betsy is and one of the easiest people to talk to).

What are your top Ologies?

My top ologies? Well, I'm going to just throw up my philosophies on there as well, obviously, "Packing is overrated." Other than that...I love shoes. Also, I'm obsessed with making homemade croutons.

How do you do that?

It's so easy, and it takes a salad from something you should eat to something you want to eat. Just take good bread and slather it in olive oil and bake it. It's great in the summer.(Ed note: This gave way to an intense conversation about baking and eating.) Plus, I love to bake anything with a crust, pies, quiche...

I make pies! I think we're twins.

When people ask me if I made the crust myself, I'm slightly horrified because they would think it was store bought. I love that you're a pie maker, I feel like we're kindred spirits.

From there, Betsy and I challenged each other to a pie off and also exchanged pie tips and recipes. I dare not share our classified culinary prowess, it's a bond of sisterhood. I will tell you that Vince Gilligan loves a good pecan pie.
Seriously, it was such an immense pleasure talking to Betsy and cannot wait to see her in the rest of this season of Breaking Bad, and in The Practice, and everything else she does. If you want to see some incredible acting, go watch last Sunday's episode of "Open House" again. Now you'll be thinking; not only is she a good actor, but she makes an awesome pie.

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Emily Cheever

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