Genevieve Buechner – UnREAL

By starrymag | July 4, 2016

By: Lisa Steinberg

 

Q) What are the recent projects that you are working on?

A) We have been filming for so long that I don’t have anything else going on. I did a short called Counter Act, that I believe will be doing the festival circuit. Then, I did a horror movie called The Hollow Child that is just finishing up. I did those right before “UnREAL.”

Q) How was Madison originally described to you and how did that evolve since your audition?

A) I think she changed drastically. The audition was just one line. One sentence. I believe it was Quinn (Constance Zimmer) yelling at her to get out of the way. She was described as a PA, new to the job, awkward and doesn’t know what her place is, but wants to do a good job. She was green. As we can see from Season Two and the end of Season One, she is a little more power hungry for the job than originally described.

Q) Is Madison really ready to do what it takes to be Rachel 2.0?

A) I think she still has a long way to go because she is so manic and excited about it. I feel that might get in her way, in a sense, because she’s too excited. She’s definitely learning and really trying, but Rachel (Shiri Appleby) has something about her – this quality – that is unmatched. That is why Quinn trusts her and pushes her the way she does. It’s because Rachel has that thing about her. I don’t think Madison has that, but she definitely wants it. Who knows. She may just grow into that because she is still a teenager. She’s really young.

Q) What made you want to be a part of the show?

A) I just thought it was so funny and an interesting look at things. I had never seen a show or auditioned for a show that was a kind of behind the scenes making of a series. Especially such a big thing now is reality TV that it is everywhere. The fact they were going to make something about the people who make this happen in a fictional setting, I thought that was so interesting and fun. I liked that everyone was ambiguous since not one is really a good person. They are all a little dark and twisted. If it isn’t anything like this show, I don’t know. But you have to have a little bit of a dark mind to be able to do that work. You aren’t necessarily a bad person, but you have to be able to see things in a very different way.

Q) Everyone has a skeleton in their closet on “UnREAL.” What bones will rattle for Madison this season?

A) I don’t know. Everything that happened with Chet (Craig Bierko) was pretty intense. I honestly think for her that was a stepping stone. To everyone else involved, it was a bigger deal than that. For Quinn, that was kind of earth shattering since Chet did something so horrible to her. And Madison didn’t even care to think about what it would do to anyone else. For her, Madison doesn’t necessarily care too much about the skeletons in her closest because it moves her forward. I’m sure there is some sort of guilt or embarrassment because she does look up to Quinn. That must be horrible to know you upset someone that you admire so much, but at the same time she is trying to move past it. She is trying to do her job and do a good job, but I feel like everyone else is going to hold that over her head for a long time.

Q) When we interviewed Craig Bierko recently, he thought maybe when we saw Madison throwing up (after Rachel pushes Chantal [Meagan Tandy] to say she was in the car when her boyfriend died) that it might be her shedding the last of her humanity. What are your thoughts?

A) I could definitely see that. I remember reading that script, I read through it and when I got to the end I thought, “Oh boy!” [laughs] I didn’t know where it was leading and if Madison was going to crack and not be able to do that. When I got to the end, I was like “Oh boy! Here we go!” I do think that was a little bit of her throwing away somewhat the innocence that she has. She is still naive, but the fact she sees she has hurt someone and loved it is definitely a really big character shift. That’s the road she wants to go down and that’s a little scary.

Q) The show has some great lines. What have been some of your favorites?

A) It’s so fun! The writers are so good and the characters are so good. They are written so well. The things Quinn would say no other character would say. It’s difficult to pinpoint. “Donald Trump with boobs” was fun. Lindsay [Musil] and I were filming that scene and everyone was laughing. Honestly, the show is so quotable. I don’t think I can pinpoint a favorite line. My favorite line is actually in episode seven and it’s “Don’t touch it.” When the episode airs, it will make sense.

Q) Who of the contestants have you gotten the closest with?

A) They were all absolutely lovely this season and last season. It was just so nice. We were all working every day together, long hours and everyone was cold. We all just got to bond with each other. They haven’t hired anyone I don’t like. [laughs] They’ve done a good job of picking people who all work together really, really well. There are tons of pictures on social media of us hanging out when we’re not filming and having a good time together. Everyone would hang out together offset when we are filming. We were supposed to go to the hot springs, but they were closed because of a mud slide. It was a bummer, but we all hang out together and it was really, really nice. We all became friends and I’ll be visiting some of them when I go to LA or New York. They are all wonderful people.

Q) What has been your favorite part of Madison’s character development?

A) I really enjoy doing the transition from beginner who didn’t know what she was doing and always in the way to being given this position of power and deciding to use it. Instead of being scared of it and shying away from the work, she’s really jumping in and that’s been super fun so far. Bits like at the end of episode one are kind of surprising that she would say. There are a lot of moments like that which are super interesting and fun to portray. She does come off as this silly, goofy girl with these braids, but then she’ll say something that kind of catches you off guard. That’s been really fun to do.

Q) A lot of the fans are hoping for a Quinn/Rachel hookup. Could you see that?

A) It’s so funny. That happens with any show and every show. People want to pair everyone together and go for it, hope for it and wish for it. I feel they will do what is best for the show and the storyline. So, who knows? Every episode is a mystery to me until I get to read it. It’s such an intense show that there is so much going on that it is crazy. Every episode I have no idea where it is going to go until I finish it.

Q) What is it like working with creator Sarah Gertrude Shapiro?

A) Sarah is a wonderful person. I really enjoy her. She’s very fun to be around. She speaks her mind always and it’s so great. That doesn’t happen very often, especially in this industry. People are cautious not to make people angry and are so careful with what they say. I love working with someone who is so on the nose.

Q) What has been favorite part of the fan reaction to the series and do you enjoy the instant fan feedback you receive through social media?

A) It’s certainly strange. I never had a computer until this year. [laughs] So, I got my first laptop ever this year. I have had my Instagram for a while, but it was not public until this year. I opened it and now it’s all very new to me. I’ve had my Twitter for a while, but now I’m trying to use it regularly. The same with Instagram. It’s just a very new world to me. I think it’s really fun. I love talking to people about it. I love hearing what people say and getting to respond to them. I love being involved in the fandom because I love the show. It’s all very new and very interesting to me.

Q) Who would you most like to have scenes with that you haven’t worked with yet?

A) Madison doesn’t get to work too much with the suitor and I loved B.J. [Britt]. We would have a good time off screen. Madison and the suitors haven’t had much of a connection. She works with everyone else since she is with all the crew. I guess that’s really the only character she doesn’t get involved with.

Q) What have been some of your most memorable moments from working on “UnREAL?”

A) Craig has his dog Boo and we’re filming a scene inside the mansion. All the girls are sitting around and Boo just really wanted to sit in the middle of that scene. It’s just where she wanted to be. She kept trying to walk onto the set to sit down and lay down in the middle of the scene. She’s such a sweet dog and the most well behaved dog in the world. I don’t think I’ve ever heard her bark. She’s so good! So, it was really funny that all the girls were trying to keep a straight face and not smile when this puppy decided, “I’m going to sit right here now.” To be fair, it was a very cozy set. Everybody loves that dog. She’s a wonderful, wonderful addition to the show.

Q) What is something fans may be surprised to learn about Madison?

A) They did a really good job of laying it out on the table with “here is where we’re going with this girl.” Just remember she is brand new and doesn’t know what she is doing. She is learning the ropes. A lot of people are like, “She’s the new Rachel,” and that’s a lot of pressure. She has not been doing it nearly as long as Rachel. She is just starting. Just keep in mind that this is the first time she has ever had to do this. She went from PA to producer. That’s skipping a lot of steps!

Q) What would you like to say to everyone who is a fan and supporter of you and your work?

A) Thank you so much! I hope you continue to enjoy it. Have a fun ride!