Julie Brister – Goliath

By starrymag | June 29, 2018

By: Jamie Steinberg

 

 

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

 

A) Season 2 of “Goliath” wrapped in December 2017 and since then I’ve mostly been working on a few short films and writing projects.

 

Q) What’s new this season on “Goliath” and with your character Marva?

 

A) Well the whole office got a windfall from the Borns Tech case in Season 1. Since then, Marva is working on her degree in Criminal Justice, driving and delivering for Postmates plus taking care of Billy when he lets her and running his office. She’s a real multitasker.

 

Q) How was she originally described to you? Was there anything you added to her that wasn’t in her initial breakdown?

 

A) Marva has been a true gift because, originally, she was a one day co-star role. On the day we shot her scene, I improvised a little bit and gave her a little sparkle. They liked what I did, so they expanded Marva into a recurring role. At this point, I think she’s really settled into the office now and sees herself as a caretaker for her co-workers and is especially loyal to Billy.

 

Q) What have you found challenging about portraying this character?

 

A) Given that we’ve kind of developed Marva on the fly, I’ve had a great time finding her voice and discovering who she really is. She’s the mom of the office, a big-hearted, nosy nurturer who loves colorful accessories. She’s also diligent and great at her job(s)! The challenge (and it’s a fun challenge) is tempering those little moments of comedy with the seriousness of what’s going on around her.

 

Q) Was there anyone you were really looking forward to sharing a scene with this season? 

 

A) I always look forward to working with that core office – Billy Bob, Tania Raymonde and Nina Arianda. Patti, Brittany and Marva all have a different dynamic with Billy and my favorite scenes are the ones where we are all working together and occasionally poking at each other. I’m also a “Longmire” fan, so working with Lou Diamond Phillips was exciting for me.

 

Q) Talk about working with legendary actor Billy Bob Thornton.

 

A) Billy Bob has been a favorite actor of mine for a long time. Billy is a writer and you can see that in the way he assesses the scene. I’ve learned so much from watching him work. I think everybody on set does. He’s a fantastic storyteller. Plus, he’s unpretentious and funny as hell. He’s just great.

 

Q) What were some of your most memorable moments from filming this season of “Goliath?”

 

A) I love the crew on “Goliath.” In this second go round, we all know each other a bit more and you really feel like you’re part of a family. Before we started shooting the second season, I worked on a harassment training video that one of the studios made for all crew members. In it, I play a set decorator who screams at her assistant and is a total nightmare. So many people on the crew saw that video and would gleefully quote my lines back to me, “WHERE IS MY BOWL OF APPLES?”

 

Q) You are a part of social media. Do you enjoy seeing the instant fan feedback to episodes?

 

A) I do enjoy that. Since season 2 started streaming I’ve heard from so many people who loved this season.

 

Q) What do you think it is about the series that has made it such a fan favorite?

 

A) Billy is the heart of the show and I think people respond to and some likely relate to a character who struggles with his demons as he faces extraordinary challenges.

 

Q) You often take on dramatic roles. Is there something about this genre that draws you to it?

A) I’ve actually worked predominately in comedy but am thrilled that this door opened for me. I love comedy, but when I’m home and watching something, it’s usually drama. Be it drama or comedy, the most important element is good storytelling.

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

 

A) Thanks for watching and fingers crossed for Season 3!