Kathleen York – In The Dark

By starrymag | April 4, 2019

By: Jamie Steinberg

 

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

 

A) I’m finishing writing a drama for Lifetime (I’m a screenwriter as well). And just wrote the theme song for director/friend Amy Jo Johnson’s new awesome film Tammy’s Always Dying.

 

Q) Please tell us the premise for the show “In the Dark.”

 

A) An irreverent, disaffected young woman, (who happens to be blind), finds direction in her life by hunting down the potential killer of her best friend.

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

 

A) I was drawn to the premise as, at its heart, “In The Dark” is primarily a show about relationships (opposed to a procedural drama).

 

Q) How was your character Joy originally described to you?

 

A) The only description was that “Joy” was “joyless.” I decided to find the humor as well as the pathos in a person like that – playing with the idea that she’s a bit of a pessimistic, control freak who also happens to care DEEPLY for her daughter…but is still an unmitigated control freak.

 

Q) Was there anything you added to her that wasn’t initially scripted for you?

 

A) Making her “joylessness” funny.  In the pilot, there was a scene where we get a litter of puppies. There wasn’t much dialogue so we were ad-libbing…Everyone else is cooing over the cute puppies. I decided Joy is more concerned about which puppy could possibly be sick with kennel cough. Cute puppies as a problem. Everyone knows someone like that. It’s the tragi-comedy of the character that I love.

 

Q) Were you familiar at all with any of your costars?

 

A) Not at all. But I am so glad to know them now. They are all immensely talented, dedicated artists.

 

Q) If not, was there someone in particular you were looking forward to sharing a scene with?

 

A) I love them all equally.

 

Q) What did you find challenging about this project?

 

A) Finding the moments to make Joy three dimensional and not just an angry, lay-down-the-law mom/heretic.

 

Q) The episodes of “In The Dark” were directed by some incredible talents. Talk about working with Norman Buckley on the third episode.

 

A) Norman is a true talent. I worked with him in “The Client List” a few years ago. On this episode he was gracious enough to allow me to be his directing student. I didn’t act in episode three, but I did shadow him as a director and learned a ton.

 

Q) What were some of your most memorable moments from filming the show?

 

A) I still love the car scene in the pilot. Director Michael Showalter, whom I adore, really opened the scene up and A LOT of it was improvised. It was the first scene that I shot in the show and letting us adlib really helped me to find the character as well as the (volatile) push/pull of our daughter/mother relationship.

 

Q) You are a part of social media. Are you looking forward to the instant fan feedback you’ll receive to the series?

 

A) Ha. I need to be SO MUCH better at social media. I’m looking forward to being more engaged and am excited to communicate with the show’s followers.

 

Q) What do you think it is about this show that will make it a fast fan favorite?

 

A) The characters are a lot of fun and truly relatable. It goes against the “perfect” coiffed, twenty something female protagonist we’ve come to expect on Broadcast television. Perry [Mattfeld] and the show’s creator, Corrine Kingsbury, have combined their talents to make a wholly unique character. Murphy is a train wreck of a mess, but she is OUR train wreck of a mess. And like most of us in life…is attempting to become a better version of herself.

 

Q) You have starred in a number of incredible film and television projects. What have been some of your favorites to work on?

 

A) Obviously “The West Wing” (for obvious reasons!). Northern Lights, a little film I did with Diane Keaton always remains a favorite as well. I love character work and I played a kind of ditzy lounge singer who sings off pitch at the top of her lungs. Playing country singer Naomi Judd in the 4-hour miniseries about her life was a highlight. Working with Vampire Bill on “True Blood” was a fun way to die. Adore Stephen Moyer. What a class act he is.

 

Q) We loved your performance on “The West Wing.” ”here do you think Toby and Andrea would be these days?

 

A) Thank you! Well, I think those two would actually co-parent fairly well. And would still be each other’s best friends (though they’d be loathe to admit it). Possibly after the twins graduate college Andy and Toby (Richard Schiff) will settle back with each other…driving each other nuts in a little cottage by a lake somewhere.

 

Q) You were nominated for an Oscar for your song “In The Deep” from Crash. What did it mean to you to be honored by such a high entertainment accolade?

 

A) I was honored to sing a song I wrote about humility in the face of uncertainty to half a billion people. I’d been a recording artist and songwriter for over a decade by then and had written a few hundred songs. That song is about peace through introspection….and that’s the one that reached the world. THAT was the divine accomplishment to me.

 

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

 

A) Thank you for your support! Lots more to come in the way of new music and such. And please follow me on Twitter, Facebook (Kathleen “Bird” York), and Instagram…I’m needing to be better at staying in touch with everyone! (Instead of photos of my dog wearing a tiara, I’m supposed to post a bunch of beauty shots of myself now, amirite?) xo