Kelly Aucoin – The Girl From Plainville

By starrymag | April 5, 2022

By: Jamie Steinberg

 

 

 

Q) What made you want to be a part of “The Girl From Plainville?”

 

A) The first things I look at are the script and who are the people involved with the project because you’re going to be spending a lot of time together. When the script first came across my computer, I was just floored with how good it was. At the time Elle [Fanning], Colton [Ryan] and Chloë [Sevigny] were attached and they’re all fantastic. Add to that show runners Liz Hannah and Patrick Macmanus guiding the ship and it was a no brainer. I really wanted to be a part of this.

 

Q) What kind of research did you do on the case and Det. Scott Gordon before stepping into the show?

 

A) I read the Esquire article and watched the documentary. I listened to a lot of clips of Detective Gordon speaking, to find some of his rhythms. But there was so much already there in the writing. Great writing, like this, makes your work so much easier.

 

Q) Is it more of a challenge for you to portray someone who is a real person rather than a fictional character?

 

A) It doesn’t really fall into categories like that. Every character, real and fictional, has their own unique challenge. Coincidentally, on my other show airing right now, “WeCrashed” on Apple TV+, I’m also playing a real person, Scott Galloway. Apparently, I now only play characters named Scott G! But, in both cases, we made it very clear that we were not trying for a straight up impersonation. We weren’t after an impression. But, that said, it was really important to let the spirit of the person and their rhythms very much guide me when I was developing the characters.

 

Q) Det. Gordon is the first person to notice missing texts from Coco’s phone. What did this discovery mean to the case against Michelle?

 

A) That discovery was the beginning of the investigation into Michelle’s connection to Coco. Without that discovery, and the subsequent piecing together, none of the rest would’ve happened.

 

Q) What were you, personally, most surprised to learn from Det. Gordon’s investigation into Coco’s death?

 

A) How complicated everything about this case actually was.

 

Q) What were some of your favorite episodes to film or most memorable moments that you had from filming this series?

 

A) On most of my shows, in recent years, my characters have, pretty much, been on the same sets and with the same group of actors, which has been absolutely wonderful, and I wouldn’t trade for the world the families I’ve created because of that long-term close proximity! But it’s been really, playing the detective, to sort of…drop in with so many of the other characters, even if only for a scene or two. I got to work with so much of the cast, which was delicious given how brilliant these actors are.

 

Q) How did you shake off a long day of filming such an intense show?

 

A) Whiskey.

 

Q) What do you hope viewers take away from watching “The Girl From Plainville?”

 

A) That nothing is as simple as a headline. That there are still so many things we will just never know.

 

Q) What are the other recent projects that you have been busy working on?

 

A) Well, “Billions” is still airing, and we’ve been renewed for a seventh season, so Dollar Bill will still be with us for the foreseeable future! I had a blast working with Justin Lin, who created the Fast and Furious franchise on “The Endgame” pilot on NBC. And, as I mentioned, “WeCrashed” is dropping episodes weekly on Apple TV+ and I had a really really fun time on that show. I also spent a couple of days up in Massachusetts last month and got to play a little with my “Billions” castmate Paul Giamatti on an Alexander Payne movie called The Holdovers. So many years on the same show and we’d only had one scene together. We had fun.

 

Q) You often take on a lot of dramatic roles. Is there something about this genre that draws you to it or is it simply the characters that interest you most?

 

A) Interesting. That certainly hasn’t been the case with theatre where I’ve done quite a lot of comedy, actually. And Dollar Bill definitely, verges on comedy, at times. I think it’s probably, partly, the projects that I’ve seen that interest me. But also, it’s always going to have something to do with what people have seen you do. The theatre world has seen me do comedy, so they ask me to do more of it. For the TV world, certainly since like the fake fight or boxing scenes in “Billions” or any of the Dollar Bill/Spyros interactions — like their couples therapy or car smashing scenes — people have started to say, “Oh! You’re funny!” And the auditions and requests have started to reflect that growing awareness, which has been fun to watch. And my upcoming episode of “WeCrashed” absolutely includes some comedy. So, we’ll see what the next couple of years brings!

 

Q) We’d be remiss if we didn’t mention how much we’ve loved seeing you on “Billions.” What do you think it is about the show that continues to make it such a fan favorite series?

 

A) Well, again, I think it all starts with the writing. It’s top notch. And we’ve got such a great cast! There are so many strong, quirky, fascinating characters. Most shows would be hard-pressed to stay afloat after losing a central character like Damian [Lewis], but we’ve been able to handle it (partly I think) because, as much as we were always driven by the Bobby/Chuck/Wendy power dynamic, the show is also very much an ensemble. And the audience has all these other characters that they’ve invested in over the years to fall back on and root for – or, against! I also think one of the strengths of the show is that it never goes where you think it will. It’s always surprising you. Me included!

 

Q) What would you like to say to everyone who are fans and supporters of you and the work you do?

 

A) That I am humbled. And that I am the luckiest SOB. Thank you, thank you, thank you.