Quick Impressions: Annie Funke's Violent Year
Friday, April 17, 2015 at 10:30AM Quick Impressions. There are showbiz dreams embedded in nearly every frame of your favorite TV shows and films. Consider this series a celebration of SAG card holders and free advice for casting directors.
Meet Annie Funke (It's pronounced "funky"). She's only made one movie but what fortune to land such a strong one for your debut! The actress has just two scenes in J.C. Chandor's A Most Violent Year (2014), just out on DVD & BluRay, as the unexpected heir of a rival company who Oscar Isaac's desperate businessman must turn to for help. While the cast is uniformly fine, there was just something about Annie Funke's pin-drop tense scenes in particular that we just couldn't stop thinking about. We had to know more...
While Funke's first movie and a buzzy breakthrough a couple of years ago in a play called "If There is I Haven't Found It Yet" which she refers to as a "game-changer" have both been heavy dramas it turns out she came up through musical comedy. Because of scheduling conflicts during the casting of A Most Violent Year she thought she wouldn't get the part but here we are. And here is where we'll jump into our conversation...
NATHANIEL: I love musicals and plan to see your next one but it's exciting that you're making waves elsewhere now, too.
ANNIE FUNKE: As a kid in Oklahoma with a musical theater degree I had no idea that my career would go in any way to tv/film. It wasn't on my horizon at all.
But then you got A Most Violent Year from a self-taped audition!
When I showed up on set the first day I hadn't met anyone. That was completely like being shot out of a cannon. [Laughs]
You have two scenes. Did you shoot anything else that didn't make it in?
Everything I taped ended up in the final cut. We filmed the scene with Oscar in the office. I went back in a couple of weeks later to film the scene in the restaurant with all the gentlemen. I sat there and looked around -- How crazy to be at this table with all these amazing characters actors, these awesome guys. And then me - little odd man out [Laughter]. It was a great vibe on set. J.C is very much an actor's director.
Was it intimidating to work with a star like Oscar Isaac or did Jake Gyllenhaal sufficiently break you in when you did your game-changing play together?
Having that experience with Jake, I got to see first hand what his life is like as a celebrity. It was nice to work with someone of his calibre and know that he's a person like everybody else. The thing that was most nerve-wracking to me was I'd never been on a film or TV set. I had literally no idea what was happening. It's just a completely different world and vocabulary. It's a little beehive or anthill. There are so many people. Everyone has their job and knows what they're doing. Nobody tells you what's going on! Nobody explains what it means when you're "turning around a shot" nobody explains what "coverage" means. You're trying to learn and remember terms and at the same time play it cool so no one knows it's your first time.
It was a crazy experience but I ended up talking to Oscar about it. He is such a good actor and gracious person. I was so lucky to do my scenes with him. He's right there with you the whole time, comforting and a great energy to work off of. That was a saving grace for me because I literally had no idea what was going on [Laughter].
Annie's breakthrough role came onstage with Jake Gyllenhaal Off Broadway
How do you prepare for a small role but an important scene like that?
Every actor is different. I usually do a very thorough thought-out backstory. For a small role you only have so much to go on. Let's say my favorite color is pink and I love giraffes. I can know that for myself but that information is never going to come through in the screen in two minutes. I tried to concentrate on the information on the scene. Clearly I thought about the family dynamic, what that might have been. Anything that might have clued into the scene.
It's a great scene.
Lot of little beats and moment. The man who played Saul [David Marguiles], it was his idea to be drawing at the table. That was a really cool idea. It's tricky with those little scenes to pack in a lot of stuff but I feel JC is really good at that.
What advice would you give actors trying to find their "game changer" since you already had yours?
Don't give up. I know that's super cliché but if you know what you want... I went through a period when I wasn't working and I got back into class. I decided what it was that I wanted and how I could achieve that. If I want this, I need to get into class. If I want this, I need to do this. It's about setting a plan for yourself. I'm super goal oriented. I like to have a checklist because it helps me feel like I have a little bit more control over my career and in this business you have very little control. You can be as talented as anybody else, but if you're not getting in the rooms and no one is seeing you, you're not going to work. Staying in class, stay positive, network, go to auditions -- put the energy out that you want to be seen.
Your next film is The Intern. And you just shot a pilot?
It's a medical drama for CBS. I'm playing a young child prodigy type doctor in an ensemble. Completely different experience. Series regular. Lot of dialogue. Lot of shots. We'll see what happens.
You're so busy.
It's great. The feelings that settle in when you're collecting unemployment and feel like you're not contributing in anyway to the world - it's not a great feeling.
You're doing the stage adaptation of Ever After (1998) next.
I am. It'll be my first time originating a role in a musical. I'm playing Jacqueline, one of the step-sisters.
That's the Melanie Lynskey part!
I'll try to do her some justice.
EVER AFTER starring Christine Ebersole begins May 21st at Papermill Playhouse. More info and tickets here. A MOST VIOLENT YEAR is now on DVD & BluRay.
Related:
Oscar Isaac Interview | Ever After Revisited | More Quick Impressions
Reader Comments (8)
A true scene-stealer. Glad she's busy.
Great interview! Thanks for sharing, Nathaniel. I found her riveting in A Most Violent Year, I'm so glad other people noticed and that she's building a nice career for herself.
She is outstanding in A Most Violent Year. I'll look forward to seeing her in the future.
She gets mad props just for remembering her lines while looking into Oscar's beautiful eyes. Suzanne is right, she's terrific in AMVY, a film that should have gotten multiple Oscar nominations.
Great interview. I do wish "A Most Violent Year" had come out in September, instead of so late in the year. Funke gives one of those performances that deserved a bigger audience and more attention. Love that she is getting steady work.
I haven't seen the movie yet but I love this post! I can't wait to see more of them. It's such a great idea.
Riveting? Give me a fucking break! She had exactly three lines and two minutes of screen time.
I honestly didn't even remember her... she was mentioned before but I just kept recalling Catalina Moreno's performance. I guess I need to watch it again haha.