For the past 10 years or so, Melanie Lynskey has worn seven different perfumes.
(The other perfumes Lynskey totes with her and applies daily are D.S.
& Durga Bowmakers, three from Le Labo, and one from Sarah Jessica Parker.)
Seven perfumes, every day for a decade can you even imagine?
Shauna is a character that is frequently described as underestimated.
All women are surprising.
Its just a matter of whether you want to get to know them.
I see why people become guarded, she wrote.
Her answers to questions come out in paragraphs.
(It was Nelisse who first mentioned Lynskeys seven-perfume habit.)
Shauna is quiet, and quietly selfish, with big, watchful eyes that understand everything they take in.
And, spoiler alert: She is the first of the teenage survivors todescend into cannibalism.
(The human flesh?
Rice paper mixed with jackfruit.)
I love that Shauna is the first one to step into the whole cannibalistic mindset, Nelisse says.
I thought it was so interesting because I dont think she meant for it to happen that way.
And this weird twisted curiosity.
Because Nelisse and Lynskey play the same character during different time periods, they dont interact on screen.
(We were actually sweating; were wearing so many layers, Nelisse says.
And theres this little fire pit thats always on, so its almost harder.
You think you know how to act cold!)
Melanie Lynskey:Its always scary.
Nelisse:[Melanie] obviously speaks in a little higher pitched voice than I have.
I was like, Oh, Im going to get fired after this.
Theyre not going to see the resemblance.
I was blond with blue eyes back then.
Lynskey:And you were worried in the hair and makeup test also.
You were like, Nice to meet you.
I dont think this is going to work.
I have blue eyes; I have blond hair.
Nelisse:I dont think we look like each other.
Lynskey:I dont think we do, either.
Nelisse:But theres just something in the show that I do see.
Lynskey:Me too.
Nelisse:Theyll put a frame side by side, and Im like, Oh.
Lynskey:I know.
Nelisse:My first instinct was like, Wow, they really nailed this.
The characters so consistent from then to now, and that helps.
We both were so on the same page about the energy that we wanted her to have.
Nelisse:And I even tried, because you naturally have a lot of tiny mannerisms.
I tried doing it in front of the mirror, and it just doesnt work at all.
Nelisse:Weve never discussed anything.
But, especially for younger Shauna, she doesnt have big chunks of dialogue when shes verytaking control.
But shell just say things and people immediately are attentive to what she said.
Youre so good at leaning into things with a lot of presence and a lot of power.
That is something I stole.
They hinted that Shauna was going to be pregnant, and that was honestly kind of it.
We knew that Jackie was going to die because she was only there for one season.
We would just get the scripts a week before.
Lynskey:[I didnt get] every single detail, but I knew, obviously, cannibalism.
I knew all the Jackie stuff.
The whole first season they gave me my whole arc and quite a lot of detail.
And then they had a very, very, very broad outline of the subsequent seasons.
And its hard for me to do that multiple times.
So that was a tricky one.
What is going on?
It felt like we were shooting a completely different show.
We were like, Oh, this is going to be so fun.
Were all going to be eating and having fun.
But then by the end, it looked like a war camp.
The director, Ben, was just like, Eat everything, and I want it to be feral.
We were putting anything and everything in our mouths.
It was the weirdest, most disgusting combo.
So I was eating pre-chewed food, just full of saliva.
I like being out of it because it keeps me a little more grounded.
I didnt see the posters everywhere.
I didnt see everyone talking about it.
I think its moments like when youre Emmy-nominated that I [realized], Wow.
I guess it is really good.
Lynskey:I read every single review.
I love reading reviews.
Well, I looked on Reddit a little bit, but it was interesting.
People have so many feelings… Its not all justfan theories; its people complaining about stuff.
It is really nice to see how committed they are.
We just want to live up to the expectations.
Because theyre so excited for the second season, and Im more scared.
Lynskey:Thats the thing.
We have no control.
Lynskey:You just have to trust your instincts.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
