Always Sunny's Kaitlin Olson: 'Fans expect me to do shots with them!'
Kaitlin Olson may always be married to the hit sitcom It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia (in some ways quite literally, with co-star Rob McElhenney her husband) but there’s far more to the 49-year-old than being Dee Reynolds.
Even in her youth, growing up between Washington and Oregon, Olson dreamed of being a TV star. Speaking to Bazaar on Zoom from her home in California, she recalls watching Saturday Night Live with her family and wanting to emulate the "loud, funny women" she saw on screen.
Olson’s early work included minor roles in Curb Your Enthusiasm and Coyote Ugly, with It’s Always Sunny being the job that sent her into mainstream consciousness (20 years and 17 seasons later, it’s still a hugely successful series). However, Olson has expanded her wider oeuvre of work beyond the demanding physical comedy of the offbeat sitcom. While she landed two Emmy nominations for her recurring role as DJ in Hacks, it’s her latest series High Potential that sees her flex her entire dramatic range.
Olson stars as single mother Morgan, who works as a cleaner for the Los Angeles police department, but is soon hired as a consultant due to her high IQ and unconventional approach to solving crime.
Below, we catch up with Olson to discuss her career highlights ahead of High Potential’s UK launch.
“When I was growing up…
... I wanted to be a TV star. My mom has notes that I wrote to her when I was in the second grade about how I wanted to be on television. But I also wanted to be a veterinarian, a psychologist and a hairdresser – so I don’t see any reason why I can’t still do all of these things!”
“The moment I knew I wanted to act was…
... I don’t ever remember not wanting to be an actor. We used to watch TV together as a family and I was so intrigued by the Carole Burnett Show and Saturday Night Live, which had all these women who were loud and made crazy faces. They were unapologetically themselves and they weren’t trying to just being pretty. I didn’t want to be on a soap opera, I wanted to be a loud, funny woman too. So from there, I started doing plays at summer camp. I loved animals and wanted to work with them but acting was something that was always there, that I never let go of.”
“My acting role models are…
... I have the honour and privilege of working with Jean Smart in Hacks – I always looked up to her. I was a huge fan of Annette Bening, Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Cate Blanchett. A million women are tremendous actors for numerous reasons. I think that’s why I like playing Morgan in High Potential. I get to play the whole range of womanhood. She’s got it under control, she’s a boss, she’s in charge, but she’s insecure and she doubts herself, and she’s tortured by this brain of hers. She worries about her children, so there’s some universal things in here that I think a lot of women can identify with.”
“The project that changed my life was…
... It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, hands down. Before then, I was just doing little things here and there, supporting by working multiple other jobs to be able to still audition, and every once in a while I’d get an acting job. It changed my life so much for sure – that’s how I met my husband. I went on to have two kids with him and [I can't believe] the fact we’re still doing it today after nearly 20 years on air!”
“I value having friends in the industry…
... as it’s so important. It’s a completely different beast to other jobs, especially when you’re acting and producing at the same time. People outside the industry don’t understand how much work goes into it. It’s such a collaborative and creative process. You’re pulling your hair out sometimes and you have to have respectful arguments and respectfully disagree with each other.
"There are so many moments when you’re under so much pressure, and you have to be surrounded by people who understand the process, and have the same vision. All the way up until the very end that you’re changing and fighting and scrambling and switching out music. It’s such a relief when the show comes out and people enjoy it. It’s not just showing up and saying lines and going home. It doesn’t end for eight straight months.”
“The biggest curveball in my career…
... is High Potential. I love doing dramatic stuff, but the last time I’ve been able to do it is in theatre, and maybe a little in Hacks. But being number one on a callsheet in a primetime drama is not something I ever pictured for myself!”
“I cope with being recognised by…
... I do find it a lot sometimes. People think I am Dee and expect me to do shots with them – and I’m not going to do shots with strangers all day long! Our fans are super respectful and wonderful, particularly the Sunny fans who’ve been there from the beginning. They feel an ownership because a lot of people weren’t watching the show for the first five seasons. The ones who have been there since the beginning are very proud to still be there with us. Sometimes it’s a little more challenging with our kids, but they’re old enough now that they can see it coming too and now step off to one side.”
“The advice I swear by is…
... I started doing well in auditions when I stopped trying to do what I thought the directors were looking for, and just started to do something that I was proud of. That's another life lesson: you can't please everybody. It’s why I'm so diligent when I’m working. That way I can put a show out there and be proud of it; if people don’t like it, it’s not going to be a giant blow to my ego because I did my best. If I try to please everyone else and I put it out there and no one likes it, I would beat myself up for not just doing the thing I felt I should in the first place.”
“I wanted to do High Potential because...
... I love a crime procedural and I loved that at the heart of this crime procedural there was a really fun female character. Morgan is so interesting and so well-rounded. I really loved how she has this big beautiful brain but she doesn’t see it as a gift – it’s been a real challenge for her in her life. I love that she’s a single mum whose main goal is making sure her kids are okay. I love that she has her walls up, is guarded and can do anything by herself . She’s just a well-rounded, fun, complicated character. It was exciting.”
“I get into character by...
... Certainly putting on the wardrobe is helpful. I don’t dress like Morgan, so there is something about wearing this reddish, coppery wig and the long nails and the wardrobe that really assisted me. Walking around, taller than everyone else, in heels, just gave me the confidence I felt Morgan forced in herself. She’s got her guard up at all times because she’s used to being underestimated. And she’s just a really good mum that I identify with. You just put it all together and it happens.”
“What’s next on my bucket list is…
... I want to do a film that's beautiful and dramatic, or a legitimately funny movie. All due respect, it’s been a while since I’ve seen a funny movie that wasn’t really commercial. It’s hard to do with comedy, especially in today’s climate. I’m good on TV shows and I’m happy and lucky that I get to do Always Sunny and my new show that I'm so proud of. It feels almost greedy to think about what’s next. I just want to spend time with my kids – but I’d love to do a deeply touching indie movie.”
The first two episodes of 'High Potential' are now available to stream on Disney Plus, with new episodes coming weekly.
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