Known for a career filled with strong female characters who have proved themselves for their indomitable spirit, Constance Zimmer has stepped out of her comfort zone into something new for the first time. She speaks with Indulge in an exclusive interaction, about the constant challenges and motivation that kept her going in her new reality show, Unreal.
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You’re known for prominent characters like Dana Gordon on Entourage. But Unreal finds you doing a different role. How easy was it to slip into your new character?
It was not easy at all. From the first episode of Season One, I was terrified and scared. I thought people would hate me thinking that I am a horrible person. I have felt helpless a lot of times. But friends asked me to keep doing what I liked and I eventually started enjoying the role until I was half way through the season. When the first season came out, Quinn got good responses, and it was a big sigh of relief.
In House of Cards, we got to see you in Season Four after Lucas’ assassination? How difficult and crucial was that role, and how did you prepare for that?
House of Cards has been dear to my heart. And I also felt that I needed to represent every form of old-school journalism in a phase of social media buzz. It was a fascinating time and we were doing something that wasn’t done before.
Along with Boston Legal, you’ve been a part of some very popular shows on TV. Do you prefer roles in the investigative mould?
(Laughs) I have been lucky enough to play those roles. I wish I had more control over my career and did roles in Game of Thrones or The American War Story, but I apparently keep getting the parts of people who ask questions and don’t mind making people uncomfortable.
How does Unreal work as a reality show? Were you wary of its plot? Are you comfortable working within a storyline based on women, relationships and dating?
I never watched any reality shows. So for me it was all new and very boring. I did watch one season of The Bachelorette.
How different is it working on a reality show, as opposed to a drama? Does your approach change much, and how much do you need to improvise?
It is also a scripted show, so it works the same way as any other show. Since the show covers what happens behind the scenes, we also get to see how the people are on- and off-camera.
Is there a lot of behind-the-scenes turmoil in Unreal, things we’re not supposed to know — but maybe you can tell us about?
In between takes, we are still mean to each other, but we keep finding ways to make each other laugh. I am constantly trying to remind people that I am a nice person. So there is flattery, compliments and jokes to make sure that we are nice to each other in real life.
Unreal premieres on July 17.Episodes of Seasons 1 and 2 will air every Monday to Friday at 9 pm on Star World and Star World HD. Season 3 will premiere in 2018.