“UnREAL” is Lifetime’s most critically acclaimed scripted series ever and one of television’s most talked about series. Over 45 outlets listed “UnREAL” as one of the best shows on television including Vanity Fair, Buzz Feed, New York Times and NY Magazine. Seasons one through three of the series is” streaming on Hulu and season four had a surprise release on Hulu on July 16th.
Set against the backdrop of the hit dating competition show Everlasting,” the upcoming season of “UnREAL” is led by flawed producer Rachel Goldberg (Shiri Appleby), and dispassionate executive producer, Quinn King (Constance Zimmer), and will follow the journey of Serena, “Everlasting’s” first-ever female suitor, as she searches for the man of her dreams. No longer meek and shy, producer Madison (Genevieve Buechner) is all confidence now and is eager to use her new look to manipulate those around her to get everything she wants.
Genevieve is enchanting in this thought-provoking series that was hailed as “one of the best new shows” by Forbes and Entertainment Weekly. We had the fantastic opportunity to interview Genevieve to discuss the series. Check out the interview below.
Hi, Genevieve! Thank you for granting the interview. Your career is soaring and we’re excited to speak with you “UnREAL.” Tell us about your role and character.
My role on “UnREAL” is Madison. She started as a Production Assistant on the set of a reality dating show and very quickly worked/slept her way to the producer. She has been an amazingly fun character to play. I never knew what crazy thing she would get up to and it was always so much fun getting the new scripts and finding out what chaos she would cause! She is enamored with Quinn and Rachel. She’s a power-hungry little thing and there isn’t much that can stop her.
What should the audience expect to see this season?
This season Madison goes through another career jump and has to learn the ropes of her new position. In my opinion, she’s in a little deep but is refusing to show it, so she is trying to hide it through power plays and flaunting her accomplishments. There is also some fun romance and, of course, backstabbing.
To date, what has been your favorite role and why?
I think Madison is actually at the top of the list! She was just so much fun and the show itself is amazing. She makes me laugh. She is so different than I am, and its really fun to portray someone who is totally opposite to yourself, although she still has some goofy relatable quirks. I also really loved working on Caprica. The sets and wardrobe were so creative, and the characters went through some really interesting arcs! It was also one of the first shows I did where I got to do some stunt/weapon training! I learned a lot from both of those shows. I’ve learned something on every set I’ve been on, but those two stand out.
Is there a particular role you would like to play in your career?
I would love to do some sci-fi or a period piece. I’ve never done anything fantasy either. I think that would be amazing and different from anything else I’ve done before! I would love to film something completely detached from modern times. Sci-fi is always fun and I adore the sets—who wouldn’t love being on a spaceship?
How do you prepare for a role?
If it is an audition I usually find out the day before, so I will spend the evening learning the lines. I always try to just forget about auditions right after I leave. I find it easier to just let them go than to stress over how it went. If I’m on set, I usually learn the lines while we rehearse. I’ll look at the scenes we will be doing the night before, but I never memorize them until I am on the set. Things can change last minute! If its an emotional scene and I’ve memorized it one way the night before and then something changes (like lines or direction), it can be hard to make that switch unless I’ve just learned it. It also really depends on the character.
Tell us about your first acting job.
The first movie I did will always have a special place in my heart, I was 9 and we filmed for a month. The title was Saint Monica and it is a beautifully sweet film. I was so little and it was the first thing I’d ever auditioned for. I didn’t realize what a big deal it was to book something until years later. Everyone who worked on that movie was amazing.
What is your profession’s greatest challenge?
The amount of rejection. You have to be able to deal with rejection, and usually, it’s because of something totally out of your control! But as long as you work hard, and you care about what you’re doing, it pays off in the end. All of the rejection is worth it when you get a call saying you booked something!
Who or what is your biggest inspiration?
I have so many! My great-grandmother is for sure one of the biggest. She didn’t work in the film industry, but she had a crazy life and had an amazing soul. I miss her every day. She was tough and knew what was truly important. I think staying true to your morals is important, no matter what your job is. She is someone who helped me learn that. There is also Roger Deakins…he has done the cinematography for so many amazing films. Everything he does is gorgeous. His career is insane! It’s hard for me to pick actors that inspire me because there are just so many.
When looking back on your career, what resonated with you the most and why?
Every project I’ve worked on has taught me something. No matter how small, I always learned something new. I think “UnREAL” was especially influential because I’d never worked on a show for so long before. I love that cast and crew from the bottom of my heart! I don’t think that happens very often, so that’s pretty impressive.
In your opinion, what makes a great movie?
A good script! The scripts are the bones of the productions! You could hire the most talented actors, directors, and crew, but if the script isn’t any good, it won’t matter.
Tell us about your favorite things to do.
Painting! I paint a lot. With ink, watercolors, and gouache. I don’t really post about it much, but that’s what I do in my spare time. I just like making things, I love crafting. I read a lot… I have so many books! I also love traveling. Any money I save goes to traveling! I love seeing new parts of the world!
Do you have anything else you would like to share about your career?
Just that I love my job. I love it so much. I can’t imagine doing anything else and I am so grateful for all the opportunities I’ve been given! I’m so excited to see what’s to come.
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Feature Image Credit: Grace Lui.
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