Actor Alia Shawkat has spoken to ahead of the release of her new film—Paint it Black—directed by Amber Tamblyn.
Shawkat plays the role of party-girl Josie, whose boyfriend Michael passes away. The film explores her relationship with his unhinged mother, played by Janet McTeer.
“With any part, you don’t want to think, Oh, I could do this with my eyes closed. But with this part, it was like, I don’t know if I can do this with my eyes open,” says Shawkat.
“There aren’t many female roles that are both campy and very real. I appreciated the risks of this movie."
The Arrested Development star also spoke about her cameo in Broad City—playing a love interest of her doppelgänger Ilana Glazer in season two of the comedy series.
“I’d been mistaken for Ilana a lot, and I’d heard from her friend that she’d been mistaken for me too," says Shawkat.
“Next thing I know, I’m on a group text with the girls. Then I had a script. I’ve been recognized so much since. A guy in New York pulled up and said, “Hey, you Ilana’s lover, huh?!”
OUT asked if her Arrested Development co-star Portia de Rossi helped to shape her identity but Shawkat replied that her influences were “from growing up in Los Angeles and being exposed to lots of gay artists.”
Source: Giphy
The actor also spoke about her role in the upcoming indie feature film Duck Butter—directed by Jay and Mark Duplass (the brothers who co-createdTogetherness).
“I love that it was written for a man and a woman, but we couldn’t find the right guy, so now it happens to star two women [as lovers].
"I used to be less outspoken. But as a woman, an Arab-American, and a member of the LGBTQ community, I have to use whatever voice I have.
"There’s no more delicacy in being quiet."
You can watch the trailer for Paint it Black below:
