For Juno Temple – who plays the tough as nails Dorothy “Dot” Lyon in the latest instalment of Fargo – the secret to the show's long running success can be summed up in two words: “Noah Hawley”.
As Temple explains about the show's writer, director, and chief architect – “I think he is such an intellectual creator… and then getting these incredibly written scenes that are so unusual and so filled with secrets and humour and darkness, and you get to act it out with some of your favourite actors in the world.”
Juno Temple in the new season of 'Fargo'. Credit: FX
It’s a sentiment shared by Temple’s fellow castmates, including acting royalty Jennifer Jason Leigh, who had been a long-time fan of the show before signing on to play the role of deliciously devious businesswoman Lorraine Lyon.
“There's nothing like it in terms of tone,” says Leigh. “Where something is so funny and there's all these elements of surrealism and this insane violence that kind of comes out of nowhere.”
Given the popularity of the series, it’s no wonder Hawley has had Hollywood A-listers lining up for the better part of a decade for their chance to be a part of the award-winning phenomenon. But what is it actually like to prepare for a role in Fargo?
According to actor Lamorne Morris – who plays the honest, hardworking Deputy Witt Farr – creating something fresh for the series means familiarising yourself with what has come before.
“I think the secret to Fargo being such a successful show is the Coen brothers had a tone and Noah Hawley has a tone and they combine it in such a beautiful way that just makes it work,” says Morris. “I had to go back and watch every episode of the show. To try to identify with certain characters and their pace and their tone and how they fit the puzzle.”
Lamorne Morris as Witt Farr. Credit: FX
Just as important as crafting a compelling character that fits neatly into the Fargo universe is the level of authenticity placed upon their surroundings. And with this season's events once again transpiring in and around Minnesota as well as North Dakota, it affords Hawley and his cast the ability to take cues once again from their very specific setting, and walk a tonal tightrope filled with Coenesque dialogue that effortlessly switches between the profound to the preposterous, oftentimes within the same scene.
“Noah paints the picture vividly down to the way he writes phrases out,” explains Morris. “Some words will be misspelled, but they're not actually misspelled. He's just writing it the way he wants you to say it so you can fit his tone. He’s quite brilliant.”
All these elements provide a framework from which to explore larger issues within America at large – something that has always been a central preoccupation for Fargo. Whether it’s tackling race and identity, capitalism or the constant threat of violence, Noah and his writers never shy away from Trojan horsing their most personal thoughts and fears about their country through the microcosm of Minnesota.
This season thrusts the audience into a Trumpian 2019 and deals with themes of both financial and human debt, cycles of abuse as well as the lies we tell ourselves and each other to protect our precious way of life.
...you have moments of thinking, ‘is this really happening'?
These may seem like lofty ideas for a show about people with silly accents outsmarting one another before committing the occasional crime – but it’s the way the show is able to draw parallels from these small-town rivalries to a nation divided – which gives Fargo it’s special flavour.
“It is striking chords that you have moments of thinking, ‘is this really happening in America? And then you look it up and go ‘Oh, yeah, it is’,” says Temple, who could be alluding to her own character's experiences with the oppressive Sheriff Roy Tillman (John Hamm). “It deals with subjects that are uncomfortable and things that can be frightening about America, but also highlights people that have a good heart, too.”
Many of Fargo’s characters aren’t people you would necessarily want to go up against in real life, but they undoubtedly make for compelling viewing. From the morally corrupt Sheriff Roy Tillman to the cold as ice Lorraine – whose silver tongue could run circles around any man who poses a threat to her family or fortune, regardless of their so-called status.
Generally speaking, the more despicable a character may be in Fargo, the more fun they are to play. As Leigh herself admits, great roles like this don’t come around too often, and when they do the connection between actor and character can be a strong one.
Jennifer Jason Leigh as Lorraine. Credit: FX
“Just playing someone that confident, someone that walks into a room and basically owns it, because she literally could buy it,” explains Leigh. “I think we would all like to have a little of Lorraine in us, maybe not too much, but a little of that confidence. I think we always learn from our characters.”
And while working on a show like Fargo can be demanding - staying in character for long stints at a time while shooting in freezing temperatures sometimes well into the night – the overriding sense one gets from speaking with the cast is one of intense camaraderie.
“The entire cast were very close,” says Morris “When I say we did everything together, we would grocery shop together. It was everything.”
Perhaps the strongest endorsement from Temple, Morris and Leigh about their experience working on the show is that it demands the very best of everyone on set – from the runner to the number one name on the call sheet.
But whether they come to the project as fans of the original film or in service of the larger universe Hawley has now created, there is a sense that for all those individuals fortunate enough to be pulled into its crazy orbit, Fargo leaves a lasting impact.
“It has been my absolute honour to have been a part of this instalment of Fargo with this cast,” concludes Temple. “Because I think all of them truly have made me a better actress.”
New episodes of Fargo are fast-tracked weekly from the US to SBS On Demand and also air on SBS on Wednesday nights.
Watch episodes of the new season of Fargo at SBS On Demand.
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