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Ginnifer Goodwin talks about the two year process of creating
Big Love's 'baby wife'
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HBO
Can you give us a little insight into your character Margene?
GOODWIN
Well, I am the baby wife of Bill Paxon's character. But I guess you could also say I'm married to Jeanne Tripplehorn and Chloë Sevigny as well.
I'm a mother in her early twenties, from a home where I never got much love, and I've never known a family that works. I fell madly in love with Bill years ago and discovered he was married and was heartbroken. And then I discovered he was married again, and I realized that this could be the very answer to my family needs.
So in Jeanne's character, Barb, I find a mother, and in Chloë's character, Nicki, the friend I never had. So to me, even with all of our ups and downs, this is really a family that works.
HBO
What did you think when you were first introduced to this project?
GOODWIN
I have really bad ADD when it comes to work. It's something I discovered about myself having come from the theatre; I would throw myself into a role for months and then move on to the next thing. I was very anti-being-on-a-series — the thought of being in one place character-wise really freaked me out.
But it was HBO, and I knew I had to read it. I am disgustingly obsessed with Six Feet Under and some other HBO series. So I read it and immediately fell in love with the story. And Chloë was already involved and I really wanted to work with her, and there was Tom Hanks, who wouldn't want him for a boss?
And I just think the story is so incredible, there are so many possibilities. I knew it was something that would keep inspiring me.
HBO
Did you think the idea was really off the wall?
GOODWIN
Oh absolutely. When I first read it, I had no idea in the world that there was still polygamy in the United States. I knew that in the history of every religion, there was a way to procreate and spread the religion. But I didn't know that it still had any sort of religious thesis.
Doing the research, I started finding essays by women for whom the marriages are the answer to their emotional and religious needs. It's just another alternative lifestyle, something that's purely good for some people. So even though it's outside my moral frame of reference, I really sort of fell in love with the idea for certain people. I made such a full turn, I don't even think of it as off the wall.
HBO
It was a long process shooting the first season of this series.
GOODWIN
We've been working on it for two years. I think it's probably a really good thing that after the pilot we had so much time to sit and think and explore on our own. So when I go to work, it's about telling the story of the episode and not necessarily the marriage.
What's interesting, too, is that I had gone off and made a big movie and was involved in other things, so while I was thinking about Margene, I think I also changed a lot as an actress — as happens every year.
HBO
How so?
GOODWIN
The Margene I had started with was not the Margene I came back with. I made very different decisions as to what I wanted this character to be like. I think before, it was sort of using the show to meet some of my needs as an actress and by the time I came back, I ended up meeting the needs of the character instead.
HBO
Now that you've gotten inside her skin, what do you think would be hard about being a polygamist?
GOODWIN
Oh, my god, it's so not for me. [Laughs] I'm not even someone who can date someone and have them dating other people casually. I can't share. To me, the monogamous promise is the greatest promise of all, to be able to dedicate yourself to one person and know you will battle the world with them.
But putting on Margene's shoes is something very separate for me. I'm a very technical actor, very technical. I don't ever suffer from emotional overlap or confusion as to where my characters end and I begin.
HBO
You mentioned doing the big movie; have you noticed your life has changed since Walk the Line?
GOODWIN
I don't know. It's so funny because every time I've gotten a big job, everyone says 'your life is going to change.' I think I've removed myself so much from Hollywood socially, I wouldn't notice anyway. I'm a really dorky homebody. My friends tease me.
I mean, I went to theatre school and did theatre for 20 years, traveled the globe doing Shakespeare. I came from such an intense direction. But the truth is that most people out here made it because they were picked up in a bar, you know what I mean? Because they were beautiful physically. There are so many weird turns and bits of luck. But since working is my home base, and I don't really crave the perks — I know this sounds weird — but I can't even tell you if anything's changed.
HBO
Right.
GOODWIN
When you go to the awards ceremonies, all of these people are standing in line with you waiting to get into the parties and they're yelling at the poor person with the list. 'Do you know who I am? Do you know how important I am in Hollywood? It really upsets me.
My father was in rock-n-roll and I was exposed to a minor bit of celebrity when I was young. My parents were so hardcore with me about how there is no hierarchy in humanity. I know that sounds kind of snobby and holier-than-thou, but I don't mean it that way. It's just that to me, all that Hollywood stuff is just something way less interesting than going to work.
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Video
Watch the promos and interviews for the show.
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