TATIANA MASLANY
Stars in
Disney +
series
SHE-HULK: Attorney at Law
Photography Elliston Lutz
Creative Director Deborah Ferguson
Interview Tessa Swantek
Tatiana Maslany tells us that she loves “trying people on,” and like a master tailor, she fits every suit to perfection. She understands the intricacies of each character inside and out, perhaps best evidenced by her seamlessly fashioned performance playing over a dozen different characters in Orphan Black, which earned her an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series. Maslany is most likely an expert at fitting characters because of her emotional intelligence, a trait that finds its way into her most recent role as Jennifer Walters on Disney+ She-Hulk: Attorney at Law. Based on the 1980 comic and created for television by Jessica Gao, the series is packed with Marvel’s wit, however it is meant to be more human than we normally see in the large-scale action of the MCU. For that reason, the series is most attractive in what Maslany says is Jennifer Walters superpower- her self-awareness. Unlike Maslany, however, Jennifer Walters has no desire to “try on” She-Hulk’s green-skinned persona as she is reluctant to become a superhero. There’s no better audience and universe to connect with than the MCU, and with the first of nine weekly episodes premiering on August 18, 2022, on Disney+, its release concludes the TV series element of the MCU’s Phase 4. In our interview with Maslany, she talks about her life outside of acting, She-Hulk’s famed 4th wall breaks, and details what it was like working with other cast members like Mark Ruffalo and Mark-Linn Baker. Read below for the full interview!
Before getting into your role as Jennifer Walters/ She-Hulk, I want to talk a little bit about your work in general. I know you are a certified improv instructor after touring with General Fools and participating in the Canadian Improv Games. You have also described your work playing several characters on Orphan Black as a “playground” due to the creative freedom it allowed. How would you describe your ideal working environment?
Yeah, my ideal working environment is definitely one that fosters a sense of play. Play in the sense of freedom to try things, a feeling of safety in taking risks and making choices. A place where everyone is listening and curious.
What about your personality do you think lends itself to acting and improvisation?
I don’t know, really. I’m curious about people. I love connecting, I love characters, trying people on. Testing the boundaries of who I think I am or could be.
You have worked in so many entertainment mediums from theater, film, and TV to audio books, podcasts, music videos, and video games. If you had to choose, which medium feels closest to your heart?
I think theatre feels closest to my heart. It’s where I started, and it still gives me the same rush of excitement doing it, I even get that rush going to see a play or a musical. There’s just an element of connection to the audience that is impossible to replicate in mediums where they aren’t present. There’s an immediacy to what you’re doing, it’s so in the moment.
Something that Jessica Gao said was that the series “takes a high concept, extraordinary idea that becomes grounded in Jennifer Walters’ life…exploring that little slice of life outside the normal huge scale and action of the MCU.” Is there a particular scene or element of the series that best describes this sentiment for you?
Yeah, any scenes I had with Mark Linn Baker. He plays Jenn’s dad and he’s just the most wonderful guy. They have an incredibly special relationship, and it’s very grounded in him trying to look out for his daughter, to protect her, when ultimately, like, she’s a superhero.
On a more personal note, outside of the large scale of acting, what best describes that “little slice of life” for you?
Right now, my time outside of work is spent reading, a lot. Dancing, with friends or alone at home. And spending a lot of time watching movies with my family. Lots of B horror movies from the 80s and Cheers.
Marvel fans after watching the trailers are loving that the series includes fourth wall breaks which is what She-Hulk is known for in the comics. Can you tell us a little bit about this element of your character?
The fourth wall breaks in the comics are one of my favorite aspects of that character. She’s so hyper aware. She maintains her personality, and consciousness when she becomes She-Hulk, whereas Hulk really struggles with it. That consciousness feels connected to her ability to break the fourth wall. That she as a character is so hyper aware of the system she’s inside, how she’s functioning in it. I love that. It feels very relatable, as a woman, to be reading what’s going on around you, how you fit, what space you’re occupying, what is safe. That awareness, it feels like her superpower.
Another element that is interesting is that the angst in the show is in the fact that Jennifer Walters doesn’t want to be a superhero as compared to the angst we see in Mark Ruffalo’s Hulk when he transitions from Bruce Banner to Hulk. What part of Jennifer Walters’ personality was most fun to carry over into She-Hulk?
I feel like her self-deprecating sense of humor and kind of social awkwardness is fun to bring into She-Hulk. Because by all accounts, everyone sees She-Hulk as formidable, as undeniable. But Jenn herself doesn’t feel that way, she feels like Jenn.
Did you do any improvisation in the series?
Yeah, I’m working with people like Jon Bass, and Ginger Gonzaga and it’s inevitable there’ll be improv because they’re such talented comedians and so quick. Mark Ruffalo too. He’s a very in the moment actor, you know there’s not really a difference between him off camera versus on. He just flows. He and I did a lot of improvising and some of it made it into that training montage in the first episode.
Creative Director & Fashion Editor Deborah Ferguson
UZO @ A-Frame agency
Using NARS
Hair
Fashion Assistant
Hanna Mordekhai
Thank you
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