RUNWAY: Wow! What a shocker in the mid-season finale of Scandal! How did you land the role of Becky Flynn on the series? Were you a fan of the show before being cast?
SUSAN: I was a huge fan of the show! I was doing a play with Jeff Perry (Cyrus, White House Chief of Staff) when Season One aired; the cast of the play would gather to watch episodes of SCANDAL on Thursday nights. Of course, we all became completely hooked.
When the cast of SCANDAL came to see Jeff in the play we were doing, they were all so kind and effusive afterwards; I imagined the set of SCANDAL must be an incredible environment. I had no idea I’d see them again, let alone work beside the beautiful and talented Guillermo Diaz.
Linda Lowy is fully responsible for my audition. She is the casting director of SCANDAL. When Linda read the role of Becky, she reached out and said there was a role I should put myself on tape for. The rest is a sweet mystery! Needless to say, I am beyond grateful.
RUNWAY: With the big reveal occurring in last night’s episode, were you surprised at all or did you expect Becky to be that evil?
SUSAN: Utter surprise. Total shock.
RUNWAY: Do you enjoy playing the ‘bad guy’ or do you prefer ‘nicer’ roles?
SUSAN: I love playing any role where the character has a sense of agency and is empowered. Whether she uses her power for good or for evil is up to the particular storyline, but as an actor, being an active participant in a character’s destiny — an active player rather than a passive victim — that is thrilling!
RUNWAY: Now let’s talk a bit more fashion. With Scandal set in the world of politicians, the fashion is pretty conservative. How would you describe your personal style?
SUSAN: I love my style on SCANDAL. I love how the designers see Becky. She is, in some ways, a mirror image of Huck, in that she’s an outsider; she lives outside the clean-cut, conservative world of DC politics. Becky’s style includes a lot of Frye boots, fitted jeans, black jackets (her fashion sense is practical and tough yet sexy)!
RUNWAY: We noticed that you worked in the New York theater world a lot in the last year. Now, with Scandal filming in Los Angeles, you must be traveling a lot. When traveling, what are your beauty and fashion must haves? What is the one item you can’t live without?
SUSAN: Oh, one of my closest friends, an actress, told me she always travels with a 2-oz Evian spritzer; she keeps it handy to hydrate her face during flights. The make-up artists on SCANDAL gave me the same tip. The last flight I took, I think I sprayed the person in the seat next to me more than a few times.
Other than that: a travel-size Malin and Goetz face moisturizer.
RUNWAY: With awards season approaching- if you could wear any designer to the Academy Awards one day, what would your dream dress be? Who are your favorite designers?
SUSAN: First of all, I’d raid Olivia Pope’s (Kerry Washington’s characters) closet! That woman gives good fashion. To be fair, nobody wears a dress like Kerry Washington.
One of my favorite designers is, hands-down, Nanette Lepore. I ran into her once on Hudson Street, while I was hailing a cab, wearing one of her dresses. That was a fashion highlight of my life!
A dream to one day work with: Marc Jacobs. He seems always to suit the dress to the individual. And it’s always beautiful.
RUNWAY: As we are almost in 2013, we have to ask, do you have any New Year’s resolutions in mind? What is next for you?
SUSAN: Oh! I resolve to keep reading real books, no matter how many gadgets I own! How boring is that?!
Learn my way around the East Side of LA … and take lots of hikes here.
Career wise, I am learning to appreciate the unfolding; I hope the unfolding will include more Becky and Huck.
I love that Guillermo Diaz.
You can see Susan in ABC Scandal when episodes return in January.
