SL_Spotlight_0920FINAL.qxp_Spotlight 9 / 23 / 20 3 : 24 PM Page 1 s S P O T L I G H T Different World As life returns to normal , Alex and safe nostalgic fantasy . There’s Borstein readies to once again something warm when you “ disappear ” into a beloved character Q & A show up on the set and it’s all designed in the ’ 50s and ’ 60s ; all from another time and place . the period cars are parked on What was it like reading the B Y DEBRA WALLACE the streets , and everyone who script for the pilot episode walks by is Dapper Dan and with Rachel Brosnahan ? Alex Borstein sure knows how to steal a scene . Or at dressed to the nines . There is It’s a lot like speed dating . It is ei - leastSusie Myerson , her character from The Marvelous something so lovely , calming , ther there from the beginning , Mrs.Maisel , does . In one scene she’s walking around the Catskills and charming about this or it’s not . It’s something you show , with a plunger slung over her shoulder , pretending to be a plumber . can’t put in a script . That’s how especially during more difficult In another she’s learning how to swim , as an adult , in the pool of chemistry works . times . the Fontainebleau hotel . “ Susie is used to failure , ” Borstein says of her character , a cur - What kind of feedback do you How have you spent the past mudgeonly talent manager for Miriam “ Midge ” Maisel , played by get from your fans ? few months of the pandemic ? Rachel Brosnahan . “ She’s used to pushing a boulder up a hill only Most of them love the female Homeschooling my children . to have it roll right back down over her . But she never gives up . buddy comedy aspect of the Cooking classes and violin lessons She’s going to push it up a different hill if she has to . She’s going to show . We remind them of what for my daughter , and hip - hop get to the top no matter what . ” they loved about Lucy and Ethel . classes for my son . We did a lot Athree - time Emmy winner ( twice for Mrs . Maisel , once for Family When I came to New York to of baking , eating ice cream , en - Guy ) , Borstein is eager to step back into the shoes of Susie , Miriam audition for Susie and Rachel joying family movie nights , puz - “ Midge ” Maisel’s cranky and blunt curmudgeon of a talent manager . walked in it was like a Mary zles , a few local car trips , and Until it’s safe to reunite on set , she and her Mrs . Maisel castmates Richards and Rhoda Morgenstern “ terrorizing ” the family dog . have been keeping in touch through WhatsApp and texting . In the kind of thing that just worked . There’s no such thing as too meantime , the 49 - year - old actress has spent the past seven We could see that it jelled really much dessert or too much screen months in “ super isolation ” with her two young children at home in well . time . It’s about getting through Barcelona , Spain . [ Writer , director , and co - cre - the day , and finding something Besides Mrs . Maisel , Borstein is known for her previous work on ator ] to laugh really hard at every day . Amy Sherman - Palladino MadTV , Gilmore Girls , and Getting On , as well as lending her voice creates these incredible and beau - o to the Lois Griffin character on the animated series Family Guy . ide tiful worlds , and so from the time Why are you eager to start Acting represents only part of her busy life . She also executive V e I read the first script I knew that filming Season Four of Mrs . produced Bombardier Blood , a 2019 documentary about Chris rim this was one of those worlds . I Maisel ? P Bombardier , a daring mountain climber with hemophilia who on think viewers fall in love with It’s fun to disappear . With all the scaled each of the famed Seven Summits , the highest peak on az these worlds , and it is fun to be weight of the coronavirus , the m every continent , including Mount Everest . She wanted to raise A f part of it . I knew that this part elections , the vaccines , and the awareness about bleeding disorders ; she is a carrier of the disease , o sy was special because Susie is such hatred people seem to have for and her daughter and brother have hemophilia . rte a cool woman to play . one another , it’s just nice to dis - u The first three seasons of The Marvelous Mrs . Maisel — featuring co ppear into a character and into a some scenes set in Philadelphia — are streaming on Amazon Prime aph a different period of time , a dif - What is your impression of r Video . Borstein talked about why the show has become such a fan tog ferent era , and just play there for the show ? favorite , how she hopes her character evolves , and her eagerness ho a little while . In some ways , it feels like a cozy ? P to head back to work as life returns to normal . SUBURBANLIFEMAGAZINE.COM SEPTEMBER 2020 96 |