Meet Sophie Thatcher Star of Quibi’s ‘When The Streetlights Go on’
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THE PROJECT
The star of When the Streetlights Go On, streaming now on Quibi, tells the coming of age story about a double murder in a small midwestern town in the fall of 1995.
Interview by Alison Engstrom
Photography by Emma Thatcher
Growing up, what type of child were you?
I was always a kid with a big imagination. I think that’s a key component for acting, to turn your imagination into reality. I was always artistic, I would draw on the walls—I wanted to be a painter—and I would put on shows for my family. Growing up, I wasn’t comfortable with who I was and was more comfortable being in someone else's shoes. I am still playing with that, I change all of the time and that’s how I see the actor inside of me.
Was there a film or TV show that inspired you to become an actor?
I watched A Woman Under the Influence by John Cassavetes about three years ago and I think that performance made me want to get serious about acting. Gena Rowlands has the most emotional performance of all time. It made me excited to get behind the camera one day, too. I was so moved by the whole experience, the feeling stayed within me for like a week or something, and to be so touched by just an hour of something—I think it’s really important and special.
How did your career begin?
I started with musical theater when I was younger. I did a production of Anne Frank in Chicago—it was at a small, black box theater— that lasted eight months. I was 14, it kind of took my childhood away (laughs). I mean, that’s pretty dramatic to say, but it was when I was going from 8th grade into high school. It was when all of my friends were starting to party and go out at night and I was like, nope, I have a show tomorrow. I’d love to go back to live theater. It’s such a crazy, different experience than film and I’m so glad that I started with it. In film, you get to see everything and you have to be more precise but with theater, you are doing the whole thing without any breaks. Sometimes with film, if we have a break, it will mess me up a bit and I will go on my phone and get drawn into my personal life. I would love to do Broadway one day. I actually sing too, but I don’t keep up with vocal training and everyone on Broadway has that high belt.
What was your first big project?
I had been working a lot in Chicago theater and I got a name for myself. All of the actors here were doing the Chicago Med and Chicago P.D. auditions. I started with Chicago P.D.—I think it was the perfect way to start acting; I don’t have stage fright but being in front of the camera is a really frightening experience. After that, I was in The Exorcist and I played a Young Regan. I got a few more experiences under my belt and I felt more comfortable in front of the camera.
“ I’ve worked with a couple of female directors and that really changes the feeling on set. I have been very lucky and blessed to work with Rebecca Thomas and Karyn Kusama. I didn’t realize that the director can set the entire tone for the set, I always thought it was the actors, but it’s not. ”
How did the part for ‘When the StreetLights Go On’ come about?
I didn't realize it at first but I had already auditioned for it when I was still in high school. When I first read the part of Becky, who I play in the series, she felt very much like how I was in high school. The script came back to me last summer and I saw that Rebecca Thomas was directing it and I was a big fan of hers. I saw Electric Children—I loved Julia Garner in it—it’s a beautiful film. We both came from Mormon backgrounds, but we escaped it, so that was a big bond for us.
Can you share more about your character, Becky?
When you first meet her, she seems like she is an outsider but once you get to know her, you see she is a chameleon and really influenced by the people she is around. It’s interesting to see how she develops a new style or a new personality with each person she becomes close with. She has this allusive quality but when she starts to open up to Casper, who is played by Sam Strike, you see this lighter side of her. It’s good to play a complex character. The story is very nostalgic and it just feels familiar with all of the 90s references.
Since the show airs on Quibi, the episodes are short. What would you say was different about shooting something so concise versus a regular television series?
It was shot like we were shooting a shorter movie that’s how Rebecca viewed it, which made it easier. Television shows always move really fast, the first time I was on set with Chicago P.D. I was like, this is insane they are not taking their time. The first independent film I did, Prospect, they took two months for the feature. This series was cast perfectly and Rebecca didn’t give that many notes; she was very efficient and on top of everything. I can’t imagine it feeling like we were shooting 10-minute episodes.
What’s been one thing you have been surprised to learn about your field?
My first film experience I think I started with the perfect experience. The best actors are polite to everyone on set. I’ve worked with Jay Duplass on Prospect and he gave me some advice because I was so nervous, since it was my first feature film. He kept telling me, to not give a fuck, those were his exact words. You can do all of your research but once you get to set you just let loose. I’ve worked with a couple of female directors and that really changes the feeling on set. I have been very lucky and blessed to work with Rebecca Thomas and Karyn Kusama. I didn’t realize that the director can set the entire tone for the set, I always thought it was the actors, but it’s not. I’ve also learned that on set I can be weird because I need a lot of alone time, especially if we are shooting an emotional scene. With theater, you can get really close with the other actors because you are sharing a dressing room with them, but with film, you have a 20-minute break and usually I will go to my trailer and try to stay in the same mindset and that helps me a lot. I do this thing where I zone out and it makes time go by faster because set days can be insanely long.
What’s next for you?
I shot a pilot called Yellowjackets directed by Karyn Kusama. It’s about this girl’s soccer team—the pilot sets up all of the characters and then it ends with a plane crash, when they are traveling. They crash into the wilderness and it turns into this female Lord of the Flies type scenario—I knew it would be the coolest TV show to be part of. I play a young Juliette Lewis, which is a really great compliment. The pilot was cool but once they crash, episode two would be so exciting.