ROSE & IVY Portrait of a Lady Starring Gretchen Mol

Veil by Jennifer Behr; earrings by Sterling King

Hi gretchen, it is lovely to meet You! You’ve had such a great career so far from roles in Boardwalk Empire, Manchester by the Sea, Donnie Brosco, Perry Mason to name a just few. What would you say has guided you and your decisions over the course of your career so far?

There is something at the core of the decision, it’s an instinctive thing, which has to do with nothing else in my life other than what the material is, who is a part of it, who is directing, who wrote it, what’s the character, all of it is creatively driven. Does it tickle me, does it feel like I can do something with this, or that I can bring something to this and I’ll be proud of it–there are all of those questions initially. But my birthday is coming up and I am thinking about all of these things and how they have shifted throughout the years. What’s important at one time in my life isn’t important now—I might have said no to something then that I wouldn’t say no to now. I do think in this business—and I always try to tell younger actors or people who are starting off— the one thing you have is the power to say no. You feel so powerless and out of control sometimes because there is no rhyme or reason why you gain success. Sometimes it feels like it’s a combination of so many things but by saying no it’s how you shape things in the beginning and throughout your career. I remember I would be offered certain things and I knew that if I did that then I would be offered more of those roles and I didn’t want those types of roles. The more I did that the more other doors would open.

It’s so scary to say no especially when you are starting out. It’s also so frustrating that so many performers get pigeonholed because of one role.

Absolutely, and you get known for a role. For me, especially after doing Boardwalk Empire, I hadn’t had a lot of roles as a villain character who was capable of anything. I had never been cast like that before and after that came many evil mom roles (laughs), but they were less interesting versions of that character. It was interesting how suddenly people viewed me in that way and as someone who was capable of playing evil, not just the sweet girl, as I had been cast prior. I think it’s so hard to control people's perceptions in this business and I think the more you move through it and the older you get, you just don’t care as much. It’s such a nice feeling, but I’ll never fully let go of it. Sometimes you really care because you put so much effort into this part or you really loved that part and it can be disappointing if it isn't received the way you had hoped. I certainly feel those things but you have to have perspective and hopefully a full life beyond your career.

Was there ever a moment or period you had to have more focus and determination than others? How did you move past the harder moments?

Oh yes, in 1998. I was on my lovely trajectory, I was living in New York City and having a great time going on auditions and occasionally getting great parts. I had a couple of jobs and I was asked to do the cover of Vanity Fair– I remember my response, why? (laughs). Things were so different then and a magazine cover had a huge impact at that time and people on magazine covers were generally well-known people. There was this moment to make a star and I think in retrospect I wasn’t ready, I didn’t understand it or believe it myself. I didn't feel ready for the response that came after, it didn't add up and there was quite a bit of backlash to it. It will always be a part of my trajectory, I learned so much from that time and in a way I wouldn’t change it, as much as it had some painful things to it.

It’s so interesting because now we are living in a day and age where everyone has an opinion or a comment and will sadly let you know it. Are you thankful you didn’t come up in the age of social media?

Yes, because my version of that would be reading the section of InStyle and reading who was hot and who was not and I was not, so you know that was a little painful. That was the version of it then. I think people have to have a different level of a thick skin now and that's why I keep all of my engagement in that to a minimum.

What are you most proud of that you’ve accomplished so far?

I’m the most proud of my children and my family, that’s pretty easy. I can’t believe who they are and I feel like I have done the best I can to be as involved as I can. We aren’t in the city anymore, we are in the Berkshires, and I see them as these amazing people with so much to offer and with this joy in life. I feel like we are on the right track. I always knock wood because things can change.

Now to talk about American Gigolo! For those who haven’t tuned in yet or aren’t familiar with the 1980s film can you talk more about the series and your character Michelle for those who haven’t tuned in yet?

American Gigolo, the new version, is quite different from the film. It centers around a gigolo who has been framed for murder he didn’t commit–that’s the premise and the first season is about who set him up. He gets out of jail after 15 years and he is searching for those answers. My character was the love of his life before he went to prison, they were going to run away together—she has a billionaire husband and she is going to leave him. In a way there are similarities between the two of them, he is the gigolo and she has given up all of her own agency to be married to this man for some sense of security. They are similarly bonded in that way—he goes to prison and she stays in the prison of her relationship. The show isn't about Michelle but I wanted to create this juxtaposition of somebody who has betrayed herself. She has not been pure or honest with her decisions and it takes her down this road. When you meet her again, 15 years later, she has a pill addiction, isn’t happy, and isn’t living a truthful life. You see throughout this series that she is grappling with those things and hopefully she will get more honest with herself.

Did that complex nature of the character really draw you in when you initially read the script?

It was that part of it and frankly the source material of American Gigolo and Paul Schrader. I remember that film so well and I admit, I was drawn to the fashion and the world of it– LA, blondie–I was interested in exploring what that could be. It’s funny when you go into a TV series, you never know which direction the creators are going to go in, it definitely became more of a murder mystery than I was expecting. I think it’s still compelling.

SiNce You’ve played a variety of roles is there someone you’d still love to play or a sector of the industry you would like to dabble in?

There are so many parts I want to do, I always feel I have so much more in the acting world. My husband, who is a writer and director will say, don’t you want to direct, but I really don’t, that’s not my personality. I don’t want to be in charge of the overall thing, although I do love writing. I am always trying to figure out how I can write the next part for myself. During covid I started taking a great writing class at The Brooklyn Writers Collective, it was fantastic. It was so great to do during that time because it was so quiet and I had space. You would meet on Zoom a couple days a week and hear other people’s stories and share your own. You’d get great feedback from some amazing people. It makes such a difference to have to read it out loud and share it. You have your own critique and just hearing others feedback, which is for the most part trying to be constructive and positive, it’s very helpful. Also, to hear other people’s writing gives you the opportunity to explore areas you might not otherwise go.

It’s hard to believe we are in November but since it’s the month of giving thanks, what are you the most grateful for in your life?

I think about this all of the time because I am so much happier when I feel gratitude. I am grateful for gratitude (laughs) and obviously for my family, but it’s just the small things. I love looking out and seeing whatever nature is doing. Sometimes it’s when I am driving my kids to school and the light is hitting the trees and the houses in a certain way, I just get full from that. When I was in the city for the photoshoot, I hadn’t done that in so long and I was so grateful for that day. It put me back in touch with this part of myself that I also want to love and nurture. I love being around people and in that collaborative environment trying to get a great picture. I thought, here I am, I am still at it, I am so grateful for that.

Well it was an absolute pleasure, I am grateful!

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A special thank you to this team and Shelter PR

Portrait of a Lady Starring Gretchen Mol