Sine Fine Films: Interview with Annamarie MacLeod

Each month we’ll interview a member of the Sine Fine Films Company, asking the same or similar questions, and learn more about the actors and crew.

This month I’m interviewing the extremely talented Annamarie MacLeod who’s been with the company since the beginning in the summer of 1996 and is one of the founding members.

Q: How did you get involved in SFF? (And what possessed you to keep coming back for more torture?)

A: Yibble and I played a mom/daughter combo in Finian’s Rainbow the summer I turned 15. We really gelled once the production went up because we were the only 2 characters not in the first scene, so we’d chat while finishing up makeup. We’ve been friends since then and I have always been excited to be involved that anything to do with make-believe. Who doesn’t enjoy playing?

Q: What was your favorite part to play?

A: Loved playing Asarai because I’m rarely cast as a villain. I also enjoy small one-off roles because I usually get a bit sillier and make bolder choices, e.g. Baste and the chick from Hulde. That said, it gave me a thrill to be the lead in, say, Destiny, and take on the challenge of more material. So…. I like…everything?

Q: What was your favorite filming day?

A: In my head there is a magical non-existent day that combines all of my feelings around filming. At Allerton, schools out, not too hot yet (I said it was in my head), wearing floaty dresses and surrounded by my friends. That’s what I remember about filming, the emotional memory of it. The reality is a lot funnier and sweatier and messier and colder and stickier (‘cause of fake blood), but it still always feels wonderful.

Q: What was your least favorite filming day?

A: Everything that sucked then is a great story now, so I wouldn’t change anything. It’s not great to flirt with heat stroke or hypothermia; it’s not fun to wanna kill your friends because they don’t know their lines and it’s super late/buggy/ losing light/ etc; it’s not fun to know you’re holding up everything because your dumb ass can’t remember your lines. But we made it through. And have photographic proof of something that we created that became greater than ourselves. Art, mothaf*ckas. Boo-yah.

Q: What’s your dream role?

A: In anything? I wanna film my (stage) production of Hamlet and get another crack at that. Miranda from the Tempest, Margaret from any of the histories. I just got to do a sarcastic buddy character and I’d like to stretch more in that direction. I’d love to be in Beauty Queen of Leenane. Or any action flick –stage combat was always my favorite class – I don’t look it, but I bet I could kick some on-screen ass.

Q: What’s your favorite production to watch?

A: Perfect Combination! (Hulde is pretty funny too) (and bloopers, I love watching the bloopers)

Q: What’s your favorite costume, accessory, or prop?

A: Love that green cloak. Not sure I ever wore it officially, but I know I used it in between takes in Dragon & Unicorn.

Q: Who’s your favorite actor co-star/actor you’ve worked with? Who would you like to work with in the future?

A: Oh, that’s tough. I’ve enjoyed working with everyone. Seriously, my wedding party/guest list was mostly people I’d been filming with. I do really like working with my brother. I’ve spent years watching his timing and trying to work out how he is so dang funny. Seriously. You think I’m funny? It’s because I’ve studied his timing and sense of humor for years.

I’d love to try to do our quatrain scene again (the lab coat version) only because we could never get through it for laughing. And I think it’d be funnier in one take. But seriously, I’d happily work with any of youse again.

Q: Sum up each production you’ve been in using only one word or short sentence.