Marin Hinkle Discusses Rose’s Turn and Growth in ‘Maisel’

Marin Hinkle has transported viewers into numerous characters over the years. My favorite roles of Hinkle’s before The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel were on Once and Again and Don’t Trust the B*&$@ in Apt. 23. Each role showcasing very different personas, adding to the range she shows in The Marvelous Mrs, Maisel.

Once and Again was a special 3-season series that showed the evolution of family and people at the turn of the century. This was one of the first shows where I connected with the queer message. Hinkle was so fantastic as Judy Brooks. Her role in Apt.23 was much shorter, only two episodes in fact, but hilarious and iconic for the series. Hinkle and I spoke a little about these at the top of our conversation, and they are the perfect marriage of the fantastic work she has done in The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. 

In season three, Rose comes into her own in many ways and finds her own feminism. She becomes inspired by her daughter to try and strike it out on her own without family money and maybe with a new business on the horizon. Marin Hinkle sat down with Awards Daily to talk about Rose, the third season of Maisel, and the pure joy she gets working with everyone on this series.

Awards Daily TV: The show is three seasons in, and you all are still winning major awards. I loved your cast’s reaction to the SAG Ensemble win. How has this journey felt?  

Marin Hinkle: It has been a crazy and exciting ride for everyone. The first year, the show had won a Golden Globe. It was fun to see a bunch of heads turn to the table. Rachel’s awards are cherry on the cake, but the journey and process is the real award. 

AD: How does it feel to make such a cultural impact?

MH: The women on the show are so incredible, Rachel, Alex, Jane, and then working with Amy. It really is the premise of the show. We get to tell an incredible story about a woman making an impact stepping outside the time and place to follow her passion. I love that we get to do this with this show, and the incredible cast and writing. The show and what happens being juxtaposed with the time is so special and meaningful. 

On a personal note I am sort of shy with what I believe in. I was a kid who always wanted to please. One of the things about Rachel’s character she has to push forward and be independent. I get to learn something from her character on a personal note. I think other young women are learning from her too.

AD: How are you and the cast doing during this time? (Our interview was conducted in early weeks of COVID-19.) 

MH: I felt like I missed my grad school class, so we did a Zoom reunion. It was so moving. Some decided to become actors and some did not, and some became educators. I loved in COVID-19 time to say what we can take from that. Hopefully the bonding of friendship can surpass this. 

One of the ways we are keeping things moving with Maisel. We have done three different Zoom check-ins. We do that with the whole cast, and Amy and Dan as well. Now I see Rachel’s apartment, Zack Levi’s Texas ranch, and now the deepness of our families are intertwined. This may even help. Tony Shalhoub did a reading of Midsummer Night’s Dream. I had the honor of being in the same room as Tom Hanks, Tony, Christina Applegate, and just did a private reading of Shakespeare too. It was a genuinely amazing experience, and I feel grateful for experiences like this.

AD: Amy and Dan have done a fantastic job showing the through line of friendship in their shows (Lorelai and Rory, Susie and Maisel). How does this message resonate with you? 

MH: Alex and Rachel’s character is a love story. They are best friends. That journey would have never happened without this working relationship. Amy and Dan are very smart, and they create very smart characters. When you meet them and talk to them, their ability to improv is great. Jane, Alex, and Kevin, have such sharp wit. I am constantly in awe of their genius and the people I have had the opportunity to work with on Maisel. 

I also think this resonates because Amy and Dan put a lot of love and friendship into their characters. Amy and Dan love each other so much, and this is why it resonates. Amy and Dan are true artists, and they bring this love and energy to their characters. Amy has this background in dance and theatre. Her dad was a comedian, and mom was a performer. Amy loves musical theatre, and wants the show to have musicality. You really see this in all of their shows.

AD: Can you tell me about the backstory of Abe and Rose?

MH: When I asked Amy about the relationship between Abe and Rose, she said, ‘Oh they love each other, and they would do anything for each other.’ I did not have much else to work on, so as Rose went to Paris and she came back, I knew it was because they love each other. That was Rose’s feminist journey she got to explore and why she came back. It’s also hard to be mad at Tony. In life and in the show he is fantastic.

AD: I loved the boardroom scene with your brother, and it was great to see more of your characters’ backstory. How did Amy and Dan set that up with you? 

MH: When production started, I was told you are going to be shooting with a green screen with you looking at a bison. Every one of those shots in Oklahoma was in Staten Island. So interesting to imagine being in a different country. When she comes, she spins into a woman from another time. The Oklahoma element and this past with my family was new. That was not what Amy and Dan told me about Rose, so I re-adjusted, and created a backstory for her in Oklahoma with Rose as a young girl running through the fields and in the mud.  

There had to be a time also where she decided she wanted to be a different woman, and I did so I got to make them. I got to see the room they made. I got to see the skeleton of who Rose was. A lot of Rose is in the sets, and the costumes I get to wear. Once those eyelashes or my wigs come on, half my character is built around me, and I get to create her world with everyone. It’s a magical experience. 

In the end, the thing I love was that she gave things up and this also enters into some of Rose’s feminism. She yells at Midge and says essentially, ‘You have created this monster of who I am. All the stuff I have done is because of you which made me not take any money from my family.’ This story brought out a new side of Rose and it was thrilling to play.

AD: I loved when you were drunk at Shy’s show. I had a ton of fun watching you in that scene. Tell me about letting go with Rose. 

MH: When I auditioned for Juilliard, I had to do a monologue, and the character was drunk. It did not work the way I wanted. I learned from that and learned I had to let go in that moment. I played it over the top. In Maisel I played over the top drunk the way Rose was in that show. Tony watched me and kept breaking. It was like somebody unleashed me. I wish we could see Rose drunk all the time. Can she imagine Rose and Jane’s character going for drinks and watching Rachel’s comedy? Or Rose drinking with Susie? More drunk Rose please. It was so much fun to play this fun side of Rose.

AD: What will happen to Rose next season? 

MH: I do dream she will get to interact more with Jane, Alex, or Luke Kirby. I would love to see Rose hang out with Shy and guide him with his love life. I would love to find him a beautiful man.

Sometimes people get critical of the show not being too accurate to a time period. We are creating it now. We are people bringing ourselves to this time period. I love that Amy and Dan wanted to explore other parts of this city like Stephanie with Michael and Shy. 

AD: What elements of Rose still surprises you? 

MH: I love where Rose went to the fortune teller. Rose wants to share sides of herself and this was an avenue she had not done before. I like to see when she lets her guard down and is vulnerable. While we are on pause, I know we will return and I am excited to bring Rose back to people again.