HBO's "The Leftovers" is one of the more divisive shows on television, with audiences either loving or hating it. With unrelenting dourness and a constant stream of unanswered questions, it's easy to see why. But following a stellar second season that ended last week, "The Leftovers" is finally garnering the critical recognition it deserves – as well as for its many breakout stars. While Justin Theroux, Regina King and Carrie Coon rightly steal most of the headlines, it is Jasmin Savoy Brown who is perhaps the most newsworthy.
Brown plays Evie Murphy, who, on the surface, is your typical 17-year-old girl living in the fictional town of Miracle, Texas. Family dinners, choir practice, softball – she experiences everything you would expect from a normal high school kid, but the actress makes it clear that somewhere deep within her resides a well of emotions that runs counter to her neat outer facade. The two-faced nature of Evie is fascinating to watch play out on screen, especially after a second viewing, which is when you really notice the nuances of Brown's performance and artistic choices.
That layered approach to her craft likely explains Brown being cast on the show in the first palce – a huge break for a relatively unknown actress short on mainstream credits but long on talent.
"It was a dream," Brown told HNGN in an exclusive interview. "The first thing I noticed right away was how welcoming and loving everyone is. Everyone had dinner and welcomed us as a family. They established the tone of the season on the shooting side as a family set, and that was so true and they upheld that the whole time. Everyone was so lovely."
Don't let Brown's plucky and upbeat nature fool you. She may be a newcomer to television, but she's no newcomer to entertainment. She's been studying music and singing since she was 4 and is a stage veteran. Pushed to choose between the two, Brown prefers live performances to acting for the cameras, but "Leftovers" fans won't hold that against her.
"Something that I'm learning now that I didn't really understand until 'The Leftovers' is how much TV is an editor's medium," Brown said. "They are really in charge of the story. Whereas on stage, if I wanted to, I could change all the lines and do a crazy dance. No one has any control except me, and it's in my hands."
It's interesting that Brown brings up the notion of control. For her character on "The Leftovers," control is vital. It is Evie who serves as the major catalyst for the season's significant events; the climax of the story hinges on her actions.
"I think some people feel on a deeper level in general," she said when discussing her character's choices. "They feel love deeper and harder, they feel pain deeper and harder, fear, all of these things. For some reason, they are just more plugged in to this place of fear and vulnerability."
Yet fearful is one thing that Brown is not. When auditioning, HBO asked if she had any softball experience because her character is an ace pitcher. Ever the bold actress, Brown told them yes despite never having played a day in her life. After booking the role, she planned to hire a coach and train during the two weeks before filming started. Naturally, her manager called her the next day and said, "Actually, you fly out tomorrow." Welcome to showbiz, kid.
"Thank god HBO is smart and they knew actors were going to lie. They had a coach for me, and I worked my ass off. They only scheduled two lessons and I did nine...The day they shot that scene I worked so hard. People were so impressed, they asked me, 'How long have you been pitching?' " said Brown with such free flowing humor and personality, that it's hard to believe the duplicitous Evie Murphy resides somewhere inside her. But that's the mark of a talented performer.
With HBO renewing "The Leftovers" for a third and final season, fans are hoping Brown's character will carry on. If not, Brown is certain to pop again somewhere soon. Talent can't be denied.
"I hope that, especially with the season finale, that the show reminds people that the most important thing is love and family," she said. "If a couple people went home after watching the show and hugged their loved ones extra tight, then I think it accomplished something really beautiful."
Job well done, Ms. Brown. Job well done.
