We’re two-thirds of the way throughWandaVision, and there are a ton of questions to be asked about the series, so of course in the five minutes I had with starTeyonah Parris, I made sure to get to the important stuff — like her fish pants.
That’s only sort of a joke. In our interview, Parris was able to discuss some of the details behind her wardrobe on the Disney+ series, which initially introduced her as “Geraldine,” a Westview resident who doesn’t quite fit right in with the others despite her period-accurate wardrobe. “Geraldine,” of course, turned out to be Monica Rambeau, a S.W.O.R.D. agent sucked into Wanda’s (Elizabeth Olsen) sitcom reality and thus caught up in wacky situations like having a magic stork appear to nip at her colorfully printed bellbottoms.
Period wardrobe isn’t a stretch for Parris after appearing in 22 episodes ofMad Men(where she first metWandaVisiondirectorMatt Shakman). But what was a challenge was figuring out how exactly to play the sequences when Monica is under Wanda’s control — a process she explains below.
So I want to attempt to ask you a question I don’t know if anyone else will ask you today, which is this: For Episode 3, did the script specify that Geraldine is wearing pants with fish printed on them?
TEYONAH PARRIS: I don’t remember, but I love the fish pants. I remember [Mayes C. Rubeo], our costume designer — I was trying on blank fabric and she’s like, “It’s going to be this cool fish pant…” And I’m like, “What?” …Oh, yeah, yes, it did have to say it in the script because the stork comes biting at it. So yes, I’m sure it said fish pants.
Going into the show, were you like, “I know period costumes. I didMad Men. I’m very comfortable here”?
PARRIS: I mean, comfortable is a stretch. I don’t find those period costumes comfortable at all. Nylons, girdles, and pointy bras, not really comfortable. I have experience in this arena, but I wouldn’t say comfortable, but it was cool. I do love being in period costumes and period pieces. And what’s also really cool is that Matt Shakman, our director, also directed me inMad Men. My very first time recurring on a show, and he was one of my directors. So it was this cool full-circle moment for me.
Was that part of how you got brought into this?
PARRIS: I actually have no clue. I don’t know. Like Monica was pushed out, I guess I was just sucked in. I’m here and I’m just like, I don’t ask any questions. I don’t think any more about it. I’m just here.
In those early episodes, we as the audience didn’t really know what was going on and so we were relying on your face and your performance to understand. During that time, what went into calibrating the degree to which we’re seeing Monica, versus the degree to which we’re seeing Geraldine as controlled by Wanda?
PARRIS: Yeah. That was a very interesting continued conversation and process because I think we were all trying to figure out what that level looks like on camera. In your mind, in theory, you have an idea, but how that translates on the screen was definitely a balancing act. So there would be some times where Matt would say to me… It was a balancing act.
Would you say it was like a sliding scale or was it a very binary thing, where you’re either Geraldine or you’re Monica?
PARRIS: I think it was a sliding scale… I think the best way that I tried to understand it is almost like a fog, because when Monica talks about it when she’s getting her evaluation, she’s like, it’s like I knew what was happening, but I couldn’t do anything. So it, to me, in my mind, how I tried to process Wanda’s control is like a fog where you’re aware, but you’re unable to react. Does that make sense?
That makes perfect sense. Last question: I know you probably, you can’t say anything specific about what’s about to come, but what’s the one thing you’re looking forward to people seeing in the remaining episodes?
PARRIS: I mean, I’m looking forward to just more wonderful, awesome storytelling. I think the show and the creatives have done such a wonderful job giving us a show that’s very grounded and intimate and still has those MCU elements. And I think there’s even more of the big MCU-ness to come. And I’m excited for more of that.
New episodes ofWandaVisionstream Fridays on Disney+. For more,here’s every Easter egg we’ve spotted to date, as well asproduction designer Mark Worthington on how they created both the sitcom world and S.W.O.R.D.
