Enjoying Every Minute
After acting in several recent highly acclaimed films like Baby Driver and Midnight Special and appearing in many hit television shows over the years , Allison King ’ s talent has not gone unnoticed . Now , she can be seen playing Linda Sanders in the film Thank You for Your Service and soon as Marcha Spencer in 12 Strong , alongside Michael Shannon . Here , we chat with King about her most fulfilling roles and what we can expect from her next . BY MEGAN PORTORREAL
Photographer : BIRDIE THOMPSON MUA : ANTON KHACHATURIAN Hair : MATILDE CAMPOS
Cliché : You ’ ve been in films like Baby Driver and Midnight Special , as well as several hit television shows . What was your most impressionable moment and what did you learn from it ?
Allison King : I think my most impressionable moment as an actor was walking on to the set of Midnight Special . I was so nervous and really wasn ’ t sure what to expect from Adam Driver , who I only knew from Girls at the time , and Jeff Nichols , who I was such a fan of . I just didn ’ t know what to expect from these two , who I looked up to artistically . Of course , they were about as lovely as can be and incredibly generous and kind . And so , during filming , I learned a big lesson , which is that every single person on a set is lucky to be there and should feel a great sense of gratitude and should work to set a tone of diligence and creativity . They work hard and long hours , all in the name of creating something meaningful and memorable . So , now , when I walk on to a set , I make sure to check my fear and allow myself to remember it ’ s a big band of creative people who just want to do good work .
You ’ ve worked with some of Hollywood ’ s biggest names . Have any of them taught you anything you ’ ll never forget ?
Yeah , of course ! I ’ ll speak generally here and this is hard to articulate , so bear with me : I never realized how powerful a lead actor is in the filming process in setting the overall tone of a set . Now , I ’ m a believer that film is a director ’ s medium and working on a film is essentially stepping into the mind of the director . But , a lead actor is the center of the project and it ’ s almost like you ’ re in their home when you ’ re on set . Imagine they ’ re hosting a party and you ’ re invited . The way they behave affects every other person on that set and how engaged and enthusiastic people are about that project long after shooting is wrapped . It ’ s my feeling that the lead actors we admire have an innate sense of this and set a tone that ’ s generous and creative and invites every single person on that set to their party . I can ’ t really overstate this . It ’ s like the special sauce . It has the power to make a good project great .
You play Linda Sanders in Thank You for Your Service . Can you tell us a little about your character ? What drew you to this role ?
I ’ d read The Good Soldiers by David Finkle and been moved by these people he followed and sketched so beautifully . What excited me about this project was that it was about the unseen side of war . In movies , we tend to focus on the battle and glory of it all , rather than the inherent cost of putting your life at risk and the cost on the families back home . It ’ s a harder story to tell and I found Jason Hall ’ s script incredibly powerful in its simplicity
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