Betsy Brandt has been a staple of the small screen for nearly two decades. From Judging Amy to Boston Legal, the veteran actress has appeared in a number of hit shows over the years. But Brandt caught her biggest break when she was cast as Marie Schrader, the shoplifting sister-in-law of Bryan Cranston’s Walter White, on the hit AMC series Breaking Bad. Since then, she’s landed a bunch of interesting projects, including the upcoming Suits spinoff, Pearson, the Blumhouse Productions horror flick Run Sweetheart Run and a major role on the CBS comedy Life in Pieces, which entered its fourth and final season this year. We chatted with Brandt about her latest gigs, her short stint at Harvard and more.
YOU BRIEFLY STUDIED WITH THE MOSCOW ART THEATRE INSTITUTE AT HARVARD BACK IN THE DAY. HOW WAS THAT EXPERIENCE?
It was amazing! I was like, ‘Could I make a living as an actor here?’ because I loved living there so much. It was great! When I moved out there, it was summer and you could run along the Charles River. I was studying in a way I’d never studied theater before.
PEARSON DEBUTS THIS SUMMER. WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO GO BACK TO DRAMA AFTER DOING SO MUCH COMEDY?
I was so happy to go to Pearson because I missed doing drama. We just finished the first season and, knock on wood, hopefully I’ll be back. I just love it, and I love the way they write for me and Gina Torres. I will do anything she’s doing—I don’t care if it’s a staged reading of a phone book; I’d be like, ‘Sure!’ She’s that fantastic. There were days when I would work at Life in Pieces and we’d have a great day, laugh a lot on set, they’d be really happy with the work; and then I’d hop in my car and drive over and have a fantastically juicy scene with Morgan Spector, who’s a wonderful actor. I was happy to sign on and play his wife.
THERE’S BEEN TALK OF A POSSIBLE BREAKING BAD MOVIE. WOULD YOU BE INTERESTED IN REPRISING YOUR ROLE AS MARIE?
Listen, I think about Marie all the time. I loved that show so much and working with the people on that show because they’re lovely human beings and fantastically brilliant. I think any of us would happily get together again and do that.
Photography by: PHOTO BY DONNA WARD/GETTY IMAGES
