I had the day after Christmas off and took myself to see The Disaster Artist, which I can’t recommend highly enough. My only complaint was that there wasn’t enough Alison Brie, as I adore that woman. I’m not the only one, as the 34-year-old actress recently received Golden Globe and SAG Award nominations for her role as actress-turned-wrestling sensation Ruth “Zoya the Destroya” Wilder on the Netflix series GLOW.
With the second season of GLOW on the way, and the awards buzz circulating around TDA, Alison has been making the media rounds. She was recently interviewed by Modern Luxury for its Gotham, Capitol File, Los Angeles Confidential and Michigan Avenue magazines. She discussed her career and her most recent role in The Post, where she worked with Meryl Streep and Tom Hanks.
Alison and her GLOW character share a lot of similarities, including having to fight their way to the top. After she graduated from the California Institute of the Arts, Alison began her acting career with an appearance on an episode of Hannah Montana and the lead role in “a terrible B-horror movie called Born.” She was noticed after a standout performance in a 2007 production of Hamlet and was cast on Mad Men. Alison played that sweet, girl next door character on that show and Community, and when those shows ended, she recalled, “I wanted to look totally different on the next thing I did.”
She found that with GLOW, although she admits she wasn’t the first choice to play Ruth. She said the show’s producers wanted “someone more unknown” for the role. Alison fought for the part, and her perseverance won out, sating, “I just beat them down. They tried to make me jump through hoops, and I was happy to jump through those hoops. Give me more hoops!” Here are some more highlights from the interview:
She’s been working to get strong
“In my adolescence, I didn’t have an athletic bone in my body, but the last six years, I have been working with a personal trainer. I felt that was a side of me that seemed unexpected to the outside world.”Her goal is to do an action movie
“But what if I have to change my body so I look the way they want me to look?”Everyone on GLOW is body inclusive
“Our producers didn’t want us to change our bodies at all. They said, ‘We want all shapes and sizes of women to be represented on this show. We love you the way you are.”GLOW was a great set
“People would finish scenes where there was no wrestling, just dialogue, and the girls would applaud, pat each other on the back. It’s a really loving, encouraging environment, and that has made it easier for everyone to put themselves in vulnerable positions physically and emotionally.”On getting to do The Post with Hanks and Streep
“There are so many points in my life where I’ve [thought]: Now I’m living the dream. And then you’re standing there, in the middle of a set, taking direction from Steven Spielberg, in a scene with Meryl Streep… No, now I’m living the dream. Talk about setting the bar high.
Alison, who married her TDA co-star Dave Franco earlier this year, concluded the interview asserting that I’m feeling satisfied in life. I got married earlier this year. I think there are a lot of [areas] where I figured out what I want. I know who I am, and I’m proud of it.” I admire Alison’s spunk and I love her on GLOW – and she looks absolutely stunning in these photos. I’m happy for her success and am rooting for her this award season.
Photos: Instagram, WENN.com, Pacific Coast News
It doesn’t sound, at all, like she’s had to fight to get to the top. Just looking at her career she’s consistently worked.
She’s a pretty girl, and she has this fresh-faced look about her. I can see her doing well in auditions. She’s a good actress to boot but looks help.
She’s so gorgeous. I’ve always thought she was a consistently underappreciated actress – I watched both Mad Men and Community, and it took me awhile to realize that Annie and Trudy were the same actress because she was able to play them so differently!
I could not get into GLOW at all though, which is too bad.
She really is giving off Kate Walsh vibes in this photoshoot. Although I don’t like the styling/photos they chose.
I thought Ann Margaret.
Yes! Ann-Margaret.
I was thinking Kristen Wiig.
I don’t dislike her I just haven’t been blown away yet. I just couldn’t get into GLOW. I liked the characters I just got bored. I did really like her in the 5 year engagement. Maybe I just need to watch more of her stuff
i love her SO MUCH!!! #1 girl crush right there. she’s never looked more stunning!
I loved Glow and especially Brie’s part in it. However, the entire cast is so well done. I can hardly wait for the new season to begin.