Pop-Culturalist.com

Alfie Fuller is a dynamic storyteller who has brought nuanced and layered characters to life on the stage and screen. Her transformative performances have landed her coveted roles in projects including Antony & Cleopatra, Picnic, and Simoune. This spring, she reprises her role as Dinah Rutledge in the final season of the Emmy award-winning series, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. Pop Culturalist was lucky enough to speak with Alfie about The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, becoming a series regular, the women in her own life who shaped the storyteller she is today, and more.

PC: You got your start doing theater. What has that transition been like going from the stage to the screen? How have those experiences lent themselves to one another?
Alfie: What a great question. I got really lucky. My first real TV gig has been kind of like a Broadway play. I was able to incorporate everything that I learned through my theater training into The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. It’d be very different if I was doing a show like Law & Order. But luckily, I got to do Mrs. Maisel, so there were a lot of similarities in terms of stage work and moving to this show. It was mostly learning how to work with the camera. That was a new thing for me when I started last year. Other than that, it’s been very similar.

PC: Throughout your career, you’ve brought so many powerful female characters to life on the screen and stage. Who were the women in your own life who shaped the storyteller that you are today?
Alfie: My grandmother for sure and the women in my family. Growing up, my grandmother was my best friend, so her friends were also my friends. I had this community of senior ladies who were all brilliant storytellers in their own ways. I draw a lot of inspiration from them.

PC: You’ve had an incredible journey with Mrs. Maisel where you were originally offered a day-player role and it was your agent who encouraged you to turn it down. Could you ever imagine where this journey would have taken you?
Alfie: Never! Are you kidding? I have loved Mrs. Maisel since I saw the trailer back in 2017. I was like, “This was made specifically for me. This is my jam.” Even watching it as an actor, I never thought I could be on it, and now I’m a series regular. It’s insane to me still to this day.

PC: This season, we’re getting to see the evolution of Dinah and Susie’s relationship outside of work. You and Alex [Borstein] have brought so much nuance to that dynamic. How have you created the space for yourself to dive deeper into this relationship and explore those more vulnerable moments?
Alfie: I have to give that to Alex. She’s such a great artist and scene partner. She’s always present with you. Whatever you’re giving her, she’ll give it back to you. She’s always bringing something new to the table, so those moments with her always feel so full and rich.

PC: This is also the longest that you’ve lived with a character. Has anything surprised you about the experience? What’s been the biggest takeaway?
Alfie: That’s a really good question. This is the longest that I’ve been with a character. I actually never thought about that. I am really protective of Dinah. I found that I grew really protective over her and her story as time went on. I guess I learned that. This is going to sound spooky, but I guess I realized that even though I had my own ideas of what I wanted to do in a particular scene, once I put Dinah on I had to relinquish control and trust the words, trust this character that I built, trust the world that we built, and let her lead.

PC: You’re such a standout in this series. Was there a scene in particular that you were excited for audiences to see? Which was the most challenging to film?
Alfie: On stage, I’m typically the drama girl with the tears and all of that. But here, I’m in the comedy world of television. I’m very proud of myself for keeping up with these legends on this show. There’s a scene coming up where I had to be very vulnerable. It was so hard. It was like I’d never done drama before. I’m really excited to see how it reads because I haven’t seen it yet.

PC: This series tackles so many universal themes. Was there one in particular that hit home for you?
Alfie: Being a performer, I identify with the Maisel character so much. Even though we’re in 2023 and we’ve made great strides in terms of filling our spaces in this industry with diverse people of all genders, it’s kind of bizarre how the themes that Maisel tackles are still so relevant today in terms of women in this industry being heard and having your own agency to live your life your way. It’s still so relevant.

PC: You’re all able to do that from a comedic lens. Why do you think this genre lends itself to this type of storytelling?
Alfie: I think it would be a really, really depressing show if we didn’t. These are huge societal issues and they’re depressing. You have to be as brilliant as Amy [Sherman-Palladino], Dan [Palladino], and all our writers are to infuse this show with humor. It’s really one of the only ways to get people to hear you and wake up. Humor is the best way to get into people’s psyches and change their minds.

PC: Something that I appreciate about you is that you’ve used your platform to champion other women and underrepresented communities. How did you discover your voice as an advocate? Why has it been so important for you to pay it forward?
Alfie: I’ve got a long, long line of women who supported me since birth. I’m so lucky because I keep running into women and collaborating with women who have also championed me. I would be a fool not to do that for other people, especially women. I’ve had so much help along the way and will have so much help going forward. It’s really important for me to give back. It’s the only way the universe recognizes that you’re receptive and you’re grateful so it can continue to bless you with these wonderful, magnificent women artists because it knows that you’re giving back.

PC: This show has the opportunity to end on its own terms. Can you bring us back to your final day of filming? What were you feeling? Did you take anything as a keepsake to remember this experience?
Alfie: I did. I took a blouse and a nameplate from Dinah’s desk on my last day on set. Even though I’m an actor, I’m still a very repressed human being. I was like, “This is normal. Nothing is sad. Everything is wonderful.” I think that’s the only way that I would have made it through. But I did. I was very happy. It was just a normal day on set. I was happy to see everyone, and I left as if I’d be back tomorrow. I still haven’t come to terms with it. Maybe when the last episode airs, I’ll have my final cry.

PC: With social media, it’s very much like the theater experience where you’re getting reactions immediately. What has that experience been like getting to see what your portrayal of this character and this series has meant to audiences around the world?
Alfie: I actually thought about this last week. It’s tough coming into a show that’s going and that already has a strong fan base, story, and characters. It can be potentially nerve-wracking to come in because you’re like, “I hope the fans accept me. I’m late to the game.” I’m so lucky that everyone has been so kind to me and Dinah. Everyone has been very vocal about how they felt like I’ve always been there. That was my goal. I wanted to slip in and not make any waves. It’s like double Dutch. When the rope is already going, you jump in and you start. I’m really grateful that the fans have welcomed me into this world.

PC: You’re such a dynamic storyteller. As you look ahead to the next five to ten years, is there a dream role that you’d love to bring to life? Could we ever see you behind the camera?
Alfie: I write now. I know I’m going to end up directing. I actually talked with Amy to see if I could shadow her on her new show so I could see what’s really going on. I’m very interested in directing. As far as dream roles, I want to play anything and everything. Actually, I don’t ever want to play any cops, and I’m not a fan of lawyer roles. But I’d love to play a superhero or someone evil.

I have a lot of roles in theater that I would like to play, but I have like two decades to wait. I really want to play Medea. I really want to play Martha from Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, but I have to be like 50, so I’ll wait. I’m honestly just excited about what my career has in store for me.

To keep up with Alfie, follow her on Instagram. Watch the final season of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel on Prime Video today.