Exclusive Interview: Pop Culturalist Chats with Witch Hunt and Outer Banks’ Elizabeth Mitchell

Award-winning actress Elizabeth Mitchell is known for the dynamic characters she’s brought to life in projects including Lost, Revolution, ER, Once Upon a Time, Outer Banks, and dozens more.

This October, she leads the extraordinary cast of the must-see new film, Witch Hunt. Set in a modern America where witches are real and witchcraft is illegal, a sheltered teenager (Gideon Adlon) must face her own demons and prejudices as she helps two young witches avoid law enforcement and cross the southern border to asylum in Mexico. Elizabeth shine as the young girl’s mother who is running a safe house for witches.

Pop Culturalist was lucky enough to speak with Elizabeth about Witch Hunt, collaborating with Gideon Adlon and Elle Callahan, and we learned her favorite scenes to film.

PC: How did you discover your passion for storytelling?
Elizabeth: Ever since I was really little, I’ve always wanted to be an actor. My mom would take me to the Dallas Theater Center, and I was so captivated by everything that was happening on the stage. I loved the way it looked. I loved the way that I felt. I loved the way that it smelled. I loved everything about it.

I started taking acting classes at the Dallas Theater Center when I was little. My mom would drop me off as she was putting herself through law school. I would sit and watch as much as I could and perform when they would let me. That’s basically where it started. We didn’t have a TV, so I didn’t even know that was something that could be done, but I fell in love with theater. That’s how I discovered it.

PC: Who or what has had the biggest influence on your career?
Elizabeth: My grandmother and my mom have had a huge influence on my life. My grandmother was an aerospace engineer and an artist. My mom is a lawyer. She put herself through law school and is also an artist. To see these two brilliant, self-made women who were able to express themselves in their chosen art form was a real gift to me as a young woman.

Then, also I love other actors. There are so many actors from when I was young and watching theater. I would be amazed at what they could be accomplished. I was so impressed that actress would be one thing one week, and then a few weeks later, she’d completely transform. Those nameless, faceless, amazing actors throughout history have inspired me.

PC: You’ve had a lot of success throughout your career. When you look back, is there a particular moment that stands out?
Elizabeth: Careers are funny. I never thought any of this was possible, so probably the first time that someone cast me in something was a pivotal moment. I was like, “Oh!” There have been many situations where I’ve been driving to work and I’ve thought, “I can’t believe this is my life.” I had that on Lost. I had that on Revolution, Once Upon a Time, and Frequency. I remember in Santa Claus 2, I was walking through the village, and everything was built to scale. It was this unbelievably perfect, pristine, Santa Claus village that they don’t make anymore. I remember walking through there thinking, “I can’t believe this is my life.” I’ve had many moments. I’m always grateful, bemused, excited, perplexed, probably all at the same time. [laughs]

PC: Tell us about Witch Hunt and your character in the film.
Elizabeth: I play Martha in Witch Hunt. She runs an underground safe house for women who are witches. There’s an entire force dedicated to eradicating witches and keeping them in line. Martha runs a very quiet, underground safe house, and she also has a young daughter and two sons.

When we first meet her, she very much seems to be at one with a world around her. She’s a chameleon hiding in plain sight. She’s pretending to be everyone that is around her and instead is something completely different. I find her to be quite the hero.

PC: You’ve done it all throughout your career. What was it about this particular project and character that stood out to you?
Elizabeth: There are two things that stood out. First, I read the script, and then I heard Gideon [Adlon] was attached. I really like her; she’s a tremendous actress. I don’t even want to say tremendous young actress, she’s just a tremendous actress, who happens to be young. But I read the script, and I really liked it. I liked it immediately. I had that feeling that you get with your favorite things where you’re like, “I know exactly how to play her.” I just had that immediate recognition, which means it’s well written. It’s not a great mystery as to why that happens. It’s just well, well written, and so good. I was like, “There she is.”

Then, I talked to Elle Callahan [writer-director]. We had a long talk, and I was absolutely captivated by her vision, her warmth, and her restraint. There’s so much about Elle that is throughout this movie. She’s so cool. I bet in high school, everyone wanted to be Elle. She’s an extraordinary woman and director. I loved talking to her. I was excited to be in a film with so many women. I wanted to see what that felt like, and it was terrific.

PC: What was it like collaborating with Gideon and building the mother-daughter dynamic?
Elizabeth: We really hit it off immediately. She’s so good, and her work ethic is so strong. She knew exactly what she wanted to do once the camera would start rolling. She’s incredibly kind, interesting, and a gorgeous little creature. We hit it off immediately. All I want is good things for her. I immediately felt motherly towards her. The shoot was short, but we were so concentrated on what we were doing, and we had a lot of time to spend together. I got to hear how it is being young women in the business at this time. We came together with a lot of honesty and vulnerability. Everyone was incredibly well prepared.

PC: Which was your favorite scene to film?
Elizabeth: There were a couple. I really loved my scene with the neighbor because I felt like we got to see Martha act in her life and the way that she was able to echo the bigotry and what was happening around her in order to blend in. I thought that was a really interesting line, and a really well-written scene.

Then, I loved all my scenes with Gideon. I loved the one when we were talking about things in bed and Martha is holding so much back. She’s still trying to show strength but trying to figure out exactly what she should do because the fear is palpable. I loved the scene at the end where Martha finally gets to tell Claire why. I found that to be heartbreaking and fun to play. Actors are weird with what we like, aren’t we? [laughs] It’s so easy to think about them being the one you love and having to let them go because you love them.

PC: In addition to Witch Hunt, you’re also one of the stars of Outer Banks. If the series is picked up for a third season, where do you want to see your character’s storyline head?
Elizabeth: My gosh. [laughs] She either needs to develop a little humanity or she needs to get killed. [laughs] She’s awful. I don’t know if you’ve ever met any really awful people, but they genuinely rewrite the story of the world to make themselves the good guy. That’s her. If she could figure out she’s the bad guy, wouldn’t that be something? Or if she could die spectacularly, that would be great.

Pop Culturalist Speed Round

PC: Guilty pleasure TV show?
Elizabeth: Anything with vampires and fairies.

PC: Guilty pleasure movie?
Elizabeth: Steel Magnolias and Terms of Endearment. The reason why they’re guilty pleasure is that you watch them when you’re feeling horribly sad, and then you cry with the characters. [laughs]

PC: Favorite book?
Elizabeth: Throne of Glass and The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue. I still haven’t read the last fifteen pages because I don’t want it to end. It sits on my bedside table and it calls to me.

PC: Favorite play or musical?
Elizabeth: The Scottish play—I’ve always wanted to do it. I fell in love with Rent when I saw it in the audience. I couldn’t believe what I was watching those actors do. I was utterly captivated.

PC: A band or artist that fans would be surprised to learn is on your playlist?
Elizabeth: Trent Reznor.

PC: Who would play you in the story of your life?
Elizabeth: Gosh, hopefully, someone incredibly geeky, and nerdy, and happy to be in this world. Someone that no one would expect—that would be my hope.

To keep up with Elizabeth, follow her on Instagram. Witch Hunt is in theaters, On Demand, and Digital.