Exclusive Interview: Julie Tolivar Talks About Fleishman Is in Trouble, Finding Her Power, and More

Julie Tolivar is a dynamic storyteller who has brought timely and important narratives to life on the stage and screen. Her credits include projects like Law & Order: Organized Crime, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, and The Mentalist. Currently, she can be seen in FX’s Fleishman Is in Trouble.

Fleishman Is in Trouble is the story of recently divorced 41-year-old Toby Fleishman (Jesse Eisenberg), who dives into the brave new world of app-based dating with the kind of success he never had dating in his youth, before he got married at the tail end of medical school. But just at the start of his first summer of sexual freedom, his ex-wife, Rachel (Claire Danes), disappears, leaving him with 11-year-old Hannah (Meara Mahoney Gross) and 9-year-old Solly (Maxim Swinton) and no hint of where she is or whether she plans to return. As he balances parenting, the return of old friends Libby (Lizzy Caplan) and Seth (Adam Brody), a potential promotion at the hospital that is a long time coming — and all the eligible women that Manhattan has to offer — he realizes that he’ll never be able to figure out what happened to Rachel until he can finally face what happened to their marriage in the first place.

Pop Culturalist was lucky enough to speak with Julie about her role in Fleishman Is in Trouble, her journey in this industry, finding her power, and more.

PC: How did you discover your passion for storytelling and the arts?
Julie: I grew up watching old classic movies and musicals and started doing theater when I was five. I loved the world of pretend and how it allowed me to leave my insecurities and anxiety at the door and inhabit a make-believe world. It’s funny hearing myself say that now because you can forget that somewhere along the way and get very overwhelmed with anxiety and pressure within the industry. The theater was not only the place I discovered my love of acting and music but where I discovered that I felt most at home being around other creative people.

PC: Who or what has had the biggest influence on your career?
Julie: I would say that my hometown of New Orleans and my time here in New York City have had the biggest influences on my career. New Orleans is such a full, vibrant, soulful city. Growing up in the acting community in a city like that really shapes you in ways that are hard to articulate. And New York really opened up my eyes to an endless sea of possibilities. It made me tough but constantly reminded me of my fragility at the same time. Some of my first big career opportunities happened in New York, and for all intents and purposes I grew into the person and artist I am today in this city.

PC: What has that transition been like going from the stage to the screen? How have those experiences lent themselves to each other?
Julie: I did a few small television things here and there while I was doing theater in New York early in my career. I decided to move to Los Angeles to really immerse myself in that other side of the industry and focus on pursuing TV and film, plus I’ve always struggled with the winters here in New York. The transition wasn’t super simple. By that, I mean people in the TV world didn’t necessarily care that I was a trained theater actress with some pretty substantial credits under my belt. It was, and sometimes still is, a struggle getting seen for things I would love to do. What I will say is that the work that I have done on screen has been that much richer because of my training and experience on the stage. The grueling eight-show week that becomes your life when you are in the theater forces you to be present and find the truth in the words over and over again. It also has dictated my work ethic. Theater people work really, really hard, and you have to show up to rehearsals prepared and ready to play/work.

PC: If your daughter wanted to follow in your footsteps, what advice would you give her?
Julie: I was lucky to have parents who always supported my choice to pursue acting, and I would give my daughter that same support. I would make sure that she was absolutely sure it was her calling because it is certainly not an easy path. I would suggest she study and train in her chosen field but also find other things to feed her soul. When the work is not there or the industry is feeling a little too harsh, it’s been a lifesaver to have other things that make me feel alive. I think it also makes you a more well-rounded person and artist at the end of the day. I would also tell her to not compare her journey to others’. She couldn’t possibly follow in my footsteps—she’d have to make her own.

PC: Fleishman Is in Trouble tackles so many universal themes. Was there one in particular that hit home for you? What was it about this character and script that resonated with you?
Julie: Playing Karen Cooper excited me because I thought this script was incredible, and I really admired the team attached to the project. I really loved that Karen plays such an integral part in Toby’s self-realization. I also thought Taffy [Brodesser-Akner]’s writing was brilliantly hysterical in the dream scene I got to do with Jesse, and it was an absolute blast shooting it.

To answer the rest of the question is honestly kinda scary, and I will tell you I was tempted to skirt around the core of what hit home for me. Because sometimes there is this idea that you must always maintain an image of success (whatever that means) and confidence or people, important people, might think you’re weak or washed up. I think it’s time for us to be a little more openly human because at the end of the day, we are all just on this journey on this planet together.

This story, Fleishman Is in Trouble, is about so many universal themes. For me, the ideas about the expectations we set for ourselves to reach by a certain point in our lives really resonated. Lizzy Caplan’s character, Libby, is dealing with this internal crisis of identity—how she views herself and her accomplishments and what her life looks like now versus what she thought success looked like when she was younger. She wonders if she is even the same person and struggles to come to terms with the reasons for her discontentment. Her journey to find her power once again in her current stage of life is one that I can relate to. I feel a lot of people are afraid of complacency and are even so paralyzed by this fear of losing their old self that they don’t see the opportunity to find power and redefine success at different stages of their lives. I get it. I get all of it.

PC: What was it like collaborating with Jesse Eisenberg?
Julie: I can’t say enough good things about Jesse. He was very down-to-earth and interested in getting to know everyone on set. I really never sensed one bit of “I’m the star” energy whatsoever. Being on set together and watching him work with other actors absolutely felt like just that—a collaboration. He is funny and intelligent and was really sweet when he found out I was pregnant.

PC: Outside of this project, what’s next for you?
Julie: Hopefully a full night of sleep! My son is seven months old and not a champion sleeper, so a full night’s sleep sounds like paradise. As far as my career is concerned, one of the cool things about this profession is that sometimes you don’t know what’s next. And for that lack of monotony, I’m grateful and excited to see what’s around the corner.

To keep up with Julie, follow her on Instagram. Watch Fleishman Is in Trouble on FX today.

Photo Credit: William Ferchici // Stylist: Charles Ward // Hair Stylist: Damian Monzillo // Makeup Artist: Marie Josee Leduc // Photo Assistant: Anna Istomina