Exclusive Interview: Pop Culturalist Chats with What We Do in the Shadows’ Veronika Slowikowska

From a young age, Canadian actress Veronika Slowikowska knew she wanted to pursue a career in the arts. She fell in love with her craft when her parents enrolled her in a theatre program to overcome her shyness. She would go on to attend the Randolph College for Performing Arts as well as the Second City Conservatory, where she trained in improv and was nominated for the Tim Sims Encouragement Fund, an award that recognizes and supports promising comedic performers in the early stages of their careers.

Her credits include See No Evil, Degrassi: Next Class, Hector, and Greta Follows Rivers. This year, she’s starring in her biggest role to date as Shanice, the nerdy and socially awkward roommate of Jenna (played by Beanie Feldstein) in FX’s What We Do in the Shadows.

Based on the cult classic film of the same name, What We Do in the Shadows is a documentary-style look into the daily lives of four vampires who’ve “lived” together for hundreds of years in Staten Island.

Pop Culturalist spoke with Veronika about the project!

PC: Tell us about What We Do in the Shadows, your character, and what drew you to this project
Veronika: I was a massive fan of the original film, so I was super excited to even get an audition. I play Shanice, a weird, awkward, nerdy girl, who was so much fun to play…not too far from myself.

PC: Did your familiarity with the original film help your audition?
Veronika: For sure, the style and tone are not seen very often. There’s some breaking of the fourth wall, which was something I wasn’t used to, but I once I got into the audition it was so much fun to play with.

PC: What can you tease about Shanice’s arc this season?
Veronika: She has no idea what she’s gotten herself into is all I’m saying!

PC: Does the television series pay homage to the original film? How does it differentiate itself?
Veronika: It keeps the sort of dryness and timing, but this time with new voices!

PC: With this being a horror-comedy, was there room to improv?
Veronika: Yes! Lots of improv. The script is hilarious as it is, so when they would keep the camera rolling after the dialogue was delivered was when the weirdest/most magical moments came out. It was the perfect mixture of both.

PC: Did your comedy sketch group, My Chemical Bromance, help prepare you for this role?
Veronika: They’re my best friends and they make me laugh the most. I think our sense of humor came through on set, for sure. I have very supportive friends!

Pop Culturalist Speed Round

PC: Guilty pleasure TV show?
Veronika: Sex Education. I binged it in two days. YouTube is also my guilty pleasure. I love Trisha Paytas.

PC: Guilty pleasure movie?
Veronika: Nacho Libre!

PC: Favorite book?
Veronika: I’m currently reading I Might Regret This by Abbi Jacobson and am really liking it!

PC: Favorite play or musical?
Veronika: This Is Our Youth by Kenneth Lonergan

PC: A band or artist that fans would be surprised to learn is on your playlist?
Veronika: My playlist ranges from Dixie Chicks to MF Doom, so everything and nothing is surprising.

PC: Last show you binge-watched?
Veronika: I just watched the first two episodes of The Act back-to-back and I’m pretty sure I’m already hooked. Also, I’m about to binge The Shrill starring Aidy Bryant!

PC: Hidden talent?
Veronika: I’m above average at ping pong, or maybe I’ve been playing with below average players, in which case I’m average.

To keep up with Veronika, follow her on Instagram, and catch What We Do in the Shadows every Thursday at 10/9c on FX.

Photo Credit: Connory Ballantyne