The OA's Brit Marling Discusses Taking Criticism in Hollywood

Brit Marling takes the cover of Interview magazine’s March 2017 issue.

The 34-year-old The OA star was interviewed by Malcolm Gladwell for the mag – here’s what she shared:

On developing a thick skin over critique: “I think I do definitely have a toughness. And who knows where this sh*t comes from? I mean, look, somebody you admire saying something harsh about your work hurts me the way it hurts everybody else. But, for me, it just never goes very deep. It’s like someone taking a little pin and like pricking you. For better or worse, I have pretty sophisticated armor that makes me feel like the thing I’m most interested in is trying the bold thing I believe in and that that in and of itself is worth something, even if nobody gets it in the moment.”

On her connection to science fiction: “For me, fantasy and speculative science fiction are the genres that feel closest to how I feel about being alive. Like, when I feel the most invigorated by just even a walk down the block in twilight, when the street lamps are just coming on and there’s mist and some shadowy thing in silhouette in a window, I naturally invest all of those things with deep mythology and mystery and meaning. I think I need to believe in that version of reality because I get very scared when I don’t. I feel very alone when I don’t feel that.”

On staying in the moment: “For some reason, I have a very strange conception of time. I am constantly hovering at some overview, more macro. And what I like about acting is that you have to be super, super present in the moment. That’s not something that comes to me naturally. But if you take the long view on anything, nothing can really affect you or knock you down.”

For more from Brit, visit InterviewMagazine.com.