We at Survived The Shows had the pleasure of chatting with Veronica Burgess about her experience on The Company You Keep and what fans can expect. Check out the full interview in the video below!
What’s the main element in Ida’s character and show in general that fascinates you the most and drew you to join The Company You Keep?
VERONICA BURGESS: Well, I have always been a huge fan of Milo Ventimiglia, as I’m sure many people listening to this are. I just think he’s so charismatic and he’s such a great actor. And so when I got the audition from my manager, I was like, ‘Oh, this will be awesome because I’ll have scenes with him’, and so I threw it down. Sometimes with auditions, you immediately know what you want to do, and other times you kind of have to take a little bit of time to figure it out.
But with Ida, I knew exactly how I wanted to play it because the show is a spy drama of sorts. I was like, ‘OK, so like everybody in this world has to have a little mystery about them’. So that’s what really drew me to this character. It’s fun that I get to play somebody with a little bit of mystery behind her and she’s sort of like the books girl to this underground gambling ring boss. And it was really great to work with Daniel Sunjata who plays the underground gambling ring boss. He’s fantastic and just the whole cast and crew were amazing.
For all the people that haven’t watched the show yet, how would you describe The Company You Keep in just 3 words?
Super, sexy, fun.
I’ve been watching it because I’m like, ‘OK, I wanna see what it’s all about. And I’m one of those people that like to watch my work just to see how it comes out, because what’s written is always different than what’s shot, that’s always different than what’s edited. So it’s interesting to see that whole process.
What can you tease about Ida’s journey in Episode 4?
She’s got her hands in every aspect of the operation but she is kind of more of a behind the scenes character. I think that with every organization, whether it’s legal or illegal, there’s always that kind of person that’s like on the fringes, but they’re very much a part of what’s going on here.
Acting-wise, what’s been for you the biggest challenge in portraying Ida?
It’s easy to fall into the trap when you’re playing these characters that are in a few scenes. You’re like, ‘OK, I only have like a few scenes. I got to show all my cards’ and it’s like, ‘Well, but people don’t really do that in real life. You see, if you go to lunch with somebody, you’re going to see one side of that person. And then if you see that same person at work, you’re probably going to see a different side of that person. So just being secure enough in myself and knowing that I know the character enough to right in this moment, this is what’s happening. And I’m not gonna just try to lay everything else out there because it’s not relevant in this particular moment. Your job is to be this person in this moment and carry on the scene.
If you could choose any other character from The Company You Keep, apart from Ida, you would have loved to play, which one would it be and why?
Daphne. She’s awesome. She is gorgeous and smart and all her wheels are always turning and she’s essentially the brains behind the whole Maguire Operation right now. She’s trying to prove herself, but she doesn’t even need to because she’s such a badass. She also has that funny little OCDness about her. Like remember that part in Episode 2 where she was like adjusted the perfume bottles or whatever it was and I was like, ‘oh, this girl’s OCD’.
The interview with Veronica Burgess has been edited and condensed for length and clarity. Get a look at the full interview in the video at the top of the article!
The Company You Keep Episode 4, with Veronica Burgess, airs March 19 on ABC. Get a preview below!
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