Getting real on UnREAL

Constance Zimmer talks about the changing narratives in the soon-to-be-launched third season of the television series

Constance Zimmer, famous for playing strong female characters on American television, reportedly turned down the role of Quinn in UnREAL 16 times. When the Weekend asks her why, she chuckles and reveals it’s a joke that’s snowballed over time, developing a life of its own. True enough, if you scour the depths of the Internet for evidence, some articles increase that number to 50! “I actually only turned it down twice, and the first time without even reading it,” recalls Zimmer. Shooting was to take place in Atlanta, requiring her to be away from her then five-year-old daughter. Besides, she was more interested in pursuing comedy at the time.

 

“I really was trying to get away from these strong unfiltered types of female characters,” she says. After all, we’ve seen her play a hotshot VP, Dana Gordon, in

Entourage , the sharp-tongued lawyer, Claire Simms, in

Boston Legal , and determined journalist, Janine Skorsky, on

House of Cards . “But when I met with [co-creators] Marti [Noxon] and Sarah [Gertrude Shapiro], we had a two-and-a-half hour meeting and I decided to do the part without even reading a script.”

 

Walking the talk

For two seasons now,

UnREAL has been subversive, commenting on some heavy-duty subjects, totally incongruent with what would be considered its light premise. Through a meta concept of a show within show (

UnREAL is about the making of a

Bachelor -type of series, titled

Everlasting ), the creators have touched upon mental health, sexual assault, the Black Lives Matter movement and even women empowerment. “We like to bring up topics that need to be discussed, talk about issues that not everybody is talking about,” says the actor, who thinks using a reality show is the most fun way to start such discourses. “We’re not leading anyone over the edge with ideals, we’re just stating facts.”

Zimmer’s starring character, Quinn, is a cut-throat caustic, a ruthless show-runner who will do anything for Everlasting ’s ratings. And what really lures in viewers is her relationship with the show’s producer, Rachel (Shiri Appleby). “I needed to know and feel that Quinn was going to be different than these other strong parts that I have played, and I wanted to make sure that she was going to have vulnerability and something else besides a biting tongue,” she says.

 

The leading ladies’ kinship transcends romance, sisterhood and friendship, making for one of TV’s most dynamic duos. One moment they’re thwarting each other’s plans, and another they’re scheming together against a common enemy. “They aren’t a couple, but there’s a vulnerability that is allowed there that I don’t think would be allowed as much if it was a male and female relationship,” says Zimmer. “I haven’t seen that on television and Unreal allowed Quinn and Rachel to have a vulnerability that is a lot deeper.”

Changing perspectives

Season three (which has been delayed for release to early 2018), twists its own reality TV premise: moving to a Bachelorette setting. “This season discusses a lot of obvious issues in the world with women, men, politics and gender roles,” says Zimmer, adding that it has been particularly gratifying to watch the male characters on the show in uncomfortable settings.

 

For one, UnREAL depicts sunny locales while the actual weather in Atlanta during shooting is the opposite, often unforgiving. “It’s cold and it’s raining, and you see steam coming out of your mouth,” says the actor. “For me that’s the thing that sticks out the most, the way we have to manipulate the weather.”

And this season has male contestants on Everlasting prancing around in swimsuits while it was snowing outside in real life. “It was fun to watch them play characters that make fun of male gender roles and, in a way, show how they treat women,” she laughs.

 

Following in her co-star Appleby’s footsteps, Zimmer has directed an episode of the upcoming season. “I knew this set, the crew, the characters and actors so well that it was a playground for me,” says the actor, admitting she’s a bit of a control freak in real life. Naturally, she had the time of her life having power over everything. The experience has incited a new passion in Zimmer who wants to get her hands on anything that will let her get behind the camera. But for now, she is busy with Unreal and a few acting projects that she prefers to stay tight-lipped about.

The first two seasons of UnREAL première consecutively on Star World and Star World HD, starting July 17, every Monday to Friday at 9 pm.