When her only daughter leaves for college, Suze (Michaela Watkins), a single mom who has lost her purpose, gets stuck taking care of her daughter’s heartbroken ex-boyfriend, who she can’t stand. On her journey of self-discovery, Suze discovers what living purposefully really looks like, while making an unlikely bond along the way.
A success out of the 2023 Atlantic International, Cinefest Sudbury International, and Calgray International Film Festivals, Suze has now arrived in US theatres and VOD for audiences all over to fall in love with Watkins’ beautifully embodied performance; you can read our glowing review here.
To celebrate its release, our Peter Gray spoke with Watkins about personally resonating with the character, what it is she learned from Suze, and the importance of balancing her comedic and dramatic sensibilities as an actress.
Congratulations on Suze. Before getting to the film though, I wanted to quickly touch upon Saturday Night Live. I know you have spoken about how devastating it was when it came to being let go from the show, but I love your comedy style. Your chemistry with Kristen (Wiig) was so great when you were portraying Hoda Kotb, and “Bitch please” as a character catchphrase should’ve been a recurring thing.
(Laughs) I didn’t even think you’d know who Hoda is (laughs). But thank you. It’s a double edged sword thing, you know? It’s like a break up. They’re hard, but then you meet someone great. That’s what it was like.
The thing I love about Suze as a character is that she’s so complex. Were there aspects of your personality or her journey that really resonated with you?
Yeah, I would say her age and where she was hormonally. It was registering with me, especially the moment where she’s, like, “What is happening to me?” That resonates a lot. I don’t have kids, but I was a kid and I was an angry teenager, and I have a husband, but I have so many nieces and nephews and godchildren. My nephew just had a baby. It’s like, I feel like a parent, even though I don’t actually have kids. Somebody said they’re my soul children.
But I can imagine if I had kids, I would have been a mom like Suze, because (my kids) would have been my everything. I know that inherently. Which is why when I knew I wanted to be an actor, and I really, really, really wanted to be an actor, and I don’t know if I’m the kind of person that can have kids and be an actor, because I would toss it all away and just be all about my kid.
And in embodying Suze, did you create any explicit backstory for her? Was she a character that informed you as you were going? Or you had a settle on her when you started?
We really hit the ground running with Suze. I talked about it with the directors, asking them what her deal was? And we decided that she was somebody who was sort of put-upon in terms of that she had to care for her mother for a long time, so she never really got to have her “all about her” moment. She was also so wrecked by her divorce that she never got over it, you know? She saw herself through (her husband’s) eyes, as a loser and not worthy of being married. I think she took that on, and it made her very judgmental about (her daughter’s) boyfriend. She’s projecting.
Speaking of the character of her daughter’s boyfriend, Gage, so beautifully played by Charlie Gillespie, it’s so sweet to watch the two of you. Was there a lot of time for you and Charlie to find that dynamic? Or is that another of those things that you find the rhythm as you go?
With indie films, you don’t get any time to do that. They don’t pay for that window (laughs). We did a Zoom before we started shooting, and it was instantaneous. I just felt like he was so perfect. But I was nervous, because he’s this little starlet in Canada, and I didn’t know what I’d be walking into. But he’s great. He’s a great person. He’s here to work, and he works hard. He plays like I play. I never do the same take twice, so he was just able to manoeuvre when I did. It was really lovely.
As I got to know him I was just amazed at how incredibly layered and talented and dynamic he is. I didn’t know if he was going to be a little prima donna, you just never know. But when we did that reading on Zoom, and we just read through a couple of scenes, we just clicked, and I told the directors, “He’s perfect.”
The dramedy spot is a real sweet spot for you. Does it affect your performance style in any way? Finding that balance between going too funny or too sad?
Yeah, I think that was the challenge of this whole movie. It dances on the head of a pen, you know? It could so easily become saccharine and schmaltzy. It could so easily fall into being overly dramatic or goofy. I just think I wanted it to feel real. That’s all. I wanted (the characters) to earn the ending of the movie. And to do that, I felt like we had to get to know each other in real time. I just didn’t feel contrived to me.
With the film itself, and playing this character, did it in anyway change aspects of your life or career or personal growth? Did it shift a perspective on anything?
That’s a good question. I just feel like Susan is such a whole person that when (filming) ended, I was sad. I missed her. I missed everybody. I think I do take a little bit of Suze with me. But I also felt at the end of the day that we did. We freaking did it! We told this story. I’m so proud of all of us. But then it’s on to the next. I don’t want to play one person for forever.
With that sentiment though, I was going to ask if you could drop back into Suze’s life, where do you think she would be?
Yeah, I don’t think she takes (her daughter) as seriously (laughs). I think she’s utterly transformed, because, I think. what the lesson is that she gives her daughter at the end is what she most needed to learn. Which is that you can’t cater your life for somebody else. I think that is a total shifter for her.
Well, I’m so happy that I got to talk to you. As Gage says in the film “I feel like an angel shit in my mouth”, so thank you so much for taking the time.
(Laughs) Thank you so much. Thank you. You’re really sweet. I appreciate all that. And I would love to come to Australia!
Well, there’s always a movie being filmed here. We’ll get you here.
I actually have my return ticket. I shot the movie Heart Eyes in New Zealand, which is a new horror movie coming up, and I still have my return ticket. I flew on the film’s dime (laughs), so I can come back there.
Suze is playing theatrically exclusively at the Laemmle Glendale in the United States and available on VOD from February 7th, 2025.
