As a frail wisp of a girl with a charming Southern twang and intimidating acting chops, Sissy Spacek found fame in the 1970s with starring roles in Terrence Malick’s timeless Badlands and the horror classic, Carrie.
The actress hasn’t left the big screen since, picking up an Oscar and countless other accolades over 57 film and television appearances.
When asked what she looks for in roles these days Spacek told Metro, “I just look for something that I haven’t done and an interesting character with something that I recognize in myself. It’s a wonderful thing because as you get older roles change and you get to explore whole new universes.”
Spacek’s newest film, Get Low, is a poignant, funny, and tragic tale about an elderly hermit (Robert Duvall) who decides to have his funeral while still alive.
The actress claimed that she was attracted to the script because, “it’s not a formula film, but a unique and beautiful story about redemption and forgiveness.”
Get Low was the directorial debut for Aaron Schneider, and while working with an inexperienced director might make other actors of her stature apprehensive, Spacek considered it an irresistible opportunity.
“I find it exciting and I’ve had a lot of good luck with first time directors like Terrence Malick and Aaron,” Spacek says.
The director might not have been experienced, but Spacek was joined in the cast by two legendary talents: Robert Duvall and Bill Murray.
The actress was quick to acknowledge the joy of working with both. “Acting for Robert is like falling off a log. You don’t see any process. It’s seamless,” gushed Spacek, who was equally enamoured by Bill Murray’s improvisational performance.
