Nothing is more theater-based than wrestling. It's Greek-tragedy-level theater.

Betty Gilpin

Categorized in : Nothing More Than Wrestling

I fill my business emails with smiley faces and question marks so that I don't sound too severe.

question too business sound

In previous roles, I have thought of my body as 'Betty's body,' and I try not to eat too many dinner rolls - please don't fire me! I'll make crazy choices from the neck up, but from the neck down, it's just me trying to suck it in. And in 'GLOW,' my whole body was required to do a function and not just to look as good as possible in a costume.

good me crazy fire

With all the stuff that's going on in the world - after I watch the news, read the news, and listen to my podcasts, at the end of the day, am I really going to watch an episode of murder and time travel?

day time world travel

I think that it's our job to sort of band together and say, 'OK, what are the ways the male gaze has seeped into your brain and is affecting the way you treat yourself? Let's work together to eliminate that.'

yourself you together work

'GLOW' is the first time I feel like I've been able to have a theatrical experience on the small screen: to really be able to marry the two. And I love it.

feel experience time love

When we did 'Endgame,' we were all hunched over and making the craziest sounds. Then I graduated and went right into auditioning for 'Gossip Girl' and things like that, where, as an actress, you're required to act from the neck up and, from the neck down. It's a presentation of your birthday-suit self.

down you girl self

'GLOW' was the first time that, from head to toe, I was asked to use my body in a functional, powerful way as an actor - and that felt amazing.

glow amazing time way

Wrestling was the first time I thought, 'My leg is the thing that functions in this way to do this move, to get from A to B.' Instead of, like, 'My body's purpose is to suck it in so the male showrunner thinks it's attractive.'

thought body time way

I was scared to film 'GLOW' for many reasons. As an actor, as a wrestler. It was just a very scary and intimidating experience.

glow actor just experience

I'm on a billboard in Times Square, but my bathroom is still dirty, and I have toothpaste on my face.

face times-square bathroom dirty

There's not a ton of roles out there for the insecure, loud Britney Spears type.

out insecure loud roles

I often feel like a character actress trapped inside the mean, aging Barbie's body.

feel aging body character

The more power you can find in yourself and your own surety and identity is actually the best output that you could give to your friends in relationships.

yourself best you power

I kept feeling like there were no parts for girl who want to play to the mezzanine.

feeling girl want play

Getting to work with Edie Falco and watching her be a quiet presence - but a very powerful presence - and so brilliant and free? That was the first person I saw where I was like, 'I want to emulate that.'

person free powerful work

If I'm brought the wrong order at a restaurant, I don't send it back, because I don't want the waiter to get mad at me.

restaurant back me mad

Both of my parents are actors, so I grew up backstage with them. I would see some of their shows 30, 40, 50 times. I would have it all memorized. I loved it.

loved parents some see

The rule was I had to go to college, and I couldn't even go to theater camp.

rule even go college

I wasn't allowed to audition for anything professionally until I was - I guess I cheated a little bit and started when I was in college, but I graduated! Barely.

guess little anything college

I've done plays where you get into the run and can go to auditions during the day, or can have lunch with someone, and then you go to half-hour and show up.

someone day you lunch