Da’Vine Joy Randolph is perhaps best known for recent work as Det.
Williams onOnly Murders in the Buildingor starring alongsideEddie MurphyinDolemite Is My Nameas Lady Reed.
Or maybe Broadway crowds will know her for her Tony-nominated performance inGhost: The Musical.
Da’Vine Joy Randolph in ‘The Holdovers’.Seacia Pavao/FOCUS FEATURES
Mary, who runs the cafeteria, is also staying behind to cook for the remaining few.
But this one is so wonderfully different from all of those.
Had you been looking for something like this?
Da’Vine Joy Randolph and director Alexander Payne on the set of ‘The Holdovers’.Seacia Pavao/FOCUS FEATURES
I’d love to hear about the way and the timing of it coming into your life.
DA’VINE JOY RANDOLPH:I’m always looking forit, whatever it is.
I don’t even know if I’m aware what it is.
Director Alexander Payne and stars Paul Giamatti and Da’Vine Joy Randolph on the set of ‘The Holdovers’.Seacia Pavao/FOCUS FEATURES LLC
I like to keep a very diversified portfolio.
That’s probably the most important to me.
And then adding Paul into the equation…chef’s kiss.
Dominic Sessa, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, and Paul Giamatti in ‘The Holdovers’.Seacia Pavao/2023 FOCUS FEATURES LLC
So when we meet Mary, is it fair to say she’s in the depression stage?
That was something that I wanted to create and push for, and it was a challenge.
It was definitely a challenge, but it was a rewarding one for sure.
Dominic Sessa and Da’Vine Joy Randolph in ‘The Holdovers’.Seacia Pavao/FOCUS FEATURES
What did you innately understand about the position she was in?
I think she’s a strategist.
And I know what it’s like to work quietly… on the sidelines a bit.
It’s in alignment with my purpose.
Why I do [this] and why I choose the roles that I choose is for a reason.
Even if it’s a comedy, it’s for a very specific reason.
The actual kitchen scene was two takes,maybethree takes.
And then it was very quiet when I finished, and everyone was just so supportive and respectful.
They knew, the actors knew definitely Paul knew what that meant for me to go there.
And everyone’s very respectful of that.
Maybe there was a third one.
I don’t think so.
And that wasn’t even intentional.
If I had to do multiple takes, I would’ve done that too.
I think it’s just how it ended up.
How is all this Oscar buzz making you feel?
Oh, it’s weird.
It’s very weird to me.
I don’t really know, to be honest.
I feel like a little bit of an awkward teenager.
I’ve told my team, “I don’t want to know the day they vote.
I don’t want to know the day that we find out.
I just want to wake up in the morning and whatever happens, happens.”
It’s so hard and unreliable to base success on.
So I don’t do it for that.
But for there to be conversation about it, it is amazing.
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