Abigail Shapiro talks working on Doom Patrol and getting into the character of Dorothy

Abigail Shapiro spoke with Culturess about her time on Doom Patrol, as well as what it was like to play the character Dorothy.

With the arrival of the second season of Doom Patrol on the DC Universe (and HBO Max), we have been treated to a new wave of adventures for our unlikely heroes. And yet, it is the arrival of Abigail Shapiro’s Dorothy, which really stands out in terms of adding another layer to the show.

Not only is Dorothy finding her way in the world with the help of the Doom Patrol, but she is also learning more about herself. And while this may mean getting a handle on her fears, as well as the imaginary friends that she is able to manifest, it has certainly helped add to the overall growth of the series as well.

In speaking to Abigail Shapiro, we found out more about what it was like getting into character to play Dorothy, what she enjoyed about working on the series, and even a favorite moment or two.

Doom Patrol’s Abigail Shapiro on Taking on the Role of Dorothy

One of the first questions we asked when speaking to Shapiro was what it was like working on this unique series. According to the actress, “It was actually a lot of fun. I’m really grateful that I could be part of this show. The cast and crew were so welcoming, and we all got along so well and I had the time of my life. It was my first time doing a gig for TV, and I really enjoyed it.”

Previously, Shapiro had mostly done theater work, which is obviously a bit different from film work. When we got into the differences between theater and TV, the actress shared that, “Everything has to be a bit more subtle when you’re on camera because, for a close up, your face is taking up the whole screen, so even when you blink, that’s a huge movement.”

Of course, for Shapiro, taking on the role of Dorothy also means spending quite a bit of time in makeup. As Dorothy, the actress had to wear prosthetics and fake teeth. We wanted to know if there was anything about having to wear the makeup and prosthetics that helped or hurt her in terms of getting into character. According to the actress:

"“It actually helped, because feeling the makeup on my face made me more aware that I looked different than everyone else. And Dorothy feels like that. I really enjoyed wearing prosthetics because it felt like I was a canvas for the makeup artists to do their art on. And I honestly felt honored to be a piece of artwork walking around.”"

In terms of a particular episode or scene that was either a challenge or even a favorite, Abigail Shapiro took us back to the very first episode of the season, “Fun-size Patrol.” This episode really introduced viewers to Dorothy, while also showing us a bit of what it was like for the Doom Patrol to be miniaturized.

For Shapiro, the challenge of the episode was the “freak show” scene, because “it was such an emotional scene. And it’s a part of Dorothy’s trauma so those kinds of scenes are always challenging.”

However, there was also a scene that was a lot of fun and enjoyable to be a part of in that opening act. Shapiro shared, “I also really liked the scene between me and Robot Man in the first episode where we were in the car. That was my first day shooting, and it was such a fun day.”

Considering Doom Patrol is based on a comic series, we were interested to know more about Abigail Shapiro’s familiarity with the source material. And while she admitted to not being much of a comic reader, when it came to doing her “research” for the part, she revealed that she did read the comics to learn more about her character and the team she would be a part of.

Shapiro even explained that even though she wasn’t necessarily a comic reader before this, she “really enjoyed” the Doom Patrol comics. And the research she did also gave her “a new appreciation for the art of comic books.”

Speaking to Shapiro made it clear that Doom Patrol has been a lot of fun for her, and she would love the opportunity to keep exploring the character of Dorothy if given the chance. And hopefully, if the series is renewed for a third season, we’ll get even more of Shapiro on our screens.

Have you been watching Doom Patrol season two? What has been your favorite moment? Are you a fan of Dorothy? Tell us what you think in the comments.