Actress Molly Evensen talks An American Pickle, working with Seth Rogen, and more

Culturess chatted with An American Pickle actress Molly Evensen about her first feature film, what it’s like to work with Seth Rogen, and more.

Up-and-coming actress Molly Evensen will make her featured film debut this summer in An American Pickle, an HBO Max film starring Seth Rogen. In it, Rogen plays an Eastern European immigrant named Hershel, who moves to New York City in 1919.  He falls into a vat of pickles and is brined for 100 years. When he comes back to life the world has changed and the only living relative he has is his great-grandson. Evensen plays Clara, the eager hardworking, and quirky intern that works under Hershel. Clara is a fun character to watch and helps Hershel to become a successful businessman.

Culturess had the pleasure of being able to interview Evansen ahead of the film’s release about her experiences making the film, her thoughts on her character, what it was like to work with Rogen, and much more.

An American Pickle will be available to stream on HBO Max beginning on August 6th. The conversation between Culturess and Evensen is below.

Culturess:  First of all, we loved the film

Evensen: Thank you.

Culturess   Your role was really fun. You basically helped the Hershel character get his business up and running. You were a fun presence in the movie.

Evensen: Thank you! It was a really fun time.

Culturess: How did you come across the script? How did you get involved in An American Pickle?

Evensen: My agent at the time sent me an audition notice. I just had minor surgery and I wasn’t supposed to be auditioning at the time. She was like, “If you can go to this, I think you still should.” It was a couple of days after, and it was the first time I had left my apartment since then, so that was eventful. I couldn’t do a lot of the things physically that they needed me to do, so they let me kinda improvise and play with it.

But when I read it initially I thought, oh this is perfect, this is a girl who wants a job and I’m a girl who wants a job! I didn’t really have to try very much, so in that regard, it felt very natural, and I didn’t want to overcomplicate that aspect of it. I think that’s also what made it so fun.

Culturess: What did you do to get yourself in the mindset to go to that audition, regardless of the fact that you just had surgery?

Evensen: I didn’t have a ton to do during the days leading up to it. I was sitting on my couch, so it definitely gave me something to do, to dive into the audition sides they sent me. I actually thanked them for giving me something to do because I was pretty bored! Instead of doing the physical things I actually wrote a little elevator pitch for Clara, like why she would want this job.

They didn’t end up letting me do it in the audition room, but I think getting to dive in, and having the time to do that, ’cause you don’t always have the luxury of time to really study that much, I got to know the character in a way I never prepared for an audition before. That really helped to ground the audition in a sense, even though I was a little out of it.

Culturess: Your character, Clara, was the head intern that really helped Hershel get his business up to code and helped him become successful, but something unethical happened and she left. There were probably other unethical things going on, but this did it for her. What do you think was going through Clara’s head? How did you decide to play that?

Evensen: I think she maybe was going to try to kinda delicately tell him, “You can’t do this.” And also, at that moment, seeing the response from everybody. She doesn’t want to ruin her entire life by being associated with this, because of cancel culture.

So I think in Clara’s mind, it was like, “Nope, you know what, this is under Hershel’s name. I really appreciated getting to know this business, but for the sake of my future, I definitely have to cut ties here.” She became forced to realize that this could do a whole lot of damage than she realizes.

Culturess: What do you think Simon Rich and Brandon Trost were trying to say about cancel culture? Do you think your character Clara feeds it in a positive or negative way?

Evensen: I think maybe Brandon and Simon were trying to comment on the immediacy of cancel culture. The fact that it could be weaponized so quickly to defame Herschel speaks volumes to the power that cancel culture has.

I also think Clara feeds into it in a very negative way. Had she had the guts to stand up to her boss and have a simple conversation, that entire situation could have been avoided…but then there wouldn’t have been a story. However, in an ideal situation, I wish Clara and Herschel could have had a deeper conversation surrounding his very outdated opinions.

Culturess: Clara is very motivated, perky, focused, and kinda sassy. In Loosely Exactly Nicole  you played the“Tet-Talk” coordinator and  the barista in The Sound of Settling. Those characters were similar to Clara.

Are those characters close to your personality or is that a character you just like playing or are good at playing? Are there other types of characters you would like to play?

Evensen: I feel like that’s where I am being cast. The Sound of Settling was actually directed and written by a good friend of mine. So they wrote me in this funny line (“would you like a cocktail umbrella with that?”) just for the fun of it ‘ cause they were trying to include in as many friends as possible, so that was really sweet of them.

But, yeah I have played those characters, I’ve done quite a bit of commercial work, and I’ve played very weird people. So I definitely really enjoy that, but I would also like to try to do something more dramatic. I think that would be a very great challenge.

Culturess: How was it working with Seth Rogen?

Evensen:  Oh man, he’s the best! It was really interesting. You hear in class about listening and having a scene partner that listens. But I feel like working with Seth that was the first time I ever truly experienced what a scene partner who actually listens to you feels like.

Things kind of clicked in a way, oh that’s how this is supposed to feel. That’s really cool. So I’ve definitely learned so much from him. I kind of like to be a silent observer when I’m new to a situation and this being my first [movie], I hadn’t been on a set like that before, I definitely enjoyed watching how he handled himself. Like how he would do a take and then go look at the monitor and see what it looked like, and realizing I have the power and the option to also ask for that if I want to see how something looks. You can ask for that! Taking control in that regard and listening are two huge lessons I learned from him.

Culturess: You mentioned that you learned a lot from Seth, but was there anything else you learned from this experience that you will take to future projects?

Evensen:  I think the confidence that Seth gave me is what I will take away from that.

Our director Brandon Trost, is an angel on Earth! I think he is wonderful. He was so calm and so grounded, and set that tone very much from the first day. And I think having that zone created a very great space for everyone to work in. They knew it was my first one, but they just really let me do my thing. Let me figure it out. Ask any questions. They really instilled in me that it’s okay to ask questions, it’s okay to observe, it’s okay to ask for things, and that communication is key.

You don’t have to be quiet or intimidated by anyone on set. That’s what I would take away from it. Just remember you belong in that setting and I felt like I belonged the whole time.

Culturess: In the film, there were other comedic actors like Jorma Taccone, Betsey Sedoro, Elliot Glazer, Kalen Allen, Tim Robinson, Quinta Brunston. Did you personally know any of them or worked with them on something before? In the comedy world, it seems like everyone knows each other.

Evensen: I knew Elliot before. I was actually a server at a brewery in Los Angeles before, and Elliot used to come in and sit at my table. So I knew Elliot, but not like well. He’s also neighbors with a good friend of mine. So we were aware of each other.

This scene didn’t make the cut, but we were in a scene together and I went up to him at Kraft Services like, “Hi Elliot. You kind of know me, but you also don’t know me.” It was funny, and we chatted a little bit. So we talk now. So I did know Elliot ahead of time, but I didn’t know anybody else.

Culturess: Can you talk a little bit about the vibe or energy on set? What was it like being on a set with so many hardworking crew members and comedic actors? Did you observe anything interesting?

Evensen:  Of course! I was fortunate enough to be on set for the very first day of the shoot, which I think sets the tone for everything that follows. It was calm (at least from my perspective), focused, and overall very positive and fun.

I remember on the first day, the sun was starting to set pretty quickly and we still had a scene to shoot, but we very clearly weren’t going to be able to do it in the daylight. Rather than yelling at everyone to hurry up, Brandon, our director, very calmly said we would light the scene to be a night scene and take our time. He went on to say he hadn’t thought about this scene as a night scene before, but he thought this was actually going to make it even better in the end. He calmly encouraged the crew to change direction and set a positive tone right from the start. I think that example speaks volumes as to the vibe on set. It was a positive, creative space that felt safe to explore and play in.

We shot in Pittsburgh and the energy from the local crew was infectious. You could tell how proud they were to share their city with us. One of the drivers told me the park we were shooting in had at least one of every tree native to Pennsylvania, and sure enough, the trees had little plaques and numbers on them. I had never been to Pittsburgh before and everyone was quick to share historical facts and to point out their favorite spots. They were all so kind and friendly. Pittsburgh has a very special place in my heart.

Culturess:  While doing some research, we came across your Instagram. There was a post about how you were so happy about watching the film at the Tribeca Drive-In at the Rose Bowl, and everyone was socially distanced in their own cars. You said you could cry. Can you talk about that whole experience?

Evensen: It’s definitely a dream come true, overall. This is not how I anticipated this release being, in the middle of a global pandemic, but here we are. We shot this almost two years ago, so within that time frame, the plan was for this to go to theaters. And so when this all happened it was like, oh so that isn’t really a possibility.

At first, I was a little bit bummed, but then I realized what a gift it is for it to come out during this time. For it to provide joy to people who are stuck at home right now and the movie kind of reminds people that family is the most important. I didn’t expect them to do any sort of in-person screening at all. So having that opportunity was such a surprise, a wonderful surprise.

It was definitely very special and such a unique situation to be sitting in your car and you can’t see anybody else because they’re in their car. It was so weird but cool at the same time. And I definitely had some happy tears. It was pretty wild!

Culturess: Every time we watch a film or TV show now it takes place pre-COVID-19, where we could get out of our homes and meet people without worry. Do you think there is any correlation between Hershel coming into this new world and us in real life adjusting to this new normal?

Evensen: That is a very interesting question. I wasn’t necessarily watching it from that standpoint because I already knew the script and everything, so I was more excited to see what they wound up choosing.

From an outside perspective, when I’ve watched other things recently, I’ve seen crowd scenes and thought, oh you can’t do that right now. And that’s a little bit jarring. I would be interested to see the reaction to that. Like anything set in a school right now, that’s not realistic. So I’m wondering if that will be more jarring to an audience or whether it will bring comfort, be familiar, bring happiness, or be the exact opposite. But it is interesting that Hershel is experiencing something so new because none of us know what things are going to look like right now.

Culturess: Do you think the film is pointing at the fact that although we as a culture and society have evolved, we are lonelier? What’s your interpretation of the theme or take away?

Evensen: I think the deeper theme is the importance of family and honoring where your family has come from. It’s fascinating to think about what it would be like if I could meet my ancestors. Would they be proud of me and the things I’ve done or would they be disappointed? Would they feel like their sacrifices were worth it?

As far as what you touched on with the loneliness, that’s not something I had really considered before, but I could definitely see elements of that in the film as well. I think it’s pretty interesting that Herschel’s dream was for his family to prosper while Ben’s is to develop an app. Perhaps we’re a bit more self-centered or shortsighted nowadays when we should be stepping outside of ourselves more and thinking about the betterment of others.

Culturess: Any advice for anyone who is starting out acting? How to deal with rejection? Auditioning?

Evensen: You’re going to hear a lot of no’s,  but that makes the yes’s even sweeter when they do come. My grandma is a wise lady, and she always told me, “Rejection is God’s protection.” So I’ve kept that in mind as well when I haven’t gotten roles or things. Well, that wasn’t meant for me, it was for somebody else. That was somebody else’s yes. And that’s okay.

So I’ve come at it from that perspective, and I think always remembering why you’re doing what you’re doing and keeping that as your focus. You can even write down a little list of things; why you enjoy this and why you’re pursuing this so that on the days that kind of suck you can go back and look at your list and remind yourself of the joy it brings and the purpose you’re working towards.

Culturess: How did you get into acting?

Evensen: I’ve been doing theater since I was a very small child. In high school, I realized this is what I actually wanted to pursue. It’s not something I just enjoy, even though in the back of my mind I was like I want to be an actress, but in high school, it clicked that I can actually do this. I went to school for it. I have a degree in acting, which I don’t know what that really means because you relearn everything outside of school anyway. I’ve continued my training in Los Angeles because it’s really important to stay up on your skills.

Culturess: Can you talk about where you’re originally from? Was it weird that you wanted to get into acting from the perspective of the people around you?

Evensen: I was born and raised in Littleton Colorado, which is a pretty normal suburbia. As for it being weird from the perspective of people around me…I don’t really know, because honestly, I didn’t pay attention to that. I definitely sucked at sports as a kid(understatement) and was a little self-conscious about that.

My parents, God love them, were determined to find something I enjoyed and could potentially excel at and after a lot of convincing, they agreed to put me in an acting class and I never looked back. Goodbye sports!

Culturess: Do you have any specific memories from when you were doing theater or study acting that kind of solidified the reason you wanted to get into acting? Can you recall anything specifically that discouraged you?

Evensen: I remember very vividly the first time I made people laugh on stage. I was doing a children’s theatre rip off version of Beauty and the Beast. Most of the characters couldn’t have the same names for copyright purposes like for instance Papa had to be Popa *pronounced poh-pah* which still makes me laugh. I was one of the three “silly girls” who chased around Gaston and whether the crowd was laughing at me or something else, I’ll never know, but I remember the feeling of joy it gave me and I was hooked. That was a big moment for me. I decided pretty early on that I wanted to pursue acting.

There was the time I got a $600 ticket while driving through Beverly Hills for going through a yellow light…I would say that felt rather discouraging. It happened about a year after I moved to Los Angeles. I tried to fight the ticket, but the woman behind the counter just said “Welcome to LA” and then asked if I wanted to look at her Halloween decorations because I think she felt bad. There have definitely been a lot of trials, and I’ve heard the word no a lot, but it has never felt impossible.

Culturess: Can you talk about your work with UNICEF and how you started to be an advocate?

Evensen: Currently, I am a volunteer with the UNICEF Unite Team in LA. We are with UNICEF USA and our goal is to support UNICEF Global so that people who go out into the field can go bring vaccines and nutrition. Our job here is to advocate politically for change. Whether that’s speaking to a Congress representative about needing them to support UNICEF financially. Last year we had a fundraiser about dealing with homelessness in Los Angeles, so trying to do things more tangibly in our communities as well.

It’s a really special organization, and I really love being involved. I think some of the most wonderful people are in that organization, and eventually, I would love to work with UNICEF Global and actually, tangibly and go help. I would love to be able to go to these different places and to see what’s actually happening.

There is a war journalist, Marie Colvin. There was a movie adaption done about how she reported on Syria. There was a quote, something along the lines of she needed to be eyes and bring back what was happening to other people who couldn’t go see it, so they’d know what’s happening in the world.

So in a sense, I would like to do something similar. Be the eyes, see what’s happening and be able to bring change in that regard. She [Colvin] actually died in Syria. The movie is called “A Private War.” It was amazing, it will make you cry a lot! My mom’s a nurse, so I wanted to be involved in UNICEF for a very long time. I thought Marie’s story was affirming of what I had already been feeling.

Culturess: Do you think your work in acting/comedy is separate from what you do with UNICEF?

Evensen: I definitely think it’s combined because that’s using your platform and visibility you have as a platform to then also share this and hopefully have people pay attention to other things. I definitely think they go hand in hand.

Culturess: What is something you would like to do next in your career? How are you adjusting your approach to your career since we are in COVID-19 times?

Evensen: I’ve been writing quite a bit, I have a couple of writing partners. But I’m working on a couple of concepts right now that could be done mostly socially distanced. And figuring of what human connection looks like nowadays. And how you can still have meaningful relationships, even when you’re socially distanced.

I think that’s a really interesting area to explore, while also not overwhelming people with “we’re in a pandemic.” We’re taking those themes, but not necessarily setting it in COVID-19 time. I don’t particularly really want to watch something that’s like about a pandemic right now, so I’ve been doing a lot of that. I would love to work on another film, maybe something, a little darker, a darker comedy. I don’t know maybe something more dramatic. I just want to create.

Culturess: What are you writing, a comedy or drama?

Evensen: One of them is not a comedy, but the other two are. Very bizarre comedy. One of them is about camping and coming across a backwoods cult. And it’s also a musical. I have a very good friend who is writing music for it. That’s something we’ve been figuring out over Zoom.

Culturess:  Cults! That sounds interesting.

Evensen: It’s very fun to make up, you can get very crazy with it!

Don’t forget to catch An American Pickle premiering on HBO Max on August 6th. Let us know what you think of the film!