The Tamesis
Fashion: I know the casting process was very different for the two of you – reading “Caroline” one day and “John” to thousands of people. But in both cases, what do you think makes you stand out?
Paul Anthony Kelly: [Laughs.] We were lucky enough to be chosen. In my case, I sent a tape and a few months later they asked for another tape, and it just snowballed into the chemistry of reading with Sarah, who had already been cast. The next day we did a screen test and they told me I got the job on the spot, which was awesome. But I started in February thinking I was out, and then by May, I knew.
Sarah Pidgeon: It was hard for me to imagine what I was bringing to Caroline, because after I got to know Caroline better, I knew more clearly what I wanted to bring to her. My initial tape was based on quick research I did and put myself on tape within a day and a half of the audition. And, in the script, she was so three-dimensional. There are two scenes – their first date and then their walk home. This is a woman that many people know primarily through static images…she has a lot of personality. There’s also a guarding and genuine sensitivity that makes her easily relatable. But it’s also why she’s terrified of giving herself completely over to a stranger – you can feel it on the page.
How well did you know them before working on this project?
SP: I was familiar with them, but I was very young in the 90s – born in 1996, I was three when they died. Fortunately, there are many books out there that feature interviews with people who knew Caroline and knew about her experience working at Calvin Klein. It was really helpful in establishing who this person was because there was actually a lot written about her from 1994 to 1995, when there was speculation about her dating John and how she was portrayed in tabloid culture, but to me, that was never true. I learned what an exciting, bubbly, and incredibly smart woman she actually was, and then I understood why these photos of her are so timeless—because there’s energy underneath those clothes. It’s about the women who wear them.
PK: I’m lucky that John is a very well-documented person, so I have a lot of material to review, review, analyze, and interpret. One of the most helpful things, and I’ll come back to it often, is when he talks about his father’s book, Courage Archives. I listen to it every day before a show, between takes, or at lunch just to get his groove and rhythm. His narration is spot on, but you can still hear in his voice pattern where he’s coming from – he’s a cool guy, laid back, and very New York.
