Juno Temple on Her Toughest 'Fargo' Scene and Her Criticisms of 'Ted Lasso'

After racking up three Emmy nominations for his fan-favorite comedic performance in Apple TV+ Ted LassoJuno Temple took a dramatic turn leading the entire FX cast. Fargo season five, playing a seemingly “nice Minnesotan” housewife with a dark, secret past and particularly raw survival instincts. For the 34-year-old British actress, moving from comedy to drama is not unusual, having played a wide variety of supporting roles over the years, since 2007. Atonement to the 2018 Bravo series Dirty John. But with the duality inherent in Dorothy “Dot” Lyon, aka Nadine Tillman, a woman who must sometimes be both nurturing and vicious, Fargo put your ability to change roles to the test.

What surprised you most about what you were thinking about working on? Fargo would it be compared to what it really was?

I was nervous to join a story of extraordinary performances from some of the greatest actors who have been a part of previous episodes. I was also trying to understand the comedy and drama that Fargo brings together so well. I thought it could be really complicated. But the way it was all written meant you didn't need to think at all because it's all in the writing and the comedy is in the accent itself – all the Fargo the stories are very dark if you remove the accents.

What was the most interesting character note Noah Hawley gave you?

The most important note he gave me was about the duality of Dot always being in fight or flight mode as a wild survivor while also being a mother and a true nurturer, and to always remember to combine these two – like , even when she is violent to find a way to incorporate her caring side.

As someone who doesn't act, this seems very difficult to me: “Can you be this, but also the opposite of that, at the same time?”

When [the script] When I first arrived in my inbox, I thought, “Wow, everything about this extraordinary creature is going to be a challenge. » I asked so many questions and received so much advice and so much help along the way.

What scene are you most proud of?

It was a great day with me and David [Rysdahl, who plays Dot’s husband, Wayne Lyon] where we had an 11-page dialogue scene in the kitchen together. We had shot that scene so many times because we wanted it to be so ingrained in our brains that we could really listen to the direction Noah was going to give us and have fun with it. At the end of that day, we looked at each other and said, “Oh my God, we did it!” » And the team applauded us warmly.

Everyone has asked you about working with Jon Hamm, so I'm curious what it was like working with two other actors: first, Jennifer Jason Leigh. You both have such a wonderfully tense dynamic in all of this, what struck you most about working with her?

Mesmerizing, but also intimidating, and I also want to be with her all the time. Just her hand gestures and the way she used her physique I found incredible to watch. She brings so much power without having to raise her voice, and I'm in awe of that ability. And then the journey that we were able to experience together – that we didn't know at first – we were talking about how we were hoping that at some point maybe we would have a moment where our characters would really connect and Dot would be invited to Lyon. family. So when we got to episode eight, it really felt like such a great payoff.

The other actor I wanted to ask about is Joe Keery as Gator. He already has a great career with Stranger Things, but I saw him take a huge one. There's this intense, sympathetic vulnerability that he brought to what should have been a truly despicable character.

He's so different from Gator; they are at opposite poles. It's really brave for an actor who is at this incredible moment in his career – he's beautiful to look at and has a magnificent brain, heart and soul – to dive in and play a character who has a vulnerability and a buried sweetness which have become vulgar. , brutal stupidity. It could have come across as a joke, but it didn't. In the end, you care so much about what happens to him, even with all the stupid shit he's done.

What has people's reaction been like when they meet you since Fargo?

People have told me about Dot's ability to trap a house and that there should be a Dot Lyon home security setup. People tell me how powerful they found her and how cool it is to see a woman who is also a mom and a baker and a wife, living very simply and loving her home, and also having this ability to survive.

Of course I also have to ask: what's the latest news regarding the rumor Ted Lasso spin off?

I know as much as most people, to be honest with you. We had a pretty heartbreaking ending and I don't know if we're going to continue or not.

I've seen some review headlines suggesting that your character Keely was not well served by the final season and that they should have done more with her. I was wondering if you agree with this assessment?

I didn't hear that. I thought she had a really good journey in season three. I loved her ending where she has her independence. We also got to see her go through a time when she wasn't doing well and I think her friendship with Rebecca [Hannah Waddingham] was, for me, throughout the show, one of the most valuable parts of putting myself in Keeley's shoes. I thought when she contacted Rebecca – when she made the sex tape public – that was really important and I'm proud of that scenario. I thought her story opened the door to wherever she was going. To her, it didn't feel like an end. I felt like it was another chapter, but the book isn't finished.

You also have the next movie Good luck, have fun, don't diewhich feels like a concept explosion (it stars Sam Rockwell as a man from the future who arrives at a restaurant where he must recruit a precise combination of disgruntled customers to join him on a one-night quest to save the world.)

I'm having such a good time. What casting. [Director Gore Verbinski] is magical. The script is phenomenal – I don't think I've read a script this quickly in a while, it's brilliant. I'm playing another really interesting woman and I'm proud to see the world from her perspective, especially the wild world we create. Yeah, I'm really excited about this one.

And you have the Venom following. I won't be another journalist who insists on what it's like to work with Tom Hardy. (Temple laughs, she recently replied, “He's so excited to tell this story and he's so excited for other people to be a part of it.”) But I'll ask: after Madam Web, it feels like there's added pressure on Sony's superhero films. Do you feel this? Could this be the one that breaks Sony's recent streak?

I can honestly say that I am not programmed to think about it like that. It's quite new for me to be part of a film of this scale. I just hope I did the best job possible on a [movie] it was a truly amazing thing to be a part of. I hope all five people go see it or 500 people go see it, or more, I hope they enjoy it and it takes them out of their daily lives for a minute. .

This story first appeared in a June standalone issue of The Hollywood Reporter review. Click here to subscribe.