Poker Face Took Patti Harrison on an ‘Awesome and Horrifying’ Ride

by

Caution: Plot details for the final episode of Poker Face’s second season, titled ‘The End of the Road,’ were unveiled on Peacock on July 10.

Initially, Patti Harrison‘s character Alex in “Poker Face” is portrayed as having a youthful and friendly demeanor, reminiscent of a young sister or a friendly golden retriever, as described by the protagonist Charlie Cale (Natasha Lyonne). Despite offering Charlie an unappetizing butterscotch-pumpkin-mochaccino coffee, Harrison’s performance is so endearingly awkward and kind that viewers hope Alex will become Charlie’s ally. However, much like in “I Think You Should Leave,” where Harrison played multiple roles, “Poker Face” deceives the audience by having Harrison play dual roles. This is because Alex, who appears to be a friendly coffee shop owner, is actually the Iguana, a highly skilled assassin. The Iguana/Alex develops a relationship with Charlie to get close to mob informant Beatrix Hasp (Rhea Perlman), whom she ultimately kills in the season finale, “The End of the Road.” This revelation challenges Charlie’s understanding of herself and leaves Alex mysteriously absent, setting up a potential cliffhanger for a third season if it were to be renewed.

In simpler terms, Harrison is well-known for her unique style of alt-comedy and quirky roles in shows like “Shrill,” “The Lost City,” and “Theater Camp.” However, the series “Poker Face” offers something different – a chance for Harrison to portray contrasting characters such as a supportive best friend and a villainous murderer. She excels in both aspects. When discussing her time on “Poker Face,” she often jokes, digresses, and makes self-deprecating comments. Notably, she describes the series multiple times as cinematic, appreciating its grand scale, yet acknowledges that it’s a TV show rather than a movie.

How did you end up landing the role of the Iguana? In the first season, I auditioned for it, but I was incredibly nervous and felt like I had messed up. The audition was for the initial episode, where Charlie Cale’s friend is murdered. I had to cry hysterically, but my approach to filming it was overly complex. I self-taped on my laptop, using GarageBand to playback my own voice reading the other lines in the scene, with my arm out of frame tapping the spacebar to play the sound when I finished speaking mine. It all felt quite silly when I was done, and I thought, “I didn’t do a good job.” After that, there was no response for a couple of years. I’m not great at self-taping or auditioning. In most cases, I’d say I’m bad at acting. [Laughs.] Despite my reservations about the quality of my work on this show, I think they were foolish and shortsighted to give me a chance in the first place – they’ll surely pay for it in the afterlife!

I received an email about getting a part to act in something. Natasha directed an episode of Shrill, which was a blast to work on. On Poker Face, I’ve landed what feels like my dream role – something I’ve wanted since I was a baby and signed by UTA for my incredible physique at just 4 months old. They were amazed that I hadn’t had any work done. I may joke around, but in truth, I’ve always yearned to play a character who starts out very sincere before transforming into an assassin. When I saw this role, I was overjoyed and shocked, causing me to literally have nosebleeds, bleeding from my butt and ears!

You asked if I took inspiration from “The Day of the Jackal” for the last two episodes of this season, where my character is revealed as the world’s deadliest assassin. To be honest, I don’t want to talk much about my acting or work habits, but there were indeed many references that helped shape Natasha. She’s like a walking encyclopedia for film and TV references, drawing from an impressive array of visual sources. The team, including Rian Johnson with his captivating cinematography and storytelling, provided us with numerous discussions about the character arc beforehand. Showrunner Tony Tost was truly a guiding force, and everyone involved were passionate nerds of television and cinema, eager to share their reference points with me. For my specific story arc, they wanted the transformation of the character to be shocking, leading into a more complex and humorous version. They gave me a lot of creative freedom, which was both empowering and intimidating.

During the scene filmed at Beatrix Hasp’s house in Indiana, which was quite intense and chatty between you and Natasha, you were recounting your past actions while boasting about deceiving Charlie. Do you recall any specific details from the filming process of that scene?

In this scene, the house was built on a stage, and I was given numerous visual references for the color scheme. We had a thorough rehearsal where Natasha gave me room to improvise and decide on our movements. The way we moved around the room needed to be coordinated with the camera movements that were integrated into both the story and the flashbacks.

My character was recalling moments where she had assassinated people, and her own sorrow over how her joy of killing had waned. Many of the camera movements were designed to create a blending and surreal transition between those memories and the present. This coordination had to be physically manifested in our movements during the scene.

It was truly remarkable how the camera team managed to choreograph all these movements, taking into account every detail – the distance between us at specific words or actions. It was quite an intimidating experience for me, as I don’t have great spatial or kinesthetic awareness and was worried about bumping into something or making a mistake that I would forget in subsequent takes. However, we had our talented script coordinator, Chris Freyer, who helped ensure everything ran smoothly without any unwanted advances towards him. I have certainly evolved since then, leaving such behavior behind me.

In the final scene, you and Charlie experience a dramatic moment reminiscent of Thelma & Louise, where we leap across the Grand Canyon. This part was particularly thrilling for me as I hadn’t done much stunt work before. The stunt team, led by Thomas Place, along with Becca GT, Natasha’s stunt double, and my personal stunt double Noelle Therese Mulligan, were incredibly supportive. They recognized my desire to perform stunts and guided me through the process. I didn’t have to jump from heights, but the gym fight scene required some physical exertion. It was the first time I had sweated that much in a gym. I got to tumble onto a mat, be grabbed and thrown into weight racks, do flips, and immediately roll off. Method Man, Clifford Smith Jr., is an exceptional actor who could make himself cry during rehearsals. As for me, I’m not ashamed to say that I used tear sticks when needed. [Laughs.]

During certain moments, I experienced apprehension, particularly when filming a scene inside a bathroom. They were demonstrating to me how to deliver a kick aimed at Kevin Makely’s groin area in such a way that it appeared powerful but wouldn’t actually harm him. Additionally, I had to simulate slashing him with a knife. This knife was made of metal, yet it wasn’t sharpened. However, my thoughts were filled with dread, thinking I fear this blade will somehow pierce through this other person. And given my history of bad luck, since I’m not supposed to cause injury to his sensitive areas, I might end up plunging the knife through them, even though it isn’t required in any way for the scene. Fortunately, nothing like that transpired! So, it seems I am a more capable actor than anyone could have ever anticipated.

As a fan, I can’t help but reflect on two instances that had me in stitches: one was when I shared a playful kiss with the polar bear pelt rug, a reminder of our fierce battle, and the other was during our daring escape from the FBI, where I couldn’t resist flicking my tongue inside the car. These moments were not planned scenes, but they were uniquely mine. We experimented with various takes, trying to capture different lizard species or recalling the peculiar mannerisms of an old boyfriend. The close-up shots made it crucial to find the right balance, ensuring it wasn’t an exaggerated Pokémon-like performance.

After you drive Charlie’s Barracuda off a cliff in the climactic scene of “The End of the Road,” it’s revealed that you aren’t inside the burning wreckage, leaving room for your possible return. If we imagine our character escaping unharmed, what might she do next? As I haven’t watched the episode myself, I can only speculate. Given her desire to maintain a positive image, I suspect she would have slipped away into the greenery or managed to jump out of the car in time. In an alternate universe where she has control over the storyline, she might open up a bakery and boutique specializing in exquisite verbena and lavender candles, priced at $150 each, as a beacon of goodness amidst the darkness that often prevails in such narratives. However, it seems the writers have other plans for her, making her an assassin instead. I can only hope they find a way to incorporate some of the wholesome aspects she represents into the character’s development.

In a more optimistic scenario, one might imagine her venturing into a Fight Club-themed soap-making business down the line. Isn’t it delightful that you always find a silver lining in the arts? If I could control the narrative, we’d witness the burning car, then wonder where she is. Upon returning to Charlie, we’d see the car empty, but then the camera would reveal Alex engulfed in flames, struggling and screaming as she succumbs to her fate, much like Chucky from Child’s Play when he emerges from the fireplace.

I hear that question a lot, ‘are we going to receive something this year’ from I Think You Should Leave. But allow me to clarify, the actual quote is, ‘Are we even gonna get anything now‘? If you and your family continue to ask it, I might just have to take legal action against all of you!

The thing that people most often recognize me for is “I Think You Should Leave“. At first, my audience was primarily nonbinary, autistic, transgender teenagers who are rather quiet. They might not even greet me if they saw me on the street. But after “I Think You Should Leave“, I’ve noticed a new group of men shouting at me from the streets. As a transgender person, when I see a straight man approaching me so directly, my initial thought is “This guy might attack or hate-crime me.” However, when they approach and compliment the show instead, I’m surprised because they usually have girlfriends. So my question to them becomes, “If you have a girlfriend, then why are you even talking to me?

Among all projects I’ve been involved with, working on “I Think You Should Leave” stands out as something I’m particularly proud of. The duo, Tim and Zach, are absolutely fantastic, and it’s an honor to have contributed to their work. It’s heartening when people recognize me, knowing that the recognition comes from a positive place rather than being linked to my past mistakes.

Is there any information you could share regarding the approaching season, since it seems that only Jesus, who can be approached through prayer, may have knowledge of this?

Read More

2025-07-10 19:55