Rhea Seehorn has had an incredible year. For years she was known as a greatly underappreciated talent, but that has all changed now thanks to Pluribus. The series, which follows one of the only people on Earth not taken over by an alien virus, is not only a critical darling but recently became Apple TV’s most-watched show. And Seehorn is at the heart of it all. Today, however, she has something bigger on her mind.
“You have to tell me how to crack the code,” she pleads before we’ve even said hello. “I’m an avid crossword puzzler, but I can’t beat the Guardian crossword. I can’t crack it, and I need to figure out what the problem is.”
If you’ve seen Pluribus, where she plays a reluctant hero forced to save the world against her will, Seehorn’s cheerful demeanor in person might come as a surprise. She is bright-eyed and alert, leaning forward in her seat and fully engaged.
“I love making the show,” she says. “It has been the most challenging thing I’ve ever done, and the most rewarding. People come up to me and want to talk about what the show brings up for them, the thoughts it makes them have. That’s been absolutely beyond satisfying.”
But perhaps that’s no surprise. Pluribus is the kind of show that deliberately takes its time unraveling the grand mystery at its core. Seehorn plays Carol Sturka, who remains unaffected by an alien virus that has taken over the rest of the world. While everyone else exists as a peaceful, if eerie, hive mind—living in a state of unquestioning happiness—she is tasked with restoring individuality to humanity. To make matters more complicated, everyone seems especially attuned to her behavior… perhaps because millions of people die whenever she loses her temper.
While creator Vince Gilligan has said the show is partly autobiographical—it’s hard not to see it as a reaction to his post-Breaking Bad fame and all the sycophancy that came with it—it also feels strangely universal. It’s the kind of high-concept series that has inspired an online obsession not seen since Lost. Seehorn respectfully prefers not to dive into that chatter.
“I’m too much of a scaredy-cat to look online,” she admits. “My friends tell me, even on social media, to never scroll down. I know eventually there’s going to be a comment that says, ‘She is an ugly idiot who should never be on screen again,’ and then I’ll just want to do Lego sets for a week.”
A surprisingly large part of the online discussion revolves around whether Carol should just give up and enjoy the simple pleasures of having her mind controlled. Seehorn doesn’t see the appeal.
“When I think about happiness and joy, it always comes down to surprise,” she says. “Being surprised by others’ accomplishments. But in that world, there are no new books. There is no new art. There’s never going to be a belly laugh, because no one can surprise you. I’ll never get to do a crossword puzzle again, because I already know all the answers—because I made the crossword.”
The story of how Seehorn landed the role in Pluribus has been told before, but it speaks volumes. Gilligan initially envisioned the lead as a man, but after seeing her performance as Kim Wexler on Better Call Saul, he changed the character’s gender just to keep working with her. Seehorn has been acting since the 1990s, but this is her first series lead. Those who know her understand the pressure that must bring.
“I watch Pluribus and my heart hurts for how long Rhea must have spent in physically and emotionally challenging states,” says Bob Odenkirk.Her “Better Call Saul” co-star mentioned, “When we were filming Saul, we lived together with Patrick Fabian, and we all helped each other through the show. I wonder how she’s doing with decompressing now.”
Seehorn laughs when I bring this up. “It’s so funny that he asked that, because he actually called to check on me after he saw a few episodes,” she says. “He probably just wanted me to make fun of myself, since Bob has seen how my busy little mind unwinds. There are art projects all over the house—a Lego set, a jigsaw puzzle, embroidery, painting, hundreds of almost-finished crossword puzzles.”
Does she miss living with co-stars? “People thought it was strange,” she replies. “Bob started it. He called Patrick and me after season one and said, ‘Do you guys think we should just live together?’ And I thought, actually, yes. All of our partners and spouses know each other and are friends, and none of us are sketchy. And it can be mentally draining to come home alone.”
For “Pluribus,” which films in Albuquerque, she continued the tradition by moving in with Trish Almeida, the show’s head of hair, during production. “This one took longer to shoot, and it was challenging. There’s a lot of explosive anger, or moments where Carol has to suppress her feelings. I also spent a lot of time alone. Sometimes just seeing someone for a cup of coffee can make your whole week.”
The season one finale airs on Boxing Day and, without giving anything away, it ends on such a gripping cliffhanger that the next batch of episodes can’t come soon enough. While more episodes are definitely on the way—Apple knows a hit when they see one—Seehorn can’t give a specific date.
“They’re in the writers’ room right now,” she says of Gilligan and his team. “But I don’t have a timeline for when they’ll finish.”
At this point, I let out a small, frustrated groan, to which Seehorn responds with calm reason. “I don’t think anyone is sitting around thinking, ‘Let’s just make them wait,'” she says with a smile. “I know my writers. They take such great care. Plus, the scale of this show is huge. Think about the episodes where everyone disappears. We’re in a functioning city. There were cars driving by constantly, and they all have to be edited out.”
But does she know what’s next for Carol? “I know the same as I did on ‘Better Call Saul’—one script at a time,” she says. “I never have any idea where it’s going. I haven’t a clue what happens next season. A couple of big things happen in the finale. And I have to tell you, I have no idea where they’re headed.”
Frequently Asked Questions
Of course Here is a list of FAQs based on Rhea Seehorns reflection about Bob Odenkirk checking on her after a demanding filming experience
FAQs Bob Odenkirk Checking on Rhea Seehorn
Beginner General Questions
1 What is Rhea Seehorn talking about
Shes referring to a time during the filming of Better Call Saul when a scene was so emotionally or physically demanding that her costar Bob Odenkirk noticed her state and reached out afterward to make sure she was okay
2 Which show are they from
They are the stars of the hit TV series Better Call Saul a prequel and sequel to Breaking Bad
3 Who is Bob Odenkirk to Rhea Seehorn
He is her costar and onscreen romantic partner In this context he acted as a supportive colleague and friend
4 Why would filming be so demanding
Acting in intense dramas often requires performers to tap into deep difficult emotions or perform complex stressful scenes repeatedly which can be mentally and physically exhausting
5 Whats the big deal about an actor checking on another
While it might seem simple in a highpressure environment it shows exceptional empathy professionalism and a supportive set culture It highlights that they care for each other as people not just as coworkers
Advanced Detailed Questions
6 What specific scene might she be referring to
While she hasnt explicitly named it fans and interviewers often speculate it could be related to extremely intense scenes in later seasons such as Spoiler Alert the emotional breakdown in the parking garage after a con goes wrong the monumental Waterworks monologue in the series finale or any of their intense silent arguments
7 What does this reveal about their working relationship
It demonstrates a deep level of mutual respect and trust It shows Odenkirk is observant and compassionate offcamera which likely contributed to their incredible and believable onscreen chemistry
8 How common is this kind of support among actors
Its common among actors who form strong bonds especially on longrunning series but the specific act of checking in
