TVLINE | We find out that Alberta used to have a popular ventriloquism act. What was your reaction to that when you first read the script?
I was like, ‘What? This is nuts!’ We’ve done these really beautiful flashbacks for her in these last four seasons and now for Season 5, I was like, ‘Can I do a little something weird?’ And this episode, [writer/producer] Emily Schmidt knocked it out of the park. When I got this script, I was like, ‘Puppet?! What’s happening?’ And then that day we did the table read, I had a ventriloquist coach come in and I was working with two different puppets, a wooden puppet and a soft puppet, and that was a Thursday. That Tuesday is when we filmed it. But you can get a draft of a script on a Thursday and have to be an expert at that by Monday. For me as an actor, I always want my best foot forward and so working with a coach, I had a blast. I was like, “I need to be in the remake of Avenue Q when they do a live-action Avenue Q. I’m ready to go!” It was so much fun and to have that now in my actor’s toolbox, it’s amazing. I was nervous at first because I’m like, “Oh my gosh, how am I gonna learn how to throw my voice and do all these things in four days?” But I had a blast and it really did bring back a childlike wonder on how to work the puppet and give the puppet facial expressions and truly breathe life into it. Sadly, Murray is now deceased, but it’s really due to her wanting to be reborn into this incredible jazz singer that she knew she was destined to be.
TVLINE | It’s so sad when Alberta starts to sing and gets booed by the crowd.
Awful. And also for me, I was like, “This is the best singing day I’ve had on the show in five years!” I was vocally clear. I was not sick at all. Every time I’ve had to do a big song on “Ghosts,” like the pilot, I had walking pneumonia during the pilot and had to sing. I was so ill, and having to strain and sing was the worst. I can’t even watch it back. I felt so bad. This was the best vocal performance I’ve had and it was like, “Boooo!” And that’s how you get humbled. [Laughs]
TVLINE | Why is Pete the one who can help Alberta feel better about her past?
Pete is literally a reincarnation of my husband. We’re an odd couple for sure. My husband is a redhead from Coventry, England, and he is quite literally my peace. When I am stressed out, when I’m struggling, when I’m second-guessing, he is so quickly able to allow me to see the bright side of things or another perspective that I wasn’t even thinking about. I think in the same way, that is who Pete is for Alberta. And that is why they do make a great couple because Alberta will give him that boldness that he so desperately needs, but also he allows her to tap into her vulnerability in a way that she may not feel comfortable doing with the other ghosts.
TVLINE | Why does Alberta decide to help Sam and Jay get out of their pickle with Todd?
It’s releasing the shame. There’s nothing to be embarrassed about our past. It just provides direction for our future, and so I think that’s why it was so great for her to come clean. Her name may be Esther Green, that may be her government name, that may be the name on the birth certificate, but Alberta Haynes is the name that she chooses. It’s who she wanted to be reborn into, and that’s how she died. She died doing the thing that she loved. I love that for her. For anyone that is trying to do things a little differently, I hope this episode inspires them to do that.