With high heels and fur coats, Kaitlin Olson taps into ‘High Potential’
Kaitlin Olson has a knack for playing underestimated women.
On the long-running TV show “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia,” she portrays Dee, a character who is frequently ridiculed by her peers at Paddy’s Pub. She has been nominated for an Emmy twice for her guest role as DJ Vance, a struggling adult daughter of a self-centered comedian, on the show “Hacks.” Now, she takes on the role of Morgan in her new ABC series “High Potential.” Morgan is a mother with a remarkably high IQ who works as a cleaner but gets recruited by the LAPD due to her exceptional crime-solving abilities.
During our Zoom interview, I ask Olson about this recurring thread throughout her work.
According to what she shared with a chuckle, her current profession as an actor stems from a young dream she had, expressed by saying “I’m going to be an actor,” which was met with admiration when she was very small.
In Tigard, Oregon, her parents consistently provided support, yet no one else did. Unfortunately, the circumstances worsened as she had a bicycle accident prior to starting seventh grade. She somersaulted over the handlebars and fell onto her teeth. This incident necessitated reconstructive facial surgery for recovery.
During middle school and high school, I mostly felt like I wanted to retreat and no one seemed interested in talking to me, she recalls, later clarifying. My assumption was that ‘no one wants to talk to me’. I imagine their thoughts were more along the lines of ‘I don’t know how to approach or communicate with this seemingly fragile person.’
As a cinephile, I’ve always dreamt of treading the boards myself, and maybe that’s why I excel at breathing life into characters who initially slip under the radar.
Morgan, unlike her typical role as Kaitlin Olson, presents a distinct shift. Instead of being entrenched in pure comedy, she’s at the heart of an hour-long crime procedural, necessitating Olson, who is also a producer, to handle a plot that encompasses murder, family dynamics, and humorous remarks. Remarkably, this blend has proven effective so far. In the initial part of its debut season, “High Potential” attracted 10.42 million viewers every night, making it ABC’s most-watched new show in six years. Now, it’s back for the second half of its first season on Tuesday.
Filming the show has been what Olson describes as a “fun challenge.”
Olson explains that crafting the particular tone we’re using is challenging due to blending multiple elements together. Once everyone agreed on what this tone should be, it made each aspect of her life clearer for me to comprehend.
Drew Goddard, the creator of the show adapted from a French original, was confident that actor Olson could skillfully portray Morgan’s diverse aspects – eliciting both laughter and tears from viewers at the same time.
He notes that there’s a depth in her laughter that speaks to her spirit. He felt certain about this intuition, so he suggested we invite her to join our group, curious to discover more.
Initially, she wasn’t interested. When her representative forwarded her a script, detailing it as a one-hour-long drama airing on ABC, she politely declined with a “No, thank you.
“I’m more of a dick-and-ball joke kind of streaming person,” she says.
Ultimately, she agreed to read the script and found herself smitten with the character. It was a chance for her to broaden her horizons too. She often adds humor to her roles, but this time she was eager to explore something beyond just comedy.
She expresses that instead of portraying a fictional character, she aimed to depict someone authentic. Dee is a fictional character, and while she strives to avoid turning her into a caricature, she’s not a real person in the sense of having lived experiences. What she desired was to play a role that encompassed both positive and negative aspects, moments of triumph and struggle.
As a devoted cinephile, I wholeheartedly agree with this portrayal. The character of Morgan, a mother of three, finds herself drawn to the role of a police consultant for compelling reasons. Primarily, she seeks job stability and financial security. However, there’s an underlying motivation that drives her: the belief that Selena, the head of the major crimes division (played by Judy Reyes), might be able to help her uncover the whereabouts of her teenage daughter’s father, who seems to have vanished from their lives. Although it appears he abandoned them, Morgan senses there’s more to this story than meets the eye.
Television
Four distinct shows. Four different channels. ‘Matlock’, ‘High Potential’, ‘Brilliant Minds’ and ‘Rescue: HI-Surf’ demonstrate the versatility and enduring charm of television broadcasting.
With a fresh endeavor emerged fresh stressors, and Olson found herself fretting over potential letdown for her long-term fans who craved pure humor from her. This includes those who continue to mourn the 2018 termination of her Fox sitcom “The Mick,” where she portrayed a riotously unsophisticated character tasked with rearing her rich nephews and niece. Unlike Morgan, Olson’s performance doesn’t involve physical comedy, but instead, she aimed to contribute significantly to the series by not only starring in “High Potential” but also producing it.
“I was really hell-bent on making this just as good, just different,” she says.
For Olson, the term “High Potential” came at just the right moment when she had an opportunity to immerse herself fully in a project. Following the birth of her two children with her co-star, Rob McElhenney from “Sunny”, Olson never slowed down in her work. However, being a mother took precedence over everything else for her. Now that her kids are older (ages 14 and 12), she feels ready to take a step back and focus more on her career again.
Now that my children are old enough, I tell them, ‘Dad will take you to school in the morning, Dad will put you to bed,’ she explains. Being home every evening for bedtime, with only a few exceptions, it’s rewarding to step in and channel all the creative energy I had been investing in parenting into this project fully. She continues, “Without being fully committed, I couldn’t pull off this show.
Olson and McElhenney make it a point to consult each other prior to starting a fresh endeavor. While “Sunny” produces films only when everyone involved is available, he also produces Apple TV+’s “Mythic Quest,” stars in it, and has a documentary series on FX called “Welcome to Wrexham” that follows the Welsh soccer team he jointly owns.
He mentioned that they discussed her plans for the upcoming years, and it seemed to him that she poured in a great deal of energy, dedication, and affection into her caregiving position. He felt it was his turn to reciprocate this effort.
McElhenney has been wildly impressed with her ability to transform into Morgan on-screen.
He expresses that during the initial part of the season, there were approximately six to ten distinct instances when it seemed as though I was observing a completely different individual compared to who I thought I knew. This simply highlights her remarkable talent.
In Olson’s view, Morgan’s peculiar style – inspired by a French series and characterized by high heels, faux fur, and an unconventional crime scene setting – played a crucial role in her transformation during filming. Interestingly, during the making of the pilot episode, she specifically requested the makeup artist to refrain from creating the perfect eyeliner look, instead opting for a unique, bold red color.
She comments, “I don’t usually sport high-heels, instead, this specific outfit helps me get into my role better.
In these parts of the script, she finds herself focusing on segments where Morgan delivers numerous facts, which are challenging to remember and offer little room for spontaneous dialogue. Additionally, she aims to portray Morgan’s growing irritation that others aren’t as quick-witted as she is.
She often mentions that her thoughts race ahead of her words, she explains. What she seems to desire is for others to understand, as if to say, “Can’t you all see I’m only expressing half of what I’m thinking? You should be able to grasp the rest on your own.
During the latter part of Season 1, Goddard indicates that viewers will observe how Olson has become comfortable with her character role.
By the end, it’s clear that this character has the capacity to go to incredible depths, and I genuinely believe we haven’t yet fully explored her capabilities.
In the show “Sunny,” I’ve grown so accustomed to Dee that she feels like an extension of myself now.
Television
In simpler terms, the main cast members from ‘Abbott Elementary’ and ‘It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia’ recently talked about the making of an episode where both shows merge, which is set to air on ABC starting January 8th.
During our conversation, it’s worth noting that she recently completed filming the 17th season of “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.” Interestingly, this season features a crossover episode with “Abbott Elementary.” She had a brief break, around three to four days, between finishing “High Potential” at the end of October and starting work on the new “Sunny” series. Fortunately, things seem smooth for her character Dee in this hectic schedule.
“She lives inside of me at all times,” she says. “She’s really made me a better person.”
How has anyone from the notoriously rotten gang at Paddy’s made someone better?
As a movie reviewer, I’d put it this way: “This film has an uncanny ability to make you feel content with your life. It spares you from those late-night ruminations about whether you’re on the right track. Unlike Dee, you seem to have it all figured out.
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2025-01-07 14:31