Alison Oliver – The Space Within

BEANIE STOLPER: Hi Alison, let’s dive in with your new crime series Task. You play Lizzie whom we meet in a very specific blue-collar Pennsylvania setting shrouded in buried tension and grief. What was your entry point into her character, external textures or the internal contradictions?

ALISON OLIVER: When I first read the episode, Lizzie really jumped out at me. She’s disruptive but unaware of how disruptive she is, which I found funny but also felt a deep soreness beneath that and an isolation. We imagined she was an aimless kid, with little family support, maybe with an uncle in the police who nudged her into the career. She’s a state trooper, but probably not great at it, mostly stuck doing paperwork. When she’s brought onto Task, it’s way out of her depth. That defensiveness and isolation felt very real, especially since she’s just been through a breakup and isn’t in a great place emotionally. Her response is defence.

BS: Brad Inglesby, creator and writer, said the key to Task was getting the small stuff right, and the subtle realism and granular detail make characters tangible. Do you think it’s hard to nail those subtleties? To master unspoken details, we may never see on camera?

AO: Absolutely! Once you build a backstory, you just have to trust it will surface naturally in performance. Your character’s upbringing shapes how they respond to everything. Brad’s writing really helps, he makes all characters fundamentally good people, even flawed ones. Watching all the episodes, I felt for all of them, even the tough ones like Jason. It’s a key theme in his writing: flawed but grounded people who, beneath the surface,

Pauline Dujancourt cardigan, top, skirt & tights, Cartier bracelet & ring

16Arlington dress, Cartier bracelets

BS: That’s interesting, especially since you also starred in Saltburn. The characters there and in Task are on the surface different, but both are flawed, and on a deeper level are actually really lovely people.

AO: Yes, that’s so interesting, I hadn’t actually thought about that. People are complex and often wear masks to protect themselves. I’m drawn to characters pretending in some way, there’s always something underneath that’s the real story.

BS: You also starred in The Other Place at the National Theatre, which has such gravitas. They are both about the intricacies of family dynamics, quite dysfunctional ones and it got me thinking about how theatre versus film shapes your work. What did theatre give you that film couldn’t when exploring this theme? Discipline? Surrender?

AO: The Other Place was a really unique process. Our director Alexander Zeldin worked very collaboratively, we improvised a lot, building characters together from scratch. He has a draft of the script but nothing was locked. The script evolved with us; some of my own words made it in, it gave me huge ownership of the role.

BS: It’s the opposite of film, multiple takes but fixed once cut!

AO: Exactly. Theatre is alive, changing every night, especially during previews when we tried different endings. It’s adrenaline-charged and terrifying, but the chance to experiment in front of an audience is amazing. Once the show locked on opening night, it was set, but theatre’s magic is in that emotional variability every night. I love that about theatre, you can keep trying again.

BS: You described auditions as “doing the job” rather than focusing on getting it. That feels very pragmatic. When you pick roles, is it more intuitive or strategic?

AO: Mostly intuitive. Acting is unpredictable, you never know when things come your way. I believe parts come when you’re ready for them. I go on instinct and choose roles that excite me and tug at my heartstrings rather than anything strategic. Instinct is all you really have.

Ami coat, Contemporary Wardrobe top & shorts, Louis Vuitton shoes, Falke tights, Cartier earrings & rings

BS: That’s interesting, especially since you also starred in Saltburn. The characters there and in Task are on the surface different, but both are flawed, and on a deeper level are actually really lovely people.

AO: Yes, that’s so interesting, I hadn’t actually thought about that. People are complex and often wear masks to protect themselves. I’m drawn to characters pretending in some way, there’s always something underneath that’s the real story.

BS: You also starred in The Other Place at the National Theatre, which has such gravitas. They are both about the intricacies of family dynamics, quite dysfunctional ones and it got me thinking about how theatre versus film shapes your work. What did theatre give you that film couldn’t when exploring this theme? Discipline? Surrender?

AO: The Other Place was a really unique process. Our director Alexander Zeldin worked very collaboratively, we improvised a lot, building characters together from scratch. He has a draft of the script but nothing was locked. The script evolved with us; some of my own words made it in, it gave me huge ownership of the role.

BS: It’s the opposite of film, multiple takes but fixed once cut!

AO: Exactly. Theatre is alive, changing every night, especially during previews when we tried different endings. It’s adrenaline-charged and terrifying, but the chance to experiment in front of an audience is amazing. Once the show locked on opening night, it was set, but theatre’s magic is in that emotional variability every night. I love that about theatre, you can keep trying again.

BS: You described auditions as “doing the job” rather than focusing on getting it. That feels very pragmatic. When you pick roles, is it more intuitive or strategic?

AO: Mostly intuitive. Acting is unpredictable, you never know when things come your way. I believe parts come when you’re ready for them. I go on instinct and choose roles that excite me and tug at my heartstrings rather than anything strategic. Instinct is all you really have.

Magda Butrym jacket & top, Cartier bracelet & ring

Gucci bodysuit, skirt & shoes, Cartier earrings & ring

Magda Butrym jacket, top & shorts, Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello shoes, Calzedonia tights, Cartier bracelet & ring