There are certain characters on TV shows that we learn little about, and that’s by design. With The Copenhagen Test, St. George is one of them. She’s almost like a myth, but she is very much in charge, and Kathleen Chalfant commands the screen whenever she’s on it.
Chalfant discussed The Copenhagen Test with Show Snob, and we delved into preparing for the role and using her theatrical background to help with getting the right facial expressions, even if you’re not certain you’ll be on the screen at that time.
After all, St. George is supposed to be seen little. If she’s involved in the conversations, something serious has happened. That is the nature of being the boss.
Show Snob: Let’s start with what made you really want the character of St. George.
Kathleen Chalfant: I guess the first thing was the great compliment of being asked to join this cohort, this pantheon of extraordinary women who run all the intelligence agencies in the movies and on the television. It’s a pretty sweel crowd to be a part of, and it was very exciting to see if I could manage that as an actor. It was a wonderful challenge to see how much you could do with how little.
I mean, yes, we see so little, but you are this formidable presence every time you’re on the screen. What was it like to play around with this character to have that presence?
The thing is, it’s so beautifully written. If you do what they say, it will probably work, and in some ways, you have to believe that everybody thinks you’re the Big Hoo-hah. And then, of course, I did get to wear all those gorgeous white suits, and I was the only person, apparently, in the entire world that was dressed in white. That was a help. Our brilliant costume designer, Bernadette Croft, helped me a lot, so sometimes I could just play the suit.
I love that! We rarely see women in power, and with this one, it really is women running the show. Can you tease anything about St. George?
There’s quite a lot to tease, because, first of all, we learn very interesting things about her private life and her past. We learn that she sometimes colors outside the lines.
They always do color outside the lines.
They do, but you think that she’s making the lines and then you find out…[spoilers]
What has it been like working with this amazing cast, both big names and brilliant newbies?
This is one of the best casts I’ve ever worked with, and I’ve been really lucky in my career. I’ve worked with some pretty remarkable people, but these — from the people just beginning the ride to the top, like Sinclair [Daniel] — and Brian [d’Arcy James], whom I’ve known in the theater in New York. Adina Porter, who’s an old friend of mine. I’ve known Adina since she first came to New York, because she came to study with my oldest friend, the brilliant acting teacher, K. Michael Patton.
Every time you walk in, you say, ‘Oh, who do I get to talk to today? Who do I get to play with today?’
I know you come from a theater background, so did that help for St. George?
That’s the thing, we were just talking about Sinclair, who plays Parker. I suspect that this is probably the only spy thriller in history where one of the principal characters is a playwright. That was a great place to start, because I think Thomas Brandon, who is one of the showrunners and creator of the show, was also a playwright.
It’s just that I noticed the little facial expressions, which I suspected came from the theatre background. You’re playing St. George as if the audience can always see her, even if the camera isn’t directly focused on you.
Well, the one thing about the movies and television is that if they can take a picture of it, it happens. They don’t always tell you when they’re going to take a question.
I’ll finish with one last question. How would you describe St. George in three words or phrases?
Woman in charge.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
The Copenhagen Test is available to stream in full on Peacock from Saturday, Dec. 27.