Interview: Anna Gunn Breaking For A NUMBERED DAYS Before A Plethora of Projects

Fountain Theatre will be premiering its four-part podcast NUMBERED DAYS on February 14th. Two-time Emmy winner for Breaking Bad, Anna Gunn stars in this true account of playwright Corey Madden's "numbered days" with her husband, composer Bruno Louchouarn. Corey Madden does double (or triple?) duty directing Anna as herself, as well as Tony Amendola, Jeanne Sakata and Jack Stehlin. This real-life love story is being released appropriately on Valentine's Day.

I got the opportunity to ask a few questions of the ever-busy Anna.

Thank you for taking the time for this interview, Anna!

What first got you involved with NUMBERED DAYS?

I met Corey when she was at Mark Taper Forum in the 1990s and I was playing the female lead in a wonderful play called HYSTERIA directed by Phyllida Lloyd. She was newly appointed Associate Artistic Director at CTG and had a reputation for being creative and smart.

I wasn't so aware of her as a writer, but when my agent told me about this script, I was eager to read it.

I was immediately drawn to this woman's drama - and to the poetry. Lots of plays focus on the patient but it's rare to see it through the perspective of a wife and artist who's coping with her husband and collaborator facing down this beast, cancer. As someone who's dealt with cancer in my family, I related so much to the character.

What would your three-line pitch of NUMBERED DAYS be?

In the midst of their demanding creative careers, Corey Madden learns her husband, the composer Bruno Louchouarn is facing a life-threatening cancer. After initially struggling to cope, Corey begins to write "poems" about the experience on her iPhone. Over their "numbered days" Corey discover how making art helps create a healing path for both her beloved husband and herself.

Did you do some research into the playwright Corey Madden before you agreed to undertake the character of Corey Madden?

I didn't need any convincing to agree to participate in the reading of NUMBERED DAYS or to undertake the role of Corey; I was so blown away by her achingly beautiful script that I jumped at the opportunity.

Once onboard, I did some preliminary research in order to familiarize myself with Corey's body of work before meeting with her via Zoom for the first time. I certainly was aware that she'd been active in L.A.'s theatre scene for many years, but I didn't quite realize what a powerhouse she'd been. She produced 300 new plays at the Taper including ANGELS IN AMERICA, TWILIGHT LA 1992 and JELLY'S LAST JAM.

I learned that she became a writer and director in mid-life - and married Bruno about that time. They made a lot of incredible projects together between 2005-2018. These days, she runs the Monterey Museum of Art, and she continues to write. She's also the director of DeLanna Studi's AND SO WE WALKED: AN ARTIST JOURNEY ALONG THE TRAIL OF TEARS.

Is your portrayal of the character Corey Madden supposed to be identical to the playwright Corey Madden? Or were you given the freedom to give your own take on this role?

I wanted to know as much as I could about Corey's personal journey and to capture as much of her essence as possible in order to embody the role in the most truthful and faithful way. We met via Zoom a few times before rehearsing and recording the play, and I just soaked up all the stories she told and emotions she shared. But Corey made it clear that she never wanted me to do an imitation of her; she gave me complete permission and encouragement to go with my instincts and to make the character my own.

Did you look to the playwright/director whenever you wanted some insight as to how your character would react?

It was give and take... I absorbed what she shared, and then I connected to my own emotional truth. She was super supportive of me throughout. Going into rehearsals, she shared some priceless stories that really helped me get a sense of how special Corey and Bruno's connection and marriage was.

If you were to submit your character Corey Madden on an online dating site, what qualities of hers would you include?

Oh, God! She wrote a great poem about going on (mis) Match. It's not in the play but she shared it with me:

Day 175

This weekend I wander halfheartedly

Scanning crowds for someone to captivate me.

In the Sky Lounge (bourgeois indulgence I admit I love)

My eye skips from one middle-aged man to another

All uniformly burdened by their privilege
And titanium watches.

On (mis) Match it's so much worse,

My scatter pattern of suitable mates is depressingly sparse.

I celebrate the appearance of an artist-architect-professor-from-Mexico

Like Haley's Comet, though his trajectory is as remote and brief.

It's hard to keep faith with Fate

To wander open-hearted

Still I met a stranger who wrote string quartets,

An immigrant, an artist,

A renegade cognitive scientist

Who adored Seinfeld,

And dreamed in three languages.

So, there's room in the universe

For the impossible

And I cherish those who go on searching

Despite the improbability

This may be all we can expect

Of each other

To hold out for the impossible

And improbable

Truth that is love.

What character flaws would you definitely omit?

She says it in the play: she can be intense, or as she puts it, bossy. I never perceived her as bossy though, and I quite like intense people.

What challenges did you find in portraying, not only a living person, but the person who wrote your words and is directing you?

I felt a lot of mutual trust. I just wanted her to honor her words and their story.

When did you record this four-episode podcast?

We recorded the piece just before Thanksgiving.

As he did with Antaeus' ZIP CODE PLAYS, did sound engineer Jeff Gardner bring you your own recording setup to record from your home?

What a joy it was to work with the amazingly gifted and kind Jeff Gardner. He not only brought the recording set-up to my home but helped me set everything up, which was a huge relief as I am not facile in the technical department-to say the least. Once Jeff had set up the equipment, he left me with very clear directions to follow for the actual rehearsal and recording days and, to my surprise, it wasn't so difficult.

Any tentative plans on performing NUMBERED DAYS live on stage?

I'd love to act in the same room with these amazing performers. More will be revealed...

Any tentative plans for Anna Gunn to perform live on stage?

Nothing concrete right now but theatre is what gives me the most joy and fulfillment as an actor, so I hope it won't be too long before I'm back on stage.

What's in the near future for Anna Gunn?

I recently finishing shooting a project with Christoph Waltz which will be released later this year, and also did a juicy recurring role opposite Rose Byrne in the Apple TV+ series Physical. I'm in prep right now to play the lead in an indie film that begins shooting in mid-March. It's a psychological thriller - a first for me - and I'm producing - also a first for me.

Thank you again, Anna! I look forward to hearing your DAYS.

All four episodes of NUMBERED DAYS will be available for $20 at www.FountainTheatre.com, or wherever you get your podcasts, beginning February 14, 2022.

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