Mark (Quinto), the eldest, attended Yales divinity school before pivoting to a career in law.
(A semi-autobiographical character for Headland, Evie played by Headlands real-life wife, Rebecca Henderson.)
A complete outsider to the family, she is puzzled by the Dahlsand unafraid to ask blunt questions.
Photo: Joan Marcus
It was so nerve-wracking and I love things that challenge me, she says.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
Vogue: Tell me about how you came toCult of Love.
Chris Lowell, Barbie Ferreira, Roberta Colindrez, Rebecca Henderson, Christopher Sears, Shailene Woodley, Mare Winningham, and David Rasche inCult of Love.
Were you familiar with Leslye Headlands previous work?
Barbie Ferreira:I love Leslye.Russian Doll!
Im gonna try my hand at the stage.
Christopher Sears and Barbie Ferreira inCult of Love.
What were your first impressions when you read the script?
So when I read it, it was so real.
So reading it was absolutely wonderful.
I was blown away.
Shes such a wonderful writer.
I read that growing up, you did some local theater.
What has it felt like to be back on the stage as opposed to screen acting?
Yeah, I was a little theater kid.
This is obviously completely differentthis is Broadway [laughs].
Ive never done anything like this.
Ive never done a professional play.
So for me, it was so nerve wracking.
But I love things that challenge me.
I felt like I was out of my element, and that was really inspiring.
Did you feel mentored by the other actors with more stage experience?
But it was incredible.
I mean, I get to watch Mare Winningham and Zachary Quinto and Molly Bernardits insane.
This play touches on everything from religion to mental illness, addiction, and aging.
During rehearsals, did you end up having conversations about your own relationships to those topics?
I mean, during the rehearsal process, we were working together six days a week.
So we got to really become a familyor a cult of love, I guess.
You dont get a month of rehearsal.
You dont get to workshop the script.
So we got to really explore each others minds and talk.
Its so great because on stage, its really about the acting.
And we actually spent a lot of time together after rehearsalwed all go out.
Thats really important with Leslye.
She kept saying, We are not trying to judge any of these characters.
Bringing humanity to characters that are so flawed and so hateable sometimes and so lovable other times is important.
Trip always says, When in doubt, deepen.
And its really about deepening the experience with each other and with our characters.
Christopher Sears and Barbie Ferreira inCult of Love.
She responds that God has always been pitched to her as a sort of solution to the human condition.
Whats your own relationship with faith?
I grew up kind of Catholic, kind of not.
So what really spoke to me about that scene was that it makes a great case for religion.
Her life could be so much easier, and yet theres a part of her that cant.
We need something bigger than ourselves to function.
Youre originally from New York.
What has it been like being back?
Do you have any favorite things to do when youre not working?
Oh my gosh, this is the first time Ive been back in New York in a substantial way.
So Ive been at my moms house.
Ive been seeing people that Ive been friends with for over 10 years.
We hang out every time I have time off.
Ive been seeing people from high school.
My first drama teacher came to see the play.
Being taken care of in that way has been really amazing.
