IN CONVERSATION WITH CLAUDIA DOUMIT

interview by JANA LETONJA

Actress Claudia Doumit has built a career around characters who are rarely what they first appear to be. After becoming a fan favorite as the formidable Victoria Neuman in The Boys, she enters an especially exciting new chapter spanning horror, dark comedy and science fiction. She now stars in SOULM8TE, Blumhouse’s provocative addition to the M3GAN universe, reimagining the domestic thriller through artificial intelligence, desire and obsession now streaming on Hulu. She also appears alongside Olivia Colman, Sam Neill and Jai Courtney in The Fox in theatres December 4, before joining the second season of Netflix’s 3 Body Problem. 

You have an incredibly diverse slate ahead, from SOULM8TE to The Fox and 3 Body Problem. Does this feel like a particularly transformative moment in your career?
I haven’t really registered it in that way, to be honest. I think it’s hard for a moment to feel transformative when you’re in the thick of it. I probably just feel lucky more than anything. With these projects, I get to immerse myself in completely different worlds and characters, and they all ask something different of me. I think I’m just enjoying the ride.

 SOULM8TE takes the classic domestic thriller and places it within the age of artificial intelligence. What initially fascinated you about the concept?
I love a good thriller. I think that genre doesn’t get a lot of love these days, and Kate has such an affinity for them. It was really exciting to see her inject those elements so well into the film.

 The film explores our desire to manufacture intimacy and connection through technology. Did working on it change the way you think about our increasingly emotional relationship with AI?
I don’t think I came into this film without those concerns, but working on it definitely put them at the forefront of my mind. People already engage with AI for advice, comfort and in some cases, genuine emotional connection. The film just takes that idea to the extreme, but I don’t think the underlying behavior is unfamiliar. In many ways, it’s a cautionary tale about the future of our relationship with evolving technology. 

 There’s something inherently unsettling about the idea of creating a “perfect” partner. What do you think the film ultimately says about perfection, desire and control?
I think we’re living in an age of ‘optimization’. We’re always trying to improve on what we have, trying to find the best version of everything. But in that pursuit, things ultimately feel less real and even less valued. In the pursuit of perfection, we can’t fully enjoy the things we have because we’re always thinking about how it could be better. 

 Horror can be incredibly physical as well as psychological. What was the most challenging aspect of making the film?
Honestly, the most challenging aspect was a scene where my character had to sing karaoke at a bar. Karaoke is my own private hell, and I’m terrified of singing in front of a live audience. If I’m ever doing karaoke in my real life, just know that it’s exposure therapy. 

 You’ve become known for playing women who possess enormous power while also carrying secrets and contradictions. What draws you to morally complicated characters?
I think people are inherently complicated and contradictory, and that’s always fascinated me. Each character is their own puzzle, and the pieces are always different. I just really like finding the pieces. 

Victoria Neuman became one of the most memorable characters in The Boys. What did playing her teach you about yourself as an actor?
Victoria was definitely a lesson in subtlety for me. If you ask anyone who knows me, they’ll tell you I’m not a subtle person. So, I really loved exploring how this woman moved through her world, in her body, her eye movements, how she spoke. All her behaviors had to be quite measured and intricate.

The Fox takes you into Australian black comedy alongside Olivia Colman, Sam Neill and Jai Courtney. What appealed to you about returning to an Australian production?
Honestly, I hadn’t read anything like it. I was in from page one. Dario had painted such a peculiar, wild and absurd world, but it also felt so unmistakably Australian. And it had puppets. It scratched my brain in a way that I couldn’t really explain and I loved it.

You’re also entering the universe of 3 Body Problem, a series operating on an enormous conceptual scale. What excited you about joining that world?
I’ve always had an affinity for anything sci-fi. It was probably the thing I watched and read most as a kid. So, to directly step into one of those worlds is really exciting. Especially with Dan, David and Alex at the helm. 

Fashion can offer another way of constructing, or revealing, identity. What role does personal style play in how you express yourself away from a character?
It’s a nice way to get back in my body again. Sometimes on a job, I’ll be wearing the same few outfits and hairstyle that feel nothing like me for months on end, so exploring my personal style is a good way to exit the character and find my way back to myself.

At this stage of your career, what makes you immediately say yes to a script: the character, the filmmaker, the story, or simply an instinct you can’t explain?
The script itself is always the thing. I think good writing will always attract all the other players to the project. 

Looking ahead, what kind of woman, or character, are you most interested in exploring next?
The non-specific answer is comedy. The specific answer is Joe Pesci in Goodfellas. 

TEAM CREDITS:
photography SYDNEY LEWIS
hair and makeup MARY ZAVAGLIA