EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: 'The Leftovers' Star Amanda Warren Talks Mayor Lucy Warburton, Mapleton's Shining Light In HBO's Dark Summer Drama

In the first episodes of HBO's new series The Leftovers, fans were introduced to a bizarre incident that changed how the world -and more specifically the town of Mapleton - lives each day since. Who can the people look up to? The answer is Mayor Lucy Warburton. The Guilty Remnant has Patti; Holy Wayne leads his own flock; and the people trying to stay as normal as possible have the Mayor to follow.

Just by watching the series, we've learned that such an intriguing concept for a show has attracted some of the best talent around for so many reasons. That said, we were delighted when actress Amanda Warren spoke with us this week about her love for the series and her adoration of her character.

What attracted you to this project and your character, Mayor Lucy Warburton?

What attracted me to the show was the pilot episode - reading it and being so excited about it because I really hadn't seen anything like it on TV. It seemed like such monumental subject matter to take on.

So when I read it the first thing I thought was how do we go about this? How are we, as a television family, going to do this? I always think about that even when it's just at the status of being a pilot.

And they did it! They were able the do it and what was funny was that I saw the finished project of the pilot exactly how I imagined it!

For me as an actor, when you sign on for things like this, the main thing is that you're signing on to trust the creative team, the ensemble that's been assembled, and the crew. So we were in very good hands. With someone like [executive producer and director of the first two episodes] Pete Berg, you just know that you're going to be taken care of and that these people have really taken the time in pre-production - before they even knew who they were going to cast - that's it's all going to be in really safe, capable hands.

Regarding Lucy Warburton, I was just so moved by her. I wasn't necessarily excited, but I think that was a good thing. I don't think there's a lot to be excited about in the humanity of this story besides just telling it. These people have gone through so much and to try to think about how you're going to take on the character, you're really making choices that you never really think about in everyday life.

It was just very interesting. It was a challenge that any actor would embrace, and I did the same. I got really excited when I talked with Damon [Lindelof] about the characters - about how they were going to work.

 

What was it like being cast as an original main character unique to the show as opposed to the book?

I made the choice (because you cannot unread something) to not read the book. When Damon and I met he said, "Well I'm glad you didn't read the book because you won't find your character!"

Then he explained Justin [Theroux's] role in the book was actually as the mayor of Mapleton and then reading other interviews that he and Tom had done, it makes sense why they switched Kevin's role in the town from Mayor to Police Chief because he is more in the action.

There is a freedom in knowing the character was not in the book. I really felt like I wouldn't over think anything, or refer to anything in the book. You don't want to over think; you want to just stick with what you've been given.

These episodic scripts, these teleplays are more my vital source ... my bible, if you will (no pun intended) to really stick with what's going on in the adaptation.

It's just very interesting that they kept the mayor in the mix and also to see how she ties into Kevin's life with her relationship with Scott Glenn's character, Kevin Garvey Sr.

 

Considering Lucy's relationship with Kevin Garvey Sr., how would you describe her relationship with Justin Theroux's character - not so much professionally, but on a more personal level?

On a personal level I think it very much has to do with his father, Senior - as we've nicknamed him while filming. Senior is a big reason why she has Justin's character around because I think that his father, for whatever reasons - if it's the voices in his head (and this is just pure assumption on my part) ... that there's a commitment and a deep loyalty that she has with Senior.

My thought is that she's doing this because she's able to understand his son better than what Senior is trying to explain what he's going through, and has this extra information. So I think her patience with Kevin comes from what her boyfriend, who happens to be Kevin's father, is telling her.

How would you describe the Mayor's relationship with the people of Mapleton, and vice versa?

I think that she's very charming and very savvy, and I think in politics that really helps. The monumental difference with her and what's happening now, without the sudden departure happening, is that she's a committed public servant. I think that helped to have that kind of support system after what the world - and the town of Mapleton - has gone through.

She is definitely a light. As hard as she can be with her beliefs and how persistent she can be with sticking to them, I think it helps. Everyone at some point needs to move on and I think that they can respect that.

I looked up her name. That's one thing I like to do before going in for a read - doing research once I actually have been granted the role - is to look up people's names. You may or may not know this but "Lucy" is the meaning of light.

Very often she can be quite determined and in contention with Kevin Garvey most of the time, but what I think is is this light that she's trying to shed on other people to get out of the darkness with what they've been through for three years.

The struggle for her internally, I'm that the sudden departure has affected her in a way that we don't know yet and hopefully that will be revealed later on.

What can we look forward to from Mayor Warburton as the season continues?

What I think you can expect is seeing her continue to try to work with Kevin and other than that - because I love my job and I signed a contract I'm not going to say much more!

I think it's safe enough to say that you will continue to see moments of contention, but you'll see them trying harder to work together for the sake of the town. These are two very passionate people who care a lot about the event that had happened but who are also really struggling internally and share a love for one person - Kevin Garvey Sr. - that's trying to keep their working relationship alive. So hopefully they'll be able to work on the personal one at some point.

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