As one of Ryan Murphy's go-to actors for his 鈥淎merican Horror Story" franchise, Emma Roberts has been sawed in half, played a ruthless witch and a final girl facing off against a serial killer. Most recently she was a pregnant actor targeted by a cult.
When the opportunity to play a college dropout-turned-NASA trainee in the came along, she jumped at the change in tone.
鈥淭his movie kind of feels nostalgic, kind of early 2000s in a way, but also fresh and fun,鈥� said Roberts in an interview.
Roberts executive produces and stars in the movie premiering Thursday on Prime Video. She's Rex, a young woman who had big dreams growing up of becoming an astronaut but whose adult reality has taken a different path. Rex is working as a bartender when she gets accepted to a NASA trainee program. The movie co-stars Tom Hopper, Poppy Liu of 鈥淗acks鈥� and Gabrielle Union.
The script reminded Roberts of 鈥淧rivate Benjamin鈥� and 鈥淟egally Blonde," and she was excited to play 鈥渢he underestimated female character who ends up surprising people in unexpected ways.鈥�
It was her past work in 鈥淎merican Horror Story鈥� that made writer, director Liz W. Garcia confident that Roberts could play Rex.
鈥淭he genre itself might be horror, but she's always got a wink," said Garcia. 鈥淭his is Hollywood blonde stuff and playing with that archetype. Emma was really into the idea of having a Goldie Hawn moment for herself by leaning into physical comedy and something a little more heightened. She was really, as it turns out, brilliant."
In a Q&A, Roberts spoke more about 鈥淪pace Cadet," and other topics including being a boy mom, producing and her book club. Answers are edited for clarity and brevity.
AP: With box office numbers down and an overall cut in new TV shows, have you noticed it's a rough time getting things going in Hollywood?
ROBERTS: Yeah, I feel like we鈥檙e feeling more so now than we did even last year, which is ironic. Between the strikes and COVID, we鈥檝e just been living in such unprecedented, weird times. I鈥檓 so grateful for the TV show I executive produce, 鈥淭ell Me Lies,鈥� which just wrapped filming its second season. With 鈥淪pace Cadet,鈥� I'm excited to put something out there that I think will make people smile and laugh and hopefully feel a little inspired.
AP: What can you say about Season 2 of The premise is based on a book by Carola Lovering. Does the show stay close to that plot?
ROBERTS: I鈥檓 so excited for people to see Season 2. It鈥檚 more unexpected than people think. Our showrunner, Meaghan Oppenheimer, is incredible. She really took this show to just a new level. With TV shows, it鈥檚 fun, especially in a second season 鈥� to turn everything on its head. I think we definitely did that and I can鈥檛 wait to see people鈥檚 reactions.
AP: You have a young son. Is he into space?
ROBERTS: We love space. Our thing is he gets his pajamas on and then we鈥檒l go outside and look at the stars before he goes to bed, and he's like, "There鈥檚 so many stars." There鈥檚 this childlike wonder about space at any age, but I don鈥檛 hear a lot of young girls saying they want to be astronauts. I would love to hear more young girls, or even just young people in general, say that.
AP: You grew up in a household with your mom and sister. What's it like
ROBERTS: My mom has a sister. I have a sister. Like, we鈥檙e all like sisters, mothers, daughters. There's so many girls around. I was convinced I was having a girl. I was like, 鈥淚 know it. It鈥檚 intuition. I鈥檓 having a girl.鈥� They said it was a boy, and I was like, 鈥淗uh?鈥� but I love it. I鈥檝e definitely had to brush up on my basketball and soccer skills. I was a little rusty, so I鈥檓 trying to dig in. I will say I鈥檝e saved a lot of money on clothes being a boy mom, because you just throw them in whatever. I see little girl stuff and I鈥檓 like, 鈥淥h my God.鈥� I鈥檇 be broke if I had a daughter because everything is so cute.
AP: You recently co-starred with Kim Kardashian in "American Horror Story: Delicate鈥� and she got positive reviews. Were you surprised by her acting skills?
ROBERTS: I was really impressed by her. I鈥檓 still impressed by her. I mean, everything she does is impressive. She鈥檚 a mom. She鈥檚 a businesswoman and now an actress. She also has 鈥淭he Kardashians,鈥� which I watch. My bodysuit under my dress is SKIMS, actually, if we're being honest. I just love her. We're making a show called 鈥淐alabasas鈥� with (鈥淧retty Little Liars鈥� creator) I. Marlene King, and we're all executive producing. We鈥檙e both from Calabasas (California), which is so funny. She鈥檚 so fun. She鈥檚 game for anything, I鈥檓 really excited to get to work on something else with her.
AP: You're one of the regular actors that Ryan Murphy taps for his projects. How does that work?
ROBERTS: It's funny. You never know when he鈥檚 going to ask you to do something 鈥� which I love about him 鈥� and then you see his name pop up on your phone and you鈥檙e like, 鈥極K, what are we doing?鈥� It's always a yes for Ryan. His stuff is always so inspired and the worlds he builds are so singularly his.
AP: You also have As an avid reader, it must feel good to recommend books and engage with followers.
ROBERTS: It's been seven years now, and it's been so amazing to see the community grow. It really makes me so happy when people stop me on the street and they鈥檙e like, 鈥淓mma!鈥� And I think, like, 鈥淲hat are they going to say?鈥� And they鈥檙e like, 鈥淲hat should I read?鈥� I love curating, even for my friends, especially in the summer or when they鈥檙e going on long trips. I鈥檓 like, 鈥淥K, where are you going? What鈥檚 your vibe? How long is the flight? I鈥檓 going to recommend you three books to take.鈥� It brings me so much joy.
AP: Would you ever write a book?
ROBERTS: You know, I would. I've thought about, like, maybe short stories or something. Maybe when I鈥檓 like 70, and don鈥檛 care what people think, I鈥檒l write a memoir (laughs.) Yeah, I would love to do something. I want to write children鈥檚 books. My mom and I have talked about doing that together, and I think that would be really, really fun, especially now that I have a son who loves to read.
AP: In the age of screen time, it's so great that he appreciates books.
ROBERTS: He can read 鈥淕oodnight Moon鈥� cover to cover, and I鈥檓 so proud. My biggest accomplishment thus far is he likes to read. That makes me happy.
Alicia Rancilio, The Associated Press
