The Scribbler: Katie Cassidy on Fighting for the Role

It was nearly two years ago that I visited the set of The Scribbler at Linda Vista Hospital in Los Angeles. Katie Cassidy was just about to begin filming “Arrow” after shooting the pilot. That’s how long it takes with indie films, and XLrator Media is releasing The Scribbler in theaters, VOD and iTunes on September 19. Based on the Dan Schaffer graphic novel, The Scribbler stars Cassidy as Suki, a woman with multiple personalities being interrogated about deaths at the halfway house in which she now lives. Suki’s story reveals a process known as the Siamese Burn which attempts to remove her alters, and one alter who uses Suki’s body to scribble messages backwards all over the wall. On the set, Cassidy was dressed in a skeleton costume which she wears for the second half of the movie, and took her lip ring out in between takes. 

Related: CraveOnline Visits the Set of ‘The Scribber’

CraveOnline: I was wondering if you would have the lip piercing from the comic book, and you do. So you take it in and out in between takes?

Katie Cassidy: I do, because if you’ll notice, I started to get a little scab. 

Are you tempted to fiddle with it?

Yeah, it’s actually become a habit, I think as a character and then me also in general. Off set, I’ll look for it and it’s not there.

Did you go after this film?

I did.

How did you hear about The Scribbler and how did you fight for it?

I read the script and fell in love with it, the character. I’d been looking to play a character like this for a while, so I called my agents, had a meeting with the director and producers. Prior to going to the meeting, prepping for it I obviously read up about Dissociative Identity Disorder and came in with my ideas and thoughts specifically on different scenes, on this character, on what I thought the character should look like, what I would do, actually sat down with somebody who had a multiple personality and just observe and learn as much as I possibly can. They were obviously impressed with my presentation on it and I got the offer.

When you say you were looking for a character like this for a while, what do you mean “a character like this?”

I think maybe just something you’re not expecting me to do, that I haven’t done. Something a lot more challenging, something different from who I am, what I look like. Something that I can actually really just take on and get to learn as much as possible. This character has been wild but so much fun, and it was really challenging. I think it was the challenge I was craving.

When you got into acting, was it to really immerse yourself and transform into very different characters?

Well, I started in theater when I was younger in school and then it evolved into that, yes. At first it was more fun and then I think the more I started studying and the more I started learning, the more passionate I became, the more it turned into I want to be able to transform and play different characters. I want to do everything. I feel like you grow as an artist. I certainly think that’s happened.

Was there some frustration in success, because then you’d get asked to play similar things again? 

Yeah, I feel like everyone has to deal with that at certain times, and I’m very happy and proud of the stuff I’ve gotten the opportunity to do so far in my career, but I feel like again as an artist, you get to a point where you need to feel passionate and you need to feel creative and you need to feel drive. This project brought up all of that for me.

Do you feel that way about “Arrow” also?

Yes, I think that’s amazing. I’m so excited to do it. I really wanted to do action, fun, a kick-ass character. Not only is Laurel that but she is also full of heart and very grounded in reality, very real, very sweet, very different than I think we see as Suki. They could not be more opposite. 

Did you then go back and read the graphic novel The Scribbler after you fell in love with the script?

I did. I actually had it in an e-mail format but then I actually got a hard copy. It was great. I think the writer is wonderful. I think it’s awesome. 

How many different characters do you get to play in The Scribbler?

We know of seven. You actually see three. The other four you hear as voiceovers. So I guess you’ll see three and hear four.

Which are your favorite alters to portray?

Probably the three that I get to portray. It’s probably Scarlett. I named one of them Scarlett, The Scribbler and Suki. Those are the three I’ve been experimenting and playing with most. 

Suki has a 170 IQ, is that right?

Yes, she’s extremely bright. Somebody who has multiple personality disorder, was able to split, or it’s actually called Dissociative Identity Disorder, but normally they are incredibly smart and intelligent.

How do you take on that aspect of Suki?

I think just reading and research as much as possible and trying to legitimize as much as you possibly can to serve the character.

What kind of challenge is it when you’re playing a character who doesn’t know or remember something, and you as Katie do know?

It’s just as challenging as any other aspects would be, but at the same time, when you’re so in it, I feel like subconsciously it just happens without you really having to try necessarily as hard.

How much do you get to physically scribble?

I’ve scribbled a lot. I actually practiced writing backwards with my left hand a lot before we started the movie. When you see me in the insane asylum and in that padded cell, I did a lot of the scribbles on the walls in there which was cool.

Are you actually left handed?

No. 

So not only did you learn backwards writing, but you were learning another hand?

Yes.

Fred Topel is a staff writer at CraveOnline and the man behind Best Episode Ever and The Shelf Space Awards. Follow him on Twitter at @FredTopel.