Mickey Sumner

She plays Bess Till, a Brakemanturned-Train Detective, who finds herself at the center of a series of murders on the train. The actress has always shown her range and ability to mold into any role throughout her career, and here her talents are on full display again. Mickey doesn’t reject her celebrity status, but also finds advantages to being able to fly a bit under the radar and morph into different characters. She talks about the effects of the infamous “fame monster” and how she’s had the benefit of seeing fame first hand from such a young age, which has given her a unique perspective. Growing up in a household with famous parents isn’t always easy, but Mickey acknowledges and has learned from the privilege that comes with it as well. The actress gets personal with us about her struggles with anxiety, an issue that many of us deal with, but also has some fun discussing which fandom characters she’d like to be able to play. Galaxy is able to lend a helping hand as well... S Mickey Sumner/Snowpiercer/TNT/Warner Media/Lindsey Byrnes/David Bukach/TNT/Michael Muller/TNT |april 202160 I

SPOILER: What’s your experience been like on Snowpiercer? MICKEY SUMNER: I’ve been working on the show for the last three years, so it feels like a big life journey for me, coming up to Vancouver and shooting. The show is an epic production with such an amazing cast, and then I get to play Bess Till, who has this transformation throughout season 1, and then we meet her in season 2 and she’s been promoted to a train detective. And it’s just action, action, action.

SPOILER: Snowpiercer is a very badass show and on my top 3 list of TV shows right now. How is it working with such a great cast? MICKEY SUMNER: Coming to set every day feels like coming home at this point. They’re my family. We have a really close bond, which isn’t true for every production. But there’s really something special between all of us. It’s great coming to work and feeling like you’re just hangin out with your friends and just making amazing art. Getting to come back to play Bess Till and putting on new costumes, sometimes it’s hard to call it work. It feels like such a privilege; such fun.

SPOILER: Do you have to get into a certain mindset to play the Train Detective or is it very natural for you? MICKEY SUMNER: I think in all characters I play there are elements of myself that shine through. Especially this season, Bess is going through some pretty intense mental health issues. She’s struggling through the revolution they just went through, and trying to fit into the new structure underneath latent leadership, and I think she very much has PTSD and anxiety, searching for who she is now without this uniform. I think there are a lot of interesting aspects that I relate to. I also suffer from anxiety, so those aspects are very good to work with and put it into my art as opposed to my daily life.

SPOILER: Do you ever get into your own head on set? MICKEY SUMNER: Yeah, there’s a lot of credible talent on set, and there’s definitely times I have to go, “Get it together, don’t mess this up.” I think my scenes with Jennifer [Connelly], I definitely get in my

head because she’s such an amazing professional actor, and I always find myself wanting to do my best with her. She’s awesome. Sometimes the stunt scenes, I really want to make sure I get them right and I put a lot of pressure on myself to get things right, but I’m also surrounded by a really supportive cast and crew. So now three years in, there’s less stress and it feels more relaxed.

SPOILER: How did you first hear about Snowpiercer? Did you hunt for this series or did it just fall into your lap? MICKEY SUMNER: Actually an audition came through and it didn’t have a title. I don’t think there was even a reference to the train. Just a little bit of a breakdown of the character. I knew it was a show and that it was a little bit sci-fi. But it was very mysterious [laughs]. And those auditions do come in where there’s very little information, and those are the ones you kinda get interested about. I actually auditioned multiple times for Till, and eventually got to the stage where they brought me in to chemistry read with Daveed [Diggs], and thank God we had good chemistry [laughs]. Then they gave me the job, but it was a process for sure. O SPOILER: How does it feel being in these huge scenes on these grandiose sets? MICKEY SUMNER: I think it feels sometimes like I have to pinch myself that I get to do this and get paid for it. To be surrounded by people who I admire and respect and make me a better actor—being around Alison Wright who plays Ruth, I learn from her every single scene. She’s so amazing and she’s so funny. I’m very grateful for this job. The sets are really magnificent—the mechanics of the sets and the set dressings and details that everyone puts into them. It can be overwhelming, but it’s really just a fun job. SPOILER: You were made for this character, but did you ever audition for a different character early on? MICKEY SUMNER: I didn’t because there weren’t any other options for me [laughs]. But it’s hard to imagine being anyone else at this point. Till is a part of me and I’m a part of Till. We sort of created her with the showrunner and the directors and the cast, you’re morphed and made by each other. And that’s why I love acting so much. |april 202162 I Sometimes I get jealous of Lena Hall’s costumes. Every single scene she has a different costume and different hairstyle and different makeup, and I’m like, “Gah! Lena! Enough!” Because I only get one costume for a whole season [laughs]. I’m like, “Can I get some diamonds on my face??” But I’m pretty happy with Till.

SPOILER: Where’s your accent from? MICKEY SUMNER: I was born in England and was raised between England and America. When I was 20, I went to college in New York City, and I stayed there and never went back. It’s been quite a long time that I’ve been in America, hence my really weird, effed-up accent [laughs].

SPOILER: What made you want to get into the world of acting? MICKEY SUMNER: I was in art school actually. I was in college for painting and sculpture, and I sorta fell into this crowd of friends who were at NYU and Bard, and they were all in the film program, making short films for the school. And at some point someone was like, “Hey, I need an actress. We just lost our actress. Can you help?” And I was like, “Yes!” And I got hooked that way. One of my first short films was working with the Safdie brothers, who have become very successful in their own right. By the time I graduated art school I had just decided that painting in my studio wasn’t as satisfying to me as working on a film set. I went to acting classes at night during my degree, and then I graduated and dropped the paint brush [laughs], and I’ve been hustling since then.

SPOILER: Do you think the actor’s hustle will always be in you no matter what? MICKEY SUMNER: Yes, definitely. The hustle is always there. I was speaking to a friend of mine, who’s a very established actress, and she was talking about an audition, and I was like, “Oh my God, you still audition??” But I think I have a very different opinion about auditioning now. I used to get upset when I didn’t get a role, but now I feel like auditioning is like dating: You’re not gonna fall in love with everyone, and not everyone is gonna fall in love with you. It’s really about the right person and the right time. And I really feel that way about acting. There’s a role for you, and clearly you’re not going to be right for everything, but the one you are right for is like a match made in Heaven. That shift in my perspective in auditioning really helps me, because getting rejected sucks. But now it doesn’t feel like rejection so much. You’re just looking for “the one.”

SPOILER: I don’t know if fans know this, but your father is Sting. How was it growing up in a household with a legendary rock star? MICKEY SUMNER: I have nothing to compare it to. It was my reality and my normal. I was hyper-aware that it was not typical of other families and of how privileged I was and what I had. I think my parents were very careful and constantly reminding us that we had a lot and we were given a lot of opportunities, and we still had to work for everything we wanted. Obviously there are things that come with privilege, but they definitely pushed us to work hard and go to school. My parents both have very high and powerful work ethic and they instilled that in all of us.

SPOILER: Your dad’s amazing, but your mother, Trudie Styler, is phenomenal. MICKEY SUMNER: My mom is a Renaissance woman: actress, producer, winemaker, the list goes on and on.

SPOILER: I didn’t want to start this interview with name-dropping your

Rmickey sumner parents because you’re very talented in your own right and that’s what’s most important. MICKEY SUMNER: Thank you. I appreciate you seeing me that way. I never wanted to get by on who my parents were. I found that really embarrassing. I believe that I find satisfaction when I know that I’m doing something because I’m actually good at it, and I hate the idea of anyone giving me anything because of my dad. Also as an actor I’m really interested in sinking into roles and not becoming a celebrity, because that can really affect how people see you on screen. I just like to slip into characters and be unrecognizable, and have a private life and be a chameleon. I know [that celebrity] is very much part of the job, and I’m on Instagram and do the red carpets, but I’m very much scared of the fame monster aspect [laughs]. SPOILER: What scares you about it? MICKEY SUMNER: I just really value my privacy. I’ve seen how it can affect people and how it can ruin people. It’s a monster. You can use it, but you can also be used by it. You have to tread a fine line between those things, and I’ve been navigating it since I was a kid. It was a privilege to have that perspective and not be thrown into it later in life. SPOILER: You’re a down-to-earth person. I want all of our readers to know that. We invited you on our talk show and you were like, “Yes!” We appreciate how easy going you have been during this entire process. MICKEY SUMNER: I was excited! I love Comic Con and I love the fans. I think that’s the greatest joy of doing the show and being on TV each week—you see how invested people become in the story and my character, and that’s why we do this. We do this to tell stories and to entertain people and help them see themselves in a different way. It’s so important. So it’s a pleasure to be interviewed for the magazine.

SPOILER: From when you started acting in college, how long did it take you until you felt like you finally made it. MICKEY SUMNER: I don’t think I’ve ever felt that way [laughs]. I’m always like, “This might be my last job.” Especially on a TV show, you’re waiting for them to review you. So it feels very unstable a lot of the time. I’ve never sat back and went, “Okay, I’ve made it!” Also, I don’t have that nature. I’m always striving for more, which sometimes is not great, but that’s just part of my workaholic nature. Anyone out there suffering from anxiety, I see you and I love you—it’s an ongoing struggle for me, but I recognize it and get help for it.

SPOILER: What worries you the most? MICKEY SUMNER: I think it’s more of an existential crisis, like the end of the world. We’re also living through unprecedented times with the pandemic, and it’s very human to normalize everything, but this is not normal. And I think it’s good to sometimes be vulnerable, especially in crafts like this where we’re supposed to be very upbeat and positive. There’s a lot to be anxious about, but I’m just trying to keep it real [laughs].

SPOILER: If your kids said, “Mom, I want to be an actor,” what would you tell them? MICKEY SUMNER: I would have to repeat what my parents told me: “Okay, you wanna be an actor? Go to acting class, get an agent. You have to work for it.” I am a mom, I have a 4-year-old, and whatever he wants to do in life, it’s my job to hold him and support him, and instill a sense of work ethic and self-esteem, and then tell him, “Go get it, baby!” If my kid wanted to be a window cleaner, I would tell him to go do it; do anything as long as you’re not hurting anyone.

SPOILER: What advice would you give someone starting out in acting? MICKEY SUMNER: I think right now, and I wish I had done it when I started acting, that writing and creating your own content for yourself is very easy to do. When I started out, there was no

SPOILER: Do you think the pandemic stunt your ability to be on more projects? MICKEY SUMNER: I feel very lucky that I’ve actually been filming. We finished season 2 during the pandemic. We started in March when everything got bad, but then came back in October to finish the season. So I got to hang out with my kid and be a full-time mom, and then I got to finish working. And then I directed my own short, so I don’t know how it would have been if I didn’t have Snowpiercer. It might’ve been very different. But I’ve had a lot of actor friends who are still auditioning. The entertainment industry managed to somewhat keep going. People need things to watch when they’re in a global pandemic [laughs].

iPhone or making movies on your phone. It was a different generation. I also didn’t have the confidence in myself about writing, and I’m just starting to get into writing. But as an actor, you’re so much in the mercy of casting directors and producers and directors—there’s not a lot of control. But if you’re creative and an actor and have a story to tell, make your own stuff. The technology is extremely accessible. And you’re not waiting around for other people to tell you that you’re talented. That’s the struggle with acting, that there’s a lack of control. SPOILER: So aside from acting you’re N right now, and I really had fun making that and being part of editing and music and learning all the other aspects of filmmaking. I’m loving it. SPOILER: If you could work with any director or on any show right now, who or what would it be? MICKEY SUMNER: That’s a very difficult question, but right now I’m obsessed with Bridgerton [laughs]. I’m obsessed! I’m English, put me on Bridgerton season 2! It’s a bit of a departure from Snowpiercer, but I could absolutely do it. Just wig me out to hide my shaved hair and let’s do this [laughs]. I’m also a massive SPOILER: What’s the name of your short? MICKEY SUMNER: It’s called I’m Listening. It’s about a woman and her child during lockdown. And the mother starts up an unlikely relationship with Siri. Siri is actually voiced by my sister. My mom is also in it. My husband did sound and catering [laughs]. It was a total family affair. It’s actually part of a series that my mother is producing for her production company, with multiple short films by different actors. So I’m honored to be part of that group. SPOILER: Was there a lot of bickering during the project? MICKEY SUMNER: My mom was in Europe and my sister was in London, and I haven’t seen my family since January 2020. It’s crazy. I really miss them. But we did everything via FaceTime and email. It was all digital. My mom directed me in her movie, and now I got to direct her. She took direction well because she’s a very good actor. SPOILER: Do you think if this pandemic happened in the ‘80s when there wasn’t streaming and iPhones, it would have been much harder to also a writer? Star Wars fan and would love to deal with? MICKEY SUMNER: I am writing. And be on Star Wars. I’m loving all the MICKEY SUMNER: It’s hard to I actually directed a movie that I action I’m doing on Snowpiercer, so imagine how we would have felt starred in with my son in quarantine anything where I can run around and without that knowledge of those last summer, up here in British do some punching and kicking and technologies, but I’ve really been Columbia. I’m in post-production falling, that would be fun. saved by FaceTime. I spend a lot of

time on FaceTime with my family, and my son gets to hang out with his cousins and grandparents, and that face-to-face aspect is so vital. It feels less awful when you see people’s faces. I put my phone down in the kitchen when I’m cooking and talk to my sister and it almost feels like we’re in the same room. But thank God for this technology that allows us to stay in touch and keep working. It’s coming up on a year that we’ve been in this pandemic and I see the light with vaccines and it seems like maybe it’s going to be better soon. I send my love to everyone else who’s dealing with the same thing.

SPOILER: Do you ever watch and critique yourself after the show airs? MICKEY SUMNER: I do find it difficult sometimes to watch myself. If I’m doing a tape for an audition I watch everything so that I can adjust things, but once things are made and edited, I definitely have to psych myself out to watch myself. Not because I’m highly critical of myself, but it’s different for every project. But with Snowpiercer I like watching it in real time with the audience, there’s something really fun about that.

SPOILER: Marvel or DC? MICKEY SUMNER: Oh my God, why do I have to pick one?? I’m really enjoying WandaVison right now, so I’m gonna go with Marvel. But then I love DC stuff too. It’s a really hard question, I can’t pick. SPOILER: What character do you see yourself as? MICKEY SUMNER: No, I want you to answer that question.

SPOILER: In my Marvel Handbook that I keep on my desk, there are a thousand characters inside, and you fit about 30 or 40 of those characters perfectly. These are characters that haven’t come out yet in film or TV. MICKEY SUMNER: Thank you. Well, I do have one dream. If they ever do a remake of Conan, I think the character of Valeria would be a great character for me. I’m looking at her costume right now and I’m like, “Come on…” That silver, sort of bikini thing, and the helmet, and she carries a sword. She’s just the most badass character to me.

SPOILER: You can be anyone you like. There’s She-Ra, there’s Dazzler, there’s Invisible Woman—you fit all of them. MICKEY SUMNER: Let me see Dazzler… [looks up picture on phone] Oh, Dazzler! Done!

SPOILER: Well maybe someone out there will read this and make it happen! Moving on from the Hollywood stuff, let’s close this out with a nice classic question of mine: Do you believe in the paranormal?

MICKEY SUMNER: Oh yes, 100%! I grew up in a really haunted house. I had a couple super ghosty, interesting experiences. So I definitely believe in paranormal activity. I never met a bad ghost, but that doesn’t mean I wasn’t scared [laughs]. I think I definitely feel energy without feeling too woo-woo, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t have those experiences.