Why Carrie Coon Didn’t Watch Frances McDormand, Allison Tolman’s ‘Fargo’ Performances

Carrie Coon revealed that she intentionally avoided watching Frances McDormand and Allison Tolman’s “Fargo” performances after she was cast as Gloria Burgle in Season 3 of the FX series.

In a recent interview with TV Guide, Coon said that that she decided not to revisit McDormand and Tolman’s “Fargo” performances because she thinks that taking a look at their depictions of Marge Gunderson and Molly Solverson will leave her “paralyzed with fear.”

“You know when you take on that part you’re going to be compared to Frances McDormand and Allison Tolman,” Coon said. “Ultimately, I can’t control what people think when they compare me to people like that. I can only come out and do the performance as it is when it comes through me, and trust that [executive producer] Noah [Hawley] has built in enough nuance and change that these characters are not the same. .. So I rely on [Noah], and then you just have to let go and show up and do your own version of that dialect, and let it rip.”

During an appearance on “Entertainment Weekly: The Show” last May, Coon said that the Midwestern dialect of her role, as well as the chunky clothing she wore on set, helped her immensely in getting into character.

“The wonderful thing about being on a show like ‘Fargo’ is you start with the language, which is very specific and already you’re halfway there,” the actress said, when asked about how she prepared for her role as Gloria. “And then you throw on boots the size of living rooms, you know, a puffy coat, a fluffy hat and you’re speaking in that dialogue and already you’re basically changed by just the outside-in part.”

Coon was nominated for outstanding lead actress in a limited series or movie in this year’s Emmy’s for her role as Gloria. Other nominees in the category are Felicity Huffman (“American Crime”), Nicole Kidman (“Big Little Lies”), Jessica Lange (“Feud: Bette and Joan”), Susan Sarandon (“Feud: Bette and Joan”) and Reese Witherspoon (“Big Little Lies”).

The 69th Primetime Emmy Awards ceremony will be held on Sunday, Sept. 17 at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles and will be broadcast by CBS.