OF: Of the roles you’ve played, which character have you felt the most affinity
with?
RM: Affinity is complicated. And I don’t know that I protect characters or appreciate one
more than another. I like to interrogate them. The most compelling ones are the ones
to me that are magnetic and unraveling simultaneously. I’m drawn to outsiders,
individuals who are negotiating perception versus truth. People who can sometimes
wear these immaculate surfaces while something trembles underneath. And that happens to be, I believe, a consistent theme in my work. Do I have an affinity with
one? I mean, Elliot Alderson [Mr Robot] changed my life irrevocably in a way that I
am so grateful for. I learned a lot about humanity through that character. And it
definitely strengthened my resolve to seek justice in the world from a lens, from his
particular lens that I think also spoke to so many people. And then you can’t remove
Freddie from the equation of course. There’s not a day that goes by where I don’t
hear that person’s name yelled down the street. So, when we say play the hits, those
would be at the top. And here, the Spanish have an affinity for both. But yeah,
anonymity is definitely not easy in Spain. It’s funny, the countries where you can feel
the appreciation in a more aggressive fashion, which is something I’m appreciating
more and more as I get older. If there’s any moment of having a low in life, you just
look and remind yourself that something may have changed, something you did may
have altered someone’s perspective for a moment, a day, a period in time. And there’s
something we do, we’re not curing cancer, but there is something to hang your hat on
with this job when you get it right.
OF: Speaking of anonymity, you have an identical twin brother, Obviously,
being stopped and heckled in the street must get annoying, but it must be
even more annoying if you are not the guy. Does your brother get
mistaken for you the whole time?
RM: He used to. It was definitely not easy on him, but I think God bless him because he’s
really kept me grounded through all of this. There’s someone who’s been walking
around with very similar bone structure and who has an entirely different path – he’s
a teacher, one of the most honorable professions. But it’s always a daily reminder to
me that identity is somewhat constructed, almost curated. So, at times it’s been
invaluable to have that awareness when you’re dissolving into someone else for
months at a time. And then when you are done with that, it’s invaluable to come back
and look that person in the eye and have ’em tell you, “Hey, sit your ass down and
help me switch out this tire.” Or “Let’s lift this.” Doing that the other day, moving
things, it was just something that immediately reverted back to our childhood. It
keeps me very grounded. And if ever I think I’m doing anything extraordinary, I get
to look that person in the eye and appreciate what he’s doing.
OF: Tell me about your relationship to Paris.
RM: You know, being in London a lot means I get to go to Paris quite often. I always find
myself seduced by Paris. The culture, the precision of the Parisians. Nothing is
accidental. Speaking of fashion, I always feel like I have to step it up there. I think I
do fairly well in London. There’s actually something about going back to Los Angeles
where I’m like, what is it with you? Why are you dumbing it down when you get back
to the States? There’s something about entering Paris and the elegance of a woman
who can walk down cobblestone streets in heels and just do it so immaculately, with
perfect posture. It’s the line of the jacket, the choice of the shoe. And it’s the attitude.
It’s quieter, but sharper, and it’s just magnetic. There’s also something quite erotic
about it, in a way. The supreme elegance is enticing.