Elizabeth Olsen on ‘Love & Death’ Sex Scenes and Taking a Marvel Break: ‘I Don’t Miss It’

Elizabeth Olsen calls herself an unemployed actor even after playing Scarlet Witch in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and her latest role as Candy Montgomery in the HBO miniseries Love Death.

I dont want to work for works sake, she tells Variety. I dont know how to half-ass stuff, so I have to love something a lot. And there are things I love, and its tough to raise money for them.

Olsen, 34, has multiple projects she wants to make with some unnamed first-time narrative directors but is finding it difficult to secure the financing that would allow them to have creative control. So, while she continues navigating Hollywoods grounds during an unsteady economic time and a possible writers strike, she says shes enjoying this break after working three years straight with Marvel (including two years of shooting and one year of promotion). I dont miss it, she says.

However, she may or may not have given a sign that something could be coming with her in the future of the MCU. The signal comes after being asked to blink twice if she had anything with the superhero franchise on her docket. You can watch the video and judge for yourself.

On this video episode of the award-winning Variety Awards Circuit Podcast (listen or watch above, or subscribe wherever you download podcasts), Emmy-nominee Elizabeth Olsen discusses her new role in HBOs limited series Love Death. She shares the hunger she had to take on the murderous and feminine part of Candy Montgomery while sharing her experience in the industry on the heels of a possible writers strike.

Also on this episode, Succession star Kieran Culkin, who plays the sarcastic Roman Roy on the HBO hit series, talks about the shows surprising twists and turns this final season and why he has decided to compete in the Emmy best drama actor category. And finally, the Awards Circuit Roundtable returns, talking about the recent firing of Jeff Shell at NBCUniversal, as well as this years competitive slate of television contenders hoping to nab themselves a coveted Emmy nomination.

HBO Max Love Death, from creator and Emmy winner David E. Kelley (Big Little Lies), tells the true-life story of Texas housewife Candy Montgomery, following a chance collision on a volleyball court with fellow church choir member Allan (Plemons), orchestrates an affair between the two married adults. Unfortunately, the encounters (which took place in 1980) lead to Candy being accused of murdering Allans wife, Betty (played by Lily Rabe). The series also stars Patrick Fugit, Keir Gilchrist, Elizabeth Marvel, Tom Pelphrey and Krysten Ritter.

Here are some of the highlights from the conversation with Olsen.

The scene that depicts the first time Candy and Allan sleep together highlights the importance of intimacy coordinators on set, which has become a weirdly debated topic. How do you feel about their roles on set?

I didnt have them when I first started, and I was definitely in some wild scenes when I first started. I actually thought it helped tell the story, not because anyone ever made me do something I didnt agree to do. I was a dancer, so I think of any intimate scene as choreography. The most important thing for intimacy coordinators is to support [everyone], not just the productions main characters. I think its important for extras and day players, because youre not already comfortable in that environment. Youre in a place of trying to make other people happy.

With this project, we get to watch this woman choose to be liberated and free in her sexual life, and then we find her in the most vulnerable moments later in the show. Theres even a story about how much you reveal of her body in this show and when. I liked seeing her physical body in her most vulnerable moments, which has nothing to do with sex. So thats the creative conversation with the director.

I think this is the best performance of your career. Did you ever think you would reach this point in your career where you could deliver work as strong as this? What characters are piquing your interest?

I want to work with directors who have strong points of view on how they tell stories. Whether its tonally or visually people who have had an opportunity to do narrative features, or not. Its an awkward time to get projects going because of the state of the industry. But I feel we will have an interesting life in film again. Were already seeing that. I just saw Beau is Afraid in theaters, and I feel like you see projects like that made in Europe but not in the States. I felt pretty tuned up.

What directors are you dying to work with?

I love Ruben stlunds films and have for a long time. I love Yorgos Lanthimos films; Ari Aster makes great movies. I would love to work with [Quentin] Tarantino before he retires.

What is your take on the possible writers strike in Hollywood, and what do the studios need to change so people of all disciplines in this industry can be paid fairly?

We need to reimagine structurally how people can of all levels can continue to make a living now that we have these streaming services. Actors who used to be able to live off residuals and cant anymore because they get paid for one day. And it goes on a streaming service, and they dont see a penny after.

We need to figure that out. Theres that (new media) agreement that we were all participating in. And Netflix, who has tons of money, overtime wasnt the same, which was weird. I had that experience working with Facebook. I was like, Hey, this isnt how TV works. Ive done this before. Youre supposed to pay me after hours.

I have cast members that are who are No. 32 on the call sheet explaining they cant live in the outer ring of Austin because thats where we filmed. So a huge amount of our cast were local hires, and it was interesting to learn how expensive that city is. Through them, I understood there are still crazy contracts where they dont get any residuals because of this new media deal.

The whole thing is new media now. We have to figure it out because its not like we will go backward. We will continue to stream, and whether streaming becomes ad-based doesnt make a difference with how people work on films and TV. Hopefully, it will start a trend of people being protected so that people can continue to earn the way they used to.

Do you miss Marvel, and should we expect you in Agatha All Along?

I think I answered a question wrong. Someone asked me if I would be returning, and they said, for instance, are we going to see you in this thing.' And I said, Well, I hope Im returning.

Im not returning to anything right now. Im not doing anything for Marvel. Nothing, and its not that Im trying to be cheeky. Theyll let me know when theyll let me know.

And do I miss it? I dont miss it. I just did two years straight of it. I think the breaks been good for me. I need to build other characters. Its important for me. Im grateful for this show [Love Death] because it came at a great time after playing Wanda for two years straight, and then I had to talk about it for another year. So its nice having something else to focus on and highlight.

This interview has been edited and condensed.

Varietys Awards Circuit podcast, produced by Michael Schneider, is your one-stop listen for lively conversations about the best in film and television. Each week Awards Circuit features interviews with top film and TV talent and creatives; discussions and debates about awards races and industry headlines; and much more. Subscribe via Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify or anywhere you download podcasts. New episodes post weekly.