An uncomfortable situation. A Teacher, Hulu’s upcoming series based on the film of the same name, follows high school teacher Claire (Kate Mara), who begins a relationship with one of her students, Eric (Nick Robinson).
The teacher-student grooming series is full of uncomfortable scenes — and that’s the point. However, to be able to film those tougher moments, Mara, 37, and Robinson, 25, had to get to know each other first.
“We had a couple weeks of rehearsal where we were able to discuss our characters’ dynamic and make sure everyone was on the same page with the difficult scenes we were going to shoot,” the actress explains exclusively in the latest issue of Us Weekly. “I always felt very at ease with Nick and very trusting of him, which made the emotional scenes easier to deal with.”
The American Horror Story alum also notes that the costars found a way to comfortably film the heavier love scenes.
“We laughed our way through a lot of the uncomfortable scenes which made things more manageable,” she says.
When creator Hannah Fiddell, who also wrote the 2013 movie, brought Mara the script, the former House of Cards star jumped at it for multiple reasons.
“I had seen the original movie and was a fan of Hannah’s before she approached me to produce and star in the show. I jumped at the opportunity and had no reservations as I knew the subject matter would be dealt with in a delicate and responsible way,” she explains. “I love to be challenged and try to find roles that I haven’t played before. I am typically attracted to stories that move me or teach me something that I didn’t previously know.”
Additionally, Mara notes that she wanted to take on the challenge of playing a character “who makes choices that are morally and universally wrong is a challenge” — which is definitely what Claire embodies.
“I think anyone can relate to a character that feels lost and unsatisfied at some point in their lives,” she says about how she tapped into the part. “But, I certainly don’t condone her actions or choices, no matter how relatable her feelings of loneliness may be to people.”
A Teacher is set to premiere on FX on Hulu on Tuesday, November 10.
For more from Mara, pick up the latest issue of Us Weekly, on newsstands now.
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