“That was a bit of a wildcard for me; I had never been asked to do that,” admits Eve Lindley about her role as the co-lead love interest on the AMC fantasy anthology “Dispatches From Elsewhere.” Watch our exclusive video interview with Lindley above where she adds, “If there were roles like Simone when I was growing up then maybe I would not feel so apprehensive to take them on. It’s not lost on me” when talking about transgender representation on television.
“Dispatches From Elsewhere” centers around Peter (series creator and star Jason Segel), Simone (Lindley), Janice (Oscar and Emmy winner Sally Field) and Fredwynn (Grammy-winning Outkast frontman André Benjamin), who are brought together by chance and drawn into a mysterious real-life game hiding behind the veil of ordinary life. The series is wildly original, contemplative and poignant as it explores the need for connection, community and purpose. It also co-stars recent Oscar nominee Richard E. Grant (“Can You Ever Forgive Me?“) as the man behind the mysterious adventure.
Lindley’s character Simone, described as a trans woman seeking an escape from her feelings of isolation, is a standout not only for her endearingly honest portrayal, but also because it is groundbreaking for featuring a trans woman as the co-lead romantic interest rather than a stock standard secondary character or sidekick, which is often where we see trans actors and gender fluid performers. “I was used to playing side characters,” Lindley reveals. “It was never a thing I thought I would have to learn how to do, to fall in love with someone on camera and do all of the things that come along with falling in love with someone on camera.”
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Long after cameras stopped rolling on the 10-episode series, Lindley has had a chance to reflect on the role and what it means to her. “It resonated with me personally,” she shares. “I’m a person that is on a path to community and I have been my whole life, always looking for the place that I fit,” she says, adding with a laugh, “and trying to squeeze myself into places where I don’t fit!”
She’s ultimately proud of her work and what Segel’s show attempts to say about how disconnected and polarized our society has become. “The core of this show is about four different people from extremely different walks of life who had very different paths to get to where hey are when they meet,” she explains. “It’s really important right now that we try to listen to each other and do what is right and help those in need.”
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