Photo by: Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for Prime Video
The fifth and final season of Prime Video’s beloved comedy-drama series The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel premiered on April 14 with the first 3 episodes. Season 5 finds Midge (Rachel Brosnahan) even closer to the career success she’s been dreaming of, only to discover that she is still so far away. In season 4, viewers were introduced to a new character, Susie’s (Alex Borstein) new lively receptionist, Dinah Rutledge, played by Alfie Fuller.
Alfie Fuller was upped to a series regular for the fifth season, and we caught up with the actress about the final season.
Check out our conversation below.
What can viewers expect from your character, Dinah, in this final season?
AF: This season we see Dinah’s career grow, we see her taking on more responsibility and really stepping into her power. We also get to watch her relationship with Susie grow and expand from professional to personal. They become family this season and I can’t wait to watch it all play out.
What was your initial reaction when you were upped to a series regular for the fifth and final season of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel?
Alfie Fuller (AF): My initial reaction was pride and extreme gratitude. Gratitude because I’ve been a fan of this show since I saw the trailer in 2017. I knew this show was made for me but never would I have thought I’d be an actor on it, as a series regular, no less. Proud of myself for reaching a milestone in my career and proud to be a part of the iconic Maisel ensemble and story.
How was it preparing for your scenes with Alex Borstein?
AF: My first day on set, I made sure I was as sharp and as present as possible because I wouldn’t dare show up unprepared in front of the legend Alex Borstein. Every scene with Alex was a blast and luckily, our energies played off each other naturally. I knew that whenever I had a scene with Alex we were going to have fun, laugh a lot and discover new layers of their relationship through play.
How did you prepare for your role which takes place during the late 1950s/early 1960s?
AF: I created Dinah with many women from my past in mind, like my grandmother, her friends, my aunts and teachers who lived through this era. I listened to them tell stories about what it was like being young, black, working women during that time and honestly, what I learned most was that while these were decades of intense, important and rapid change, every day life still happened; families were built, careers were created, love was found and lost, life happened. They didn’t see themselves as ‘living through a historical era’, they were just living. So, I made sure, when creating Dinah, that I was remaining present to her story and tapping into her humanity instead of trying to create a character/characteristics ‘from that era’.
Are there any funny stories/fun facts from your time on set you can share?
AF: There were hijinks galore on the Maisel set but one that comes to mind is a particularly long shoot day, everyone’s getting a little silly and somehow Maggie (played by the incredible Julie Klausner) and I started passing snacks, notes and candy in the bucket that’s tethered between our buildings. Oh! And I always loved the sneak photos everyone would take of each other.
Can you tell us about any upcoming projects you are working on?
AF: I’ve got a couple of exciting projects in the works that I can’t speak on just yet but soon soon!
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A new episode of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel drops each Friday on Prime Video with the final episode on May 26.