I tend to be a little shy. Doesn’t seem that way—I’m very gregarious, I love people—but in terms of intimacy and talking about me, it’s difficult. The more I do interviews, the easier it is. I’m so happy this film is going to be seen. Whether they like me or not, I think it’s a beautiful film. So that’s where I’m staying right now. Staying in the present. And whatever comes my way with more screenings and stuff, I’m there.

I was struck by how gentle the role was, and how gentle the story was in comparison perhaps to some of your, let’s say, harsher roles and works.

Let me count the number of harsh roles. [Laughs] Most people that see me on the street, they run from me. They think I have an ATM machine, or a chainsaw or something, and I’m going to kill them. Don’t let her near your children! So yeah, this was a real gift to play someone so vulnerable, and so quiet, and so gentle. The same with Wes as well. Max was talking about that. The two of us are very weathered, and always have played sort of violent, tough people. To show us in a gentler light was really lovely to play. I haven’t gotten to do that much. It was new and it felt different, but Max had studied acting years ago before he went to film school, studied theater and history, and so he knows how to talk to actors quietly and gently, and keep you centered. So that I don’t fall into Dale—I’m very animated, as you can tell. Faye is very concise, and routine is very important. I wanted to really make sure I could find that stillness and that quiet. It’s not hard in that environment.

You’ve done many independent films. Being top of the call sheet for this one, had you, over your career, witnessed how actors have handled being in that spot and how to be the focal point of the cast?

I’ve been so grateful and lucky to work as much as I have on a lot of different sets with a lot of different people. The number one, there’s always huge pressure because they set the tone of the film, particularly on a big budget film. Like Iron Man 3 with Robert Downey Jr. or something. This is from a smaller scale, but it was important to me. We all have our moments. I was struggling to quit smoking, and so my head can turn quickly, but I try to always work well with others and respect. Coming from theater you respect all the other disciplines. I’m only as good as the people I’m working with and they’re the ones making me look good.

I wanted to go back to Winter’s Bone for one moment. I remember the moment you won the Indie Spirit Award, which felt very deserved. What do you remember about that, really that whole flurry and that being the culmination, perhaps, for you on that campaign?