Julia Garner on Surprising Herself as Actor in ‘The Altruists’ and Moving Audiences, CBS News

A detailed character transformation

In “The Altruists,” Garner portrays Caroline Ellison, the business partner and girlfriend of Sam Bankman-Fried. Ellison was an accomplice in a multi-billion-dollar fraud that led to the collapse of FTX.

Asked about building Ellison’s mannerisms, Garner said she pays close attention to what she observes. She laughed when asked whether she selects roles for their complexity, saying she feels characters choose her, too.

From the Bronx to television

She received another Golden Globe nomination for playing Anna Sorokin in “Inventing Anna” (2022). Sorokin, who was born in Russia, deceived New York society by presenting herself as a German heiress.

Lessons from clown school

During the 2023 actors’ strike, Garner enrolled in a clown school in France. She said she repeatedly failed at the work, but found that experience rewarding. Garner said the classes helped her recognize shame about her success and a feeling that she did not deserve it. Her instructor urged her to stop hiding and open up, asking her to let him see her eyes.

Aiming to move audiences

Garner’s audition for “The Altruists” required her to sing, dance and portray Madonna. She said she had not received formal dance training. Asked whether the experience surprised her, Garner said she tries to surprise herself. For the Ellison role, she wanted to be nearly unrecognizable, while focusing on how her work could affect viewers and help them feel less alone.

Garner recalled that watching a movie when she felt alone gave her a lasting sense of hope. She described that connection as the beauty of good acting.