In HBO’s “Veep,†Anna Chlumsky plays Amy Brookheimer, the chief of staff to Vice President Selina Meyer (Julia Louis-Dreyfus), who is often the lone voice of reason among a team of bumbling misfits. In this role, Ms. Chlumsky has shown a knack for the verbal sparring and quick wit that are essential to the political universe created by Armando Iannucci. She first displayed this touch in Mr. Iannucci’s 2009 film “In the Loop.†Now that dexterity has led to her first Emmy nomination, for supporting actress in a comedy series.
In a recent phone interview, Ms. Chlumsky, who got her start as a child actress in movies like “Uncle Buck†and “My Girl,†spoke about her audition for “In the Loop,†the use of language in “Veep,†and the reaction to that show in Washington. These are edited excerpts from the conversation.
Has Julia Louis-Dreyfus given you any advice about attending the ceremony?
No, I think our talk about the ceremony is more about what we’re wearing and where we’re going that night, just to make sure the cast stays together. The show being nominated as well is a very big deal for all of us. Last year, every once in a while, the parties got so insane we would lose track, so this year our goal is to keep an eye on each other so we could share it.
Can you talk about the various twists and turns your career has taken? A number of years ago, you were out of acting completely, correct?
I would say almost a decade ago was when I realized that it was meant to be for me to come back and try it as an adult for all the right reasons. Before that, I was out of show business for about six years. That included college and about two years after college.
How did “In the Loop†come about?
That was just your run-of-the-mill audition. I had no idea what was behind the curtain for me. [Laughs] I was in a play at the Labyrinth, where there was a lot of mental torment and sadness for our characters. It was delicious for an actor, but also very dark-themed. So, the chance to audition where it was a lot lighter â€" I just thought, I’ll have a blast and it will be a complete departure from the play I am doing right now. And that was the day I met Arm [Iannucci], and the rest feels like history a little bit. Recent history, but a very good history.
“Veep†and its predecessors “The Thick of It†and “In the Loop†are known for their, shall we say, artful yet explicit wordplay.
Our salty language? [Laughs]
What is it like to get these scripts and read these lines?
It’s very rare that you’ll find something where you’ll think, “I don’t want to say it.†I always say that our writers know how to use that language very well. There is a difference between just saying bad language and using it. This is just a delight and fun as can be. It spoils you. I have a gauge of what it is to laugh out loud when I’m reading a script, because that is what happens all the time when we read our own show, and that can make it hard for other things to measure up.
Can you tell us anything about Season 3 and what’s in store for your character?
We’re just in the middle of the first episode, so we’re still kind of new at it. We left off in the second season with [the president] not running again and Selina ramping up her campaign, even though it’s really early. That’s where we pick up. She’s getting out there more, with the voters and caucusgoers and whatnot.
In the second season, we see her working a lot in the Beltway; now it’s outside the Beltway. We get to see what everybody’s dynamics are with the public, because that is a different persona they put on. Even the staff, and Amy is part of that, tries to read where we all stand in our public persona.
How do you view your character’s relationship with Selina? It’s not quite mother-daughter.
It’s a hodgepodge â€" at times contentious and most of the time very symbiotic. It’s so interesting, that female-boss dynamic where Amy is the closest to her in a sense. Gary [Selina's aide, played by Tony Hale] is very close to her, but as far as Selina’s career goes, Amy pretty much has the reins. Amy’s dedicated to make Selina go as far as she can in her career and also to further whatever agenda she may have with her party or with any policies that matter to her. Their relationship can be very friendly; she knows the ins and out of Selina very well. However, she’s also the one who has to tell her bad news. A lot of the time Selina’s behavior or impulses will be at odds with what’s good for the office, and so that falls on Amy to handle. Just when Amy thinks she knows where she stands with Selina, something will happen where she gets kind of knocked on the head and realizes, “Oh, no, this really is just a working relationship, even though sometimes it can feel like more.â€
Have you heard from people who work in Washington?
Totally. We’re fortunate enough to get a lot of feedback, both through our consultants who have their pulse on what’s happening in D.C., but also, every once in a while, you’ll meet staffers on the Hill or even elected officials who are fans. It’s quite validating. There seems to be that laughter-is-therapy thing happening with our show. If you can sometimes show people the ridiculousness of their own lives, it can be a release, I think. [Laughs]
