Cinema Scholars interviews Kathleen Robertson, writer, and showrunner of the new series Swimming With Sharks, starring Diane Kruger and Kiernan Shipka. Swimming With Sharks premieres exclusively on The Roku Channel Friday, April 15, 2022.
Introduction
Kathleen Robertson has been working In Hollywood since she was 10. Most Gen X-ers remember Robertson as Clare from Beverly Hills, 90210. But the keener eye has seen her pop up in everything from lost 80s-90s sitcoms to current prestige films and episodic. With a lifetime of experience in the business, it’s no surprise that the prolific actress might have a few stories of her own to tell. Thanks to The Roku Channel, Robertson’s brainchild, Swimming With Sharks, enters the streaming fray with a triumphant return to the erotic thriller.
Told in six, 30-minute episodes, Swimming With Sharks is an easy binge. Directed by Tucker Gates, the story follows a young intern, Lou (Kiernan Shipka), in the office of the notoriously tough Fountain Pictures boss, Joyce (Diane Kruger). As Lou ascends the professional ladder, the witty young woman also uses her wiles to ensure her next step up.
While the narrative is rich with complex female characters and themes, the essence of Swimming With Sharks is classic blind ambition. With maybe a little more crazy added for good measure. After several years of Hollywood clutching its pearls in the wake of #metoo (not to mention the epic buzzkill of enduring an actual plague), Robertson and the team heed the call for the revival of some good old naughty neo-noir.
Akin to 90s predecessors Basic Instinct or Wild Things, Swimming With Sharks harkens back to an era when it was okay to be sexy as well as strong. To bring the salacious subject matter to the screen within today’s context, Robertson explores her characters’ flaws and vulnerability as well as their fierceness. This not only builds incredibly compelling characters but also helps explain motivation when their trajectories veer off the rails.
As diva studio head Joyce, Diane Kruger captures the double life of a Hollywood power player who also wants a family. Caught between the old studio system and the new guard, Joyce represents the last vestige of the days when some women used the casting couch to their advantage. Flawed as some of those archaic attitudes may be, Joyce offers us a window into the fascinating life of a woman who worked her way to the top using all available opportunities.
Keirnan Shipka wows as conniving femme fatale Lou. Though glimpses into her character’s past shed light on the motivation behind her troubling actions, it’s Shipka’s unnervingly even disposition that ultimately seals the exceedingly dark deal. Indiscretions aside, Shipka’s full embrace of the racier scenes feels like a nod to a post-millennial Tinder generation ready to embrace a more empowering message about sexuality.
Gates keeps the look of Swimming With Sharks simple yet highly stylized, calling on his inner DePalma for many tantalizing sequences. The intense sound design by Ugo Derouard paired with a hypnotic score by Samuel Lucas makes even basic scenes feel like the ultimate. With an engaging and fast-paced arc wrapped up in a captivating package, Swimming With Sharks is the kind of show that actually leaves you wanting more.
Cinema Scholars’ Rebecca Elliott recently chatted with Robertson about the new Roku series. They talk about bringing the erotic thriller into the current conversation, creating original and complex female characters, and the possibility of future Swimming With Sharks stories.
Interview
Rebecca Elliott:
Hi Kathleen.
Kathleen Robertson:
Hi, nice to meet you.
Elliott:
Nice to meet you, too. I’m really excited to talk to you about Swimming with Sharks. I’m most excited because I feel like it’s a return to the erotic thriller that I love…the 90s erotic thriller. I get Wild Things vibes and even a little Basic Instinct in there. As a writer and showrunner, how do you bring the erotic thriller into today’s context or does it affect it?
Robertson:
Well, first of all, I’m happy that you feel that way. Because I felt it too. I really wanted to create something, especially for this moment in time. It just feels like we’ve all been through so much. We’re all exhausted, and we all are just in need of really having something that feels fun and escapist. I try not to edit myself as a writer. When I write, I just kind of… it’s always a weird thing. You don’t really know where things come from and why you write what you write.
But I definitely try not to edit myself. Sexuality is obviously a huge part of the show. It definitely goes there. I don’t think that there’s a ton of stuff like this on television right now. And it really felt like doing it from a female perspective felt necessary. And to do it unapologetically.
Elliott:
Absolutely unapologetic. And with such strong, yet flawed female characters. You created these characters for these amazing actresses. And they have a lot going on here, obviously. Being an actress yourself, how do you talk to your performers and really distill the essence of their characters?
Robertson:
Before we started filming, I sat with Diane, sat with Kiernan, and sort of talked to them about… again, I’ve been acting since I was a kid. I started acting when I was 10. So I know kind of, for me, what I need, what I like, what I want to know going into approaching a character. I try to really give them all as much info as possible in terms of like, this is why she does what she does and this is why she makes the choices that she makes.
And I love these women. I love both of these women, and I don’t judge either one of them. Of course, it’s heightened because it’s a television show, but I feel like these women have both experienced great pain. And they’re more alike than they are different. They’ve both been trauma survivors. Both have been abused. They’re raised by single moms. Both were really poor with hard childhoods that have really shaped who they became.
And so, I really wanted to make sure they both understood this is why you’re doing what you’re doing. It isn’t about being extreme or exploited. There’s like rooted reasons why each one of these women does the things they do. Whether they’re right or wrong is not for me to judge. But it was just important for me that the actors all understood, this is why I made these choices. It’s not random that this happens or it’s not random that Lou has the braided crown or she dresses the way she dresses, or Joyce is married to this guy. It’s all there for a reason.
Elliott:
All very intentional. I just imagine that there’s probably a plethora of Swimming With Sharks stories in your head. Are there any plans for a take on a totally different story within this universe?
Robertson:
That’s my hope. The show launches on The Roku Channel on April 15th so, knock on wood, people are going to watch it, like it. I mean, I would love to do multiple seasons. I’ve always envisioned this as an ongoing show. So, we’ll see. Hopefully, yes, absolutely, it’s ongoing.
Elliott:
That’s so great. I can imagine there are many stories to be told in this particular universe. Well, I think our time is up, but thank you so much. I really enjoyed the show.
Robertson:
Oh, I’m happy. That’s obviously the goal. The goal or the why of it for me is ultimately I just want people to like it and engage and be entertained.
Elliott:
Well, you’ve succeeded! Take care and good luck with the rest of your crazy press day.
Robertson:
Thanks. I appreciate it.
Swimming With Sharks premieres exclusively on The Roku Channel Friday, April 15, 2022.
