Television, film and online actress, writer and producer Abigail Spencer (Oz The Great and Powerful) plays the role of Amantha, and on the eve of series two’s debut in the United States, she kindly took the time to chat about what we can expect from this new series, where the name Amantha comes from, and what’s she learnt from the shows creator and writer Ray McKinnon.

RC: And what about Amantha? What’s in store for her?

AS: The reason that Daniel is free is because of Amantha, she has totally dedicated her life to this one cause and now that it’s happened and the reality of the first week is over, what does she do now? Now, that he’s out, things aren’t as she expected and her life is not going the way that she expected, and I think she’s really asking the question ‘who am I outside of Daniel Holden?’ Do I even know who I am, and starting to ask those bigger questions and making some interesting choices to try and figure that out.

RC: Is Amantha a typical Southern name?

AS: No, no, that’s what’s so amazing. I’m from a small Southern town and I’ve never heard that name before in my life. It’s so unique and what it stems from is that Ray McKinnon has a son who has a daughter named Amantha. We have lots of jokes about it like ‘Samantha? Amanda? tossed a coin couldn’t decide.’ It’s so unique, it’s one of those kind of literary figures and characters that will hopefully stand the test of time because I have never seen or read a character like Amantha, I’d never heard that name, but oh my gosh when I read the script I knew I had to play her, I knew it was an opportunity of a lifetime.

RC: How did Ray McKinnon describe your character to you?

AS: He didn’t! You know in the original script there was very little information, it was all in the dialogue, I don’t remember reading a description of Amantha, but I just knew her. When I came in and auditioned, Ray just said ‘Yes, that’s Amantha’. So that’s kind of really the extent of it.

RC: So what was it about her that made you so keen on the part?

AS: Very simply, the writing I really loved. My experience of growing up in a contemporary southern town I felt had never been depicted in it’s truest form because I was very counter culture. I grew up in a surf family and we were just very counter culture but also southern and traditional and I don’t think you have to be from the south to understand that, I think it’s any small town - it’s a show about a family. ‘Rectify’ is a show about asking the question, ‘what is the meaning of life?’ and the predicament of the show is that you take life away from someone and you then you give it back and you really have to figure out what that means for you. Expediently through the character of Daniel Holden, but everybody is walking that journey with him and is affected by it, particularly Amantha.

So, it was just exploring that, and as much as I’m not like Amantha, there is something I am so connected to in her conviction. I know what it’s like to have brothers, I know what it’s like to have complicated family, I know what it’s like to fight for something and I really wanted to lean in to that part of myself that isn’t fully formed. Amantha is way further along in that area of her life and part of why I like being an artist and why I like being an actor is to explore other things in my life that wouldn’t get to otherwise.

Which relationship of Amantha's is your favourite on the show?

AS: Daniel, but favourite is not the right word because every one is so specific. We describe them almost as the married couple of the show, even more than Janet and Ted and Tawney and Ted, which makes it very cool and makes it a very interesting dichotomy to play. I think Daniel is Amantha’s everything, I think she just looked up to him and she really admired him and even in his potential death gave her a reason to live, a reason for being.

So when you originally read script did you know it was going to be shot in such a beautiful cinematic fashion, and that you were going to take time to get to know these people?

AS: I hoped, but you never know. First episodes of season one I had a lot of scenes back to back and we were shooting a lot of my stuff and then by day three I actually got to sit down behind the monitor and watched a scene between Janet and Daniel when comes in and he’s like, ‘I’d like a beer’, and she’s like, ‘Oh, OK’, and she goes to the fridge and gets one and they sit down and have a chat about time, and there’s this moment between mother and son. So, I sat down and watched it and the tears just stared streaming down my face and I looked at Ray and said, ‘That’s what we’re making, that’s what we’ve been doing!” and it was a really magical moment because your so in it, and your trying, honestly for me, not to mess it up and be the weak link in the group.

RC: The whole cast is impressive - there doesn’t seem to be any weak links!

AS: We’re only as good as our leader, and as our writing and as each other and we’ve got incredible producers who support Ray in a way I’ve never seen on a television show. They are so clear that we are there to service Ray’s vision and how do we do that to the best of our ability. It stems from them, and I think they cast the show very well.

RC: It’s been a huge success and convinced Sundance to launch a second original series Red Road, what is it about this show that has resonated with people?

AS: I don’t know, hopefully it shows networks, artists and cable channels to be bold. ‘Rectify’ doesn’t follow a formula we’re actually not trying to make a television show we’re trying to tell a story. I think for me it shows that in our culture, a culture that is growing by the day with social media and interconnectedness, that’s more, more, more, and faster, faster, faster, there’s something in our souls that longs to slow down and to simplify, and to be patient and to connect.

I feel changed not only after having worked on the show, but after watching it. So, collectively we’re saying that we still long to be moved and stirred in our souls.

RC: To me it’s a great example that you can make a TV show that’s intense, character driven and gripping without being in a rush. You can be drawn into people’s lives through everyday moments, a beautiful soundtrack and cinematic images…

AS: I agree. It’s almost shocking to be watching people figure life out, and the conflict between everybody and the mistakes are so present, and so relatable… It’s really human.

Television in general is really good these days, and there’s less of a division between film actors and television actors?

AS: My theory, it’s from what I’ve seen from growing up in the business and working since I was 17, and working in television, film and also online, I’ve worked in every medium. I think people are really drawn to content right now and because you can watch anything on anything, the content associated with the network is what has to stand out, it’s not just the network it’s the actual content.

The second thing is because of the energy towards the big movies, which are amazing, the place to find great adult drama is where it used to live in the 60s 70s and 80s. It use to live in the film world, but it’s shifted because the financial support for adult drama is on television now. I think people want to tell these kinds of stories and they want to go where it’s supported and right now its on networks like Sundance TV.

RC: You’re a writer yourself right? What have you learnt from McKinnon’s scriptwriting?

AS: So much. I have learned that it’s never done, it’s always a work in progress. Script to shooting to editing, he’s [McKinnon] never done working on it, it can always be improved and it can always be more explored. That takes a really humble leader to lead that way. I have learned the art of restraint, it’s all about not showing your hand and making the subtext very clear because then you can have a whole scene about thunder and lightening, but it’s really about something else. I’ve learned, just because it’s on the page not to approach it that way but to find creatively ways to approach things – not just through what you’re given, you can really use your imagination. There’s so much power in the irony of life and really leaning into that specific point of view and sense of humour.