Our interview with multi-faceted and gorgeous actress Amy Rutberg who is best known for her role as ‘Marci Stahl’ in the hit Netflix/Marvel series “Daredevil” and “The Defenders.”
Rutberg will also be seen on the upcoming season of CBS favorite “NCIS: NOLA” next month and the highly-anticipated new season of NBC’s “Taken” in which she plays ‘Anna Warren.’
What was your first acting role?
Tiny Tim in a musical version of “A Christmas Carol” at a community theatre in Santa Monica when I was 9. I memorized my lines week one and everyone else’s lines by week two which was super annoying for the adults. First paid job was a commercial for a Nintendo game called “Yoshi’s Cookies” when I was 10. It’s actually on YouTube.
What is the best and worst part of being an actress?
Best part of being an actress is the actual acting part which is only about 20% of the job. Worst part is the same conversation you have with strangers and parents friends “What TV shows are you in?” Which is ALWAYS followed by “Never seen it, I don’t watch TV”.
Best advice ever given?
I always think of Danny Strong telling me when I was 20 “Look at your career as a marathon not a race.” I guess he was right.
Now tell us about the NBC’s “Taken” series and your role as Anna Warren?
I play a Southern Senator’s wife who is kidnapped in Brussels. Events take an interesting turn.
What we can expect for the second season?
The second season of this show is super exciting. The season opener looked like a 100 million dollar action sequence. Every week is like a new international thriller.
Now tell us about your role as Marci Stahl in Netflix/Marvel hit series “Daredevil”?
Marci started as a one episode guest star in Season 1. Still playing her 3 and a half years later. I am very grateful. She is rough around the edges but the kind of gal you want in your corner. I love how we continue to see her layers unfold.
What other projects have you been a part of?
In the last 12 months I’ve been on “Blindspot,” “NCIS: New Orleans,” “The Blacklist,” “BULL,” “The Defenders,” “Taken” and about to do “Jon Glaser Loves Gear”. I also have a series coming out on the CW called “Beerfest”…This is when you say “I don’t watch TV”.
Who is your favorite Actor/Actress? And why?
Being a NY gal I gravitate towards great theatre actors; Reed Birney, Laura Linney, Jefferson Mays, Laurie Metcalf. I miss Philip Seymour Hoffman, think about him all the time and his effortless transformation into a character. There continues to be an empty space for him. There are also a lot of actors doing amazing work in television right now. Have you seen Rachel Brosnahan in “Marvelous Mrs. Maisel?” I can’t wait to see what happens with her career.
3 things you can’t leave your house without?
Cell phone, metro card, a purpose in life…
What music do you like?
Good walking-through-the-street music. The Chainsmokers, Robyn, The Lumineers.
Your idea of a perfect Sunday is?
Fantasy perfect Sunday- Waking up at 10 a.m. in the French Quarter of New Orleans, walking the streets, playing poker for a few hours then dinner with my husband at Peche. Reality perfect Sunday- sleeping ‘til 7 a.m., chocolate chip pancakes made by my husband, taking my daughter to her first Broadway musical… that actually just happened. It was great!
Describe a normal day in your life?
First customer at Starbucks at 5:30 a.m., daily conversation with my 3-year-old about why she can’t wear her “Elsa” dress to school, recording a voice-over for a product I forgot the name of by noon, memorizing dialogue for shooting the next day, endless cycle of wondering where I left my sunglasses, winter gloves, or house keys. Rest and repeat.
What is your favorite healthy food?
Does coffee count?
And your favorite cheat food?
Compartes chocolate bars, donuts, anything with cheese.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
Through sheer persistency I will have convinced Jeph Loeb to give Marci Stahl a superhero spinoff. Or at the very least, I will have figured out a system for not losing my sunglasses, gloves, or house keys.
Do you support any charities?
Cycle for Survival, ASPCA, Times UP Now, every actor friend’s project on GOFUNDME (doesn’t really count as charity but I do spend a lot of money on that site)
Where can we follow you?
@amyrutberg on Twitter and Instagram
Favorite Music Genre: Anything that isn’t “Frozen,” although if you have a connection for house seats to the Broadway musical let me know.
Quote: “Be yourself, everyone else is already taken”- That’s my 2nd favorite Oscar Wilde quote. The first is probably inappropriate for this article.
Holiday Destination: Turks and Caicos / Barcelona
Food: Nothing beats a great burger.
Restaurant: The front room at “Gramercy Tavern”. Ask for Steve.
Drink: Sancere
Celebrity Crush: Michael Caine. Jessica Chastain. Seth Meyers. (In that order)
Song: “Shelter” by Ray Lamontagne
Sports Team: UCLA Bruins
Movie: “His Girl Friday” and “All that Jazz”
Photo Credit: Benjo Arwas
