You recognise her as the enigmatic Ramona Flowers from the excellent Scott Pilgrim vs the World, or the arse kicking cheerleader in Quentin Tarantino’s Death Proof but Mary Elizabeth Winstead has got a whole other feather to her bow; making some really rather lovely music.
She’s now one half of the super slick pop duo Got A Girl, who’s gorgeous music is part evening cocktail hour and part all those bonkers bits from Mad Men that don’t massively make any sense but definitely make you go ‘Hmmm’ in an appreciative manner. We caught up with Mary to find out if Got A Girl means she’s done with acting, what goes down at Comic Con and the whether women with extra eyes are the new 'thing'.
Hello! Do we call you Mary or Mary Elizabeth? I always get confused when people have two names
Mary is fine, that’s what most everyone calls me. Although I enjoy a little Mary Elizabeth from time to time. Makes me feel like a southern belle…
So we know you best as an actress but now you've gone and started Got A Girl with Dan The Automator – how come?
I’ve always loved to sing and dabbled in writing music, but never intended it for public consumption. Until Dan came along and suggested we work together. I had no choice but to say yes.
Can you explain who Dan is in case people aren't familiar?
Dan has been a force in the music world for a while now. He’s a prolific hip hop producer, but has branched out to almost every genre. I knew him best projects like Gorillaz, Handsome Boy Modeling School, and Lovage. Lovage’s Music To Make Love To Your Old Lady By is one of my favorite albums.
And how would you guys describe your music?
I think we’re romantic in the Classic sense of the word. A little ye-ye girl, a little trip hop, a mix sweetness and melancholy.
What's with the whole festish for women with three eyes in the Did We Live Too Fast video?
The whole concept came from our director, Hope Larson. As soon as she pitched it I knew it was perfect, and started talking about old Twilight Zone episodes and french new wave films as we went along. And it just came together in a perfectly odd way.
So are extra body parts sexy now? What would you like?
None please! The whole idea is pretty nightmarish to me. Although I do agree an extra finger or arm would be helpful for function’s sake. But to be safe I’ll stick with the number allotted me.
You've definitely got a sense of humour as a band; your teaser series for the album was great
Dan and I don’t take ourselves to seriously, and if you look back at Dan’s work, he tends to be pretty irreverent. So I was excited to be paired with someone who would share my sense of humor. This project is inspired by many international icons of style, so we sort of wanted to follow in those footsteps but turn it on it’s head a bit. Revel in how ridiculous it all is.
The whole 60s styling is SO gorgeous. Did you pick the looks and aesthetics yourself?
Thank you! Yes, I mostly wear clothes from my own closet for our Got a Girl endeavours. It’s fun to get to indulge in my love for everything vintage. I started veering away from it, but this has given me an excuse to dive back in and I love it.
**Erm WHO are those two adorable dogs on your Instagram, what are their names and what are they like? **
Oh, that would be Ambrosius and Didy (full name Didymus). Named after characters in the film Labyrinth, They are my loves.
I know you just worked on your husband's film Faults – what's it like working with your husband? Annoying or the best thing ever?
It was really wonderful actually. We know each other so well, and have a real understanding of one another creatively. It was pretty effortless. At the end of the shoot, a lot of the crew realized for the first time that we were a couple. We just naturally fell into a professional relationship. It was a lot of fun to get to share that side of things with one another.
Working on the films you have done, you're pretty popular with the Comic Con crowd, are they fun?
Going to Comic Con to promote Scott Pilgrim was incredible. So many people dressed up as the characters we played in the film, screaming with excitement about getting to see a screening. We felt like a bit of a sensation for a moment!
Got A Girl's album I Love You But I Must Drive Off This Cliff Now is out Monday 21st July
Follow Jess on Twitter @jess_commons
This article originally appeared on The Debrief.