What’s the deal with the next season of Fargo? We’ve heard that Season 2 has a completely different cast.

It’s true, it’s a new cast. There is no carryover whatsoever, unless they’re keeping secrets from me, but I’m certainly not coming back.

How did the original cast find out about this? Was it a big surprise?

I wasn’t sure of why, but I knew they were going to hire a whole new cast. The morning that they made the announcement, [executive producer] Noah Hawley called me and said I want you to know before anybody else, we’re officially not going to bring you back. We’re going to do an origin story (and) go back to the 1970s, and so you’re two years old.

They didn’t talk to you about playing a two-year-old?

Yes, I said I’m really good. You can keep me out of focus –– I’m sure I could play that!

You must have been disappointed about the change in direction.

I was –– it was sad. It was understandable, and I trust that Noah and the production team were just trying to keep the artistic integrity and maintain that for another season. It seems it was wiser to go another direction –– do a different story rather than try to capture that same lightning in a bottle with the same characters. So I understand, (but) I was very heartbroken when I got the news. Now I feel better about it.

When you look back on your Fargo experience, what do you take away from it?

This whole experience has been so life-altering to me. I’m still sort of pinching myself on a pretty regular basis. It was sort of unbelievable. I worked with such warm, kind and wonderful people. I not only got to make this really cool product, I got to show what I’ve been spending the past 10 years doing without any cameras pointed at me. I got to meet all these awesome people that I’ll be friends with for the rest of my life. It was kind of a perfect storm, but it was a very odd year.

You won the Critics’ Choice Award in 2014, but the corresponding Emmy went to Kathy Bates for her role in “American Horror Story.” The Dallas Observer portrayed the Emmy voting as a battle between you –– a Baylor girl –– and Kathy, an SMU grad. Did you know about that?

I did, I think, and I had more than one friend who was saying the same thing on Facebook or Twitter, which was pretty funny. I met Kathy Bates after the awards, and that’s why I said to her when I met her, “I’m a Texas girl, too, but I went to Baylor.” So I made sure she knew about that rivalry as well. She was a very nice woman, and was so sweet. But I was disappointed as well. I don’t think it would have occurred to me to be disappointed by not winning an Emmy if it hadn’t been so widely stacked in my favor ahead of time –– which I tried not to listen to, but it’s hard not to let that seep in. But then when I didn’t win, I was surprised by how much I wanted to win. But at the end of the day, losing the Emmy to Kathy Bates is still a pretty good day.

Let’s talk about some of your other recent projects. You appeared in two episodes of the TV series “The Mindy Project” as a character named Abby Berman. Tell us about that.

Abby is a historical romance novelist who writes steamy novels about the Civil War. She did an excerpt (from her works) in the episode which was really silly. She’s a love interest for a character named Dr. Peter Prentice, a reformed frat boy. It was fun to play.

It also appears that you are involved with another production titled after a city with a name beginning in “F.” Is it true you play the character of Ruby in a comedy called Fresno?

Yes that’s true. It’s a small independent film, a little comedy with a fantastic cast –– Natasha Lyonne, Judy Greer and Fred Armison, to name a few. They wanted an actress to come in for a day who had some improv background who could hang with Fred Armison, who is a really strong improviser and loves to go off script. (My character) is kind of a rockabilly chick. She’s got tattoos, and I’m like, “Yes, please!” In another life I would be covered with tattoos, but I can’t do that because I’m an actress. But it was fun to be able to play for a day and have these temporary tattoos.

Do you prefer roles where the director allows you to do a little improvisation, as opposed to a strictly scripted role?

My basis is in theatre, so I love a script. I like the guidelines, but I think any situation where you have a little bit of freedom at the end of the page is always nice. Sometimes you find really great things that way. It’s always nice to have directors that want to have that sense of play. That’s important and helpful when you’re making comedy. But for me, I don’t mind a strong script.

Speaking of your background in theatre, how did your years of training in Baylor Theatre help you in the ventures you’re involved with now?

It’s instrumental. I’ve always wanted to be an actress, ever since I was a little kid. The thing Baylor gave me was the opportunity to perform as much as possible, which to me is the best way to learn. The number of opportunities you have to perform, especially in a department of its size, is really fantastic. There are always student productions going on, and every Friday there is a workshop. There are so many chances to get on stage –– which is really important, especially for someone like me who only gets a certain amount out of an acting class. I really needed to put it in front of an audience to hone my skills and see where my interests were. I loved my time at Baylor Theatre.

How did you choose Baylor?

I went to Baylor kind of by accident. At first I didn’t think it was going to end up being the school for me. I didn’t get into Southwestern, which is where I wanted to go, so I went to Baylor. I was just going to be there for a year, but I fell in love with the theatre department. I thought, “I don’t want to leave –– this is where I’m supposed to be. This is where I want to study. I want to have a degree from this institution.” So I took chapel my second year, and that sealed the deal. If you’re taking chapel, you’re not leaving, you know. So then I was there to stay. I had some fantastic teachers and directors during my time at Baylor.

Any good stories about theatre arts department chair Stan Denman that you can share with us?

I loved Stan. I really felt like he made the department what it was. He taught me so much about directing. Originally I was going to direct, but then I left school and started acting. But Stan is a fantastic director. He was very, very good and I was lucky to be able to work under him at a young age.

What’s on your plate in 2015?

I’m doing my first film, my first big studio film. I’m really excited that I stumbled across a project that’s perfect for me and my sentiments. I love horror movies, and this is a horror comedy –– a Christmas horror comedy with a very funny, sort of grotesque, over-the-top fantastic script. They were as interested in me as I was in them. If all goes well I’ll be in New Zealand in 2015 filming this movie, called “Krampus.” It’s an American-produced film being made in New Zealand because they’re going to be working with the Peter Jackson production company for the set. The plan is for it to come out at Christmas in 2015.

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The entire Spring 2015 issue of Baylor Arts & Sciences magazine is available online.