The Verge: Laura Ramsey

You're in Sofia Coppola's next movie Somewhere, which I'm dying to see, and you're playing Sailor Girl. What can you tell me about Sailor Girl?

Well number one, I'm dying to see the film as well. It's a story about a sort of crazy actor who has this lifestyle full of drugs and women, and his 11-year-old daughter comes to visit him and he comes to terms with that. I play one of his girlfriends along the way.

The movie is full of really interesting actors in small parts. How'd you get involved?

I actually auditioned. I went in and read a couple of lines, and I found out the next day that it was offered to me. When I was on set with [Sofia] later, she told me that she had actually seen an episode of Mad Men that I had done, and that she loved the show and she loved that episode. I mean, that was just an honor to have her actually notice me. For me, it was just a dream to say that I had worked with her, because she's kind of a legend in her own way, you know?

So what was that Mad Men experience like? Was it intimidating to come into?

Oh yeah. Number one, the wardrobe, to me, was amazing, and when I got to go into my fitting, it was like a dream. I wish I had owned every dress that I had tried on -- [the costumers are] so ridiculously talented! Working on the show, I mean, I love that era, and Jon Hamm couldn't have been a nicer person. He was a stand-up, humble, amazing man, and still is -- I ran into him the other day. He's just a great guy, and he was so welcoming on the set. Everyone knew everybody already and they'd already established their relationships, so when you come in and do a guest star, it can be a little unnerving. But he showed me around and introduced me to everybody and sort of took me under his wing. He made me feel great and that episode was great because he's such a giving actor.

It's a good thing you weren't intimidated, because you had to go in there and be confident in your scenes with him.

Exactly. But that's the thing about being an actor: You can act like you're not intimidated. [Laughs] It was like walking into someone's home -- at first, you don't really know your way around, but once you feel comfortable, you can lay on the couch.

What was it about that era that you liked?

I mean, I guess the clothes! I loved the little pants that come to the ankle and the knee-length dresses and the perfection of the fingernails that come to a point. The hair is always done in a style. Everyone was so classy at that time, and I guess I miss the idea that when a woman goes out, she wears gloves and dresses up. To me, going to dinner and having that tradition that you dress up and appreciate that you can even go to dinner...that means a lot. I wish sometimes that it was still like that.

[Lead Photo Credit: Alexandra Wyman/Wire Image]

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