Summary

Kasper brought personal cello experience to her role in Side Quest, surprising the production team with her skill level.

Filming at Ocean Way Studios in Nashville added to the authenticity of Sylvie’s music journey.

The episode presents an honest portrayal of mental health struggles, highlighting the importance of finding balance and seeking help.

The third episode of Apple TV+’s Mythic Quest anthology spin-off, Side Quest, titled “Fugue,” delves into the struggles of Sylvie, a talented cellist played by Annamarie Kasper (Good Trouble), as she grapples with anxiety and the emotional toll of pursuing her passion and securing her dream job. The episode explores Sylvie’s journey through burnout, therapy, and finding her way back to her love for music. Kasper, who has been playing the cello since she was three, brings her own experience to the role, adding depth to the character’s internal struggle.
In an interview with Collider’s Joe Schmidt, Kasper shared insights into landing the role, her experiences recording in Nashville at Ocean Way Studios, and the importance of portraying mental health with honesty. She also discussed her dynamic with co-star Esai Morales and how she related to her character’s quest for balance between chasing a dream and maintaining personal well-being.
Bringing Personal Experience To ‘Fugue’

“I don’t think they knew I could play at the level I could play.”

Image via Apple TV+

COLLIDER: When did you learn to play the cello?
ANNAMARIE KASPER: I started when I was three years old. So it’s been a long time. I don’t think I remember a time in my life when I didn’t play, so it’s part of who I am, for sure.
So the audition process, was it something that they said, “We needed a cello player,” or was it just something that you brought to the table? Like “By the way…”
KASPER: I think they ideally were looking for a cello player, but I don’t think they knew I could play at the level I could play, because I came on set, and they were like, “Do you need a lesson? We can teach you.” And I was like, “I think I got this.” So, it was cool to get to do that. They knew I had it in my toolkit, but I don’t think they knew I could really play. Like, I was like, “Oh, I got this. I can really play.”
I interviewed Ashly [Burch], Katie [McElhenney], and John [Howell Harris] earlier today, and they said that y’all recorded in Nashville, and that’s where I’m at right now. I live in Nashville. What was that like? Do you know what the venue was?
KASPER: Ocean Way Studio.
Oh, sure. And it’s like a converted church, is what they said?
KASPER: Yeah, it was so cool. That is what was so cool about this episode. I played cello very seriously for a while, but then pivoted more towards acting, and so getting to do all these things that I at one point had dreamed about as a cellist, playing with this professional orchestra and a professional recording studio, was so cool. The music that Takeshi [Furukawa] wrote is absolutely unreal. He’s just so talented. And getting to bring that to life was such a privilege.

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How do you feel about the visualization of music and how it comes through? Because playing music games like Rock Band and Guitar Hero and hitting the keys like that, it has a similar design, but it is also so unique in how your character interprets it, and how it impacts her and how she embraces it. And when it doesn’t work, it doesn’t work. How did you feel about those designs when you finally saw them coming together on the screen?
KASPER: That’s such a cool comparison with the Guitar Hero world.
As a non-musician, it’s the best way to experience it.
KASPER: It makes so much sense! No, it was so cool. I just actually saw it for the first time yesterday, with all the CGI and the elements added in. And it’s so cool to see, and I think they did such a good job of not distracting from the music with it. It really just adds that little final glimmer of it coming to life. And I think it does such a good job of reflecting on where Sylvie’s at and the magic of it all. The magic really comes to life with it.
An Honest Portrayal of Mental Health & Working With a Legend

“I definitely felt a heavy responsibility of bringing that to life in a way that was clear.”

Image via Apple TV+

I really liked all the episodes of this season because they all touch on slightly different aspects. The standalone episodes of Mythic Quest are always fun, but these go all in, and every single one deals with a level of anxiety. Unfortunately, you get the heaviest hand dealt to you because some of them have some levity to them, but yours is just very real and very rough. Diving into a character like that, what did you feel was important to bring out in this role?
KASPER: I think it’s something everyone goes through to some extent, at least from my understanding. I definitely felt a heavy responsibility of bringing that to life in a way that was clear. I think also what was so special about this is getting to see Sylvie on the other side of it all and watching how tapping into her friendships, her outer world, going to therapy, that kind of brings her peace and ultimately leads her back to this really special, magical thing for her. I think it’s so important. And like I said, I think we all go through some levels of it, and especially artists in particular, it’s such a vulnerable thing. So getting to bring that to life was a very neat thing to get to do.
You have two specific major scene partners in this. Esai Morales is just on another level. He is so good, and the dynamic between the two characters is crazy. What was it like to share a lot of those very character-developing scenes with him?
KASPER: Esai is an absolute legend. It was such a privilege to get to work with him. It was easy to be scared of him. He does such a good job of locking into that, and he’s pretty terrifying. He’s such a generous actor in person, and then, when we’re not filming, he’s just the kindest, best human. So it was such a cool experience to get to be opposite him and learn from him and such.
“The love of the game” is kind of the funny thing that becomes the main motif for the episode, because it’s where it becomes your dream job, getting work, and then losing yourself in that. I think that the workaholic aspect is such a cool thing, just because I relate to it so much that it just really kind of beats you down. Is there something about that concept that you related to so hard, other than obviously being a cello player, but this character and her journey and what she went through?
KASPER: Absolutely. I think this idea of really chasing a dream. I think we share that so much in having big dreams and big goals and really not being afraid to chase them and go after them. So I think we shared that. I think also Asjha [Cooper], who plays my best friend, was such a wonderful presence for Sylvie, and I have so many wonderful friends and family that kind of serve a similar role of just being kind, wonderful, incredible humans that kind of keep you in the world and talk you out of her crazy spirals. We really had very parallel paths, so it was really fun to get to play her.
Would you play this character again? Obviously, it sounds like a very fun role for you, where you get to do both your talents.
KASPER: Absolutely. And I’d love to see how she’s able to find a way to play cello and keep her love alive and such.
Side Quest is now streaming on Apple TV+.