Pluribus: The Official Podcast

Episode S1E3: Miriam Shor
Host: Chris McCaleb
Guest: Miriam Shor ("Helen" in Pluribus)
Release Date: November 19, 2025

Episode Overview

This special one-on-one episode dives deeply into Miriam Shor's experience joining Pluribus and crafting the memorable character of Helen. Host Chris McCaleb and Miriam, speaking live from New York, discuss the secretive audition process, instant cast chemistry, the art of improvisation, behind-the-scenes challenges (like faking cold in a hot set), and themes of partnership—on screen and off. With warmth, humor, and candor, Miriam unpacks the craft of character building in Vince Gilligan's uniquely demanding world.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Miriam's Entry Into the Vince Gilligan Universe

• The Audition Process

  • Miriam describes the highly secretive vibe from the start and the excitement that comes with an invitation to a Vince Gilligan project.
  • The audition scene wasn’t from the show but written to showcase the emotional relationship between Helen and Carol without plot context.
  • "[E]ven that short scene, I read it and I knew immediately who these people were to each other. Having no background, I could tell from the dialogue what that relationship was..." (01:38)

• Crafting Characters from Minimal Information

  • Miriam describes initial frustration at scant information, a common experience for actors, but credits the writing:
  • "I usually get pretty dang grumpy about it...No, I felt a little curmudgeony and then read the scene and was like, oh, but they've written me this perfect scene." (03:06)

2. Portraying Helen and Her Relationship with Carol

• Instant, Genuine Connection with Rhea Seehorn ("Carol")

  • Miriam hadn’t previously met Rhea but instantly clicked over the phone after being cast:
    • "Within three seconds, I was like, so this is my best friend I just hadn't met yet." (03:29)
  • Their chemistry was immediate and natural, mirroring their on-screen relationship.
  • "Old friends who just met. Yeah. I mean, it's. It was something. That's a lyric from the song from the Muppet Movie." (04:44)

• Helen as Carol's Anchor

  • Miriam explains her approach:
    • "I can't focus as an actor on being someone people like. That's really, like, not a good. That's a trap...But what I can do is show that I love and support someone else." (06:32)
  • Helen “certifies” Carol’s likability for the audience by loving her fiercely.
  • She saw Helen as Carol’s protector, giving Carol space to be vulnerable:
    • "If you know someone's going to be there to, like, help us have a good time here, then you can sort of relax and be the curmudgeon in that moment." (08:17)

• Using Humor and Camaraderie

  • Their off-screen laughter and goofiness translated to believable on-screen rapport:
    • "We had so much fun being so. Such goofballs together. And I do think that that's one of the other things that Helen can do for Carol, which is that she could just turn that wit right back around on her." (09:57)
  • Humor as a critical coping mechanism, especially during challenging relationship beats:
    • "That's a really good tool when you are having a thorny part in a relationship with anyone and is using that humor to, like, get through the bumpy parts..." (10:05)

3. Behind-the-Scenes & On-Set Stories

• Filming Helen’s Death / Stunt Work

  • Drew attention to the rigorous physicality performed by her stunt double, Athena Perample:
    • "Every time she fell, I was like, that's it. She's gone...She'd get up." (10:55)
  • Praised stunt performers as athletes, artists, and vital storytellers (11:16–11:28).

• Improvisation in the Bookstore

  • The now-favorite “emotional support person” line was an improv, welcomed by Vince Gilligan:
    • "That was an ad lib...Carol's fans, like, I for sure felt like the acting I was doing was that I was pretending I wasn't one of those people..." (12:20)
  • Miriam was delighted to be given so much freedom:
    • "I always felt the freedom to play around in this. In the funny scenes and the scary scenes." (13:04)

• Photo Shoots and Creating Backstory

  • Miriam and Rhea created elaborate, silly fake-photo histories to establish their characters’ partnership:
    • "Ray sent me one where...someone was like, you know, do a sexy pose and we could not look dorkier...I don't think vanity is like high. I know it's not high on my list..." (13:40)

• Shooting the 'Ice Hotel' Scenes

  • The "ice hotel" set was sweltering, not freezing, despite their costumes; improvisation and acting technique were required to sell the cold:

    • "Let me think. What is the opposite of ice cold? Hades. Hell on earth. Yeah...you're cooking your insides and you're having to act like you're freezing." (14:26)

  • Describes use of sense memory, focused on how your body reacts to cold:

    • "You just start thinking, like, all right, all right. What do you do when you're cold?..." (15:59)

  • Embraces the childlike ability to play pretend:

    • "You watch little kids, they do it no problem. They're like, we're on a different planet. It's snowing. It's raining fireballs. The floor is lava." (17:25)

  • Jokes about the extreme heat:

    • “And then the day of, they were like, no, actually, it's gonna be hotter than the devil's anus.” (17:56)

4. On the Importance of Challenging Storytelling

• Crosswork With Publishing Themes and 'American Fiction'
  • Chris mentions Miriam’s role in American Fiction, and her connections to literary worlds in her acting career (Younger, Pluribus, etc.):
    • "There's sort of this idea of being in the world of books, and books mean a lot to me. So kind of a running theme in my career..." (19:40)
  • Miriam champions storytelling that challenges audiences:
    • "I love people who take big swings at storytelling because I think we can handle it as an audience...I think it's necessary for us to be challenged by the stories we read or watch or are part of." (20:33)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On auditioning for Vince Gilligan:
  "Right away, you're so excited because you already are. Just like, well, I want to read it, right? Like, you feel like you have an in before anyone..." (01:12)

• On teaming up with Rhea Seehorn:
  "Within three seconds, I was like, so this is my best friend I just hadn't met yet." (03:29)

• On playing Helen's love for Carol:
  "What I can do is show that I love and support someone else. And through that, you can do exactly what you said, which is like, oh, well, she finds Carol lovable. There must be something there." (06:32)

• On Helen as protector:
  "I saw sort of Helen as someone who was like, you can engage with the world, and if the world comes back at you to hurt you, I will fiercely protect you. Don't you worry. You know, I got you. I'm here." (07:48)

• On set humor:
  "We had so much fun being so. Such goofballs together. And I do think that that's one of the other things that Helen can do for Carol, which is that she could just turn that wit Right back around on her." (09:57)

• On the “ice hotel”:
  "Let me think. What is the opposite of ice cold? Hades. Hell on earth." (14:26)

• On stunt performers:
  "They're performers. They're storytellers in their own right. They're also athletes, and they're also daredevils." (11:16)

• On sense memory in acting:
  "You're sort of constantly tricking your mind and your body into believing things that are intrinsically untrue. It is a really amazing thing." (16:40)

• On swing-for-the-fences art:
  "I love people who take big swings at storytelling because I think we can handle it as an audience. I think we need to handle it as an audience. I think it's necessary for us to be challenged by the stories we read or watch or are part of." (20:33)

Notable Timestamps

| Timestamp | Segment Summary / Quote | |-----------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 01:05 | Miriam on secretive, exciting audition for a Vince Gilligan series | | 03:29 | Describing her instant connection with Rhea Seehorn | | 06:32 | Discussing how to make Helen relatable by showing her love for Carol | | 10:55 | Behind the scenes: praising stunt performer Athena Perample | | 12:20 | Origin story of the “emotional support person” improv line | | 14:26 | Recounting the hilariously hot “ice hotel” shoot | | 15:59 | On acting cold while sweating; using sense memory | | 17:25 | The joys of childlike acting and imagination | | 19:40 | Miriam’s recurring roles in the publishing/book world | | 20:33 | The importance of challenging storytelling and taking big swings |

Tone & Takeaways

• The conversation is playful, warm, and frequently self-deprecating, marked by mutual admiration.
• Miriam’s love of craft shines: her thoughtful approach to character, the joy in improvising, and deep appreciation for collaborative storytelling.
• The environment on Pluribus sounds genuinely supportive and creative.
• Listeners get a vivid sense of both the technical and emotional aspects of the show's creation, including how off-screen relationships can shape what we see on screen.