Mrs. Maisel's Alex Borstein Talks 'Cool Chemistry' With [Spoiler], 'Perfect Progression' of Susie's Coming Out Arc

Michael Ausiello
·2 min read
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The twist The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel‘s fifth and final season had been dancing around has now been unequivocally confirmed: Gordon Ford’s wife of convenience, Hedy (played by Billions actress Nina Arianda), has a romantic history with Susie (Alex Borstein).

The ex-college besties with bennies had an incendiary reunion on (and off) the set of The Gordon Ford Show in Episode 4, which dropped Friday on Amazon.

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In a nutshell, Hedy was delighted to run into “Susan.” Susie — still smarting from getting ghosted by Hedy back in the day — was less than thrilled to see her ex.

“The chemistry felt right,” Borstein tells TVLine of her and Arianda’s fraught and flirty dynamic (watch video above). “It felt like she was a little bit better than Susie… A little bit higher up from Susie. And I could see how Susie could be in love with that creature. She’s always picked very funny, smart women who are in control of their lives.”

Nina Arianda Marvelous Mrs. Maisel Season 5 Episode 4
Nina Arianda Marvelous Mrs. Maisel Season 5 Episode 4

The sequence capped a long-gestating five season-long coming out arc for Susie. For her part, Borstein applauds the relatively slow pace of her alter ego’s journey. “I think the progression was perfect for this show and how [series creator] Amy [Sherman-Palladino] crafted a woman in the ‘50s who’s already doing something really radical by trying to be in this business and trying to make a name for herself and support herself.

“I don’t feel like it was something the character was hiding or stepping on or felt constricted to share with the world,” the Emmy winners adds of Susie’s sexuality. “Even if Susie had been completely straight and had a male lover, I don’t think she would’ve shared that with Midge. I don’t think she ever would’ve talked about her personal stuff, or anything about her body, with her. It was a different time. And I think Susie is just a very different creature [in terms of] trusting anyone with any information.”

Launch Gallery: <i>Marvelous Mrs. Maisel</i> Flash-Forward List: All of Season 5's Futuristic Easter Eggs (Updated Weekly)

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