The Accountant's Cynthia Addai-Robinson on Working With Ben Affleck and J.K. Simmons
Credit: Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.
The Accountant, the much-anticipated crime drama starring Ben Affleck and J.K. Simmons, is finally in theaters and we caught up with a key cast member to dig deep into what viewers can expect from the twisted plot. Cynthia Addai-Robinson, who also stars in the CW's Arrow, plays an analyst in the U.S. Treasury department with a key role in helping viewers understand the film's plot. "This is a very intellegent, cerebral, adult thriller," Addai-Robinson says about the storyline, in which Affleck plays a mathematics savant working as a CPA for high-level criminal organizations. "My character is actually unravelling the mystery." Read on to see what Addai-Robinson says the film has in store.
What can you tell us about your character?
My character works in the U.S treasury department under J.K. Simmons' character, so we're on the government side. She serves as sort of an entry point for the audience because she is uncovering these clues about a very mysterious case. As my character is piecing it all together, she is helping the audience orient themselves. It's a puzzle of a movie because its not a straight plotline. There are a lot of flashbacks that help establish Ben Affleck's character. My character is always referencing him and looking at what he's doing.
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What was the experience of working with J.K. Simmons like?
He's awesome--when we were filming this movie, he was in the midst of all his Whiplash accolades--it was awards season mania for him when we were shooting. He worked a couple of days, and then he flew to New York to host SNL, then he worked a few days, then he won his Golden Globe.
And Ben Affleck?
Ironically, I share no screen time with Ben Affleck, even though I spend the whole movie starring at his photo!
What do you think will surprise viewers the most about the movie?
Although it's a thriller, the movie also takes a deep look at the autism spectrum and tries to explain the mentality of those on the spectrum to the world through Ben's character and flashbacks to his childhood. It explores how the minds of those with autism really work. You wouldn't really know that from the trailer, and I think the marketing for the film dances around it, but it's a really beautiful and meaningful element of the story.
Is there any chance of a sequel?
The director definitely sets up these characters in such a way that their stories can hopefully continue on after first film. Hopefully we'll get to do it all over again if we are lucky.
