Andrea Martin’s career has included a lot of comedy—she was on legendary 1970s sketch series SCTV—but over the years she’s excelled in nearly every genre, with two current projects earning her even more new fans: Hulu’s Only Murders in the Building, and Paramount+’s Evil.

With Evil heading toward its series finale, io9 jumped at the chance to talk to Martin about what it’s like starring on one of TV’s best-ever horror series, particularly in the context of her character: Sister Andrea, a wise, wisecracking, demon-slaying nun.

This interview has been slightly edited for clarity and space.

Cheryl Eddy, io9: Sister Andrea can see demons, something Evil uses to both comedic and terrifying effect. What’s it like for you filming those scenes, when you’re interacting with these creatures?

Andrea Martin: I can’t get past my concern for them because, really, I’m just thinking all day when I’m with them, “How are they in these full-body prosthetics?” They can’t go to the bathroom. They can’t eat. It takes such a unique individual. Not everybody can do that kind of work. And then to have to act! I mean, honestly, I couldn’t do it. You know, I just have a habit on my head and a really loose skirt. That’s how I get by. But they’re in full prosthetics, so it’s extraordinary. I guess, I don’t think I can think of them so much as demons as actual people in prosthetics.

I never acted with people in prosthetics. Well, I guess I did on Star Trek [Deep Space Nine]. Anyway, it’s a very unique experience. You have to stay in character. You have to believe that this is a demon. You have to believe that you have to kill them and smash them—that a kind, gentle person like Sister Andrea [is taking] a shovel [and] hitting a demon over the head. You have to really believe in order to do this show.

io9: Sister Andrea has a very deep faith, even if the Catholic Church itself isn’t always the most supportive institution. How do you think she approaches finding a balance there?

Martin: She speaks her mind. She’s driven by faith. That’s what’s going to guide her more than the Catholic Church—more than anything, really. I think she knows her place. She’s fighting to change how women and nuns are looked at in the Catholic Church. The hierarchy—she’s certainly, in all these years in Evil’s existence, has really spoken her mind against the men in charge who also seem to be hypocritical and look down at women. But she’s going to continue because she’s got bigger fish to fry: how do we believe in goodness and how do we have faith? The world is a tough place, and without faith, it’s really hard to keep your spirits up. I certainly look at the world we’re in right now, so that really made me dig in my heels more with Sister Andrea. 

I think Evil is calling up, calling upon what we’re living through in the world; there’s both evil and goodness. I think Sister Andrea’s journey is that the redemption at the end of your life is to be honest, come clean, let go of all the anger, hostility, hate, fear, violence that maybe you’ve been a part of secretly, in any small way. And to be able to say, “I’m sorry, I believe in a higher power. I believe in hope and joy.” I mean, I have to believe that, for goodness sake. So I tried to hold on to that when I was playing the character. 

io9: We’ve learned a little bit about Sister Andrea’s backstory here and there. Was that something you knew about when you started to play her? 

Martin: There wasn’t really a backstory. When I did the first scene, I thought it was just a guest star, and so I tried to play the character that was on the page and in the limited time, bring something of myself to it. But then they kept writing more, and then I just dug a little deeper, you know? So as the character continued and the series continued, I created a backstory for sure. And some of that backstory you will see in the last couple of episodes. They’re really touching. 

io9: Did [Evil creators Robert and Michelle King] name the character after you? Or was it Sister Andrea when you took the part?

Martin: I did The Good Fight with them, and—this is going to come as a shock, but I never asked them. I never asked them, now that you bring that up. I assumed that it was written with me in mind, but I could be wrong. If you talk to Robert and Michelle, ask them! You know, Robert and Michelle always have a twinkle in their eye. And they’re always right under the surface with humor. So they probably thought there was something funny about that. I mean, I’ve never heard of a Sister Andrea before, and I don’t know—if I hadn’t accepted it, if they would have gone to somebody named, you know, Agatha. Sister Agatha. I don’t know, but that’s how it ended up.

io9: I’ve been a fan of yours in so many other projects—Only Murders in the Building is a big one—but you’re also in one of my all-time favorite horror movies, Black Christmas, and now one of TV’s most entertaining horror series in Evil. As an actor, what is it about the horror genre that excites you the most?

Martin: I think just being asked! The very first thing I ever did was a movie called Cannibal Girls, which you probably don’t know about, but Eugene Levy and I improvised the entire movie. It was directed by Ivan Reitman. It was a comedy horror film. But it’s terrifying! It was shown in drive-ins—drive-ins don’t really exist so much anymore—[but] look it up, I’m sure you’ll find it interesting. You can see it. I don’t know if Netflix has it. Somebody has it. So that was my first movie. Cannibal Girls, dear god. 

And then, Black Christmas. Wow. That was a really frightening film to watch. And then I did the [2006 Black Christmas remake]. I think I’ve just been asked to do them, and they seem like interesting characters, but I don’t know that I’m drawn to it. It’s something that I would never watch. I get easily scared. I don’t like horror films. I don’t like violent films. I just like an old-fashioned romantic comedy. So, thank god I don’t have to watch what I’m doing as I’m doing it. I don’t know if I’d be able to do it. I just approach it as an actress, not as a horror film actress.

io9: Since you’ve been on Evil, a show which often explores the horrors of technology, has your own awareness been heightened about how technology might be used in malevolent ways?

Martin: Yeah, I have unfortunately. I can’t even talk about AI without thinking about what we’re leaving for our children. I have an eight-year-old granddaughter, and we, her mom and dad, keep her away from iPhones and iPads and the internet. But I think it’s just a matter of time. All she wants to do is look at an iPhone. And thank god they do keep her away. I hope that they’ll be able to do that until she can think for herself. Like when she’s in high school. But who knows? 

And now with AI, I mean I think AI can work wonders with medicine and science. But when it comes to art, it’s so frightening. I think people will go to the theater more. I think they’ll go to the ballet more. I think they’ll go to operas more. I think they’ll go to symphonies more, where there are real people. I think people will crave it. You know, I want to do as much there as possible, and nobody can change what I’m doing on stage. So I don’t know. It’s a world—you know, I’m old now, and I just really think about the future for children. That’s more frightening than any horror show for me.

Evil streams new episodes Thursdays on Paramount+. And for those who dare: Cannibal Girls is streaming on Tubi.

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