Ever wonder what it would be like to flirt with Owen Wilson? How about Ed Helms? Do you think you could keep a straight face?

Well, that’s exactly what actress SARAH SKEIST did for her latest role in the Warner Bros. road-trip comedy “FATHER FIGURES.”

The film follows two fraternal twin brothers (Owen and Ed) as they head out on a search for their father. This quest kicks off after their mom (played by Glenn Close) lets it slip that she’s not exactly sure who their ‘real’ dad is. Sarah joins in as a fun and flirty Flight Attendant the guys meet along the way.

Previously, you might have caught this New York native as a hard-hitting reporter in the Netflix political drama ”House of Cards.” And, theater-goers might recognize her from starring opposite Nathan Darrow in the original play, “Kill Me Like You Mean It.”

Sarah's also got several projects in the works, including an appearance in Flavio Alves’ dramatic feature “The Garden Left Behind” starring Michael Madsen, Ed Asner and Danny Flaherty; the short film “Black Hole” which was shot by award-winning cinematographer Brett Jutkiewicz; and starring in her own original comedy sketch “Fairy of Lost 30 Somethings.”

I had a chance to catch up with Sarah Skeist to find out more.


Tell us about your role in “Father Figures.”

SARAH: I play a flight attendant who tries to flirt with Kyle (Owen Wilson) and Peter (Ed Helms) on their way to Miami. I say "tries to" because Peter has a bit of an awkward meltdown that gets in the way.

How was it to work alongside Owen Wilson and Ed Helms?

SARAH: When I first moved back to NY, Owen Wilson came into a restaurant I was working at and I served him breakfast. So, the fact that I was serving him food & drinks in a movie just felt like destiny.

But joking aside, it was a total blast. They were both so nice and funny. Ed always went out of his way to say "good job!" after every take.

Did they stick to the script mostly or was there some improv, too?

SARAH: There was improv! It was different every time, and it was pretty surreal to improvise with these comedic legends, but man was it fun. We definitely made each other break character during a few takes.

Any funny stories from the set you can share with us?

SARAH: Our scene was on an airplane, so there were a lot of extras. During one of the takes, we hear this low rumbling, first low, then louder. So Owen stops the take and says, "Is somebody snoring?" One of the extras had fallen asleep! We all had a good laugh. I guess the art department did too good a job with those "first class seats."

What’s the biggest lesson you learned from working on this project?

SARAH: I was pretty nervous knowing I'd be shooting with Owen and Ed, actors whose work I respect so much, and it ended up giving me a lot of confidence. I learned that no matter how scary it is, if you trust yourself, you'll be ok. And honestly, it was more than ok - it was fun!

And, now just for fun:

Who’s your favorite actor/actress?

SARAH: I definitely can't narrow this down to 1! One of my favorites is Glenn Close, who happens to be in this movie (dope!). Rose Byrne is excellent in everything she does, and I love Emma Thompson, Cate Blanchett, Robin Weigert (Check out her performance on "Deadwood" if you haven't.)

What role from the past do you wish you could have played?

SARAH: For comedy, Tracy Flick in “Election.” I feel like she's a (very) warped version of aspects of myself. If we're talking about drama, I'd say Calamity Jane in "Deadwood."

Favorite movie or TV show from your childhood.

SARAH: I'll give you top 3. “Princess Bride,” “Robin Hood Men In Tights” (I was a Cary Elwes fan), and “A League of Their Own.”

Tell us one thing that would surprise our readers to learn about you.

SARAH: 1. I play Ultimate Frisbee; 2. I collect pigs; 3. I have trouble narrowing things down.

How can fans keep up with you?

SARAH: I'm on Twitter:@sskeist link
Instagram: @piggsby link
Also they can check out my website: sarahskeist.com link -- and sign up for my newsletter.

Thanks, Sarah -- and please keep flirting!