Patricia Arquette on Art, Guilty Pleasures, and Her Fascination with Codependency

Patricia Arquette, the Oscar and Emmy-winning actress, has turned her attention to the true-crime drama "Murdaugh: Death in the Family," where she plays the role of Maggie Murdaugh, the wife of the former South Carolina lawyer Alex Murdaugh, who was accused of murdering his wife and son in 2021. Arquette's portrayal of Maggie marks a departure from her previous roles as diabolical characters, allowing her to play a normal person for the first time. In a recent conversation, Arquette discussed her artistic passions, including ceramics, embroidery, and baroque music, as well as her guilty pleasures, such as candy and real estate listings.

Key Takeaways:

• Patricia Arquette's latest role in "Murdaugh: Death in the Family" marks a departure from her previous portrayal of diabolical characters, allowing her to play a normal person for the first time.
• Arquette finds inspiration in various artistic pursuits, including ceramics, where she enjoys working with clay and experimenting with glazes, despite being "not great" at throwing pots.
• Arquette also appreciates embroidery and tapestry, particularly historical pieces that capture a woman's love story and craft, which she feels a deep connection to.
• Baroque music has become a calming influence on Arquette, who enjoys the works of Wendy Carlos and Gershon Kingsley.
• In her personal life, Arquette enjoys collecting unique items that spark her creativity, blending vintage and modern pieces to create a distinctive decor.
• Arts and crafts are a source of happiness for Arquette, who finds joy in creating something with her hands, even if it's just a simple costume or piece of furniture.
• Arquette's research process for her roles involves immersing herself in the world of her character, exploring their interests and surroundings, including music, books, and local conditions.
• In addition to her acting pursuits, Arquette has a guilty pleasure for real estate listings, where she loves to dream about different lives and imagine herself living in various locations.
• Arquette's sweet tooth extends beyond candy, with a nostalgic fondness for caramel apples, which she jokingly says she'd like to be buried with.
• Travel has always been a source of inspiration for Arquette, who loves discovering new languages, cultures, and architecture, often combining these experiences with visits to her globe-spanning friends.
• Arquette's career trajectory has been marked by significant changes, including her transition from being a daughter to a mother at 20, which she reflects as an unexpected coming-of-age experience that allowed her to learn and grow as a person.

Statistics:

• 37 years ago, Arquette took ceramics classes while pregnant with her son.
• Arquette has been drawn to the world of baroque music, particularly the works of Wendy Carlos and Gershon Kingsley.
• Arquette spends time researching her characters, exploring their interests, music, books, and local conditions.
• Arquette has a large collection of unique items, blending vintage and modern pieces to create a distinctive decor.
• Arquette estimates that real estate listings are her biggest time-sucking guilty pleasure.

Sources:

• "Murdaugh: Death in the Family" (Hulu series)
• Patricia Arquette's conversation with an interviewer (as edited and published in a magazine)
• Wendy Carlos's "Switched-On Bach" (album)
• Gershon Kingsley's "Popcorn" (album)
• Dominik Bindl/Getty Images (photographer)