I met Lauren Lapkus several years ago in Chicago when she was improvising at one of the various theaters around town. Back then, she was known as a quirky and extremely talented actress with fantastic characters pouring out of her. These days, nobody in the Windy City is surprised that she’s gone on to have a successful and growing television and movie career. Before she ever left Chicago, critics were already praising her work, calling her “…eccentric… smart and funny” (Centerstage Chicago)  “riveting” (Chicago Reader), “…amazing” (Chicago Sun Times) and “A real find” (A.V. Club), among other accolades.

Over the last three years, Los Angeles and the rest of the country have started catching up to what we in Chicago have known for years. From her standout role as Dee Dee on “Are You There, Chelsea?” to appearances on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!”, upcoming feature films, and even working with Betty White, Lauren is creating quite the name for herself. We can’t wait to see what she does next!

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Serial Optimist: You started in Chicago as an improviser and eventually moved to LA. What made you make the transition?

Lauren Lapkus: I always planned on moving to LA to pursue an acting career after I graduated college in 2008, but I ended up making a last minute change. I lived in NYC for a little over a year and then moved to LA in early 2010. I’d always wanted to live in New York, so it was really cool to have that year there before “settling down” in LA.

SO: How did you get “discovered” once you were in LA?

Lauren: When I moved out here I got on a Harold team at UCB. My managers saw me in a show there and ended up signing me, which was really exciting. I had done a few things before that, including a couple bits on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” and a handful of commercials, but joining forces with them was a huge turning point.

SO: Do you consider yourself more of an actress, writer or improviser?

Lauren: I think each one helps and influences the other. I consider all three of those things equally important.

SO: You do a lot really quirky, dare I say weird characters. How do you come up with your characters?

Lauren: people influence me all the time. I basically see everyone I meet as a potential character. I can’t help but notice other people’s quirks and specific movements. It’s just how I see the world.

SO: How close to you and your own quirks are these characters?

Lauren: Some characters I’ve developed based on my own experiences or ways I’ve acted in the past, but most of them are based on the people I see around me.

SO: Without even knowing, I know you practice those funny faces you do in the mirror. Ever been caught?

Lauren: Well, I definitely do some of this stuff in the mirror to entertain myself, and sometimes I don’t even notice I’m doing it. I’m sure I’ve been caught, but honestly I act this way on stage all the time so it wouldn’t be too much of an embarrassing moment if it happened at home. 🙂

SO: Tell me about the first time a stranger recognized you from TV.

Lauren: I’m not sure if I remember the first time but one of the cutest times happened while I was waiting in line for The Simpsons ride at Universal Studios, which is a place grown adults go to unwind. A woman got my attention and I looked over to see her daughter looking up at me. She was probably seven or eight. The mom told me that her daughter loved watching “Are You There, Chelsea?” and she was excited to see me. That was pretty cute. I’m hoping all the innuendos on that show went over her head.

SO: Betty White. Holy crap, you got to work with Betty White! Any fun stories from that experience?

Lauren: That was a dream come true. I’ve always admired Betty and I was thrilled to get to work with her on “Hot in Cleveland”. She was so nice and her timing is just amazing. We worked with a bunch of puppies in that episode, and she’s a major animal lover. We used stuffed animals all week to practice holding the puppies in the scene, and she made sure we all handled the stuffed dogs like we would real ones. It was very sweet!

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SO: What were you like as a kid? Would you say people who knew you then are surprised that you’re an actress now?

Lauren: I was pretty shy when I was super little, but as I got older I became more of a class clown. I basically wanted to be Adam Sandler or Chris Farley. I don’t think people are too surprised that I ended up in this field! Unless they only knew me when I was four and then never saw me again- those people are probably shocked.

SO: What made you want to be an actress and who/what continues to inspire your drive?

Lauren: As a kid, I loved SNL and “In Living Color”, and I somehow watched just about every episode of every sitcom from the 70s, 80s, and 90s. (My TV trivia skills are insane.) I always knew I wanted to do something like that when I grew up. I’m inspired by all of my amazing friends, who are some of the most talented performers and creators in the world. I also still watch a ton of TV.

SO: You are one of the nicest people ever, what something that can really piss you off?

Lauren: Apparently you’ve never seen me in traffic. Or a long line at Marshall’s.

SO: What scares you?

Lauren: Deep water. A murderer coming into my house and I can’t find my glasses. Pickles and mayonnaise.

SO: Any new projects coming up that you’re excited about?

Lauren: I have a recurring role on “Orange Is The New Black,” a Netflix original show that will be debuting this summer. I play a corrections officer in a womens’ prison. It’s intense.

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SO Note: As long as she continues to stay un-murdered and can find her glasses, Lauren is on Twitter @laurenlapkus and can be found on laurenlapkus.com. She performs at UCB a couple times a week— Tuesdays at 11pm with Bangarang! and Saturdays and Sundays with ASSSSCAT.