Was that important to you when you took on the film?

She was not really falling for Dustys tricks anymore and shed matured.

I just liked that about her character.

Oh yeah, yeah.

Yeah, shespresent.Shes present in the kids lives.

She doesnt just vacate so that the men can get to do some comedy, and I liked that.

Daddys Home was a big hit, wasnt it?

But one that perhaps went somewhat unnoticed because ofStar Wars: The Force Awakenscoming out around the same time.

[Laughs]Wenoticed!

How did you feel going through the release?

Did you worry about it being crowded out at Christmas?

Christmas was packed with movies.

Tonnes of movies that I wanted to see!

But it was such a relief when it turned out the audience loved the film.

Tell us a little bit about working with Will Ferrell inDaddys Home.

Apparently a lot of improvisation made it into the film?

Yeah, and Wills so brilliant at it.

To be part of that is so much fun.

To be in the middle of it was so much fun.

Will is as wonderful as a person as he is as an actor and a comedian.

That was just a great experience.

And the director was a sweet guy.

Working on the set was a really, really nice experience.

Can you point us towards any specific improvised moments that made it into the final cut?

There are so many that didnt!

Each time, it was more and more hilarious.

At one point, Will Ferrell was down to play the Dusty role, wasnt he?

I think I read that somewhere.

And the same goes for Mark Wahlbergs role.

Yeah, hes perfect for that part.

How that would make somebody feel I felt was the funny part of it all.

Once you were onMad Men, did you discuss the character of Sylvia with Jon Hamm?

Did he share any insights?

Oh hes great to work with.

I think, you know, actors rely on each other all the time.

As well as your on-screen work, youve done a number of voice roles on Nickelodeon shows and others.

Yeah, I did a few cartoons.

Going from on-screen to voice-only and back again, does that change your performance in front of camera?

Whats funny is that it made me realise certain things.

And more and more I realise I have a distinct voice, which I didnt realise!

You know, its just my voice.

I had no idea.

Can you talk a little bit about being a genuine casting surprise inAvengers: Age Of Ultron?

Nobody knew you were in it until the premiere announcement, how was that secret kept?

And how did that casting come about?

Is Joss Whedon aFreaks And Geeksfan, by any chance?

I went in and I read!

And you know, I got the part.

I have to ask while Ive got you about Lindsay Weir onFreaks And Geeks.

Wow, thank you.

How conscious were you of how stand-out a character she was when you came to her?

I felt like she was conflicted in a way that was so real and bittersweet.

The script was so great.

Paul Feig had written thisbeautifulscript.

I just really loved the material.

The script was special.

Then we would go in andimprovwith each other.

That was something that I didnt see happening a lot in auditions at that point.

It was just a unique experience from the beginning.

So many of that group have now gone on to write and direct, themselves.

How hard were you encouraged to shape and mould your characters?

They would ask us if we had personal stories or things that have happened to us in school or… Id worked a little before that but nothing on the scale of what that show was.

The creators and everybody behind the scenes, they always encouraged us to find things.

They were excited about what we could find.

In a lot of ways it was ahead of its time for being on primetime NBC.

The internet didnt necessarily get it.

They had no idea what to do with it.

They had no idea.

The internet and DVDs seem to have keptFreaks And Geeksalive.

Do you find people are still discovering it?

Its fascinating to me and I think its a testament that things like Netflix.

With great material, people can find shows that were ahead of their own time.

I love that its there and that it didnt just disappear forever.

We were afraid of that.

Youre an actor who heavily researches roles, Ive read.

Yeah, I attempt to, yeah.

Not to the extent of method acting, like your co-star James Franco, for instance?

[Laughs] Oh, we always had fun about that!

You know, everybody does it a little bit I think.

I think the majority of actors I know, everybody does it a little bit.

It depends on the work youre doing.

Its one of those things that, whatever works for you.

Whatever gets you to the most honest portrayal.

Linda Cardellini, thank you very much!

Daddys Home is available now on DVD, Blu-ray and Digital HD.