All it takes is one great party to change your life, and Widow’s Bay fans won’t be the same after Episode 4’s spellbinding Sunset Cocktails bash.

Written by Mackenzie Dohr (WandaVision) and directed by Sam Donovan (Severance), Widow’s Bay‘s fourth episode, “Beach Reads,” shines a spotlight on Patricia, giving the awkward outcast her main character moment and cementing the extraordinary Kate O’Flynn as the horror comedy’s secret weapon.

In the first three episodes of Katie Dippold’s hit Apple TV comedy, Mayor Tom Loftis’ (Matthew Rhys) assistant craved attention and longed for acceptance from the background. When a cursed book disguised as a self-help manual encourages her to step outside her comfort zone, however, she sets out to plan the party of her dreams and finds herself living a nightmare complete with poisoned punch, animal sacrifices, a horrifying headdress, and entranced guests. (At least the DJ was good!)

“When I read the script, I was like, ‘OK, so there’s Carrie in there, totally. And I remember that feeling of watching Carrie, and the pain of that, and the pig’s blood, and the social anxiety of that,” O’Flynn told Decider over Zoom. “Even though there’s a lot of collateral damage afterwards, and she’s poisoned everyone, it’s still the best night of her life. It felt important to get that feeling in. She’s cursed, and she’s under a spell, and she’s almost killed everyone, but still.”

In celebration of her standout episode, Widow’s Bay‘s breakout star spoke with Decider about bringing her quirky character to life, crafting Patricia’s iconic dance moves, that jaw-dropping Reverend Bryce (Toby Huss) cliffhanger, the show’s overwhelming success, and more.

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When I spoke to creator Katie Dippold, she told me that Patricia is the character she thought about the most when crafting Widow’s Bay, and that she’s loosely based off of her mom. How did you want to approach playing her, especially in Episode 4 when you really get to establish those idiosyncrasies? 

It’s funny, because I really didn’t plot it out. Katie’s writing was so clear to me. I just followed my nose with it. And Mackenzie Dohr, who wrote Episode 4, did an amazing job. When I read it, it felt important not to shy away from the pain of it. That party at the beginning is so uncomfortable. It felt uncomfortable to do. And it felt like that was really important to get in there, for the audience to understand Patricia’s behavior in the previous three episodes. Even though there’s a lot of collateral damage afterwards and she’s poisoned everyone, it’s still the best night of her life. It felt important to get that feeling in. She’s cursed, and she’s under a spell, and she’s almost killed everyone, but still. 

What was your reaction when you first read the script and reached Patricia’s big twist at the end? 

Oh my god. When I read the script, I was like, “OK, so there’s Carrie in there, totally.” And I remember that feeling of watching Carrie, and the pain of that, and the pig’s blood, and the social anxiety. And when I read the reveal of the tiara, I thought it was the funniest thing. I was crying laughing because I didn’t see it coming. And then watching it back it’s sort of heartbreaking in a way.

Right, for a second you really think she’s throwing the party that will change everything for her in the best way possible. And it’s ripped away in this horrific fashion. The episode starts with this shot of Patricia manning the Pattiwagon, her free book mobile. What did her love of books and this mobile library hobby tell you about her? 

She has a very, very strong interior life, an amazing imagination, and an eclectic taste. Her interior life is strong, and she doesn’t have that much extra. She doesn’t have friends, so she exists in this internal world, I think. And those books that she’ll be reading, the sci-fi, or the Lovecraft, or whatever, is kind of real life as well for her. She’s interested in this stuff also because she’s living in it. 

Since her run-in with the Boogeyman in high school, Patricia’s been somewhat of an outcast. We get our first real look at the severity and the toll it takes on her when she attends girls’ night with her former classmates, who straight-up bully her. What do you make of Kris’ argument that Patricia’s been playing the victim all these years? 

When you meet her, she’s stuck in that wanting people to think she’s of value, that she’s a good person. Those black and white terms. I think Kris does have a point, because Patricia is a victim and there’s a reason she’s stuck, because no one believed her. But it means she’s looking for people to know exactly what’s going on with her or care. And in a way, she’s subconsciously setting traps for people in the office, emotional traps of, “Oh, they didn’t think about me again. Great.” So she does kind of play the victim. 

She has that moment where she’s filling out the self-help book and writes that she loves her generosity and kind heart, but doesn’t love how much she cares about what other people think. Having spent the season bringing her to life, what’s something you love about her and think she could work to improve? 

I love her bravery. I think she’s fiercely loyal and she’s someone who will fight to the death for what she believes in, and I think that’s really amazing. And I like the fact she tries. She goes into these environments that are terrifying to her. With the mean girls, she’s still attempting conversation and connection, which I really admire. Fear doesn’t doesn’t paralyze her. It’s sends her off in random directions, but it motivates her in a way. And what could she do better? I think she was kind of getting there, but getting out of the victim mode, although as an actor I love that about her. [Laughs] I find it so funny. But she is kind of letting go of that kind of “Look at me, look at me, I need attention,” and relaxing a bit towards the end of Episode 4.

During the party Patricia tears up the dance floor. Did you have any inspirations or conversations when deciding what her moves would look like? 

I remember we were doing a night shoot and Episode 4 was just about to come up, and Katie came to me and was like, “I just want to check in with the dance thing, because I realize that would be some actors’ worst nightmare.” And I was like, “Maybe! But no, no, no, I got this, I got this.” Afterwards I was like, “Wow, I really better come up with something here.” [Laughs] Our director was like, “I’ve got a choreographer we can workshop with.” And I was like, “Geez, what is it gonna be this dance? What are we coming up with?” [Laughs] Sam really wanted the song “Rhythm of the Night,” and I was like Patricia is definitely someone who at home on her own, gets the VHS, rewinds the music videos, and tries to learn the dance moves just to have some in her back pocket [for] a moment like this in her dreams. And she’s got an eclectic taste. “Rhythm of the Night,” the music video is a kind of witching hour pagan-y [dance]. There’s a lot of [arm movements]. So we used a couple of moves from that. We found another music video that was like 90s hip hop. A bit of Bob Fosse, and then it was just freestyle. The dancing felt like a moment of unbridled Patricia.

Episode 4 was directed by Sam Donovan, whose name I immediately recognized from Severance, another Apple TV show I adore.

Me too.

What was it like collaborating with him on “Beach Reads”?

Sam was amazing to work with. My memory is that we both kind of acted like Patricia. [Laughs] He’d kind of be like Patricia. And then I kind of be Patricia. It was quite physical getting into Patricia’s mindset. He directs people differently depending on what he’s picking up that they need. And with me, he was becoming her too. 

Speaking of physicality, you have so many marvelously manic facial expressions throughout this episode. One that really stood out for me was Patricia hiding in the kitchen and going from sobbing to yawning when someone walks in. 

[Laughs] That was Kelly’s idea. Kelly [Galuska], one of the writers, came to shoot and then she said “It’s like a silent scream where you’re kind of crying, but there’s no sound coming out. And then someone walks in.” And I was like, “OK, cool!” She did it for me, so I knew what it was.

“I love her bravery. I think she’s fiercely loyal and she’s someone who will fight to the death for what she believes in, and I think that’s really amazing… Fear doesn’t doesn’t paralyze her. It’s sends her off in random directions, but it motivates her in a way.”

Kate O’Flynn, Widow’s Bay

At one point as Patricia is spiraling in the kitchen she calls Tom and leaves him a voicemail reminding him he’s supposed to be there. How would you describe her relationship with Tom? Up until that point, we haven’t seen too much of it but it’s clear there’s history.

The brief to me was platonic codependency, but there is a quiet possessiveness that she feels with Tom. It’s sort of like siblings, but sort of this invasive, possessive, “I’m the one that knows everything about you” type relationship. But then he’s also dependent on her. You maybe don’t see that as much, but Katie talked about Patricia driving Tom to the inn in Episode 2. That’s because he called her. He wanted that sort of comfort blanket. So it’s sort of unhealthy and codependent.

I definitely sensed that intense loyalty. But there were two times — when Patricia was interrogating him about Marissa, and at the end of Episode 4 when she gets in the truck after her horrible day and looks up at him and smiles — where I was like, are they siblings or are there deeper feelings? But maybe he’s just this rare person who truly sees and accepts her. 

I think that’s it. [Deeper feelings] were never spoken about. It did feel like siblings to me and I think it did to Matt, but yeah that bit where she’s asking about Marissa and the picking up, it is kind of intrusive. I haven’t talked to Katie about her romantic life. 

Boogeyman and Widow’s Bay curse aside, what do you think Patricia’s biggest fear is in life? 

I think her biggest fear in life would be that she will always be alone. She’s alone at the start, but she’s always trying to connect. And I think her biggest fear would be that she never achieves that. I think Patricia is not someone to be pitied. I think there’s undiscovered depths to her. She’s surprising. So of course she’s got a flirt in her. We haven’t seen it yet. There’s a twinkle in Patricia, she’s just got to figure it out. 

The party ends when Patricia races out to this Wicker Man-esque bonfire and sees all her entranced guests walking into the water. What was it like shooting that unsettling scene?

It was like a pinch me moment. It was like the kid in me just loving every minute. I felt like I was in a horror movie and I was in an action movie trying to save everyone. It was a fun night working.

After the party of the year, Episode 4 ends with the jaw-dropping reveal that Reverend Bryce died by suicide. Clearly, the situation in Widow’s Bay is becoming more dire. Can you tease anything about the impact that that will have on the town going forward? 

He’s kind of the key, Reverend Bryce, to what the hell is going on, and he’s killed himself. So it opens up a whole can of worms of trying to figure out what it was, the information he knew, and where’s that taking us? I just hope viewers keep their seatbelts on and get ready for the roller coaster ride that’s coming because it’s going to go in all different directions.

Widow’s Bay is your first U.S. production, and between your standout performance and the serious love for the show there’s already a big push for Emmys consideration. What does that mean to you?

I am so thrilled the show has gotten that response, because I just love it so much. It would have been my favorite show as an audience member, and to get to be in it is surreal. It is a dream to me to be in an Emmy conversation. It’s just wild. It’s fantastic. I don’t have any words, really. It was my first job in the U.S. It kind of came out of nowhere, and I sort of can’t believe it. I’m just so thrilled it happened that way. 

This interview was edited for length and clarity.

New episodes of Widow’s Bay premiere Wednesdays on Apple TV.