Emily Hampshire On Cutting Out, Her Greatest Luxury & Life After “Schitt’s Creek”

Photo Credit: DFree/Shutterstock.com

How does Schitt’s Creek’s Stevie Budd “cut out”? By making fun of David, of course. For her real-life portrayer, Emily Hampshire, the phrase means something entirely different. On Super Bowl LV Sunday, cocktail brand Cutwater Spirits will debut its “Cut Out With Cutwater” TV commercial, following a week of Hampshire’s digital takeovers and social media releases aimed at cutting away from the daily routine. Hampshire, a “longtime cut out enthusiast” is highlighting her own hilarious at-home interpretations of the theme.

“Many of us no longer have that physical divide between home life and work life, so it’s hard to feel entitled to cut out… let alone know how to do it!” she says. “As a long-time cut out enthusiast, I’m here to educate and inspire. Cutting out is not self-care. It’s caring enough about yourself to not feel guilty about all the selfcare exercise and meditating you’re not doing. Cutting out is selfcare without all those hashtag goals. Listen, most of the time, I don’t even know what day it is. But I’m okay with that, because cutting out doesn’t judge you for mixing weekends with weekdays. Cutting out is living in the moment, like watching other people hike while cracking open a canned White Russian that tastes like dessert. You’re welcome.”

We chatted with the SAG-nominated actress about the meaning of “cutting out,” her cool new campaign, being part of a series that literally swept last year’s Emmy Awards (and is on track to do the same at this year’s Golden Globes ceremony on Feb. 28) as well as what’s next for her post-Schitt‘s life (which includes a leading role opposite Adrien Brody). Photo Credit: Ted Belton

How have you “cut out” from your everyday life this year?

First, I think it’s important to define “cutting out” because it can get confused with self-care. Cutting out is not self-care. It’s caring enough about yourself to not feel guilty about all the self-care exercises and meditating you’re not doing. It’s self-care without all those hashtag goals. That being said… I have done nothing.

Which Cutwater cocktails do you like to pair with some of your favorite meals (and what are your favorite meals)?

I love the Cutwater Vodka Mule and that I can just open it without having to go out and get all the ingredients or make a mess in my kitchen. I don’t have to muddle anything or squeeze limes… and then lime juice in a cut on my finger. It also pairs wells with mac n’ cheese, which we call Kraft Dinner in Canada. Make sure you fold in the cheese while making it to make Moira proud. I also love to pair the Spicy Bloody Mary with scrambled eggs, a new dish I’ve been working on perfecting in my kitchen. You can check out my #EmilyCooksFood cooking videos on TikTok for tips.

Which Cutwater cocktails would you pair with each character from Schitt’s Creek?

Stevie Budd would be a fan of the Long Island Iced Tea because of its dive-bar vibes. She might also like a nice Spicy Bloody Mary or two on a Sunday.

David’s favorite would be anything made with tequila …. The Paloma or Margarita. He’d love the new mango Marg. I mean, just saying “Margs” in general.

Johnny is a classic man who would love the classic Vodka Mule. Or even the Whiskey Mule… Any mule.

Alexis would, of course, go for a Vodka Soda with 0 sugar and 0 carbs. 99 calories and gluten-free. She’d probably gravitate toward the Cucumber flavor because it tastes just like that water you get at a fancy spa (but with vodka).

You might think Moira would go for a light cocktail, but she would probably grab a Tiki Rum Mai Tai to pretend she was on a tropical vacation in a far-flung destination with a new wig to match. Mostly I’d just like to hear her say “Tiki Rum Mai Tai!”
Photo Credit: Ted Belton

Where do you think Stevie goes from here, and do you think you’ll have the opportunity to play her again?

I think the finale ended things perfectly: she’s become a businesswoman and will probably go on to have an extremely lucrative multi-motel dynasty. As for reprising the role of Stevie, I’d love to reunite with the cast in any capacity. We love each other.

When you think of the ongoing success of Schitt’s Creek and how it’s managed to, really, change the world, what are your overall thoughts? What was your reaction to the Golden Globes announcement?

I couldn’t be more proud to see the continued love for Schitt’s Creek and my talented castmates, including this week’s Golden Globe and SAG nominations! I think the show resonates so much because it manages to have meaningful conversations about love of all kinds while still keeping a lighthearted feel and making you laugh all the way through.

What’s next for you in a post-Schitt‘s world? Perhaps you can speak about your upcoming new project alongside Adrien Brody?

I just wrapped a limited series called Chapelwait alongside Adrien Brody. What else can I say about it? It’s set in the 1800s and it’s based on Stephen King‘s short story called Jerusalem’s Lot. Yes, I’m fully aware of the Stevie King nickname I’ve already earned. Anyways, it’s out later this year on Epix, so if you wanna see Stevie in a corset… TUNE IN! As for what else I’m working on… I can FINALLY talk about my dream project that was announced yesterday. It’s a remake of the cult ’70s soap opera send-up Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman from legendary TV producer Norman Lear.

What to you is the greatest luxury in life and why?

I think the greatest luxury is time. To have it and be able to do what you want with it is a luxury many of us don’t have, so we feel the constant pressure to make sure we don’t waste it. That way of thinking has led me to feel un-entitled to just chill… without meditating or exercising. Like, pure chilling, with a cocktail and no #hashtag goals. And that’s what I’ve decided the gift of cutting out is. It can be five minutes. But it’s YOUR five minutes… of doing nothing.

Watch Emily’s Cutwater spot on Instagram HERE