Who Plays The Renaissance Woman In Loki Episode 2?

Contains minor spoilers for "Loki" Episode 2

We're only two episodes into "Loki," and a great deal of hopping around the timeline has already taken place. The Time Variance Authority doesn't have a lot of time (no pun intended) to catch the Loki variant causing trouble. As our Loki (Tom Hiddleston), the 2012 variant who escaped with the Tesseract in "Avengers: Endgame," and TVA agent Mobius M. Mobius (Owen Wilson) hunt for clues, they have to travel to various points of historical significance. These moments include the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 A.D. and far off into a future date in the year 2050. But before all that, the group makes a stop during the era of New Wave.

At the start of Episode 2 of "Loki," TVA officers arrive in Oshkosh, Wisconsin in 1985. They appear at a renaissance faire to track down the miscreant Loki to bring them to justice. The TVA sticks out like a sore thumb at the fair, and there's a woman there to inform them of such. In case you thought that woman looked familiar, you weren't alone. It's none other than comedian and actress Kate Berlant, who has a slew of credits to her name. 

Netflix has become a go-to destination for anyone wanting to discover new comedic talent. In addition to numerous stand-up comedy specials from some of the biggest names in the industry, the streaming service also shines a light on emerging talent in the form of various comedy series such as "The Standups." One short-lived Netflix comedy series that had a ton of potential was 2016's "The Characters," in which young stars received their own episodes to showcase what they could accomplish in the form of a sketch variety show. Some of the big names that made it on included Lauren Lapkus, Tim Robinson, and, of course, Kate Berlant.

Berlant's episode sees her adopting the persona of an eccentric artist who attempts to reconcile her pedigree with her current job working on a corporate branding campaign. It brings about the kind of absurdism and academia she became famous for within her stand-up sets. Over the course of 30 minutes, she skewers the modern art world, a realm in which she has plenty of personal experience. Her father is acclaimed artist Tony Berlant, whose work has been on display at LACMA and Kohn Gallery. 

2018's "Sorry to Bother You" is one of the most bizarre movies to come out in recent memory. However, beyond all of the absurdism lies a story about the dangers of unfettered capitalism, which keeps workers exploited by the upper classes and the ultra-rich. This idea comes to the surface with the fictional company RegalView, and specifically the three managers who teach the workers how to best sell products. Among the upper crust of the company is Diana DeBauchery, played by Kate Berlant.

Diana is the manager who attempts to convince the workers that they don't have a typical "employee-employer" relationship, and that they're actually more like one big family — which is, of course, untrue. As soon as Diana finishes her speech, Cassius (Lakeith Stanfield) asks if being equal, like members of a family are, means callers get paid the same amount of money as managers do. She's quick to inform him that isn't the case, and the exchange makes for one of the most darkly comic scenes in the entire film. 

"Once Upon a Time in Hollywood" is a unique addition to Quentin Tarantino's filmography. Other than the vague notion of fictional actor Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio) not wanting to end up a has-been, there's not much in the way of plot. Instead, the film focuses on the majesty of creating and viewing movies. This concept is on full display when Sharon Tate (Margot Robbie) goes to the movie theater to watch a film starring herself. There to sell tickets is Kate Berlant's character, who's incredulous that Sharon is actually a famous movie star. 

Naturally, it's an actor's dream to star in a Quentin Tarantino movie, and for Berlant, the opportunity offered a new experience: actually getting a job from an audition rather than her stand-up work. As she explained to Huff Post, "It's so funny because this is truly the first job I've ever gotten from an audition. Everything I've ever done has been because someone has seen my stand-up and they asked me to do it." 

With stand-up, TV, and movies under her belt, expect to find Kate Berlant in plenty more projects to come.