In the film, which opened Wednesday, Carpenter plays Kate, the former flame of an emotionally needy Manhattan writer named Graham (Alexander Poe, who also wrote and directed).
As Graham tries to reconnect with several exes, Kate discovers she has more in common with another of Graham’s cast-offs, Laura (Kristen Connolly, “The Cabin in the Woods”), than just the guy they both dated.
“Kate is like a hotcake,” says Carpenter. “She’s smart, quick, and sharp. She sort of bombs through people’s truths, and decides what she’s going to hold onto (from relationships). She charges through life. I’m sort of similar — I can find my way into anything. Or, at least I feel like I can.” Read more after the jump.
The 32-year-old Kentucky native and Juilliard graduate, who maintains an apartment in New York for when she’s not filming “Dexter” in Los Angeles, has had some experience with being “the ex.” Though, like her character, she seems to have learned a thing or two from it.
“Being an ex-girlfriend is a position of honor,” says Carpenter, who was married for three years to her “Dexter” co-star Michael C. Hall. The two divorced in 2011 but continue to work together on the Emmy and Golden Globe-winning show.
“I honestly think it’s there’s a specific personality type that can hold on to an ex. And you never know when you walk away from one ex if they’ll be able to be your friend. I think it takes a pretty solid person to do that kind of thing.”
Living in New York, where the close proximity to your old flames can create challenges, has honed her “ex”-powers, she says.
“I wouldn’t say it’s harder here, because I think living in New York helps you make better decisions in that regard,” Carpenter says. “You know the ‘threat’ of running into someone is always present. Manhattan is an island, 13 miles by 3 miles... You’re bound to run into them, so you always have to be prepared!
“But it’s rough, too, because you collect memories in front of different places in the city. Even just a stroll down one block can be very painful if you built a memory with someone there.”
As “Dexter” comes to a close next year after its eighth season, Carpenter says the change in work may also alter her post-marriage relationship with Hall. “I don’t know what it will be after we put the show down,” she says thoughtfully.
For her part, Carpenter will dive back into fictional thrills. She has another thriller, “The Occult,” co-starring Rufus Sewell and Colm Meaney, due out next year. Then she’ll be in an adventure currently titled “Bone Tomahawk,” set to co-star Kurt Russell and Peter Sarsgaard.
And what about the flip side of “Ex-Girlfriends” — is there an “ex” factor for one-time boyfriends?
“I am learning not to compare,” Carpenter laughs. “Guys are their own animal.”