From Superbad to Maniac, Emma Stone has come a long way

Emma Stone in a scene from Netflix thriller Maniac.

Maniac delves into some fascinating themes about mental issues, particularly depression. What interested you about the show?

I liked the idea of exploring this concept about pain and the notion that these issues we deal with internally can be fixed in three easy pills. That we can experience the trauma and then we can confront it and heal it and that will be it, just wash your hands clean. No need to talk it out and no need to maintain working on yourself. Wouldn't that be nice to be able to do that? To take your trauma and just knock it out with a few pills?

How did the show's themes resonate with you?

Well, one of the things my character asks is, "What is normal?" Everybody goes through pain, drama, anxiety and depression and to talk about that and to admit that is something we all struggle with at one time or another. We all have loss and we all have pain, and it's normal to not feel normal. Connecting with people can be a healing balm for us instead of isolating ourselves, and I hope that's what the audience takes away from watching Maniac because I think it's a really beautiful and important discussion to have.

What do you do when you're having a bad day?

I call somebody. Usually I feel that if I can talk it out with someone it really helps.

You have a milestone birthday coming up. The big 3-0.

Yes. A big one. I'm excited. I don't have any plans for what I'll doing. I feel like getting older has been a fun experience so far, gaining more wisdom and context for things. It's definitely better than the alternative.

Which actresses do you most admire?

There are many of them but I do like Diane Keaton and Marion Cotillard because they never relied on their beauty or sex appeal or feminine wiles. They follow their own paths and they make me want to be more like me, if that makes sense.

What can you tell me about yourself that people wouldn't know?

Well, I recently got really into adult colouring books. They are very soothing and I highly recommend it. If you're looking to do something on a plane or you are stressed out, I am telling you they are very, very meditative.

Are you a good traveller?

Yes. I like to be on planes. It feels like you get a little break from the world for a while. I think it's really nice. Thankfully, I'm not a nervous flyer. I used to be and then it went away. I was like, "This is a true loss of all control, there's nothing I can do." So, I find that weirdly comforting for some reason.

You won the Oscar for Best Actress for La La Land in 2017. How did that moment feel?

One of the craziest experiences was the fact that I am a Titanic super-fan so when I was a kid I had a framed picture on my wall of Leonardo DiCaprio that was signed as Jack from Titanic. So to walk up to Leonardo DiCaprio, my childhood crush, and have him hand me an Oscar was one of the craziest moments of my life. It honestly felt like I was a little kid in my bedroom. That was a truly insane moment.

Obviously your life has changed in the last few years. How good are you with change in general?

Change is scary I think for anyone even if it's positive change because to remain in the status quo is comfortable. You can be complacent when you're not challenged and so in that way growing is scary.

And for you, since 2010 with Easy A, life has changed in enormous ways. How have you coped?

Well, I have the greatest mum and you can't replace that in someone's life. She's incredibly supportive, as is my dad. My friends are the same people I've always had and I've met some new ones.

Jennifer Lawrence is a relatively new friend?

Yes. Jennifer has become a really great friend and she's amazing to be able to talk to about things that maybe other people might not understand. There are days that are a struggle when I feel a loss of anonymity and that is probably the hardest element of this job. I thought in the beginning I was supposed to live up to something or be a certain way but these days, I don't feel as bogged down by that now. I love this job more than anything so there's only so much complaining you can do about something like that. Life is good.

• Season one of Maniac is streaming now on Netflix