Maybe people don't see me as believable playing a person of today. I guess I'm just more realistic in a corset and funny hairstyles.

Katie McGrath’s quote reflects her self-awareness and humor about her acting career. She acknowledges that audiences might find her more believable in period roles, where she wears a corset and funny hairstyles, rather than playing contemporary characters. McGrath is recognizing that her look and presence may lend themselves more naturally to historical or fantasy settings, where costumes and characters are often more stylized and dramatic.

By saying, “I’m just more realistic in a corset and funny hairstyles,” McGrath humorously implies that she feels more comfortable and authentic in these roles. This suggests that her acting style and the way she is often perceived by audiences align better with the more exaggerated, dramatic elements of period pieces rather than the grounded, everyday roles of contemporary characters. It highlights the way an actor's appearance and persona can sometimes influence the types of roles they are cast in.

The humor in her statement also speaks to the absurdity of being “more realistic” while dressed in period costumes, a reflection of how the artifice of historical settings allows for a certain suspension of disbelief. McGrath is playing with the idea that costumes and old-fashioned settings make her feel more natural, even though they might seem out of place when compared to modern, everyday life.

The origin of this quote likely stems from McGrath’s own experiences in acting, particularly in roles where she has often been cast in period dramas or fantasy settings, such as her role in Merlin. Her reflection on believability and how she is perceived by audiences reveals her comfort with the roles she is often cast in, while also highlighting her self-awareness about how her look shapes her career.