How did you come to act in
Miss Potter
?
I was very lucky to go to a school where they allowed casting directors to come in and scout, so really I was just in the right place at the right time. One afternoon a casting director watched over my drama lesson then invited me to audition to play the young Beatrix. And after weeks of workshops and recalls I got the role!
Do you think your role in
Miss Potter
has defined you as an actress?
I wouldn’t say that is has defined me as an actress at all. It has definitely informed my taste in what type of roles and projects I enjoy, and I was given volumes of invaluable advice on that job which I shall take with me throughout my career, but I was so young then. It is a film I am incredibly proud of, and I feel so fortunate to have had that be my first job and my introduction into this industry, but I wouldn’t ever want a single role to define me.
More importantly, what roles in between you acting in
Miss Potter
and now have affected you most? Can you tell us more about those projects, who you worked with and way you enjoyed most about it?
Ballet Shoes
was definitely a pivotal role for me. It was my first “lead” role, in an ensemble of the most incredible women, so it was a very special project. I actually recently spoke to Sandra Goldbacher, the director, and both of us are still receiving letters from young girls seeing it for the first time!
Sing Street
was also a very special one. I’ve never worked with a director like John Carney before. He is a mad genius. He’s very keen for everything to feel authentic, and always want to hear your thoughts and how you want to play it, so a lot of days he ended up rewriting whole scenes of dialogue on the spot. It’s incredible to watch him work. That’s the genius part. But he also seems to run on this higher frequency, god knows where he gets his energy. You also absolutely need a sense of humour about yourself when working with him. Here’s hoping I made the cut and get to work with him again.
In
Sing Street
I play Raphina, a teenager who uses her ballsy, impulsiveness to conceal a deep fragility. I always feel kind of awkward talking about her, I feel so protective of her it feels like a betrayal! Like I’m totally exposing her!
What is your favorite film?
Drake Doremus’ movie
Like Crazy
; It is just perfect - and absolutely devastating. And then I love Hal Ashby’s
Harold and Maude
, a dream movie.