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Your new movie To Die
Alone - in a few words, what's it about, and what can you tell us
about your character in it? To Die Alone is
a story of survival, physically and mentally. Both characters, each with
their own burdens, must lean on each other to find a way through.
My character, Irving, is facing her inner demons amidst the external
dangers on the trail. She’s someone full of love and fear, and if she
doesn’t learn how to balance both, they will break her.
What did you draw upon to bring your character to life, and how much Lisa Jacqueline Starrett can we
find in Irving? Haha… Irving’s story is very personal
for me. I remember reading the casting, happy crying, and immediately
taping an audition. For one, I live with chronic, high functioning
suicidal depression. It’s just a part of who I am. I had also just left
a relationship uncomfortably similar to Irving’s ex-husband, on top of
struggling with deciding just how much of my true self I wanted to share
with the world. In many ways, Irving’s story is my story, and countless
other people’s story. I hope she gives other people the same hope,
courage, and inner peace she’s given me along this path.
How did you get involved with the project in the first place, what drew you to it?
The initial casting process was actually an open call. Irving’s
character resonated so deeply with me that within 30 minutes I’d already
memorized and taped her monologue. One take. By the end of the day I’d
finished taping the other two audition scenes and submitted. At the
callback, I remember meeting co-star James Tang [James
Tang interview - click here] and talking about golf, haha. In the
room, I remember asking director Austin Smagalski questions about Irving’s internal battle,
and something he said about her clicked with me. When we ran the scene, I
couldn’t stop crying because it felt so real and so personal. I loved
Irving so much, and am forever honored and overjoyed that Austin trusted
her story with me. Since To
Die Alone is shot almost entirely on exterior locations and
involves a fair share of hiking, would you at all describe yourself at all
as an outdoorsy type of person? Yes!! I grew up in Utah,
hiking, climbing, camping, fishing, you name it. All I want to do is be
outside surrounded by nature. Even in the city, I’ll go on long walks to
find trees and smell flowers. Getting to film at Shasta National Forest
was the best “job” imaginable. What can you tell us
about To Die Alone's
director Austin Smagalski, and what was your collaboration like? Austin
is amazing. He cares about every single person on set, and you can feel
that. We had several rehearsals beforehand so there was room to play with
the characters and try new things, and then we used that play to hone in
on the blocking and emotional arc of each scene. He listened to and
enhanced each person’s strengths, directing us in a way that matched our
personal acting styles. He also, and I’ll forever be thankful for this,
was aware of the sensitive nature of the story and how difficult it could
be for actors to be in that mental place for long periods of time. He
wanted everyone to be safe, both mentally and physically, and made sure
that was prioritized throughout the production. Do
talk about the shoot as such, and the on-set atmosphere!
It felt like summer camp! We even had a “camp day” on our day off,
complete with matching t-shirts, cotton candy, popcorn, crafts, games, you
name it. One of my favorite memories is when we were waiting out a rain
storm while filming—Max, our head gaffer, rigged up a dance party in our
shelter with music and disco lights. Our whole cast and crew sang and
danced and laughed as the rain poured around us. Any
future projects you'd like to share?
Absolutely! Keep an eye out for I Really Love My Husband! It’s
a fun, sexy comedy about as different from To Die Alone
as you can get, haha. We filmed on location in Bocas del Toro, Panama and
it just premiered at SXSW. If you’re a fan of White Lotus,
you’re really going to like this film.
Another fun project coming soon is Taga, a horror film shot in
the rural mountains of the Philippines. This time you’ll get to see me
as the villain… who really thinks she’s the hero.
What got you into acting in the first place, and did you receive any formal training on the
subject? I grew up doing school plays. It was my joy in
life. When I graduated high school, I decided to quit acting and focus on
a real career. I majored in trauma psychology and computer science, all
the while doing small commercial acting gigs on the side. I have had some
formal acting training from quite good programs in LA, but honestly my
time working in trauma psychology informed my acting style the most. I
think the best acting training is living life, caring about people,
learning to listen and put others first, and to just film things as often
and as joyfully as possible.
What can you tell us about your filmwork prior
to To Die Alone? To Die Alone
is my first lead role in a feature film. I filmed some small supporting
roles in feature films, including having the absolute honor of playing
Amanda in the Sundance-winning film Nine Days. Beyond that, I had a
blast filming plenty of high profile music videos (a not-so-secret passion
of mine), commercials, and short films. How
would you describe yourself as an actress, and some of your techniques to
bring your character to life? In front of or behind the camera, my passion is meaningful
storytelling. I care deeply about doing justice to the person a character
is, and all the people who will resonate with the character’s story. I
always have to draw from personal experiences, because at the end of the
day, I am becoming this person. I always want to know the why behind what
a character is doing. It doesn’t have to be rational—so much of human
emotions and actions aren’t rational—but it does have to be grounded
in real thoughts and feelings. The hardest technique I’ve had to learn
is to be still. On stage, you can move around and let the energy flow
through you. On camera, too much movement takes away from the emotion of
the moment. You have to take that natural restless energy, stab it firmly
into the ground, and let it manifest in your emotions. That way the camera
can capture it, and in turn, the audience can feel it.
Actresses (and indeed actors) who inspire you?
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The list goes on and on! Viola Davis, LaKeith Stanfield, Angelina
Jolie, Andrew Scott, Queen Latifah, Idris Elba, Willem Dafoe, Peter
Dinklage, Emma Corrin, Ian McKellen, Uzo Aduba, Ali Wong, Meryl Streep,
Matt Damon, Zendaya, Elliot Page, Keira Knightley, Geoffrey Rush, Phoebe
Waller-Bridge, Olivia Colman, Charlize Theron, Benedict Cumberbatch,
Martin Short, Ana De Armas, Harvey Guillén, Stanley Tucci, Jodie Foster,
Raven-Symoné, Ke Huy Quan, Leonardo DiCaprio. (Okay fine I’ll stop
there.) Your favourite movies?
It really runs the gamut. Inception, The Last Holiday, Avatar,
Mulan (the animated one!!), Horton Hears a Who, The Big
Year, Mr. and Mrs. Smith, RRR, Game Night.
... and of course, films you really deplore?
Nah I won’t touch that ;) Although anyone interested can ask me in person, haha.
Your website, social media, whatever else?
Instagram: @lisajstarrett www.instagram.com/lisajstarrett
TikTok: @redhaircarebear www.tiktok.com/@redhaircarebear
Anything else you're dying
to mention and I have merely forgotten to ask? A funny,
quirky side story: I have a teddy bear named Mr. Bear. One day I decided
to bring him to set for an emotionally intense scene. I thought it might
be nice to have something to hold in between shot setups. It was quite
effective, and what started as a one-off quickly became a fun tradition.
Now, he comes to every set with me. That bear has now been to five
continents and something like a dozen countries. I’ve honestly lost
track at this point. My mom even bought him a “passport”. He’s been
on sets with some of the biggest stars in the world, and even makes cameo
appearances in the background if you look hard enough. Thanks
for the interview!
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