British Academy Television Award for Best Short Form

Transcription

>>CHLOE: Well, I went to see Annie on Broadway, when I was 5 or 6 years old, and I saw the girls on stage singing and acting and performing, and I knew that's what I wanted to do. So I started going to a summer theatre camp and doing plays at school. Then I started doing some commercials, um, in elementary school, and go to these huge casting calls in New York city where there'd be like hundreds of kids lined in the hallways. And then my mum was like, 'I think this is kind of gross, I'm not into bringing my child in - if you want to continue acting you should just do it in school and camp like we've been doing. No more of the professional stuff.' I'm glad she made that decision for me. She was like, when you're 18 you can persue it professionally. And then when I was 18 I got a lucky break: I was in a film called Kids, which a friend of mine had written [Harmony Korine] - my best friend, at the time. They cast all non-professionals and nobody knew what would become of that film, and Harvey Weinstein bought it and Miramax distributed it, and it became like this cult classic. So, really I got a lucky break. I was actually doing a lot of music videos, as well, and always surrounding myself with people who were - making films, short films, you know - had aspirations to make movies, like Spike Jonze, even though he was part of the whole skate culture... He was making like amazing skate videos like, um, Video Days - it's a classic Blind Skateboards video. And he was a friend of mine, so I was always trying to find some way in, doing lots of music videos and whatnot. And then Kids happened, and it all went from there. I think when I watched A Woman Under The Influence when I was around 18 or 19, and I saw Gena Rowlands' performance in that film. I just thought she transcended acting. It was something magical on the screen. She just was that person. I'm a fan of realism, [John] Cassavetes-style, so... That form of acting is just so pure: there's no glamour, there's no anything; obviously she's a very beautiful woman but - it was just a huge inspiration to me to see someone give a performance like that. Something that I still aspire to towards, but... you're only as good as the material you're given. Or so... I use that as an excuse! [Laughs] I think that you have to have a lot of confidence. I think the industry can really mess with your head, and it has with mine. You know, I started when I was 18, 19, and - it was really hard as a woman, a young girl, and the criticism and the judgements people make on you, and it's a difficult path to choose. You have to be very strong, and have people around you who will really support you. The body dysmorphic issues in the industry and what happens to young girls is just - it's very sad and disturbing, and so I think you really have to be sure this is what you want and that you can handle it.