Everything’s coming up sunny for Lucy Fry
Photographs by
Ming Nomchong
Styling and Creative Direction by
Lucy Warren/The Only Agency
Our conversation starts with a warm, boisterous laugh- something you’ll come to find that Lucy Fry does often. It’s an infectious sound that, as cliche as it may sound, makes a person instantly smile. It’s that rambunctiousness about the actress that initially stood out and helps captivate audiences. To put it simply, Lucy is the kind of girl that instantly puts you at ease- the conversation doesn’t waiver and she’s got an insightful take on just about anything.
Hailing from Wooloowin, Queensland, Australia, Lucy grew up regularly surfing the tide whilst attending the Brisbane Girls Grammar School where she took a liking to theater. From there, Lucy’s love of acting would take her into training at the Brisbane-based theatre company, Zen Zen Zo.
In her twenty-nine years, Lucy has had some standout gigs including the cult classic Vampire Academy, 11.22.63 and her current stint as Stella in EPIX’ Godfather of Harlem. Audiences can prepare to see her on Netflix’s vampire flick Night Teeth of which Lucy stars opposite Debby Ryan, Jorge Lendeborg Jr. and Megan Fox.
Lucy’s very much at a bubbling point where things are moving fast and roles are plentiful. The in-demand actress took some time out to chat with us about her latest role as the ring leader of a vampire pack, Zoe in Netflix’s Night Teeth.
I just want to go ahead and dive right in. How did the script for Night Teeth get in front of you?
My agent sent it to me and it was kind of the usual thing of just being sent a script and the slides and going in to audition for it. Betty Mae was casting it and I really love them and just went into the room and met the director and read for it and just really loved how light and fun and playful it is instantly. When I was preparing for it I was just like ‘this is so fun’ and I haven’t done it in a while, so I was really excited about that.
In this film, your character Zoe is pretty cold and kind of calculating. What was the biggest challenge you undertook to get into character?
It’s funny because she’s sort of like the opposite of me in a lot of ways like I tend to laugh a lot and—well, she actually laughs, she’s playful too, but I guess just finding her energy and making wanting to drink blood feel real and also normalizing it and just talking with Debby about like ‘Oh, we’re just like, really thirsty’. It’s just what happens to be IN people and thinking of people, it’s like [thinking of them as] drinks! And so I think that was the hardest—stretching the imagination to normalize, that was the hardest part because the rest of it is character work, which I do in all my characters, but that was very different and really fun to play with.
“I’ve played the 60s a couple of times, and the show Godfather of Harlem is set in the 60s, and I really love that genre. It’s a mixture of action, gangster and period piece. And that’s really fun to kind of go into the past and look at the way that things are repeating and how history’s repeating itself and learning from the past. I think that it is really satisfying to look at those parallels and explore them in a narrative.”
Speaking of Debby Ryan, she stars opposite you in the film and portrays the more quiet half of the duo Blair. How did you two get along on an offset during filming?
I love Debby. I think she’s wise beyond her years. She is so perceptive, so funny. We were filming nights because of the vampire thing, so we would start work with sunset and finish it at sunrise and that kind of timing can make people really edgy, staying up all night and Debbie would just come out with these punchy one-liner jokes and physical comedy that would have me and Jorge just laughing our asses off all night. She’s a really special human being, and I feel so lucky that she’s my friend.
I think audiences are really going to like this film, especially because we’re entering the Halloween season. Are you a fan of horror movies and if so did you draw any inspiration from any works you’d seen as you went into Night Teeth?
I drew a lot of inspiration from What We Do In The Shadows, because of the vampire aspects, obviously, and how irreverent it is, and I love horror where it’s sort of that, not full-on creepy horror. To me it’s kind of like making fun of the fear that people have. I love What We Do In The Shadows, so I watched it a lot.
“I noticed that when I started as an actor, the times between the jobs were where I would get a little bit worried about myself, because I love that thing so much and it’s my purpose and my joy and when I’m doing it, the self-care is in the joy of the work.”
What’s been your favorite genre to shoot thus far in your career and on the flip side, what’s a genre you haven’t yet worked in that you’d like to try your hand at?
I’m kind of lucky that I get cast in a lot of period pieces. I’ve played the 60s a couple of times, and the show Godfather of Harlem is set in the 60s, and I really love that genre. It’s a mixture of action, gangster and period piece. And that’s really fun to kind of go into the past and look at the way that things are repeating and how history’s repeating itself and learning from the past. I think that it is really satisfying to look at those parallels and explore them in a narrative. And I love magical realism. I would love to do like Pan’s Labyrinth and Guillermo del Toro’s Shape Of Water kind of genre—such a specific off-center genre that there’s not a lot made in it, but it’s my favorite and I love it. I would love to do something in that genre.
Has there been a character that stuck with you beyond filming?
I feel like I’ve learned something from all of my characters and their journey. I always have some key gifts that leave with me. Debby would laugh about this a lot—that I’m quite intense in terms of how I go into my characters where I really change my energy from who I am to who I become, and it can be a little bit weird, almost like how different they are from me. To keep myself safe, I have a pretty strict bit of a ritual when I get into character and when I get out of character so that they don’t stay with me, because I think if they stuck around, it wouldn’t be very healthy, and it would kind of be like… I don’t have a personality because they’re so different.
How have things been for you during the pandemic? Did it affect your work or were you able to take on any other endeavors during quarantine? What challenges, if any, did you face?
Like everyone, we’ve all been challenged, deeply. There was a time at the beginning where I was like ‘I don’t know if I’m ever gonna work as an actor again. Will we ever get to do this again?’ I started to cope with all the uncertainty. I was painting a lot, and that kind of took off more during all the isolation, just painting in my apartment. Also surfing is something that I love so much, and I would just go surfing every couple of days. I find peace in nature and the ocean, and when you’re present there, then all of the madness that’s going on with humanity would be like ‘it’s okay’. We’ll get through it because nature gets through everything.
You fully immerse yourself in your characters because the “you of it all” seems to fall away when you’re acting. Given how emotional the job can be, how do you make sure you’re happy and whole when you get home at the end of the day?
It depends on the character, but I love acting so much that even when it’s exhausting I feel satisfied by it because it feels like it’s being channeled towards a purpose. It’s more the times between acting jobs that are more psychologically challenging. That’s where I have to be really disciplined with meditation. I am doing an art degree online, just to make sure that when I’m not acting on set, I have something with deadlines that I’m accountable for that I have to get done. I noticed that when I started as an actor, the times between the jobs were where I would get a little bit worried about myself, because I love that thing so much and it’s my purpose and my joy and when I’m doing it, the self-care is in the joy of the work.
Hair and makeup by
Ashlea Penfold
Videographer
Jacob Warren
Photo assistant
Nicholas Ryall
Special thanks
Narrative PR
You’ve got incredible style! Who are some of your fashion influences?
I’m obsessed with Kate Moss, obviously. I feel like that’s kind of like everyone, but I also think it’s a bit new for me. I used to kind of not care as much [about fashion] and then I moved to New York and I started being like, ‘oh it’s actually so fun to get dressed up!’ and I’m just right now really loving that 90’s kind of cool girl, don’t give a shit, just wear a slip. Kate Moss 90’s is my fashion inspiration, and then as a surfer, it’s just that almost 80’s kind of beachy, sassy hair are the general vibes that I’m really feeling right now.
What’s next for Lucy Fry and is there anything you’re able to chat about today that is upcoming?
Next is that the Father of Harlem is going to go into season three. I really love being on that show, and the people in it are amazing, Working with Forest Whitaker and Vincent [D’Onofrio] is like, you know, growing up for us was my favorite actor and I can’t believe that I get to be on this show with him. I love playing Stella on that show. Then there’s also Last Looks is a film I did that’s going to be released pretty soon with Charlie Hunnam, and Mel Gibson, so I’m excited about that release as well.
Night Teeth is streaming now on Netflix. Watch the trailer below:
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Dan Delaney
Ms Fry is such a terrific Actor!!!!