Actress Laura Tremblay chats about her new thriller.
Laura Tremblay (The Expanse) portrays the scarred Anna in the effective and very captivating new thriller Drowning, now available on Digital from Indiecan Entertainment.
We caught up with the amiable, multi-skilled Canadian actress to talk about the themes of the film.
Anna is a prostitute who has been abused, exploited and manipulated since childhood. Disconnected from her emotions and the sympathetic people around her, Anna accepts that she must take control of her own life, empower herself and learn to live her life on her own terms. Returning to the place where her nightmare began, her childhood home, Anna faces off against her enablers, her abusers, and her own demons.
When did Drowning come to you?
My agent sent me a request for a self-tape audition for Drowning, and about a week after I submitted my tape, I was called back for two more in-person auditions with the writer/director, Pasquale Marco Veltri. We seemed to hit it off, as he ended up choosing me for the role!
And, contrary to what people might assume, it’s not a film that revolves around water. How was the movie initially pitched to you?
Precisely, it is not about water but about the overwhelming sense of “drowning” or having extreme mental illness like anxiety and depression. The audition was sent to me with a pretty clear sense of what the film would be about and through my auditions, I gained more insight into what Pasquale was gearing towards for the film.
Could you relate to your character?
I couldn’t relate to the prostitution aspect, but myself, like many people, suffer from Generalised Anxiety Disorder, so I know first hand what the feeling of “drowning” is like and was able to bring that to the table with the character.
Is it fun getting to play a character with a side that most of us don’t encompass?
Absolutely! That’s the beauty of being an actor – exploring emotions and situations that you wouldn’t necessarily ever encounter in actual life.
Being an independent production, did you end up wearing more hats on the film than just the ‘actor’ one?
Yes, independent productions definitely take a village! I did my own hair and makeup, but apart from that, I got to concentrate heavily on the character.
How does this project compare to some of the other films you’ve done? I imagine it’s quite different?
It is absolutely different. Though, I have had the opportunity to play some dark characters, for instance in the feature film Fugue where I was a sneaky assassin of sorts. Nothing compares to the complexity and darkness of Anna in Drowning but I am so grateful that I had the opportunity to explore such a character.
What does the movie have to say about relationships?
Drowning really explores the relationship between a mother and daughter who have gone through tumultuous times but want to mend their relationship. The film also touches on the complexities of love and intimate relationships and feeling like you can’t escape something that might not necessarily be good for you.
If not your own character, which character in the film could you most relate to?
I suppose I could most relate to the character of Mary, Anna’s sister. I have two sisters and we have been through a lot of tough times together, and I know first hand what it feels like to only want the absolute best for your sister.
"I never write straight up autobiographical pieces, but it’s fair to say that much of my writing contains some elements of my life."— 𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝕄𝕠𝕧𝕚𝕖 đť•Žđť•’đť•—đť•—đť•ťđť•–đť•Ł (@themoviewaffler) March 12, 2020
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