IN CONVERSATION WITH MILA HARRIS

interview by JANA LETONJA

Mila Harris can be currently seen as Young Mary in Netflix’s new film ‘Mary’ alongside Anthony Hopkins, which released on 6th December. Next up, she will be starring in ‘World Breaker’ opposite Luke Evans and Milla Jovovich. Mila is known for her role in Peacock’s ‘A Friend of the Family’, and has previously also starred in ‘Raising Dion’, ‘Young Dylan’ and ‘No Exit’.

You are starring in Netflix’s ‘Mary’. What drew you to this story and this character?

I enjoyed the process of getting to know more about Mary. Actually, there is little known about her as a young child so I really had to put myself in her shoes to see what a young girl being sent to the temple away from her parents would feel. What drew me to the role is that Mary is the most iconic female in history, and everyone knows the story of her and Jesus’s miraculous birth so I really saw the opportunity to show her as a regular kid that wants to pick flowers and play with friends, but also knows that she is called for a greater purpose in life.

What was it like working alongside an icon like Anthony Hopkins?

Completely incredible and the opportunity of a lifetime for me to be so young and work with an icon like Anthony Hopkins. He has such a presence that everyone just stops to watch, and you want to really learn everything you can from him. He brought so much to the character, King Herod, showing him as a human with his own struggles as he slowly goes mad, but also as crazy king that he was known as.

The film seems emotionally intense. How did you prepare to portray such a complex character at a young age?

We are portraying real characters so like real life, there definitely were ups and downs to young Mary and lots of emotions. Young Mary wanted to run through fields with the butterflies, but also when her dad spoke to her about a higher calling, she knew that she had to respect that as well. So preparing for the role, I would compare Mary being sent to the temple like going to boarding school and how I might would feel if I had to leave my parents for years and knowing that you are destined for great things, but also not fully understanding what those things might be.

From your roles in ‘A Friend of the Family’, ‘Raising Dion’, and now ‘Mary’, how has your acting journey evolved over the years?

I feel like with each character that I have played, I can always find a part of me in them. In acting, empathy is one of the most important tools used so really learning how to tap into that emotion has helped me to evolve as an actor, but of course also watching the adult actors around me and learning from them as well.

 
What inspired you to pursue acting at such a young age, and who are some of your biggest influences?

Since a young age, I always liked to create and tell stories. When I was much younger, I would write scripts and have my dog act them out for me. I started acting in my local theater at age five and really grew from there. There are so many big influences and so many actors and directors that I would love to work with. I enjoy suspense thrillers with heart so to work with M. Night Shyamalan would be the dream. Also being a superhero or supervillain would be amazing, so Gal Gadot and Jennifer Lawrence are big inspirations too.

What has been your most challenging role so far, and why?

I think each role brings it’s own challenges to learn from. Most recently, I was working in Bogota, Colombia, on a project called ‘Coyote’ with Justin Long and Kate Bosworth, and most of the action took place at night, so working around night schedules in a remote area on a mountain with the already high elevation of Colombia was definitely a new experience. On every set, since I am a minor and still in school, it can be tricky to balance schoolwork and a filming schedule too. It’s a lot of planning, but such a rewarding process to be able to create something special at the end of all the hard work.

 
As an actor working in such diverse genres, what would you say has been the most rewarding part of your career so far?

That’s easy. Meeting so many wonderful people and being able to travel to so many parts of the world.

 
When you’re not acting, what are some of your favorite ways to spend your time? Any hobbies or interests?

Like most teenagers, I love hanging out with my friends and shopping. I also love cheerleading, stunting, my dog Lulu and traveling the world with my mom and dad.

What are you most looking forward to next in your career? Any specific roles or genres you would like to explore?

The thing I am looking forward to the most is playing more action lead roles and continuing to learn and grow with each new project.

Next up, we’ll be seeing you in ‘World Breaker’. What can you tease about this upcoming film and your role in it?

I found out about my role in ‘World Breaker’ while I was working on ‘Mary’. It was great to not just go from different landscapes, traveling from filming ‘Mary’ in Morocco to ‘World Breaker’ in Ireland, but also because ‘Mary’ was about the world beginning and ‘World Breaker’ is more of an end of the world story. I can’t reveal too much about my character because she is a surprise and a pivotal moment in the film, but ‘World Breaker’ will keep you on the edge of your seat.

CREDITS:
photography LILLY K