50 GQ.COM.AU ME N OF T H E Y E A R 2 0 1 7THESTARRING DAVID WENHAM, LACHY HULME AND NEWCOMER TOBY WALLACE, ROMPER STOMPER I S
A TV ADAPTATION OF RUSSELL CROWE’S 1992 CLASSIC FILM. IT AIRS ON STAN IN JANUARY.L
ucy Fry doesn’t know this,
but we woke up three minutes but we woke up three minutes
before our interview. The before our interview. The
Aussie actress has been kind Aussie actress has been kind
enough to meet at our hotel enough to meet at our hotel
in West Hollywood and we’re in West Hollywood and we’re
still not going to be on time. Disaster. still not going to be on time. Disaster.
“I’m just in the cafe,” she texts, adding “I’m just in the cafe,” she texts, adding
a smiley face to show she’s not furious. a smiley face to show she’s not furious.
And she’s really not. WAnd she’s really not. When we burst in, she’s hen we burst in, she’s
sipping a coffee and has apparently managed sipping a coffee and has apparently managed
to befriend a complete stranger. The to befriend a complete stranger. The
25-year-old might be based in the US, 25-year-old might be based in the US,
but she’s lost none of her Aussie chill.but she’s lost none of her Aussie chill.
“I just got back from Mexico – I went “I just got back from Mexico – I went
surfing for the weekend,” says Fry, who was surfing for the weekend,” says Fry, who was
born in Brisbane but has been coming to LA born in Brisbane but has been coming to LA
for auditions since she was 21. “I feel like it’s for auditions since she was 21. “I feel like it’s
important to get out of LA. It probably took important to get out of LA. It probably took
two hours to get back across the border two hours to get back across the border
because they were searching everybody’s because they were searching everybody’s
cars and pulling people over, but I love cars and pulling people over, but I love
Mexico so much!”Mexico so much!”
It’s not the only place Fry has had It’s not the only place Fry has had
the chance to explore. She recently the chance to explore. She recently
returned from shooting another project in returned from shooting another project in
Albuquerque, New Mexico. “It was a whole Albuquerque, New Mexico. “It was a whole
part of America I’d never seen before,” she part of America I’d never seen before,” she
says. “The people were all so lovely, but some says. “The people were all so lovely, but some
of the places we went to...” she trails off, of the places we went to...” she trails off,
trying to think of the right words.trying to think of the right words.
“We were shooting in these ghost towns “We were shooting in these ghost towns
and it kind of showed me this underbelly of and it kind of showed me this underbelly of
America that was pretty depressing. There America that was pretty depressing. There
were a lot of people on meth.” She bursts into were a lot of people on meth.” She bursts into
laughter. “Yeah, so that one’s called laughter. “Yeah, so that one’s called HighwayHighway!”!”
It’s due out next year. But what we’re It’s due out next year. But what we’re
actually here to discuss is actually here to discuss is BrightBright, the , the
Netflix-produced blockbuster directed by Netflix-produced blockbuster directed by
Suicide SquadSuicide Squad’s David Ayer and starring W’s David Ayer and starring Will ill
Smith and Joel Edgerton. Set in a world Smith and Joel Edgerton. Set in a world
where mystical creatures live alongside where mystical creatures live alongside
humans, Fry plays an elf named Tikka. humans, Fry plays an elf named Tikka.
And it’s a role she was born for. And it’s a role she was born for.
“I’ve always wanted to be an elf, since I “I’ve always wanted to be an elf, since I
first read first read Lord of the RingsLord of the Rings. W. When I was really hen I was really
young, I actually hoped to become an elf and young, I actually hoped to become an elf and
it’s basically the reason I became an actor,” it’s basically the reason I became an actor,”
she says, realising how ridiculous she sounds. she says, realising how ridiculous she sounds.
“So when I read the script for the first time, “So when I read the script for the first time,
I thought: ‘Oh my god. This is my elf!’”I thought: ‘Oh my god. This is my elf!’”
Still, it wasn’t a slam-dunk. Not only did Still, it wasn’t a slam-dunk. Not only did
Ayer require the cast to all earn at least Ayer require the cast to all earn at least
a yellow belt in karate, but the audition a yellow belt in karate, but the audition
process was fairly intense. process was fairly intense.
“David wants his actors to be able to “David wants his actors to be able to
do anything at any time,” says Fry. “And he do anything at any time,” says Fry. “And he
wanted me to give Wwanted me to give Will an exorcism, so I just ill an exorcism, so I justwent for it. I remember driving home and went for it. I remember driving home and
thinking that was either really good – or thinking that was either really good – or
really bad.”really bad.”
It must have been good because soon It must have been good because soon
after, Fry found herself being fitted for after, Fry found herself being fitted for
prosthetic teeth, ears and contact lenses to prosthetic teeth, ears and contact lenses to
play Tikka. “We were doing night shoots,” play Tikka. “We were doing night shoots,”
she says. “So you’d sleep during the day and she says. “So you’d sleep during the day and
then from 6pm to 6am, you’d be in this then from 6pm to 6am, you’d be in this
alternate world in downtown LA. But alternate world in downtown LA. But
I loved it. I’m a bit of a night owl anyway.”I loved it. I’m a bit of a night owl anyway.”
Fry is no stranger to big-name actors, Fry is no stranger to big-name actors,
having shared the screen with James Franco having shared the screen with James Franco
in TV series in TV series 11.22.6311.22.63, Eddie Murphy in , Eddie Murphy in Mr Mr
ChurchChurch and Kevin Bacon in horror flick and Kevin Bacon in horror flick The The
DarknessDarkness. But she says working with Smith. But she says working with Smith
and Edgerton was particularly rewarding.and Edgerton was particularly rewarding.
“It was such a gift because they’re both “It was such a gift because they’re both
mind-blowing actors,” she says. “Wmind-blowing actors,” she says. “Will is ill is
amazing – he comes onto set and he’s like amazing – he comes onto set and he’s like
this fountain of energy. He’ll say ‘hi’ to this fountain of energy. He’ll say ‘hi’ to
everybody and just makes it so fun.everybody and just makes it so fun.
“Joel was in complete prosthetics every “Joel was in complete prosthetics every
day and he was amazing to be able to work day and he was amazing to be able to workthis character, with his expressions coming this character, with his expressions coming
through. I’m still completely confounded through. I’m still completely confounded
by how good he is. One day, he came on set by how good he is. One day, he came on set
without his prosthetics and none of the crew without his prosthetics and none of the crew
recognised him. Wrecognised him. Will was like, ‘Everybody, ill was like, ‘Everybody,
meet Joel Edgerton!’”meet Joel Edgerton!’”
WWith a reported budget of over $110m, ith a reported budget of over $110m,
BrightBright is one of Netflix’s biggest and certainly is one of Netflix’s biggest and certainly
the most ambitious project to date. “They the most ambitious project to date. “They
really gave David creative control – and we really gave David creative control – and we
had time to make everything the best it had time to make everything the best it
could be,” she says. “That’s rare because could be,” she says. “That’s rare because
a lot of the time, there’s more pressure a lot of the time, there’s more pressure
to just get it done.”to just get it done.”
Starting her career on Aussie TV, with Starting her career on Aussie TV, with
a series of obligatory surfer-girl type roles, a series of obligatory surfer-girl type roles,
Fry was at first concerned she might end up Fry was at first concerned she might end up
typecast when she made the trip to the US.typecast when she made the trip to the US.
“I was worried about that when I first came “I was worried about that when I first came
here, but it’s never been a problem,” she here, but it’s never been a problem,” she
laughs. “Now it’s like, wait a minute – am laughs. “Now it’s like, wait a minute – am
I ever just going to play the pretty girl? I ever just going to play the pretty girl?
Are they trying to tell me something?” Are they trying to tell me something?” nn
BrightBright premieres December 22 on Netflix premieres December 22 on Netflix“I always
wanted to
be an elf...
it’s basically
the reason
I became
an actor.”
FROM TOP
FRY AS TIKKA IN FRY AS TIKKA IN
BRIGHTBRIGHT; CO-STARS ; CO-STARS
JOEL EDGERTON JOEL EDGERTON
AND WAND WILL SMILL SMITH ITH
AS NICK JAKOBY AS NICK JAKOBY
AND DARYL WAND DARYL WARD.ARD.