The story of how the powerful play A Girl Is a Half-formed Thing came to the Irish Repertory Theatre in Manhattan is a story of how the pandemic has shifted culture and art. During these troubled times, actor Jenn Murray decided that she wanted to develop a one-person theatrical project, and she started looking around for various opportunities. Eventually, she landed on the acclaimed novel by Eimear McBride and its theatrical adaptation by Annie Ryan. That was the beginning of a long journey.
âBasically, it was as a result of the pandemic,â Murray said in a recent phone interview. âThe film industry had shut down, and I was sort of frustrated. And I thought I wanted to do something by myself, so I thought about one-woman shows. I found this play, and it had been done six years before. And I hadnât seen the production, but I knew the piece was amazing. And I read it, and then I emailed the agent of Eimear McBride, who wrote the novel, and pitched essentially for the rights. And they gave them to me, and then I was looking for a director. And a friend of mine had seen Nicola Murphyâs production of Pumpgirl and said it was extraordinary, and I contacted Nicola and took her out for coffee and convinced her to do this.â
Then, Murray kept building the production from the ground up. She found a producer, and the plan was to mount the show in a small theater on the Lower East Side. However, they needed to raise a good deal of money to make that a reality, but luckily Murphy is an associate with the Irish Rep. So she made the connection and pitched the idea to the off-Broadway institution, which is known for presenting work by Irish and Irish-American writers.
âI came in and performed it for them, and they decided that they would produce it, which was fantastic because I had set up a a website to raise $30,000 to produce it myself,â Murray said. âBut I didnât have to do that because the Irish Rep came in and sort of saved the day. Thatâs the genesis of the project.â
Itâs a rare thing for an actor to be the leading creative force that finds the play, the director, the producer and the theater, but this piece spoke to Murray and inspired her to remain dedicated to the project. The show follows a girl from birth until the age of 20. There are hardships involving her family life and strict rules involving her Roman Catholic upbringing. There are also scenes of sexual violence, so the show is recommended for mature audiences. As the director states in a program note, the title character was failed at every turn by people in positions of power. The experience of learning more about this girl, according to Murphy, has been difficult, yet empowering and beautiful.
âTo be honest, it has become more and more powerful,â Murray said. âIn the beginning, I wanted something to do. I wanted it to be a one-person show so that I could execute it as quickly as possible without needing too many people to rally, and I knew that it was a tour-de-force piece for an actor. And also I had lived in London for eight years and then in Los Angeles for a year. Iâve only lived in New York for two, and one of those years had been the pandemic. And even though Iâve done Harry Potter and Disney and stuff, you still have to find your way into the industry at all times, no matter where you are, so my objective was really to find a piece of material that would showcase what I can do. And then as Nicola and I started working on the material I realized how extraordinary it was â because if itâs not great writing, you can sort of pick it apart very quickly. Whereas this piece Iâm still [picking it apart]. I must have done that show 55 times, and I still donât know the answers.â
Murray, who has appeared in Maleficent, Mistress of Evil and Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, credits McBride, the original author, with writing an extraordinary novel, and also Ryan, the playwright who adapted the piece for stage. She was won over by their careful writing of this important story, and she decided to take a gamble and find a way to bring the story once again to the stage. The gamble paid off. A Girl Is a Half-formed Thing has sold out its entire run at the Irish Rep; Murray wasnât sure if an extension would happen, but she was hopeful. The one-woman show is playing in the smaller W. Scott McLucas Studio Theatre.
âWith this piece, it is very difficult material, but to be honest as an actor, I see myself more as the vessel,â she said. âSo my objective every night is appreciation that I have the opportunity because there are so many actors I know that are unemployed, and it is never lost on me how fortunate I am to be working and to be doing something that is difficult. And the second thing is to just tell the story. Itâs for me to get out of the way, so, yes, I use my mind and my body and my spirit, but it also isnât about me and how I feel. Itâs about her. Because the writing is so rich, I just feel like I become her, and then at the end I leave.â
By Eimear McBride
Adapted by Annie Ryan
Directed by Nicola Murphy
Starring Jenn Murray
Streaming January 14 â 30, 2022
CRITICâS PICK! âa gorgeously lucid, intimate productionâŠJenn Murray rides the current of the monologue like a riverâ â The New York Times
Based on the acclaimed novel of the same name, A Girl is a Half-formed Thing follows the inner narrative of a girl, played by Jenn Murray (Brooklyn, Maleficent, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them), from birth until the age of twenty with vivid intensity and originality. This character navigates the crushing Catholicism and hardship of her Irish childhood with astonishing resilience and intelligence.
Winner of numerous literary awards including the Baileys Womenâs Prize for Fiction 2014, The Desmond Elliott Prize 2014, The Kerry Group Irish Novel of the Year 2014, The Goldsmith Prize 2013, and listed in Best Books of the Year by The New York Times, The Guardian, NPR and many more, Eimear McBrideâs tale plunges us into the psyche of a girl with breathtaking fury and intimacy.
Adapted for the stage by Annie Ryan for The Corn Exchange, A Girl is a Half-formed Thing premiered at the Dublin Theatre Festival 2014. The show had its North American premiere at the Baryshnikov Arts Center in New York City in April 2016. Note: This show is intended for mature audiences and depicts scenes of sexual violence.
Maleficent: Mistress Of Evil is the film everyone is talking about right now and for good reason: itâs got a star-studded cast, incredible visual production which brings the fairytale land to life with exquisite costumes, as well as epic set design and a captivating plot enriched with valuable life lessons we could all learn from. Canât wait to watch? Ahead of the filmâs release this Friday, we sat down with actor Jenn Murray to talk about what it was like to play Queen Ingrithâs devoted and devious right hand man, how it feels to star alongside the likes of Angelina Jolie and Michelle Pfeiffer and why this movie is so different from the earlier Disney classicsâŠ
First things first, how did you get into acting?
I went to drama school in Dublin and when I was finishing my third year I got a movie called Dorothy Mills with a French director â it was the lead role and it was a dream come true. That was my âinâ into the film industry and it kind of went from there!
Before Maleficent, youâve starred in both Fantastic Beasts movies â is there something about this genre that particularly appeals to you?
No, to be honest Iâm just attracted to great story telling and great writing so itâs just kind of shaped out like that. Iâve been pretty lucky with people like Samantha Moreton or Eddie Redmayne, Angelina Jolie, Michelle Pfeiffer⊠I just navigate towards people and films of high quality and hope for the best that I get the part!
What was it like starring alongside Angelina Jolie and Michelle Pfeiffer in this movie?
Really really fantastic! Angelina and Michelle are very smart women and theyâre really fantastic actors! Iâve watched them for so many years and you hear so many different things about them, their career choices and all sorts of other things that theyâre involved in and then when youâre on set with them youâre reminded that theyâre exceptional at their craft too. Thatâs why theyâre at the top level because theyâre really really good actors and they both love acting. Also, it was just a real education and inspiration to be around women that were intelligent and graceful and private and treated everybody with respect â itâs always good to see that at the top level.
Do you feel like youâve learnt anything in particular from them?
It wasnât so much that I learned from them, more that it reiterated what I hoped â that even though you can be very successful you can still be very graceful. The most intelligent people I have worked with always ask questions and theyâre really interested in other people. I find that with David Yates, the Director of Fantastic Beasts. He wasnât selective with who he took advice from he was always wanting more inspiration, more creativity and I find the most confident artists are open like that. Itâs a generosity thing, I think. Itâs why we all get into it in the first place because we want to communicate and collaborate. Sometimes acting can become quite self-involved so itâs really good to be around that energy.
Maleficent was originally inspired by Sleeping Beauty but in this sequel youâve been introduced as a new character. How did it feel coming into the fairytale world and where did you draw your inspiration from?
Well itâs always amazing to come into a film that is already established but of course Angelina Jolie, Elle Fanning and Sam Riley (who were in the previous film) and also others like Juno Temple were all very welcoming and open too! And with regards to getting into character, my process of drawing inspiration is the same for every role I take on: I sort of start from the ground up and think about what they would eat in the morning, what they would read, what they would think about and what music they would listen to. Then I look at poetry and I put images from certain films in front of me. For Gerda, I was quite drawn to Kill Bill, Tarantinoâs movies and characters that are quite threatening and unpredictable but donât say a lot for example Jack Nicholson in The Departed or Jeremy Renner in The Town. Iâve already watched these films so I draw on these things that have already moved me. Also, when you work with an amazing costume designer like Ellen (sheâs the greatest and designed the costumes for Speed) you already feel very protected and supported in your character. Plus, the sets have been built by the most amazing production designers and youâre around these actors who are all looking in your eyes, theyâre invested and theyâre talented. It all comes together.
How would you describe your character, Gerda, in Maleficent?
Silent but deadly. Very focused and immune to distraction. Sheâs devoted to Queen Ingrid, played by Michelle Pfeiffer. She doesnât ask questions, just follows orders and sheâs ruthless. Itâs such a privilege to play her, sheâs the only woman in an entirely male army and sheâs at the head of it. So for a director like Joachim Ronning to give me this role is so exciting because I just didnât think that I would be cast in that role â like, Iâm five foot two! Suddenly Iâm being dressed in armour and trained in weaponryâŠ
There has been a lot of talk about the relevance of some of the classic Disney films to a modern audience and about whether the original Disney princesses are positive role models for a young audience. Do you think Maleficent stands apart from these earlier stories?
Yes, I think these are fantastic, modern role models! Itâs not like it has a message thatâs hitting you over the head but for little girls there are three women are at the lead of this film and theyâre multi-faceted so they are positive and negative. Nobody is perfect in the film and nobody is perfect in real life but they are in control of their life and theyâre allowed to go for what they want without feeling apologetic or that theyâre ambition is shameful. I feel like for a young audience going to see this film, itâs inspiring for them to know that they can be the centre of their own story line. I feel very proud to be part of that kind of filmmaking.
Thereâs also an important lesson in there about communication â if you are in your own world on your screens, which so many people are, it can lead you to think you are part of a community but it can actually be quite isolating because people are quite lonely. Then if you donât communicate with your neighbours and ask questions, it can build fear and that can result in sort of closed mindsets which isnât a positive thing. That message about the importance of communication is sprinkled through the film which I think is very important today too.
If you could work with anyone in the future, who would be your dream co-star?
Sam Rockwell or Sigourney Weaver â those two would be dreams. Or Al PacinoâŠI could go on and on and on actually but letâs just say Sam Rockwell because he makes really interesting choices. He doesnât do the same thing and he seems very generous. When you see him in scenes itâs like heâs giving the scene to the other actor. I noticed that with Meryl Streep and Clint Eastwood in The Bridges of Madison County: he once said she would turn her face away from camera so that his face could be exposed in an embrace and thatâs the most beautiful thing about acting! Itâs sharing and itâs serving your scene partner, itâs not about you. So I like working with actors like that because itâs about the story and how we elevate that together.
Can you tell us anything about anything youâve got coming up in the future?
Itâs a really surreal moment right now â you work for years and try to make good choices. You think you have control over your career but you donât because youâre an actor and thatâs just the reality. Youâre just always hoping for good material. Thankfully Iâm in this position where Iâm offered these really really exciting opportunities and I feel incredibly fortunate. So Iâm just trying to enjoy this moment for now and then Iâll make a move after.
NORTHERN IRISH ACTRESS JENN MURRAY IS AMASSING AN EXTRAORDINARILY VARIED BACK CATALOGUE OF WORK; FROM HER DEEPLY DISTURBING BREAKOUT MOVIE DOROTHY MILLS (2008) â PLAYING THE EPONYMOUS, DISTURBED TEEN â TO LIGHT COMEDY, IN THE DELIGHTFUL JANE AUSTEN FLICK LOVE AND FRIENDSHIP (2016), AND ON TO HER TURN AS THE SHY CHASTITY BAREBONE IN FANTASTIC BEASTS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM (2016). ADDING TO THESE ROLES, SHEâS IN THIS MONTHâS MEGA-RELEASE MALEFICENT: MISTRESS OF EVIL, PLAYING ALONGSIDE MICHELLE PFEIFFER, AND WE MANAGED TO STOP THIS MERCURIAL PERFORMER FOR 5 MINUTES, FOR A WYLDE CHAT-AND-SHOOTâŠ
Interview by David Newton / Photography by Etienne Gilfillan
Wylde: Â Could you briefly outline your character in the upcoming Maleficent: Mistress of Evil movie? What do you most like about her?
Jenn Murray: My character is called Gerda and she is Queen Ingrithâs right hand woman and devoted servant. Gerda is skilful in weaponry and other perhaps more sinister tools. What I most liked about Gerda was her focus, she was incapable of being distracted. She had no interest in being seen in a spotlight. She worked hard without seeking reward.
You exploded onto the acting world with your debut performance in the deeply disturbing movie Dorothy Mills⊠was that a difficult role to take on so early in your career?
I find the difficulties in a career as an actor are not the roles specifically but how you maintain your confidence and creative satisfaction when you are unemployed. Dorothy Mills was a gift of a role. I had an amazing scene partner in Carice van Houten and everyday was pure joy. Even though it was my first job, I was aware of how lucky I was to land such a complex role and I savoured it. They bleached the crown of my hair every Friday night. Note to twenty-one year old self: say no to a weekly bleach! It was a strange movie, unsettling and very atmospheric. I am so proud to be a part of it.
I hear from our photographer Etienne that youâre not a fan of musicals? Why not? I love them!
Yes, I appreciate the unbelievable talent and discipline that goes into them but itâs just not really my bag, so to speak. I do think Catherine Zeta-Jones in Chicago is utterly magical; the performance is primal and that is thrilling to watch.
If you could move eventually into directing, what sort of movie would be your debut film?
My focus would lean towards writing and producing, rather than directing. To be a director is such a massive undertaking, I donât think I would want that responsibility. The films I want to make are the films I want to see. Manchester By The Sea, Last Of The Mohicans, When Harry Met Sally, Thelma and Louise are all films I adore. The land plays a role, whether it is autumn in New York City, or the dusty roads around the Grand Canyon. I like intimate, urgent conversations amidst nature. I like characters who show fortitude and resilience against circumstance or themselves. My aspiration would be to tell stories that make an individual watching feel expansive and hopeful.
And who would you cast in it? (In other words, who are your favourite actors right now?)
I love actors! There are so many I admire, it would be hard to choose. I like an actor who hand themselves over to the spectator without vanity. In a dream scenario I would like to work with John Hawkes, Kyle Chandler, Marion Cotillard, Kevin Bacon, Elizabeth Debicki and Christopher Walken.
What do you most fear?
I fear rodents. When I lived in London, one climbed up through the sink drain and scuttled along my jars of seasonings, smoked paprika, red pepper flakes, garlic salt. I silently and swiftly packed a bag and went immediately to a friendâs house. I did not resume normal breathing for several hours. It was the size of a kitten.
Stage or screen: you are extremely adept at both, but do you lean towards either one in particular?
I love both. I love acting, you see, so whichever way it unfolds, I am game! I feel particularly exhilarated by a live audience; they give you energy and you give yourself. It feels sacred. Lately, it can feel if something is not documented by a photograph or a video, it has less meaning. But I think the moments that are present and private in an art form are essential for the human spirit. I saw Adam Driver in Burn This recently and I already know I will never forget that performance. In film, I love how the camera can see what you are thinking. I like the collaboration and the early mornings. I like the pocket of silence when the camera rolls and the First AD yells âAction!â and you go searching with your scene partner. I have been so fortunate to work with real masters of their craft. Colleen Atwood, the costume designer on Fantastic Beasts and Ellen Mirojnick, the costume designer on Maleficent, are two women that I am so inspired by. They take you in, they think of the story, they pick up a material, a colour and they create an epic painting. When I have a costume designed by one of them, I feel I have an extra layer of confidence around me to take a leap with the character.
I believe you have a fondness for 1980âs movies; which ones, and why?
I do! The fondness is for so many reasons. Firstly when I was a child, my older brother and sister were watching these movies and so, if I was lucky, I could sit with them and watch for fifteen minutes before I had to go to bed. I love Back To The Future and The Breakfast Club, Alien and Ghostbusters, Working Girl! I liked the structure back then, when a camera would sit on two actors for pages of dialogue with the confidence that the audience would not lose interest. Sigourney Weaver played characters who were smart and fun and aspirational, yet attainable. Also in the Eighties there was less interest in celebrity culture and so you were an actor because you wanted to act, not because you wanted to be famous. There was less focus on pleasing a mass audience and more dedication to telling a story that was authentic.
You look amazing in the clothes we got you to wear for our shoot; thereâs a moody, character-actress quality to the pictures. What do you gravitate towards, fashion-wise?
I like Ralph Lauren and Carolina Herrera, both fans of the classic white shirt! I like clothes that make you look comfortable and chic. I gravitate towards someone who has a signature look that is timeless. I think Keanu Reeves always looks great in his black suits and desert boots and Sofia Coppola in her tailored suits and silk dresses. I adore silk scarves. The production team of Maleficent had a black silk scarf made for me, and I was delighted. I have a weakness for a great leather jacket. I found this 1950âs brown leather baseball jacket at a market in Los Angeles. I definitely did not need it but I couldnât resist.
Finally (our favourite question!): what strange dreams have you had recently?
I dreamt Jack Nicholson was cooking me dinner in an attic the other night. He had a mini fridge and he pulled out mince meat, fresh figs and a can of coke!
âYou go to the cinema together with strangers, and enjoy it as a community. Thatâs what I love about it. And I think the act of people coming together is very important today,â says actress Jenn Murray (Dorothy Mills, Brooklyn, Love & Friendship, Fantastic Beasts and Where To  Them) whoâll be gracing our screens in Joachim RĂžnningâs adventure film Maleficent 2: The Mistress of Evil.
Jenn made her acting debut in 2008, with appraisals from critics for her astounding and eerily performance of Dorothy Mills in AgnĂšs Merletâs psychological thriller of the same name, which tells a tale of a mentally disturbed young girl. Now, Jenn will be portraying Gerda, the right hand of the villainous Queen Ingrith, played by Michelle Pfeiffer in the Hollywood sequel of a beloved fairy tale, and also starring Angelina Jolie and Elle Fanning.
âDo you remember the exact moment when you heard the news that you were cast in the movie?â I ask. Jenn pauses on the other end of the line before reminiscing about the career-changing phone call. âYes, I remember it exactly. I was living in California at that time, and my team rang me, they were all in the room together which is always a good sign. I had been in a mix for a few things, and I didnât know which offer it was. I was so happy and delighted when I found out.â
Within two days and, as she cheerily says after sitting down, Jenn had to get back to London and start working on the film, following the beloved characters (and introducing new ones) five years after the first film. Is Jenn allowed to reveal her characterâs, Gerdaâs, storyline in the long-awaited movie? The actress is unapologetically honest â itâs hard to keep her characterâs storyline wrapped up in secrecy. Including the sort of sinister skills, as Jenn recalls, she had to master. âGerdaâs the right-hand woman and loyal servant to Queen Ingrith, played by Michelle Pfeiffer. Sheâs the ruthless female lead of an entirely male army which was such a gift from the movieâs director, Joachim, to be given. Iâve trained for quite a few combat scenes, gaining specific sets of skills. One of them was dealing weaponry,â gushes the actress, before adding: âMy favourite actors transform and I believe that actors can do that. Completely. But someone has to give you a chance to show this and do that.â
Jenn has some warm words not only to the director but to her fellow cast members from the movie who are embodying strong female leads â a positive shift in the industry which has been noticed by many. âAngelina and Michelle are exceptional actresses first and foremost. When youâre on set, working opposite them, theyâre at the top of the game,â reminisces the artist. âWhat pieces of advice have you received from them?â I enquire. âThere are no short cuts in this industry, and longevity is key. You need to try and make good choices as well as furthering your growth as a human being in life. Not on set, not on your job. Angelina and Michelle taught me that the things that you do privately, and just because theyâre not seen, it doesnât mean that theyâre not happening or they donât mean anything to you. For example, when you said can you remember that moment when Iâve heard the news about being cast next to them, well, I do remember that moment because it was a private moment of triumph for myself. And nobody was witnessing it.â
With fairy tale genre in such high demand, how does Maleficentâs story differ from others? Jenn reveals that the inspiration behind is the key ingredient in making the movie one to watch. âMaleficent is a different story. First of all, itâs a sequel which is expanding the original story. There are new characters in the sequel â like Michelle Pfeiffer, Chiwetel Ejiofor⊠(âAnd Gerda,â I add) the storytelling in itself is quite intimate, but itâs all about family dynamics, love and also about following your part. That is whatâs so great about this film and these women who are at the forefront â they all have ambitions of their own, theyâre all trying to be understood. I think as for children seeing this film it can be quite inspiring, especially for little girls as it shows they can be the centre of their own storylines. They donât need to be submissive or to be a male figure to be deserving.â
While humbly reminiscing about her experience on set and defining it as a gift, I wonder how did Jenn find her way into the industry in the first place? She gently remembers her idyllic and simple childhood spent with her siblings in Belfast. âI didnât know anybody who was an actor, and I didnât know anyone who knew a professional actor. My childhood was just my childhood â beautiful and simple â but within that, there was a dream in my imagination that grew, and nobody was telling me that I canât have it. I just took it step-by-step.â When the actress was 18-years-old, she ventured to New York, deferring her place at university. She attended a four week acting course before getting into drama school, which changed her life. âThen acting was all about putting a happy face and making people laugh in the audience,â she says. But opening her vulnerable side to the audience made her make a promise. Not to anyone else, but herself.
Before saying our goodbyes, I canât stop but wonder â did acting give confidence to this softly-spoken, humble and talented woman Iâm speaking to today? âActing feels like a part of me, giving me confidence or not. When I do it, it makes me feel who I am,â Jenn assures me. âThough itâs the challenging moments that build my confidence the most.â
Her part in Brooklyn has made Belfast actress JENN MURRAY one to watch. But itâs her next project, writes SARAH BREEN, that will undoubtedly catapult her to superstardom
To say it was a dream come true when Jenn Murray was invited to audition for a role in the film adaptation of Colm TĂłibĂnâs Brooklyn is a gross understatement. âColm TĂłibĂn is one of my favourite writers,â she says. âBrooklyn was a book that my father gave me when I moved to London and it became like a bible. The story of a woman going off on her own and trying to make her life gave me such security and comfort.â
In the film, which was adapted for the screen by Nick Hornby, Saoirse Ronan plays Eilis Lacey, a young woman who leaves Ireland for New York in the 1950s. Murray is Dolores, a Cavan native who Lacey meets in their Brooklyn boarding house. The cast also includes Jim Broadbent, Julie Walters and Domhnall Gleeson.
âDoloresâs objective is to find a husband,â laughs Murray. âShe loves men and is smart and fun. In the boarding house, sheâs an outsider, always at the end of the table. Nobody wants to associate with her because they look down on her. But sheâs savvy and she knows what she wants.â
Although shy as a child, Murray had always enjoyed performing but it wasnât until she was a teenager that she made the decision to pursue acting as a career. âWhen I was 14, I watched In The Name of the Father with my brother,â she says. âThe story and performances were incredible. It ignited something in me. I felt alive after watching it. It was something Iâd never felt before and I made a promise to myself then that I would find a way to be an actress.â
After studying drama for both her GCSEs and A Levels, she was offered a place at university but deferred and worked on her acting portfolio during her gap year instead with a view. Not only was she talented, she had the level of grit and determination required to make it in the business. âI did community theatre, I did drama classes, I went to New York and took an acting for film course,â she says. âI was really proactive so when I got in to drama school, my parents knew I was serious. In my final year, I got my first movie, Dorothy Mills.â
What Murray didnât realise at the time, is that producers had been auditioning for the title role of Mills, a teenage girl accused of murdering a baby who is ultimately diagnosed with multiple personality disorder, for over a year. They needed a woman who could look 16, but also had the range to play several different characters. Quite a challenge, for a novice.
But for every amazing role an actor wins, there are the ones that get away. Rejection is par for the course in a notoriously fickle industry. âThere have been things I really wanted and didnât get,â says Murray. âI was up for Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, which would have been amazing. Whatâs great is when you finally get a part, you have it â itâs on your CV. Even when you think, oh, Iâm back to being unemployed, you are always going further and moving forward. But the rejection is still horrendous. It feels personal.â
Today, Murray is in Ireland for a flying visit before she heads back to the set of Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them, the Harry Potter spin-off based on the book by JK Rowling. The film, produced by Warner Brothers and directed by David Yates, who was at the helm of the last four Potter movies, has a star-studded cast that includes Eddie Redmayne, Samantha Morton, Colin Farrell and Jon Voight.
âI have lived in London for years, and Iâve been very lucky there, but I wanted a change so I moved to Los Angeles for a few months,â she says. âSomething in my body just told me to go. The audition came through Fiona Weir who cast me in Brooklyn. I didnât have any script, I didnât know anything about it, so I had to improvise. With improv, you can really see who an actor is. Itâs nerve-wracking but being vulnerable is the best thing as an actor. When I heard I got it my stomach dropped. Itâs so competitive, they could have anyone they want. It was magic.â
Of course there are inevitable repercussions in being part of whatâs likely to be a massive international box office success. Is she prepared to lose her anonymity, to gain a certain level of fame? âIâve learned through my career to just take things as they come. Iâve done a lot of independent film and television and you put your heart and soul into everything you do, and you should do that, no matter what. To get a film like this, which already has such a backing and such a following; I havenât really thought about the consequences. I donât want to think about that, I just want to tell the story as best I can. Youâre defined by what you do with the opportunities youâve been given.â
Outside of acting, Murray is always creating. She has an exhibition of her photography, mostly still life, taken in LA, running at the Dublin coffee shop Clement & Pekoe until Christmas and she also writes screenplays in her down-time. âWhen you canât act, you can always write so youâre still creating something,â she says.
âIf Iâm not creating or acting I feel like Iâm not breathing. I remember Angelina Jolie saying in an interview that her advice to a young actor would be to get a life. It really resonated with me because up to that point I was auditioning, acting, waiting. Never going on holiday, making a lot of sacrifices, and it wasnât making my work better or making me happier. I didnât get less ambitious, I just fulfilled other things that I wanted to do. If anyone asks me for career advice, I tell them to only act if you physically canât do anything else. If youâre compelled beyond a reasonable doubt then youâre in the right job.â
Right now Belfast born actress Jenn Murray is appearing on the big screen in Brooklyn and she is currently in the thick of filming the prequel to Harry Potter yet she managed to find time to sit down with Jarlath in London for a chat this week. Jenn discusses how she landed the Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them role, how the job of an actor is much more than just auditioning and acting, how she handled the challenge of playing the lead role in Dorothy Mills a film in which her character had seven personalities and the performance that earned her an IFTA nomination. We also hear about the Jim Sheridan film which sparked her passion for acting.
Jenn speaks about the trials and tribulations of drama school, how she strengthened her character, learned to cope with rejection and chose to abandon social networks while also explaining her theory that we can use desire to override fear.
Rising star Irish actress Jenn Murray is a name you will be hearing a lot more of over the coming months and years. Having appeared in a number of recent high profiles British films and TV series her career is about to be taken to the next level with a starring role in J.K. Rowlings âFantastic Beasts and Where to Find Themâ.
Jenn started her professional career playing a disturbed young girl with a multiple personality disorder in âDorothy Millsâ, that got her nominated for âBest Actress in a Lead Roleâ at the Irish film and Television Awards in 2009. After moving to the UK, she picked up appearances in the award winning supernatural drama âThe Fadeâsâ for BBC Three, the romantic comedy/Sci-fi feature âEarthboundâ and then the role âDorothyâ in the feature âTestament of Youthâ.
Last year she played âDoloresâ in the Oscar nominated film âBrooklynâ, that was a smash hit across both sides of the Atlantic; finally, her most recent appearances are in the role of âLady Lucy Manwaringâ in Whit Stillmanâs âLove & Friendshipâ. But all this pales in comparison when she takes on the role of Chastity Bareboneâ in the hughly anticipated âFantastic Beasts and Where to Find Themâ out this week.
This charming Irish actress who possesses an ear-piercing-yet-heartwarming laugh talks about her first steps in acting, tips to aspiring performers, her cravings for Parma ham and we do our to get her to reveal secrets of  âFantastic Beastsâ.
When did you first realise you wanted to act?
Iâve always wanted to do it since I was a little girl. But when I was leaving school and had to choose a university, I sort of thought to myself âAre you going to try, or are you not?â So I think when I was 18 I decided that I was going to be a professional actress. Not decided because you donât become one. I was going to try, and I was going to audition to drama school. It was something I always wanted to do but, you know, it didnât really become a reality until I was an adult - so when I was 18 and I actually had to make choices that were going to make that possible. It could no longer be a dream in your head.
You once said that the best actors youâve met have eyes on the back of their heads, what do you mean by that?
I just mean that the best actors Iâve met, they observe. They pay attention to whatâs around them. They are aware of everybody. When youâre on set you have to focus and you have to deliver, so you canât be exerting energy into all these other things. Obviously always be polite and have manners. But you need to bring it when you have to bring it, because then people will watch that film for years and years and years, and what you did in that frame is whatâs going to matter. Not like, did you crack that joke that everyone laughed at on set. But what I mean is that theyâre just aware, aware of peopleâs emotions, theyâre aware of people around them, like geographically. If the director is giving direction to a group of people and youâre all in a semicircle, the actors are aware of who needs to hear and bring people in. Just sensitive to their surroundings, emotionally, physically, those kinds of things. Thatâs what I mean.
Do you think you have eyes in the back of your head?
Oh no! Do you? Until someone comes and smacks you from behind. No, like, I just mean⊠I pay attention, I just pay attention to the people around me. When Iâm on set I like working with actors, I like working with the props department, I like working with the costume [department]. Itâs a collaboration, it all comes together, and I am aware of everybodyâs passion and hard work. And the more you listen, the better everything will be. But I also know I have to tune out things that are not useful. If you worry too much about what people think youâll get lost, youâll lose yourself. Itâs different isnât it? In a professional atmosphere you need to listen and do what you can do. But for your own personal life thereâs people that you will listen to and thereâs people that you just have to tune out, or just donât go looking. Go looking? Donât google.
Your first film appearance was in âDorothy Millsâ, where you play a young girl afflicted with multiple personality disorder, or at least it is what the film makes us think in the beginning. How did you feel having such a complex and major role for your debut film?
It was amazing⊠I still remember the day my agent rang me and it went to voicemail, and I was still at drama school and I was doing rehearsal. It was a break and I looked at my phone - and it was a really old, like Nokia, not that it was like a million years ago or anything, but you know it was like a flip phone - and I had a little sign that said voicemail. And I rang him and I got the part. I remember everything about that moment, because that was the moment when literally I was like, âI can be an actor now,â like, Iâm actually professional. Someoneâs going to pay me to do something creative. It was fucking ma⊠(covers her mouth and asks if itâs ok to swear) It was magical because I was young, not so young, but I mean, I hadnât worked in the professional world before. So to get this part with all these complex personalities, it was a challenge, it was just work, it was pressure, it was excitement, it was a gift, it was a gift. Because I remember when I was 16 and going to bars with my friends and weâd have fake IDs but my friends all looked like women. When I was 16 all my mates looked like 20 and I looked 12. I never got in. I was always in McDonalds having chips on my own. So my mum always said to me this will be a gift one day, that you look young. And then when this part came along thatâs exactly what it was. In reflection now I realise just how wonderful that was, because your career does weird trajectories; I started off doing leads and independents in Ireland, then I moved over here [England] and landed some British TV and independente roles; then i started getting small parts in big movies - and youâd think itâd be the other way around. So at the time I was just excited. Now that I look back that really was really special. To be given that kind of platform at the beginning.
Youâve had such a busy couple of years. Between 2015-2016 youâve starred in 4 films: âAngelâ, âBrooklynâ, âLove & Friendshipâ, and the highly anticipated âFantastic Beasts and Where to Find Themâ. It sounds like a lot of hard work.
Yeah, itâs been a lot of hard work. But the acting is not the hard work, the acting is the nectar, thatâs what I do it for. The hard work is only exterior stuff, like the auditioning, the not getting the parts, the setting your own disciplines, setting your daily routines, the instability, can I book a holiday, what will happen, managing your expectations, being hopeful, not being cynical. Those things are tough, especially when acting is such a unique way of life. You have to really fall in love with that way and accept it, not fight it. When you see your friends doing the house, the mortgage the marriage, the holidays, the routine, the Christmas parties that are booked in September and youâre like, âI donât even know where Iâm going to be in 3 weeks!â You have to learn to fall in love with what you have chosen, no matter if people canât relate to you, thatâs ok, you know, the beauty is in the differences.
When can we expect to see you again on the big screen?
Well after âFantastic Beastsâ I have a small role in âStar Warsâ, which is next year. Thereâs so many things right now. I feel very lucky. Iâm in a very exciting moment where anything could happen. I donât know how to answer that. Thereâs so many possibilities and I donât know which one itâs going to be, but itâs really wonderful. Iâve worked very hard for this. Itâs not that Iâm entitled to, itâs just like you have to enjoy the moments of when it comes together.
In Whit Stillmanâs âLove & Friendshipâ you play the role of Lady Lucy Manwaring, a lady who upon finding she has an adulterous husband, goes to her guardian, Mr.Johnson, played by Stephen Fry, and hysterically begs for him to help her deal with her husband. Your role must have been so much fun to play, how was the environment on set for your scenes?
It was amazing; it was intense, because that one scene where I was hysterical I think was like 8 pages long, we shot all day, 12 hours, 13 hours; therefore youâre staying at that energy all day. I like to give it all no matter what. When the camera is on other people you have to deliver, because itâs acting, itâs not like âright this is my take,â itâs like a collective thing. So you want to do your best for everybody. It was so good because I love comedy. Comedy is like music, you know, thereâs beats and rhythm and you need to hit it, and when you know you hit it, you feel it in the room. Itâs discipline, and itâs like, I do yoga, and you know when you do those crazy balances and you canât think of anything else because you need to balance? Itâs like that with those kind of scenes, you just hone in on what you have to do, and youâre trying to hit all the beats. And itâs wonderful because you forget everything else around you, which is the most wonderful thing about acting. I donât know how to say that without sounding crazy. I donât wanna escape my life, I love my life, but when iâm in that role itâs just so electric. Then when youâre working opposite actors and they throw things at you, itâs so unexpected, itâs so spontaneous; youâre so vulnerable but youâre so vibrant in those moments, it just makes you feel alive.
Were you a big Harry Potter fan when the original films came out?
I was a fan⊠I was aware of it, who wasnât? Obviously⊠I am a fan of everything that it was about, like escapism and magic, not just like actual magic but the way it swept up, everybody came together. It was like a mutual enjoyment, you know when somebody enjoys something and then their friends enjoy it, their aunts and uncles enjoy it, you know, you feel a sense of community - thatâs what I love about film. Specially a film thatâs about escapism, it really ignites the imagination, it collects people together and brings people closer. Itâs so wonderful because sometimes I think at school, when youâre a child and maybe you have interests and thereâs nobody in your friendship circle that have those interests, you can feel quite isolated. But then thereâs a huge community with this film that if you go to those, it, you know, it can bring people together. Sometimes I think when youâre young, you have to wait until university until youâre focused in on your interests, and then you meet like-minded people, but at school maybe not, but then you have this outside thing like something that was âHarry Potterâ, which was this huge thing, you feel connected to other people. Thatâs is what I think is so wonderful about art, it brings people together, it doesnât bring people apart. So yeah, I was definitely a fan. Iâm a fan of just great storytelling.
In âFantastic Beasts and Where to Find Themâ, you find yourself in the witch-hating side of the plot, playing a part of the Barebone family. Can you tell us anything about your family in this film?
That just came out at the weekend didnât it? Someone asked me so whatâs your surname and I was like, âI canât tell youâ. The Barebone family, I canât say much, I mean⊠weâre a family and we look very happy (sarcastic tone). No, I canât, I just donât wanna be responsible for messing up, you know itâs so secretive. This is the thing: Iâm not trying to deflect, but secrets are the best! Nowadays, when thereâs access to everything, they expect immediate responses. This is just a secret. When youâre in the cinema, eating your popcorn, and you donât know whatâs going to happen next; I donât want to take that away from anyone; I donât want anyone to take that away from me! So itâs magic.
What are your goals in respect to your career?
My goals⊠Holy bananas⊠I would like to play different types of characters. I always want to be learning. I want to work with the best people. I want to work with people that are creative spirits, believe in storytelling and have integrity. I want to travel. You know, thereâs these dreams of being in front of Roger Deakinsâ lens. I would love to work with Tim Burton. I would love to work with Derek Cianfrance. I would love to work with Daniel Day-Lewis, John Hawkes. Thereâs people out there that you just want to be part of their vision. Like Jim Sheridan was the reason I wanted to be an actor; I saw his films; he tells stories about families, intimate details⊠I just want to be part of those kinds of visions. I love a collaboration; I would love to work with John Crowley, who directed âBrooklynâ. He would give direction in one word terms, and it was so succinct, and on the money, and you just feel so safe, but you also feel so terrified because you know that they can push you, and I just want to take risks. Like, Sarah Paulson talks about working with Michael Fassbender in â12 Years a Slaveâ, and she describes him as, what is that thing called? You know, when electricity⊠when the wires are attached to the things in the field and one comes loose in the storm, and it flies around like a wild animal? She was like, âthatâs what Michael Fassbender is like, you donât know what heâs going to doâ. That to me is thrilling. I just want to work with people that are gonna push you out of your comfort zone and surprise you, and then you surprise yourself. So those are my goals.
What do you do when youâre not acting?
I cook, and I run, and I do yoga, I take photographs, and I write plays. I like to write a lot. Iâve written a couple of plays and some short films. A friend of mine and I are going to start a production company together because, you know, no matter how successful you are in acting, youâre always gonna have time off, and what are you going to do with that time? I love to be creative, and I love to write. So thatâs what I do when Iâm not acting - Iâm writing.
Do you have any advice for aspiring actors?
Yes. My advice would be ask yourself why you want to be an actor, and if you feel like thereâs nothing else that you can do, then do it. Then I guess it would be: believe in yourself, take care of yourself, and your own mind, and your own heart, and protect your dreams and donât let anybody tell you that youâre not deserving of them. Leave no stone unturned and donât give up. But most importantly, take care of yourself, because then you can handle anything. If you know who you are and you know what you want, nothing will deter you.
What do you love at the moment? What is your latest obsession?
I love listening to âHereâs the thingâ with Alec Baldwin. Iâve discovered his podcasts and I just love Alec Baldwin! He is so articulate and smart. Heâs really into politics and he was going to be a lawyer. He is so funny, and when he interviews these people in his podcasts⊠they are magic! For me, because Iâve always wanted to be an actor, I always listen to other people who became an actor. So I love to listen to Michael J. Fox, I love him, like how did he get into it? Or Lauren Bacall and her autobiography. Or Julianne Moore⊠You realise, when you pay attention to the people who really made it, that itâs a long road, it doesnât happen overnight and if it does so happen overnight, basically thatâs actually 6 years of work. Thereâs no such thing as an overnight thing. So yeah, âHereâs the thingâ with Alec Baldwin is my latest obsession.
What else⊠Iâm obsessed with Ina Garten, Barefoot Contessa. Oh god! I canât believe Iâve just said that out loud! But yeah, I love that cook, sheâs amazing, because sheâs an amazing business woman.
Ok, last question, whatâs the food youâve been craving the most?
Parma ham. I havenât eaten meat in a while and suddenly I was like, I need meat, so I had loads of parma ham, it was immense. I like lemon sole, god how boring does that sound? I like fish, and I like Nopi, the restaurant Nopi, which is like Ottolenghi [Israeli-born British chef]; all that kind of food is amazing, like aubergine, vegetables, all that sort of thing. And I like a good omelet. Itâs really not that exciting, yeah, Iâm just going to stop talking.
An interview with The Picture Journal, originally posted on November 21, 2016.
What is a fear that you have willingly faced?
I am not sure I would call this a real fear, but when I was a teenager I always thought having very short hair would be awful. Then shooting my first film I was required to bleach it every week. My hair disintegrated and after filming I had to cut it all off to a very short pixie crop hairstyle. This is a look I had feared but then when I had it, I liked it. I would never have voluntarily cut it all off and because I had no choice, I realized I liked it. Years later, I chose to cut it all off again. Sometimes doing something like that can make you feel like you can begin again.
Would you rather know how long you have to live, or how long human kind will exist?
I would like to know neither. I always try to remind myself time is ticking and if I have something I really want to do and said I would do, then the time in now! I like to have a sense of urgency sometimes. One day, everything can change in an instant. This can be unexpected and or unwelcomed. So I want to appreciate what I have now and the surprises of the future are just that, surprises.
If you could select one item or incantation to exist in real life from Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, what would you pick?
I would love my own version of Newtâs suitcase. If I could dive into my handbag at any given moment I think that could be a lot of fun!
What was a scary story or cautionary âfactâ that you were told as a youngster and took to heart far too gravely?
âDonât talk to strangers.â I know that is sensible advice when you are a child. Living in a big city like London can make you untrustworthy of anyone you donât know. You avoid looking people in the eye. Then all of a sudden someone will do a kind gesture unprovoked and wanting nothing in return. In the same breath someone can push you off the tube as they try to get on in rush hour. This happened to me and I landed flat on my face on the platform and someone stepped over me. Not a great moment! But I still like to believe in the kindness of strangers. It took me years to allow that in. Perhaps through confidence and travelling alone, I can now make room for a new conversation or interaction with someone I donât know, especially in the neighborhood that I live in. I like the feeling of community but I think you have to act on that if you want it.
Whatâs something thatâs fine to hear from a family member but would be terrible to hear from a romantic partner?
There are loads of things! âThat colour doesnât suit youâ or âthat perfume is really heady and not in a good way,â or âthe salmon is a little chewy.â My family have said those things to me but if a romantic partner did, I would probably take it too personally!
Is there anyone you would ever ask (or secretly want) an autograph from?
I would be more inclined to ask for an autograph now as people always want photographs. An autograph is something special, less intrusive and more personal. It is a connection between the asker and the asked whereas a photograph can then be put on social media and then the moment is dispersed. If I had to pick someone it would be Jack Nicholson. I remember Rob Reiner on a podcast talking about working with him on A Few Good Men. In the court scene at the end of the movie, Reiner said he had to shoot everyoneâs reactions first, before they would come to shoot Jack Nicholsonâs close up at the end of the day. All day, Nicholson gave it everything each time and Reiner said to him would he not like to save his energy for when the camera came on him. Nicholson said, âI just love to act.â So his autograph would be a reminder of why I chose this profession and how lucky I am that I get to do what I love.
Describe one of your favourite films in the form of a clickbait article headline.
âI taped a schoolmateâs ass cheeks together in a fit of rage against my father. I feel some remorse but also happy surprise at gaining three new friends and a girlfriend!â
Andrew Clark tells his journey. The Breakfast Club.
What is a seemingly useless talent that you wish you possessed?
I would love to be able to run up a wall and back flip. I think that would liven up even the most tense situations.
If you could pick one other corner of the Potter universe to turn into a film â or simply delve further into â what would you pick?
The Hogwarts Kitchens! I love when J.K. Rowling writes about the food! It is so detailed and creative and wonderful. Iâd like to look more into the lives of the elves and their adventures in the kitchens.
Want more? Watch our behind-the-scenes film.
Jenn Murray can be seen in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, in cinemas now globally.
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