Emily Carey On Championing Other Women, Answering Her Calling of the Arts and Her Dream Project

ROSE & IVY Emily Carey On Championing Other Women, Answering Her Calling of the Arts and Her Dream Project

In the second digital cover dedicated to fresh faces and inspiring women, British actress Emily Carey shares with ROSE & IVY how she began her career in the London theater world at the age of nine, which then lead her to the big screen in roles like Wonder Woman and Tomb Raider. Emily shares how her calling to perform was in her DNA, why women should lift up and support other women and her newest projects on the horizon.

 
cred Template for Sub Titles for Website AWINY2.jpg
 
ROSE & IVY Emily Carey On Championing Other Women, Answering Her Calling of the Arts and Her Dream Project

Dress by Richard Quinn; Hat by Emma Brewin; Boots by Lucy Choi; Emily’s Own Jewelry

 
Untitled-1.jpg

I think for me it was never a question of can I do that it was always, when. Ever since I was a toddler, I was always involved in theater—that’s how I started—my entire family is pretty much all involved in the theater industry so I very much grew up with it. I think at that age, it was just something I thought that everyone did. I thought everyone just sang and danced like I did, I didn’t realize that it was something different. My granny is a retired wardrobe mistress from the West End. At three years old, I used to just go in and pair socks and watch whatever shows were currently going on in theater and sit in awe watching the performances on stage. So it wasn’t a specific moment but it was always something that was present in my life.

ROSE & IVY Emily Carey On Championing Other Women, Answering Her Calling of the Arts and Her Dream Project

Dress by Paul Smith; Cuff Bracelets by Chanel; Boots by Nicholas Kirkwood; Emily’s own Jewelry

 
Untitled-1 qoute templaten.jpg
 

My first big project was of course Wonder Woman. Prior, I only had done a small—I say small at the time—role in a TV show in the UK on BBC called Casualties. I had been on a set before and I was comfortable enough to sort of know how things worked. When you go onto a big movie set like that it’s so intimidating and so, so scary. There are so many more people, it is busy all of the time—it never stops. It was intimidating but at the same time, everyone was so lovely, they all made me feel so comfortable, especially Patty (Jenkins, the director), Robin (Wright) and Connie (Nielson), who I was in scenes with. It was beyond words; being in Italy, being alongside these wonderful woman doing what I loved and knowing I was going to be in a movie, let alone this big massive movie, that is also a historical film. It’s a landmark in the film industry, it’s the most female-led film of our generation and to be involved in it was such an honor. I don’t think I really took it in how big it was when I stepped onto that set. When you walk away and reflect on exactly what happened, I felt inspired and empowered being alongside these woman. Also, being directed by Patty was hands down the most phenomenal person I have ever worked with—she’s insanely talented. 

ROSE & IVY Emily Carey On Championing Other Women, Answering Her Calling of the Arts and Her Dream Project

Dress by Giambattista Vali; Coat by Alberta Ferretti; Emily’s Own Jewelry

Untitled-3.jpg

The shooting itself was a whirlwind. I trained for nine week along, with all of the other Amazonians, at the Warner Brothers lot in London. Then when we got whisked away to shoot, it was literally within a week, and suddenly it was all over. I think it was on my flight home where I was like, that just happened! Then you had to wait for it to come out. Even after I had shot it, I still couldn’t tell people what I was doing. It was all top secret. Funny enough, even when it came out, people would be like, you are in Wonder Woman and I would say, no, where did you hear that (laughs)?

ROSE & IVY Emily Carey On Championing Other Women, Answering Her Calling of the Arts and Her Dream Project

Coat by Miu Miu; Emily’s Own Jewelry

 
ROSE & IVY Emily Carey On Championing Other Women, Answering Her Calling of the Arts and Her Dream Project

Dress by Simone Rocha; Cape by Saint Laurent from Rellik; Boots by Nicholas Kirkwood; Emily’s Own Jewelry

Untitled-4.jpg

Yes, one hundred percent. Playing a character or portraying a story line that is something that people can relate to is so important to me, but it’s also something that I enjoy doing. You are putting out these stories that represent people’s lives that maybe haven’t been put out before or maybe not been put out in this light. I think Get Even explores so many different things obviously bullying is one of the main themes but things like sexuality—we have a very diverse cast—and just normal teenage life is put on screen in a very down to earth, authentic and truthful teen way. This is why I think so many people can relate to the show, whether they are a teenager or whether they are an adult. Playing Mika, I personally could relate to her story; I think that gave her an extra layer of authenticity because I knew what she was going through and I could empathize. It’s something that surprisingly happens more often then you can think. If you aren’t aware of the storyline that she goes through in the first few episodes, her private photos are leaked from her phone and spread around the school. She is then bullied and body-shamed amongst many other things that go on. She doesn’t have a good journey throughout the show—no spoilers—you just have to watch it to find out. She has a hard time, but playing her brought me so much strength and I hope it’s the same for people who watch her story. 

ROSE & IVY Emily Carey On Championing Other Women, Answering Her Calling of the Arts and Her Dream Project
Untitled-1 qoute templateb.jpg
Untitled-5.jpg
 
Untitled-6.jpg

I think it’s super important to know your boundaries. I can always feel when social media is starting to get overwhelming. I think you should never ever be afraid to take a break from it, just log out or delete the app from your phone and come back to it in 24-hours, a week or a month. Everyone needs time away from their screens, especially when you are scrolling and scrolling.  Once you are in it you can’t stop. I am 17, so my mom still helps run my professional social media because it is a lot. It’s intimidating.  

 

Wendy is a dream role for me—growing up I was in love with Peter Pan and all things Wendy Darling—to play a version of her, like I said is a dream come true. The moment I read the first line, I was so intrigued, it’s a dark, twisted retelling of Peter Pan from the perspective of four generations of the Darling women, starting with the original Wendy Darling from the fairy tale we all know. It’s a completely new perspective; it’s super dark and kind of messes with your mind as you go along. It’s shot beautifully—our cinematographer was phenomenal—in a mad and twisted sense. Playing alongside some incredible actors like Julian Ovenden, who played my father, he’s a dream to work with so much fun and so talented. Louis Partridge of course who plays Peter Pan, he is perfect fort his role; he’s brilliant, when we were doing scenes together I felt like I was more in the scene than I have ever been in my entire life. His performing and acting style are so unique. Then working with Vanessa Redgrave is insane and an honor. I can’t wait for next year when it will be released.

ROSE & IVY Emily Carey On Championing Other Women, Answering Her Calling of the Arts and Her Dream Project
Untitled-7.jpg

First of all it was a privilege and a honor, but also a lot of responsibility. It’s emotion captured animation so that means they filmed us at the same time as they were recording the voices so they can actually capture our authentic facial expressions. I think it was important for the director Ari Folman to cast more actors rather than voice actors if that makes sense. All of us give very truthful performances throughout. It is a beautiful story even though it is obviously very, very sad.  The way it is presented is in a beautiful way; you get to see Anne Frank for the person she was rather than the face of the war. Pretty much every line I read came directly from her diary, which is mind-blowing. It was a lot to take in whilst we were actually doing it. We had to take some breaks, every now and then, on the recording days because the things I was saying and the things we were reading, it’s a lot to take in. It’s like I am an outlet for her words if that makes sense.

As I said this is a story that is presenting Anne Frank in a new light and a way we haven’t really seen her before. It’s her and Kitty, played by Ruby Stokes, and it sort of blends and compares the time Anne Frank was a live to the modern day. It makes you reflect on today’s society, which is also very prominent with the social injustices going in 2020.  I am in no way comparing the two events from 2020 to what happened to Anne Frank but our story makes you reflect on present day versus the social injustices back then. It’s a wonderful movie and I am very excited for it to be seen. It makes her story seem more accessible. I am hurt to know that a lot of schools don’t have The Diary of Anne Frank as required reading anymore. I think my generation was sort of the last one to have read the diaries, so her story is becoming more accessible again, which is a good thing. It’s truthful and historically accurate enough to show in schools; it’s beautifully cinematic with a great cast and crew behind it. 

Untitled-1 qoute template.jpg
ROSE & IVY Emily Carey On Championing Other Women, Answering Her Calling of the Arts and Her Dream Project
Untitled-9.jpg

Well, girls supporting girls and women supporting women is so at the forefront of my life. As you said, I was brought up by a single mum and she is hands down my rock but not only that I’ve seen her grow and her strength shine through—she’s inspiring. Growing up with her has been a blessing more than anything. I genuinely do not think I would be the woman I am today if I was not raised by a woman single handedly. As with the age of social media, cyber bullying, body-shaming all of those horrible things are definitely becoming more prevalent in today’s society and it’s so important for women to lift other women. I think it needs no explanation, I think it’s something that should be everywhere and should be normalized. It shouldn’t be like, oh that’s brilliant that she is supporting her, it should be a normal thing of, of course she is supporting her because women support other women and that’s the way it is. Karma and good energy, you just have to spread the positivity. I think bringing others down doesn’t push you up any further.

ROSE & IVY Emily Carey On Championing Other Women, Answering Her Calling of the Arts and Her Dream Project

Dress by Valentino; Belt Stylist’s Own; Emily’s Own Jewelry

 
ROSE & IVY Emily Carey On Championing Other Women, Answering Her Calling of the Arts and Her Dream Project
Untitled-10.jpg

I surprisingly was fairly busy. I think for the first month or two our industry was still quite optimistic and I was still getting tapes and things like that to hopefully film later in the year. The Lost Girls audition I did via tape and then via Zoom at the beginning of lockdown. We wrapped on that a few weeks ago. It was super interesting; it was a seven-week shoot, which is fairly short for a film, but it’s an indie and we worked quite quickly. It was a skeleton crew so less footsteps and we worked a lot quicker. I don’t think there was that much different from the actor’s point of view, I think it was for everyone else, because we can’t wear PPE when we are performing. It wasn’t too bad; it’s the new normal for our industry. I am now in my third project since the end of lockdown. Each has a different approach—it’s interesting to see what covid policies are more important to certain production companies compared to others. It’s good to be back working. Throughout lockdown, day-to-day life didn’t change too much for me; I mainly do tapes anyways because my team from America sends me things more than my British team. I also do online school and my mom works from home. I love what I do and my mental health is so much better when I am booked and busy and working constantly. I think for people going back to school, even if they hate school, it’s nice to get back into the routine. It’s the new normal, when you leave your house you take your keys and you also take a mask with you. 

ROSE & IVY Emily Carey On Championing Other Women, Answering Her Calling of the Arts and Her Dream Project

Dress by Elie Saab; Cardigan by Christopher Kane; Jewelry Emily’s Own

ROSE & IVY Emily Carey On Championing Other Women, Answering Her Calling of the Arts and Her Dream Project
Untitled-11.jpg

For me, my absolute dream is to be in a movie musical that merges my two loves together. My first and true love is theater and my new love which is film, put them together it would be an absolute dream.  

ROSE & IVY Emily Carey On Championing Other Women, Answering Her Calling of the Arts and Her Dream Project

Emily was styled by Zadrian + Sarah at Wall Group; Hair by Patrick Wilson at Wall Group; Makeup by James Molloy at Wall Group; Stylists’ Assistant Brillant Nyansago

A very special thank you to this team.

Follow Emily on Instagram

Stream ‘Get Even’ Now on Netflix