Behind Closed Doors with Amy Julia Rose

Movie Marker Magazine went behind closed doors with Canadian film and theatre actress Amy Julia Rose to talk acting, life before LA, and her role in “Hay Fever”.

Welcome to Movie Marker! I understand you were born in Toronto. What was it like growing up there?

I am the oldest of three siblings, and I come from a big extended family. Growing up, we would get together very often, and I always loved playing with my cousins, of whom I was the oldest. Most of the games I played with my siblings and cousins involved imagination, whether it was acting out elaborate stories with dolls, making movies with puppets, or creating musicals. Creativity in my family wasn’t just limited to the kids – the adults in my family were always telling us stories, playing instruments and singing, and coming up with creative games. Aside from the arts, my family shares a love of comedy – we all love to laugh and everyone in my family seems to have an innate understanding of comedic timing. They’re a big reason why I tend to gravitate toward comedic roles!

What got you into acting and made you realize that it was your chosen path?

From a very young age, I was fascinated by the arts – acting, dance, music, writing, drawing…anything creative. I was always making up characters and dreaming of performing on stage. I always loved fantasizing about being in movies and on stage. I remember being in kindergarten and talking to a pretend audience, breaking the fourth wall as if my life were a TV show. Being on stage always made me feel most comfortable. As a child, I knew I was different from other children. Being on the autism spectrum made me feel everything very deeply. I was always very sensitive to sounds, smells, textures and tastes, and I wasn’t able to do certain things that other kids were doing. I realized very early on that my open heart and intense emotions were gifts, even though they caused me to cry over things most people wouldn’t cry over, and always be worried about whether other people were okay. I always saw the stage as a sort of escape from real life.

Whether I was physically on a stage performing as a different character or zoning out in class and creating movies in my head, letting my imagination take over, I knew that I was my best self when I was stepping out of real life and into an imaginary world where I could be whatever I wanted to be. At age six I performed in my first play and instantly craved more. I didn’t have many lines, so I memorized everyone else’s lines, and cues, and choreography. I would comfort my friends who had stage fright and let them know how happy their parents were to be watching them. While I was also very involved with music and dance, I always knew that acting gave me the most freedom. When I was singing or playing an instrument or dancing, people would see me being myself. But acting let me experience the multidimensional worlds of other characters and allowed me to see things in different ways. I recognized this at a very young age and instantly fell in love with the feeling.

What are five of your favorite roles you’ve played recently?

Dotty/Mrs. Clackett in Noises Off
Judith in Hay Fever
Crazy Martha in The Order of Chaos with a K
Vanda in Venus in Fur
Lady Macbeth in Macbeth

Tell us about “Hay Fever”

“Hay Fever” is a farce by Noel Coward about a family of four – a retiring dramatic actress, a writer of novels, and their two young adult children. Each family member has invited a guest to stay over at their country house, unbeknownst to the others. There are hilarious misunderstandings, and the family members are seen getting intimate with the guests that they didn’t invite. By the end, all the guests are sick of the family and their pompous, dramatic antics, so they all leave unannounced.

You play the lead character. Can you tell us about her?

Yes, I played the mother, Judith Bliss. She was by far one of my favorite roles I’ve ever played. Every so often she slips into past characters that she has played on the stage, and reminisces about her times in the theatre, much to the annoyance of everyone else. She thinks she knows better than everyone else and always has to have the final word. She insists her children call her “darling,” and hates being called “Mrs. Bliss.” Judith was such a fun role to play, and I loved that I got to play such a dramatic character while making everyone laugh.

What is one thing that sets you apart as an actor?

I think something unique is I can speak four languages and love learning new ones! If a role requires me to speak in a different language, I’ll gladly learn it.

What do you have coming up next?

I recently acted in a short film that will be submitted to festivals… but I can’t say too much about that yet!

How can people follow your journey?

My work can be found on IMDb and I share on Instagram