Up Close with Ianula Darlaiane

Movie Marker Magazine got up close with actress Ianula Darlaiane to chat acting, life in Bucharest and her latest movie, ‘Classmates.’

Thank you for chatting with us today. We are excited to learn more about ‘Classmates’, but first, we understand you grew up in Bucharest. Can you tell us about life growing up?

I was born and raised in Bucharest, Romania. I come from a family and a country that doesn’t really consider acting as a sustainable job, so the fact that I chose to do that came as a shock for a lot of people. I was always attracted to arts and somehow knew even as a child that I was definitely going to follow an artistic path in my life.

Acting is a very competitive. What makes you unique?

My passion for my craft and the dedication and effort I put into my work makes me the actress that I am. The fact that I had the courage to leave everything that was familiar to me in order to chase my dreams, and my compassion for people and beautiful stories that will hopefully make a difference.

Do you have a creative process when preparing for a movie?

I believe in always doing your homework. I like to journal a lot and read the script as many times as I possibly can and analyze the parameters in which my character lives. I think creating a character entail creating a whole new world and life for yourself, so every little detail matters. I journal about every important matter that might have happened in the character’s life and is related to the story, so that when I get to set and it is time to film, I get to play and experiment as much as I want. I think having the freedom to just be and play when you are shooting is crucial, as an actor can’t really “live truthfully under imaginary circumstances”, if he is not sure of the circumstances.

Who are your filmmaker influences growing up that helped to mold you into who you are today?

I think there are so many great filmmakers and films out there, but you can certainly feel when a film has had a huge impact on your life and sometimes even your career. For me, one of them has certainly been Elia Kazan. I have always loved to watch old movies, the 50’s and the 60’s especially, and I fell in love with everything he directed. A Streetcar Named Desire is one of my all-time favorites and every time I would watch Splendor in the Grass, I imagined myself in the role of Natalie Wood. I also appreciate a lot of European filmmakers that I think changed the way I view films such as: Jean- Luc Godard, or Alfred Hitchcock.

Tell us about the movie ‘Classmates’.

It is a fun movie about Anabella and Raury who switch identities on the first day of college due to a computer hack. I play Fritzy Gattens.

Any fun behind the scenes stories from the set?

Yes! This was such a fun shoot and I was so fortunate to work with industry professionals such as Danielle Fishel, who is the director of this film. I was doing background work on this movie, and it just so happened that they needed to cast another character, so they offered me the opportunity to do it. I was very grateful for that, and it turned out to be an amazing experience.

Have you set any 2023 goals to achieve?

Yes! I want to have advanced in a substantial way in my career by the end of 2023, hopefully get cast in a feature film and work with as many wonderful and talented people in the industry as I can. I plan on being open to any opportunity that arises, learn to embrace the difficulty of being an actor in LA and find a way to be more supportive towards myself.

Any upcoming projects?

I am currently working on developing a feature film with a director and writer that I have previously worked with before on a music video, Ryan Stephen Holly. We are writing a story very much related to my cultural background that I am so excited to share with everyone soon enough.

For more information on Ianula Darlaiane you can follow her on IMDb and Instagram.