Fresh off her wonderfully charming lead performance in Hooked’s Trevor and the Virgin, LA-based actress Chloe Ray Warmoth joins us on Close-up Culture for a chat about the project and her very bright future in the industry.
Q: ‘Trevor and the Virgin’ is a fun watch and a fantastic showcase for your talent. What did you enjoy about playing Martha and acting in a project that deals with more adult themes?
A: Playing Martha was so exciting for me because I completely related to the character. Just like Martha, I can be a little nerdy and often find myself staying home on a Friday night studying or watching a movie.
However, I also can have a lot of confidence when necessary. Martha too knows when the time is right to bring out her badass side while still maintaining the poise and smart intuitions that make her her!
Working on a project that covers more adult themes was a blast! We were constantly laughing and making jokes on set. I also felt very respected and was treated more like an adult during the filming of Trevor and the Virgin. That being said, I am able to play a wide range of ages and also love my fifteen year old roles!
Q: This is a great young cast with yourself, Dylan Rourke (who plays Trevor), Max Leblanc (Drew) and Alexandra Posey (mean girl Tilla). We get to see you all get a bit wild at a college party. What was the shoot and vibe like on set? Any fun memories to share?
A: Working with Dylan, Maxwell, and Alexandra was a dream. They were super fun to be on set with!
Although the entire filming experience was amazing, the party scenes were especially fun. The energy while shooting them was so exciting! Having everyone in the room with music and games made the whole shoot feel like a party. People were even playing water pong.
The “drink or dare” scenes were especially interesting to shoot. Maxwell probably had to lick my face twenty times! After every take, our makeup artist would wipe down and disinfect my face. It was hilarious and of course awkward, but really bonded the two of us.
Q: We recently spoke to Annalisa Cochrane and Arden Belle, who starred in Snapchat’s ‘Kappa Crypto’, about the widening range of platforms for young actors. How exciting is it for you to see this current landscape and work with a company like HOOKED?
A: I was so fortunate to be a part of Hooked’s very first movie! Platforms like Snapchat and Hooked are really pioneering into the new world of digital media.
It is incredible to see the response to Trevor and the Virgin. I never realised how many people really watched these new media platforms until now! I have been receiving tons of messages about the show and the impact it had on people.
Seeing the widening range of platforms for young actors is so exciting! A new world of opportunities is being created and I am so lucky to be a part of the beginning of it.
Q: You played one of the mean girls on an episode of ‘Fuller House’. What did you take away from that experience?
A: Playing Coco on Fuller House was my very first experience working with a live studio audience. It was a completely different process than I was used to, but really taught me the importance of teamwork.
The first three days of the week are just rehearsals. You really start to get to know the cast and become really familiar with your character in these days leading up to the taping. At the end of each day, I got to sit down with the cast and writers of the show and talk about the things that worked and didn’t with the script. The next morning we would have a whole new draft to rehearse.
Everyone works so hard and deeply relies on each other. Being a part of that environment is so special and something I will never forget. On Friday, the energy is so exciting. Everyone is energetic, they bring in the best food, the lights are all on, and everyone is getting ready for the live taping. It is so special to experience this with everyone in the cast! The energy of the audience really drives your performance while filming.
It is an amazing experience and I am so grateful that the cast and crew were so welcoming to me. I would love to be able to do this every week.
Q: How do you reflect upon your journey from the Michigan theatre scene to working on film and TV in LA? How have you grown as a performer in that time?
A: Working in film is its own beast. Although I love the energy that comes with live theatre, being able to live in the moment and tell stories that affect the viewers is so special. I have definitely grown to have so much respect for the craft through my journey.
Studying with Cynthia Bain and reading Uta Hagen’s A Challenge for the Actor, I have learned the importance of putting hard work into every line in every script. I work hard everyday and go to scene study every week to continuously grow as an actor. There is never enough work you can put into your craft. One must definitely commit to being a lifelong learner. I am grateful for the resources that allow me to do so.
Q: I saw an interview where you mentioned Emma Stone, Julianne Moore and Saoirse Ronan as inspirations (great picks by the way). Can you film out one or two performances that you watch and aspire to as a young actor?
A: Saoirse Ronan’s performance in Brooklyn changed my life. It was at a time when I really needed it. I had just moved out to Los Angeles and I was homesick beyond belief. I walked out of the theater after that movie completely speechless. This was when I really realised the impact that film can have on an individual life.
Since then, I have fallen in love with her. One of my all time favorite movies of hers is Ladybird. The way Greta Gerwig captures the relationship Christine (Ladybird) shares with her mother is completely beautiful.
I have truly been obsessed with Emma Stone my whole life. She commits fully to every role she plays – big or small. There is something so unique and original about her. I don’t think I have ever related to a movie as much as La La Land. Her performance, and the movie as a whole means the world to me and whenever I am feeling lost or discouraged I watch the film.
I have also been watching Julianne Moore since I was a little kid. Her performance in Still Alice was heart-breaking and wonderful. The thing that appeals to me most about these three actresses is their grace and poise. They are so respectable and humble and are a perfect image of what I aspire to be. I have always seen a little bit of myself in them and I dream of being able to work with them one day.
Q: You haven’t been short for work recently. What roles excite you? And what type of shows or films would you love to work on?
A: I love a good meaty role. Being able to really affect and change the audience is the greatest feeling.
I am really excited to shoot the feature film West Michigan this summer. My role, Hannah, is a teen girl struggling with identifying herself, who she wants to be, and if life is really worth living. She struggles with friendships, family, and religion. I think the role is beautiful and I hope that young girls will be able to relate to Hannah.
I love all work and being fortunate enough to act and be on set in anything is super amazing. Ideally, I would love to act in features that tell real, grounded stories and resonate with the audience on another level. I would also love to work on a show. The unity and family that comes with a long-term series is amazing and to be a part of a family like that is such a dream.
A life goal would be to work on a Mindy Kaling show! I am completely obsessed. I have read both her books and I basically have every episode of The Mindy Project and The Office memorized.
Q: What are your hopes and plans for the future?
A: In the future, I hope to be working really consistently on projects that challenge me to my fullest potential and really show what I can do.
I have a few features coming out soon, My Daughter’s Ransom and Greatland and I really hope the best for these films and that they will elevate my career to the next level. I would love to continue to work on television and hopefully book a series regular role in the near future.