Rising star Emily Brinks stops by on Close-Up Culture to chat about her upcoming projects, including Halloween Ends and The Menu.
Hi Emily, welcome to Close-Up Culture. You have an upcoming role in Halloween Ends. How did this opportunity to be a part of this iconic franchise come about?
I was able to find this opportunity partly through the Savannah Film Community and Actor’s Access. I submitted for an audition when I found the casting call, but it was ultimately my connections with local agents that landed me the job! This is the first time that the Halloween franchise has been chosen to film in Savannah, so we were all very excited in the months leading up to the shoot. I knew it would be a very big and challenging shoot but I was ready to go in head on and push myself even further, which I know I’ve left as a better artist because of that shoot.
The experience of being on set is the most valuable thing that I can ever have and I’m very thankful for the opportunities that the Savannah Film Community has given me. I’m very proud to be “added to the Halloween legacy”, as David Gordon Green had told me. Of course it was always fascinating to see the lovely Jamie Lee Curtis and her dedication to her craft and this fantastic character that she’s brought so much life to for the entirety of her career. We were all very proud of her and seeing Laurie Strode’s journey come to an end in the best way possible.
I imagine shooting a horror like this involves a lot of late nights. What was your experience like working on Halloween Ends?
It was absolutely fantastic! I was on for the entirety of the 2 month shoot and loved every single person I worked with. Those night shoots are a little easier when you have a good team pushing each other forward. The story is really well written and it was always exciting to come to work everyday and see these scenes come to life with everyone’s creative help. One thing that has been really fantastic is the fan base that’s come forward since filming. We always had fans coming to set wanting to get a glimpse of anything they could see and it was always fascinating to talk to them about their love for the franchise.
I’ve been lucky to have new followers of the franchise reaching out to me over social media, and I’m very happy to reply to them and make each other’s day. I’m obviously a huge fan of movies, so I know what it’s like to be in their shoes, it’s why we do what we do.
You were also involved in Mark Mylod’s The Menu, which looks incredible. What did you take away from that experience?
The Menu will be a production that I will be very proud to be a part of for a very long time. It was an absolute masterclass in acting being able to work with the incredible ensemble cast including Ralph Fiennes, Anya Taylor-Joy, Nicholas Hoult, John Leguizamo and so many others! Mark Mylod is one of the most joyful people I’ve had the pleasure of working with. He came to work everyday with such a fantastic, loving energy that really elevated everyone around him. He, along with the rest of the cast and crew, made me feel very welcome and I can’t thank them enough for that. I worked hard every single day asking as many questions as I could and pushing the boundaries to learn more. I really worked hard to get myself where I needed to be and fully immerse myself in everything that I possibly could.
What has been your most memorable or favourite moment working in the film industry so far?
It is very hard to pick just one, but I may have to say when I filled in for Anya one day on The Menu while she was sick. I was able to work all day with the rest of the cast in rehearsals and filming, but at the end of the scene, Mark Mylod came up to me a bit surprised and said, “you are such a natural actress, that was brilliant!”. Hearing a comment like that from someone who’s done so much amazing work in their career really meant a lot to me. It choked me up a little bit and I’m always thankful that I have that memory to look back on.
What type of roles and projects would you love to work on in the future?
I’m a huge Hunger Games fan, so when I heard that they were going to film the prequel I tried everything I could to be a part of that shoot. I’d have to credit the original films and Jennifer Lawrence as a huge inspiration for me becoming an actor, so it felt really special that they were going to start filming the prequel now that I’m a professional in the industry. Although I couldn’t make it into the shoot, I’m so eager to see the fantastic work that they put together and bring that beautiful story to life. I’d of course love to work on anything with Jennifer Lawrence, as she is my favorite actress, simply to understand her approach to her work even more. I think we both work very similarly in our analysis of a character and story.
Do you have any upcoming plans or ambitions to share with us?
I am currently on the search for an agent and manager while also in talks with some friends from Halloween about some upcoming movies that will be starting production this fall. Nothing is set in stone yet, but that’s the actor’s life and I’m happy to be a part of the ride. Of course I can’t predict the future, but I’m going to take this career as far as I possibly can. My brain was wired for this industry as a creative person and I’m so proud to be a part of it with so many incredible artists. I’m pouring my heart and soul into this every single day and I have hopes that my ambitions will come true with hard work and time.
Check out Emily’s website – emilybrinks.com
Follow Emily on Instagram – @e.milyb.rinks