Describe one of your favorite actors without naming a character or a film.
Vincent Cassel. I think I could watch him hoovering his house and I would find it fascinating.
What is something you’d like learn how to build, if time, difficulty and resources were no longer obstacles?
A giant badass pirate ship I could sail around the world on with my friends.
Would you rather have the ability to make your clothes feel like they are always fresh from the dryer or your bedsheets?
Clothes. I cycle most places so I usually turn up looking like a bit of a wind swept mess with my clothes sticking to me.
Have you ever experienced common or routine act or exercise that unequivocally surpassed all the other same/ similar experiences?
I recently got a plane from Barcelona to Paris where the two air stewards who were looking after the cabin couldn’t stop laughing. They would put on funny accents when making announcements to the aircraft and they kept on cracking up when doing the safety demonstration. I was by myself but there was this beautiful atmosphere of togetherness in the plane because everyone was smiling at each other and laughing at the stewards banter. It felt like a really beautiful moment shared with complete strangers.
What was your most uncomfortable film experience?
When I was about 8 years old my father took me to see a weird Czechoslovakian film whilst in Prague called Otesanek – a really creepy film about a childless couple who decide to carve a baby out of a tree. The wife takes the root and pretends that it is real until one day it actually does come to life. I was genuinely terrified and wanted to leave the cinema about 10 minutes into the film but my father was enjoying it and laughing so much we stayed. I spent most of the film curled in a ball on my seat with my hands in front of my eyes. I laugh looking back on it though because it’s one of the creepiest most memorable films I think I’ve ever seen, even though I was so uncomfortable at the time. It’s also become a fond memory of my dad as it was just us and I spent the whole film with my face buried into his side.
Do you find it easy to make up your mind? Do you have a go-to method or outlook for making a choice?
I think it takes me a while to figure things out. I think thoughts and decisions need time to mature and grow. I’m quite pragmatic and am obsessed with lists (nothing more satisfying than crossing things off a list!) but I am also a firm believer in trusting instinct. I always listen to my gut and what my body’s telling me. That is ultimately what drives my every decision.
What used to be hard and is now easy?
Not wearing makeup. When I was in my early teens I was a punk/ goth. I wore tutus and ripped tights, had knee high boots and purple hair and wore about 1cm of kohl under my eyes. The thought of not wearing all that seemed ludicrous. Now I’m the opposite. I only really wear make up when I’m working or going out.
What is the best and worst part about working on a set as compared to other work environments?
The best part is the camaraderie you create on a film set. Meeting people of different backgrounds, ages and personalities. It’s like you create a whole new universe and family with every new job. The worst is the fight for authenticity and getting over the hurdle of self-awareness on camera. Really striving to lose yourself to the craft and not to be afraid to embarrass yourself in front of a huge film crew. That requires a degree of bravery and confidence that is not always easy to muster up.
Freya Mavor can be seen in The Sense of an Ending in cinemas from April 14 (UK).
As told to Paul Vaughan for TPJ
Creative Director & Photographer: Jessie Craig
Stylist: Harriet Byczok
Hair: Tracie Cant
Makeup: Gia Mills
