ISABELLE CONNOLLY TALKS BARBER

Interviewed by Culture Coast Talks editor Daniel John. Interview transcripts might have been edited for length and clarity.

Private investigator Val Barber is hired by a wealthy widow to find her missing granddaughter, Sara. Though absent, Sara’s presence drives the story, culminating in an ending that twists expectations. Were you as surprised as the rest of us?

I was shocked. The film does a great job of keeping you on your toes. You never quite know what Barber is going to find next. I love the ending because it gives Sara agency and shows how she and her grandmother are secretly in control, pulling the all strings. I thought it was great to see two women taking matters into their own hands to get justice, we hear how Sara has suffered a lot throughout the film, so it was great to see her taking some of her power back.

Val, played by Aidan Gillen, is good at finding people, but he can’t seem to find Sara. How do you approach finding any role which you play?

When approaching any role I try to put myself in the character’s shoes. I think about how I would react in any given situation. I also like to create a backstory to help me get into character and figure out what my wants and motivations are in each scene.

Do you consider how the audience will perceive a character?

I try not to think about how the audience will perceive me because I think that will only serve to make my performance more artificial.

Do you feel it’s up to you as an actor to approach every role with equal measure, do you always bring that same commitment?

I always commit a hundred percent to each role and try my best whenever I am lucky enough to work.

When did you realize you wanted to act?

I have always wanted to act. As a child I did speech and drama, and musical theatre. Then as a teenager I was part of a youth theatre group. After school I decided to do a course in screen acting and I got an agent when I completed that. Since then I have been lucky enough to work doing what I love.

Did you always feel supported by those around you to act your dream out?

My family are so supportive and they always have been, and my sister is also an actress. It’s nice to be going through the struggles this career brings with someone who understands. With acting you never really know what’s going to happen you just have to keep going if you enjoy it and hope for the best.

What kind of roles get you most excited?

I always get excited when I see characters I relate to living lives I don’t. It’s fun to investigate how I might act if my life path were different.

Everybody has a secret, what is a secret you can tell, promise to not tell anyone?

Secrets are serets for a reason!