I had the opportunity to talk with actress Camille Sullivan about her career in acting and more! Camille has had several guest appearances on TV shows like Intelligence, Falling Skies, Dead Man’s Gun, and more; along with roles in films such as Normal, Ice Soldiers, and Mount Pleasant. Look for her to star in the upcoming film, The Birdwatcher, which will be making its rounds at the indie festivals next year!
What did Camille have to share with the Towelites? Read on!
CW: When did you decide that you wanted to be an actress? What influences in life do you think put you on this path?
Camille: I think I knew right away I wanted to be an actress but I didn’t admit it to myself until I was in University and I auditioned for the theatre program. My mother also exposed me to a lot of theatre when I was growing up and I think that sparked my earliest interest in it.
CW: Your first role was on Showtime’s Dead Man’s Gun, can you tell us about that experience and what you learned from it?
Camille: I had a great time working on Dead Man’s Gun. My first scene was a love scene with Brian Austin Greene. I was supposed to run and jump into his arms. I ran. I jumped. I knocked him over. I don’t think they realized that I had zero on camera experience when they hired me but I was blessed with a lovely, patient director (Rene Bonniere) and I fell in love with acting on camera.
CW: Did Dead Man’s Gun help to launch your career? What did you learn from that project in terms of your career in acting?
Camille: Dead Man’s Gun definitely opened doors for me. Almost immediately after I booked my second job on First Wave. I think because I had gotten that first guest starring role, it put me in the mix. Also I was able to learn in a gentle environment how the whole thing works. I was so new, when they threw a sand bag down by my feet I asked Brian Austin Greene what it was. He said it was my mark. I was really lucky to have patient people around me.
CW: How hard did you have to work to get these other TV roles? Did they just come to you? Or did it require a lot of legwork?
Camille: I have worked pretty hard to get all my roles. I wouldn’t say any of them came without leg work. There is always auditioning. However, Chris Haddock has been very generous with me, first putting me on Davinici’s Inquest and then on Intelligence. He has been a big supporter. I owe him a great deal.
CW: Do you prefer working on television series’ or feature films? What has been your favorite project so far?
Camille: I don’t really have a preference between TV and film, for me it is all about the material. The writing in Intelligence is some of the best out there in any medium. And I loved loved loved the character of Francine. She was a thrill to play. I have also really enjoyed working with Carl Bessai in films. He did a series of improvised films (Mothers & Daughters, Sisters & Brothers) that I worked on and we had a blast. Because they were improvised and relatively low budget, there was a kind of artistic freedom that you would be hard pressed to find anywhere else.
CW: Can you tell us about your role in Normal, the film for which you won the Leo Award? How did it feel to get a recognition like that?
Camille: Normal was a challenging role for me. It was my first time working with Carl (Bessai) and he was amazing. He really let me run with the character and make it my own. It was wonderful to be acknowledged for the role of course but more than anything it was incredible to be in the company of such a great group of actors. Normal had a really impressive cast.
CW: Do you have any projects that you are particularly excited about coming up?
Camille: I have two movies coming out: Ally Was Screaming, a dark comedy/thriller that explores what it means to be good; and The Birdwatcher, the story of a single mother, who after being diagnosed with terminal cancer, goes on a quest to reunite with her birthmother.
CW: Who is your favorite female superhero/villain or fantasy/sci-fi character, and why?
Camille: She-Hulk. Because she gains control of her rage and makes it work for her. I’m getting there 😉
Thank you so much Camille for taking the time to geek out with us here on DFAT! Keep an eye out for Camille in the coming year, and keep it tooned here to DFAT for our next big interview!
