IN CONVERSATION WITH GRACE CAROLINE CURREY

Interview by Jana Letonja

Grace Caroline Currey has been in back-to-back films across every genre. Next, she will be reprising her role as Mary Bromfield in Warner Bros and DC Entertainment franchise sequel ‘Shazam! Fury of the Gods’, this time as both the adolescent and superhero versions. ‘Shazam! Fury of the Gods’ is set to hit the screens on 17th March. 

Grace, this March we’ll be seeing you back on our screens in ‘Shazam! Fury of the Gods’ as Mary Bromfield. This time Mary will be seen in two versions, adolescent and superhero. How was it becoming a superhero in this film?

If younger me knew she was going to grow up to play a superhero, she wouldn’t believe it. Never in my wildest dreams did I think something like this would happen in my career. It wasn’t until I put Mary’s suit on for the first time that it really hit me I was playing a superhero. And goodness, it’s such a great suit. Getting to act out Mary’s different superpowers, whether it was flying, super speed or shooting lightning out of my hands, was really fun. It’s not the sort of things I usually get to do on a film set.

What did being able to transform into a superhero add to Mary’s character? How did it impact her?

It’s funny because while becoming a superhero is a dream come true for some of the foster kids, Mary isn’t wrapped up in all the excitement of having superpowers. Her focus is on not being a burden to her foster family. She didn’t go away to college and is living at home post graduating high school. She’s got a normal job just like any young adult and is trying to juggle superhero responsibilities while figuring out what she wants to do with her life.

In ‘Shazam! Fury of the Gods’, Billy and his foster siblings are forced to fight the Daughters of Atlas. They must stop them from using a weapon that could destroy the world. What can we expect from this exciting sequel?

I love how David Sandberg’s horror background peeks in from time to time. There’s this sort of musicality and rhythm with horror, that when paired with superhero action sequences is really thrilling. I was on the edge of my seat when I watched the film for the first time, and I knew what was coming next. We’ve got all sorts of incredible creatures as well, dragons, unicorns, minotaurs, manticore. Of course, in the midst of all the chaos, it’s ultimately about the family and there’s an immense amount of heart in this one.

You started your career as a child actress, at the age of 4. Do you remember those early beginnings? Or how did actually acting make you feel at such a young age?

It all felt so simple to younger me, I just listened and reacted. My favorite roles were the ones where I had to cry. I felt like I was really creating something whenever there were deep emotions required of me. I remember being on set and falling in love with it. There were so many people with different jobs, all contributing to making the story come alive. And I got to be a piece of it all.

You studied at the renowned Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in London. What experience or lessons have you taken from your time studying there?

I was 18 when I attended their summer intensive program and even though I’d been on film sets and acting for 14 years at that point, I hadn’t spent time in a proper acting class. Being with other actors, unpacking our assigned monologues, digging into every nuance, every layer we could possibly find, working with a movement coach, vocal coach and a director, there was so much excavation, finding what the character I was given to study sounded like, moved like, thought like. It truly fed my desire as an actor to be able to shapeshift into someone else, be like a chameleon and it was one of the most blissful experiences I’ve ever had.

How would you describe your experience of studying abroad? Why do you believe studying abroud is such a special and important experience for anyone?

When I was at the Royal Ballet for the summer, I remember the giddiness of exploring London and meeting so many students from all over the world. We may have come from different backgrounds, but we were all there because of a shared love for ballet. It was beautiful that despite not sharing the same language with some of them, we could attend the same class and work on our craft side by side.

You are a level 6 ballerina. What made you fall in love with dance?

My parents have said that I’ve just always danced. There are these photos that my mom took of a garden we visited when I was very young and way in the background, you can see me twirling, dancing to some invisible music. Some of my earliest memories are of my dad playing classical music while he worked in the living room where we had this large rug with rounded shapes and long straight lines. I’d trace the patterns with my feet, each note from the music pulling me this way and that. As I got older, I learned more about the art of ballet, the deliberate attention to detail required and I fell in love with the idea that my body was like marble that I was slowly carving each day in class.

How does dancing make you feel in the moment?

When I’m dancing, the music can bring up immense emotions. I’ve encountered some of my purest, least filtered feelings while in ballet class. I love that I can express those feelings through the movement, often in a way that words wouldn’t be able to. It’s this inner world of communicating with my body and my body communicating with me. Sometimes it feels like I’m wrestling with my muscles, other times there’s a gentle flow and ease. Quite often there’s a sort of dichotomy at play.

What would you describe as your biggest success in life, personal or professional?

I’m grateful that I’m so close to my family and that I’ve got dear friendships that I’ve had forever. It’s important to me to maintain a life outside of acting and stay connected to the people I love in the midst of this wild business. You can be on a shoot for five months working with the loveliest people, but when the job is over, you’ve got to have a life you look forward to returning to.

What are your biggest goals and dreams?

I dream of working on films that are like poems, highlighting our deepest and most intimate natures, to work with artists where I’m a brushstroke in their painting. I have a goal to one day sing and dance for a project. I love it when a job requires me to dig deep and give more of myself. 

Most of all, I dream of leaving people better than I find them. I hope to love well and seek truth, perhaps in the process encouraging others to do the same. 

After ‘Shazam! Fury of the Gods’, what’s coming up next for you in 2023?

I’m currently training for a film that requires me to use my ballet background and dance on pointe, so lots of studio time, which I love. I have a couple of other projects in development, a few of them involve me jumping in the director’s seat, which makes me both terrified and giddy.

TEAM CREDITS
Talent: Grace Caroline Currey @smoregrace
Photographer: Nick Rasmussen @byNickRasmussen
Stylist: Tabitha Sanchez @tabitharsanchez
Make-up: Nick Lennon @itsnicklennon
Hair: Greg Lennon @gregglennonjr
Photography assistants: Dawn Lu & Liv Tindall @ludawndawn @oliviatindall
Studio: The Ivory Space @theivory.space
Editor: Timi Letonja @timiletonja
Cover design: Arthur Roeloffzen @arthurroeloffzen
Interview by Jana Letonja @janaletonja