interview by JANA LETONJA

Honor Gillies made her acting debut as Barb in the highly anticipated ‘Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes’ this November. Next up, she will be starring in the upcoming thriller ‘Dirty Boy’, which will be coming out in 2024. 

Honor, can you describe your experience filming ‘Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes’? How long did you film for? What was the biggest challenge and the biggest takeaway?
Spending August in District 12 enabled the experience to welcome me into the world of film making. All the way from technical to personal, my biggest takeaway was how much I was able to learn as well as absorb the entire journey as a whole. The biggest challenge was adjusting to life on set combined with the sheer amount of insects in the polish countryside. Astonishing.

full look MAX MARA

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What left the biggest impression on you from filming this highly popular film?
As a long time fan of ‘Hunger Games’ and Suzanne Collins, physically being at those iconic landmarks and getting a first-hand experience was incomprehensible. Participating in a reaping ceremony, 12-year-old Honor was geeking. 

How do you see the debut in such a big film opening doors for your further acting career?
Making my debut in a movie of this calibre is something I’m extremely proud of. Receiving recognition from a franchise this iconic and well respected has me very grateful for the experiences I had on and off set, as I was able to make significant connections, which leaves me very excited for what the future may hold. 

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Next up, we’lll be seeing you in the thriller ‘Dirty Boy’. What can you tell us about this upcoming film and your role in it?
‘Dirty Boy’, directed and written by Doug Rao, is a psychological thriller that centres around a religious cult. The story follows a reclusive schizophrenic that discovers he is being framed by cult leaders for a series of ritualistic murders. The character that I play, Hope, is one of the involuntary members of the ‘Flock’. 

What got you passionate about acting? Is there any actor in particular that you could say is your biggest inspiration?
I got into acting very young and drama class in school was really the only place where my abundance of energy, curiosity and imagination was nourished. Whether it was school plays or playing make belief with my friends in the playground, I was constantly exploring the thrill of pretending to be someone else and playing with the dynamics of their world. Robin Williams is an actor who was definitely a big inspiration for me. Since childhood I have been in awe of his absolute fearlessness in approaching performances.

full look GIORGIO ARMANI

dress VERSACE

full look GIORGIO ARMANI

What challenges and excites you the most about acting and being able to transform into someone else and live in their world?
I think a challenge with acting that is best to shake off is the idea of living up to what is expected of you. You set your own standards and at the end of the day, the only person you need to impress is yourself. But what excites me most about acting is inviting a character into your body and seeing what they do with it. 

As a young and upcoming actress, what would be your advice to young generations who want to make a career in acting?
To anyone wanting to enter the world of performance, I would strongly push that there’s only so much thinking you can do before it becomes a disservice. Don’t get stuck in your head. Avoid intellectualising. Just let yourself be. 

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What are your personal goals and dreams for the future of your career?
My personal goals for my career are ever changing, but I would argue that the biggest goal for me is to continue to tell stories and to stay true to myself. I’m looking forward to sinking my teeth into fantastic scripts. 

When you are not filming or auditioning, how do you like spending your spare time?
I recharge my battery from hanging out with other people. So when I’m not auditioning or on a job, I surround myself with my friends and hop about London with them. 

full look STELLA MCCARTNEY

TEAM CREDITS:
talent HONOR GILLIES
photography JACK ALEXANDER
styling OLGA TIMOFEJEVA at The Only Agency
hair JAY BIRMINGHAM at The Only Agency using Dyson Hair and Color Wow Hair
make up EMMA WHITE-TURLE at The Wall Group
editor TIMI LETONJA
editorial director and interview JANA LETONJA