By Dov Kornits
“Yeah, I’m just chilling,” Allira Jaques tells FilmInk on the line from her Sydney home. “I mean, I’m not even doing that. We’ve still got to work and pay the bills. If I could pick, I’d love to be on the beach somewhere, but you can’t have everything. I was in LA for five years, and then this pandemic happened. I still had a year to go on my Visa. So that’s just been wiped, but that’s okay.”
With her dash done in LA, Newcastle-born Allira Jaques is back on home soil, and with a new film nearing release to boot. After featuring in three local horror films by demented Aussie auteur Chris Sun (Come And Get Me, Daddy’s Little Girl and Charlie’s Farm), Allira Jaques has now positioned herself as a romantic lead with debut writer/director Eric C. Nash’s Love You Like That.
Co-starring with fellow Aussie up-and-comer Mitchell Hope (who has made a name for himself internationally via the popular Disney film series Descendants), Jaques plays a mysterious young woman whose arrival in a small seaside town sends major ripples through the lives of the peaceful hamlet’s residents.
How did you land the role in Love You Like That?
“I knew Sean Gannon, the producer. We worked together years ago, before I went to LA. He was the one that messaged me and said, ‘Put a tape down for this. You’d be great for it. There’s a film I’m working on.’ And I did. Weeks went by, and I was like, ‘I probably haven’t got it. It’s fine.’ Sean had told me that they were auditioning some quite high profile actresses, and I’m still quite new. So I thought, ‘It’s fine. It’s fine.’ Sean asked me to do another tape, and this time, I’d read the script, so I knew who Mim was. I had a little bit more background then. I got onto FaceTime with Eric Nash, the director and writer, and one of the other producers. We chatted, and they said, ‘Look, we haven’t made a decision yet, but we’ll let you know soon.’ And I’m like, ‘Just put me out of my misery.’ This just went on for weeks and weeks. Finally, they offered me the role, and I just melted and bounced around my apartment in LA. I was so excited. That was the process – it was all through self-tape.”
And you didn’t meet any of the cast until the day you arrived on the set?
“Yeah, that’s right. I met Mitchell Hope, and we got to know each other a day before. So I didn’t know anyone. Eric Nash and the other cast members had some time together before they filmed, to bond, but I didn’t go, because there was no need for me to go. It was actually nice that we didn’t bond, because it was appropriate for the story.”
Your character is a very mysterious figure. Did you have any strategies on how to approach that?
“Eric was fantastic, because he’s such an actor’s director. He was really available all the time, so I ran so much stuff by him. We talked well before I even flew into Sydney. We chatted about the character. We did some scenes together over Zoom, and he helped me a lot with that side of things, because I didn’t want to play on who I was. I didn’t want to play on anything, but I still wanted to keep the mystery about her, because she’s this mysterious girl that’s shown up. I loved being able to delve in deep, because she has so much depth to her, but she also has that relatable side to her as well. She’s captivating and she’s engaging.”
How was the shoot? You filmed in the suburb of Kurnell, just around the corner from Cronulla, is that right? And doubled it as a small seaside town?
“The shoot went well. We filmed in the Kurnell area. They really dressed it great, and you wouldn’t even know that’s where we were filming it. It looked like a little beachfront town. I’m sure that the locals will know some of the places and locations that we shot at. It was great, and we had such great weather too. It was the perfect, quintessential, Australian summer. We had hot weather. It was good. We were lucky.”
What was it like shooting an independent feature like this?
“I actually felt really lucky. I pinched myself the whole time…I still do! There are so many great people in the film, and also working behind the scenes. There were so many crew members that had worked on huge Hollywood films. I felt out of my league a little bit, so I felt really lucky to be on a set. Australian films also have that kind of family feel, and there’s no hierarchy. Everyone gets in and helps each other out. That’s Australian filmmaking. It was great. I loved it. I felt like part of the process, but it was also really professional. Eric’s a testament to that too, because he made it such a great environment for us all the way.”
Did you guys go home afterwards? Did you hang out much?
“We hung out a couple of times, but Mitchell and Steph Tisdell and I shared accommodation, because they’re from Melbourne and Brisbane. We actually got to know each other really well. We had so much time together, especially after filming, that we got to know each other. We’d sit and chat, and order pizza together. We jammed. I used to play the piano as a kid, but we went out to JB Hi-Fi. And Steph got herself a piano. She played the piano. Mitch played the guitar and I played fake drums. And we’d be sitting there, just jamming. And I’m like, ‘I have no idea what I’m doing.’ But it was so much fun…”
How did you get into this whole acting gig, Allira?
“I’ve always wanted to do it, but I think when I was in my teens, I was like, ‘Oh my God, I can’t do that. That’s embarrassing. I can’t cuddle or kiss a guy onscreen. My mum’s going to see it.’ Those sort of things went through my head when I was young. I always wanted to do it, but I would look for other options. But acting just always pulled me in. I love the whole idea of filmmaking, and I just started doing independent films. I did a few independent horror films in Australia and I learnt on set. I learnt everything on the go. I’ve done a lot of acting courses, but nothing major. Then I went from there.”
What was the experience like in LA? Was that pretty tough?
“Very tough. I struggled big time. I struggled a lot with my visa. Anyone on an O-1 will understand what I’m saying. It is an acting, performance-based visa. And in recent years, it’s being looked at as a bit of a hindrance, and a lot of production companies won’t even want anyone to audition if they’re on an O-1. So I was struggling to even get in the room for an audition. I hadn’t even been back in Australia for a year, and I had more auditions here than I had in probably the four years that I was over there. I met a lot of great people though, and that’s what it’s all about. It’s all about who you know, not what you know. I really believe that. So I met fantastic people, and I did some great classes. I loved my life over there. I don’t know how to explain LA. There’s something about it that just pulls you in… I love it. I loved my life there, but I struggled with acting. It’s hard to make a living there. You’ve got to be able to make money, and it’s tough. People promise you the world, and you get over that bullshit pretty quickly. It’s good to have your family, who can bring you back down to earth and keep you there. They’re so supportive. They heard all the horror stories. They’ve heard everything! I love them.”
There might be some opportunities off the back of Love You Like That?
“Yeah, I hope so. It’s just about getting out there and making myself known and showing everyone who I am and what I can do and what I can bring. It’s about trying to get yourself through those doors, and to get your foot in the door. That’s what it’s all about. I loved working on Love You Like That. The rom-com genre is much more me and more what I would be auditioning for. I do love horror films, but I’m a big sucker for ’90s rom coms. I’m a big Meg Ryan fan. So when I read this script, I thought, ‘Wow!’ It has that ’90s rom-com feel, but it’s got that modern twist to it as well. I love that.”
Was it reassuring to have veterans like John Jarratt and Chris Haywood on set?
“They were both amazing. Chris Haywood only had a small role, but he was so great. The scene that we have is one of my favourites. But John Jarratt, I mean, he gave me so many pointers and advice, and it was great. He tipped me off on technical things that he’s learned over the years. He’s been doing it for such a long time, and he was so fun to work with. We got to know each other. He talked about his family, and he gave me grief about being from Newcastle, which he liked to do. Most people do! I really felt honoured to work with him.”
What was Mitchell like? Was he a prima-donna or anything because he’s had all this Hollywood experience? Or was he pretty cool?
“No! He was so chilled and down to earth. We got on so well. I felt like he was a long lost brother. He was just such a good buddy. We had so much fun working together, because we had the most scenes together, and we rehearsed. I hadn’t seen The Descendants or anything. And when we were on set, there were a few times when young girls recognised him. He was so great about it. He always stopped for photos and signed things. He’s a real down to earth, Aussie guy, and he’s a great actor. He’s got a big future.”
Love You Like That is a happy, positive film…just the right thing for these times!
“Yeah! We obviously didn’t know that at the time we were filming. But after, I’m thinking, ‘Oh my gosh, this film’s going to be so good for this time.’ It’s just going to be a nice thing for people to watch so they can get away from everything. It’s just such a nice feel good film.”
Love You Like That is available on Digital from February 9, 2022
