On playing Beth in Last Three Days, she said, “I had the privilege of playing a strong-minded, heart-focused character who is the emotional center of the film. I am a sucker for romance so I loved being the key to the romantic storyline. The director, Brian Ulrich, actually wrote the character for me, which was a huge honor and a lot of fun to play because a great deal of the dialogue felt like it was plucked straight from my brain. It is a true testament to Brian as a writer because he so beautifully created a role based on who I am.”
She complimented writer and director Brian Ulrich. “It was such an honor working with both of them. Brian has a heart of gold and incredible amounts of talent so he really made my job as an actor easy. I felt so supported and taken care of throughout the process,” she said.
“Working with Robert Palmer Watkins was a dream,” she admitted. “He is a formidable scene partner. We were really able to connect and be vulnerable with each other when we needed to be, and have tons of fun goofing off as well.”
“I absolutely loved my first chemistry read with my co-star, Robert Palmer Watkins. As soon as we met and started acting opposite each other I could tell he was my ‘Jack.’ It was such a surreal experience to know at that moment that we were going to be a team on the film and I am so glad our chemistry came through in the movie,” she said.
On being an actress in the digital age, at a time when streaming is so prevalent, she noted that it can feel overwhelming. “It can feel like there is so much happening and whatever I am doing is never enough, but I have really learned to just focus on my own work, my own goals, and not be pulled into the comparison game. It is a challenge, but I love it even more because of it,” she said.
For young and aspiring actors, she encouraged them to find their tribe. “It is imperative in Hollywood to find the people that inspire you and that you click with. These are the people that you will be rising with, and it is so much fun to find people that you want to create with,” she said.
Regarding her future plans, she said, “Gosh, I have so much going on right now. I have a Christmas movie that has been pushed twice because of Covid but we are hoping to film that soon. I have also started writing and have two projects (a feature and a pilot) that I am shopping around, and I am starting a mental health podcast called ‘More Than You See’ based on my organization of the same name. So lots in store in a lot of different aspects of my life.”
On her definition of the word success, Smith said, “It’s funny because my best friend (who is also an actress) and I always say to each other ‘this is what success looks like.’ This is just to remind each other that we are successful. We are living our dreams. Sure, we may have bigger dreams in store, but for now, the fact that we can do what we love, connect with others, and make an impact on the world with our storytelling, is success.”
She concluded about Last Three Days, “It really is a film for everyone. I call it ‘James Bond with Heart’ because it has a ton of action, twists, and suspense, but at the core, it’s a love story. It’s a lot of fun, I promise.”
To learn more about actress Deborah Lee Smith, follow her on Instagram and on Facebook, and check out her IMDb page.
