Young actress Mirabelle Lee chatted with Digital Journal’s Markos Papadatos about being a part of the film “Slapface,” which was directed by Jeremiah Kipp, and being a performer in the digital age.
“Being a part of ‘Slapface’ was so amazing,” she exclaimed. “I have been dreaming of being in a horror film for as long as I can remember so when I received the news that I was chosen for the role of Moriah, I was ecstatic. This movie holds such a special place in my heart. It tells such an amazing story and what I also love about the movie is that it teaches the viewers a lesson. Filming in Upstate, New York with such an amazing cast of talented actors was a dream come true.”
She was drawn to her character Moriah for many reasons. “What I loved most about playing Moriah is that she struggles with something that a lot of teenagers these days have to decide; popularity or true friendship? Being able to tell this story and show the viewers her mindset was amazing,” she explained.
“I was so honored to be able to tell her story and portray her. She is such a cool character and another reason why playing her was so awesome was that I got to temporarily dye my hair purple and blue,” she said.
She had great words about working with Mike Manning, August Maturo, and the rest of the “Slapface” team. “I loved working with everyone on set so much. August, Bianca, Chiara, and I developed such an amazing friendship on set and we created memories that will last a lifetime. Between laughing in between takes, practicing stunts together, and late night Walmart trips, working with such amazing people just made this experience even better,” she said.
“I learned so much from working with the amazing Jeremiah Kipp and Mike Manning. To this day, I still use some of the notes they gave me on set in other acting roles,” she added.
On being an actress in the digital age, she said, “Being an actress in the digital age is actually so cool. I think the digital age has created more opportunities for actors not only to express their craft but to be seen more widely. There are so many stories to tell and with the availability of streaming channels, it brings these stories to a much wider audience.”
“I also love the fact that the digital age allows me to have the experience of watching a movie I am in, in theaters, or by tuning into a channel. I get to watch my projects on my phone too while I’m sitting in bed. Both experiences are great. I love going to the theaters and watching movies on the big screen and I also love watching movies in my living room with my family,” she said.
For young and aspiring actors, she said, ” My key advice for young actors is to never give up. Someone told me once that everything happens for a reason, and while you may not know why you got that ‘no’ on a role you really wanted, you will know why later.”
“In this industry, you will get so many ‘no’s’ but all it takes is that one ‘yes’! Don’t beat yourself up about the things you didn’t do, focus on the things you have done and the great opportunities coming your way,” she said.
She listed Zandaya and Jordan Peele as her dream acting partners. “I would love to work with Zendaya or Jordan Peele one day,” she said. “I have been a Zendaya fan for as long as I can remember and working with her would be a dream come true. She is so talented in every aspect and I really look up to her. I am also a big fan of Jordan Peele’s films. I love that each of his movies teaches the viewers some sort of lesson and I think I would scream for eternity if I had an opportunity to work with him.”
Regarding her definition of the word success, she said, “Success means being happy. For me, it doesn’t mean having my face on a huge billboard or having my name in light, I believe success is when I am at my happiest, doing everything I love to do. While those things I mentioned before would be amazing, true success is when you are happy with yourself.”
“‘Slapface’ is such an amazing film and it tells such an amazing story,” she said. “Not only does Slapface scare you and also make you cry, it teaches you a lesson. It tells viewers to always check up on their friends and family because you never know what they are going through. While people may seem fine on the outside, they could be battling so much inside.”
“It’s such a great movie to show what bullying and hardship can do to a person. I love this film so much and I can’t wait for people to see it,” she concluded.
“Slapface” will screen at Grimmfest for its regional premiere on October 8th, at 2:35 p.m. at the Odeon 6 Theatre (UK), and October 10th, 7:10 pm at the Odeon 5 Theatre (UK). For more information or to obtain tickets, check out the Grimmfest website.
