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Geek Girl Authority
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Geek Girl Authority
Cecilia Lee on the Wild Ride That Is FEAR STREET: PROM QUEEN
Growing up, Cecilia Lee didn't know being an actor was in the realm of career possibility. It wasn't until getting the internet at 14 that she discovered this was a path she could pursue. Spurred by her love of in-depth character work and self-inserting herself into her favorite fictional worlds, Cecilia made the jump into acting, eventually graduating from the Toronto Film School's acting program. Fast forward to this year, in which Cecilia now appears in her biggest role yet as Harmony LaFay, a keen news reporter, in Netflix's Fear Street: Prom Queen . I had the privilege of chatting with Cecilia about her role in the next installment of the horror franchise and what viewers can expect. RELATED: The Competition Turns Deadly in Fear Street: Prom Queen Trailer This interview is edited for clarity. Cecilia Lee Pictured: Cecilia Lee Melody McCune: We at GGA love a good origin story. How did you get into acting? Cecilia Lee: I got into acting when I got the internet at 14 and discovered that it was a thing you could actually do. I grew up watching movies and TV shows and, as everybody does, really enjoying and getting immersed in them. As someone who was also a big reader as a kid, I used to self-insert into the books I read and be like, 'Oh, I want to live these types of lives in these incredible worlds.' Then, when I grew up and discovered that was something I could do as a career, I was like, 'Hell yes.' That's what started it all. I went to school for it, and here we are. MM: Let's talk about Fear Street: Prom Queen . Can you tell me what it's about and how you got involved with the project? CL: Fear Street: Prom Queen returns to the iconic franchise. This is the fourth installment. There were three movies that came out in 2021, and this is a return to the universe. We're set in the '80s, and it's very much inspired by the R.L. Stine book and by the books this is named after. We're set during a high school prom night, and the prom queens start to go missing. It's a fun slasher horror whodunit. I auditioned for it and got to meet the director during the callback. We really hit it off, and I'm very privileged to have been able to join the team. RELATED: Olivia Morris Shares How The Librarians: The Next Chapter Hooked Her From Page One Harmony in Fear Street: Prom Queen MM: You play Harmony LaFay in the film. How does she fit into the overarching narrative? CL: Harmony LaFay is a school reporter. She has such a defined sense of self, and she knows what she wants to do — to be the best reporter there ever was. When the events of the night unfold, she sees this as a very exciting next step in her career. MM: What can viewers expect when they watch this movie? CL: Lots of blood, [laughs] lots of fun, a killer soundtrack, gorgeous sets. It's a wild ride. A fun time. MM: Describe Fear Street: Prom Queen using three words. CL: Campy. '80s. Fierce. MM: Love it. What makes this installment in the Fear Street series stand out from its predecessors? CL: You'll definitely feel the director's hands all over it. Matt [Palmer], our wonderful director, has such a clear vision going into it. We're set in a different time period. There are lots of new things to explore. We have an incredible ensemble cast, with the likes of Ariana Greenblatt, Chris Klein, Katherine Waterston and Fina Strazza. Everybody's out there killing it right now in lots of other projects. They really killed it in this. Everybody will be blown away by their performances in this film. RELATED: Max Parker Gets Musical as Benvolio in Juliet & Romeo Give Her a Hand MM: Do you have a favorite scene or a highlight from the shoot? CL: I don't want to give too much away. What I'll say is — there's a hand. That's all I'm going to say. There's a hand. MM: Ooh, a hand! CL: A hand. [laughter] It's a great moment. On the Horizon Pictured: Cecilia Lee MM: I'm excited to see that. What else is on the horizon for you, career-wise? CL: Just more acting. I've got exciting projects coming up later this year that I can't talk about yet. Keep your eyes peeled in November is all I'll say. Then, I also work behind the camera as a camera assistant — a focus puller. I'm currently working on a feature. I just stay busy. MM: Have you watched anything interesting lately? CL: Yes. The Pitt . I binge-watched that. MM: It's so good. I'm working through it right now. I'm obsessed. CL: The character developments are incredible. The pace of it. I'm in awe of those actors. How quickly that show moves. How much jargon they have to learn and be comfortable with. I love it. As someone who did science briefly before I went into acting, and was going to become a doctor myself, I have some familiarity with that world. It's so incredible watching a show that portrays things relatively accurately. RELATED: Dean Devlin Dishes on The Librarians: The Next Chapter 's Magical Homecoming Hall of Fame MM: Last question. Name your five favorite films and/or TV shows. CL: How to Train Your Dragon . Right off the top. I watched that live in concert recently. I cried the whole way through. I'm a sucker for an animated movie. The Devil Wears Prada . Mr. Right with Anna Kendrick and Sam Rockwell. The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel . I love a period piece. Also, as someone who works behind the camera, I'm very appreciative of the camera techniques in that show. Fleabag . MM: Fleabag . That's a good one. CL: That's a good one. I watched the one-woman show it was based upon, which is arguably more impressive to me than the show, because you get something fleshed out. You get to fill in the gaps, but a one-woman show of you in a chair and on a black stage, and just essentially being able to convey the same content, was so impressive to watch. You can follow Cecilia on Instagram (@goagainforcece) and watch Fear Street: Prom Queen now on Netflix. Davina Lamont and Sharon Gilham Craft Looks That Bring THE WHEEL OF TIME Season 3 to Life Contact: [email protected] What I do: I'm GGA's Managing Editor, a Senior Contributor, and Press Coordinator. I manage, contribute, and coordinate. Sometimes all at once. Joking aside, I oversee day-to-day operations for GGA, write, edit, and assess interview opportunities/press events. Who I am: Before moving to Los Angeles after studying theater in college, I was born and raised in Amish country, Ohio. No, I am not Amish, even if I sometimes sport a modest bonnet. Bylines in: Tell-Tale TV, Culturess, Sideshow Collectibles, and inkMend on Medium. Critic: Rotten Tomatoes, CherryPicks, and the Hollywood Creative Alliance.
CBC
27-03-2025
- Entertainment
- CBC
This Inuk carver transformers antlers into makeup brushes — each with their own story
Ottawa Inuit carver gaining popularity online for her unique crafts 55 years ago Social Sharing A dusting of ground bone flies through the air in Saelym DeGrandpré's home studio in Ottawa. Her mask and safety glasses protect her from the hazard, but not the smell. She said she'll never forget it — the scent of burning antler. And she loves it. It's all part of the process for the 23-year-old carver and online graphic design student at Toronto Film School. She's been specializing in makeup brushes with handles made of antler. They're a nod to two passions: makeup and her Inuit heritage. Now, work is starting to gain traction online — something she said shows others have interest in carving, too. DeGrandpré has been carving on and off since she was 13-years-old, but Inuit artistry has been a tradition in her family for generations. Her grandmother was a textile artist who made parkas and did embroidery. "She wasn't a carver, but I always like enjoyed the idea of carvings and seeing the carvings throughout the house,' DeGrandpré said. As a child, her family encouraged her to carve small rocks, which she credits for her appreciation for the work now. She recalled a story she was told about carving that she still thinks about. "A shaman would say that they would carve the rock, they would bring the spirit out from the rock," she said. While she's switched mediums, her motivation is the same. Her brush handles hold stories — of the lives the animals had, the hunters who caught them in Baker Lake, Nunavut, or through the traditional tattoos she's beginning to experiment with etching into them. DeGrandpré's process involves cleaning the antlers, cutting them with a saw, and then sanding them down to remove imperfections and to bring out the antler's colouring. She then matches them with mass-made bristles, though she wants to experiment with making her own from furs hunted in the North. Gaining traction Earlier this year, DeGrandpré mustered the courage to put a few photos of her work on Instagram. She said the posts received thousands of likes. Photos of her work were shared in online Inuit communities across the country. "It's so amazing to see like how many people are interested in the idea of that, their makeup brushes and how that connects like carving," she said. A new age DeGrandpré does her carving in a suburban Ottawa garage. Her father-in-law, Kelly Adams, lets her use the space. She's been gifted tools from various family members who want to see her work continue. "It's something that I'm very proud to see," Adams said. "It's keeping a lot of this alive." Carving has been part of Inuit culture since well before settler contact. Traditionally, Inuit carved antlers into tools like ulu used to cut meat, or toys for young children. Adams attributed the online buzz around DeGrandpré's work to its uniqueness. The brushes aren't something he said he's seen before. "Bringing it into the new age. It's something different," Adams said. DeGrandpré said the brushes are one way she can show pride in her identity — something she said she's always been an advocate for. She hopes she can continue to learn the craft and culture from other artists and elders in the future. "Storytelling and like intergenerational learning is very important to me," she said. "Hearing [elders] speak about stories that have been passed down for like millennia feels amazing."
