For actress Lara Hunter, starring in the short film Stay In The Car was more than just another role. The film, written by Amanda Ross and directed by Calvin Ghaznavi, is based on Ross’s childhood experiences, meaning Hunter was tasked with portraying a version of her own mother as a young girl. The emotionally charged story follows Salem, a fifteen-year-old navigating a moment of profound realization during a quiet night that will ultimately change the course of her life.
We spoke with Hunter about the emotional experience of portraying such a personal story.
HELLO LARA HUNTER, WELCOME TO ABOUT INSIDER! WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST REACTION WHEN YOU READ THE SCRIPT FOR STAY IN THE CAR?
My first reaction when I read the script was how real it felt. Nowadays, I read so many scripts that seem ingenuine or unrealistic but Stay In The Car was the complete opposite. I could immediately connect to the characters and see the humanity in each of them right away.
KNOWING THE STORY IS BASED ON YOUR MOTHER’S LIVED EXPERIENCE, HOW DID THAT INFLUENCE YOUR PREPARATION?
Honestly, knowing that my own mom went through this made the experience very intimidating. I had to get it right. When it came to my preparation, it was such a gift to figure out the character by asking my own mom the questions I had.
MUCH OF THE FILM UNFOLDS IN STILLNESS. HOW DO YOU CONVEY EMOTION WHEN YOUR CHARACTER SAYS VERY LITTLE?
I think Salem’s silence is what makes her character so impactful. There are few people in this world who can fully understand and communicate their emotions and experiences with perfect words. To me, Salem is a very relatable example of someone who holds such big emotions close to their heart.
DID YOU HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH YOUR MOM ABOUT SPECIFIC MEMORIES TO INFORM YOUR PERFORMANCE?
We had tons of conversations about her life. Ever since I was little, I’ve always been curious about what life was like before I was conscious of what was happening. I asked her about her life, her family, what it was like to have me, and what I was like as a baby… I wanted to know it all. When I first heard about the relationship she had with her mom, I asked questions nonstop. I couldn’t understand how a little girl, treated so badly by the person who was supposed to love her the most, could grow up to become the best mom anyone could ask for.
WHAT WAS THE MOST EMOTIONALLY DEMANDING SCENE FOR YOU?
The most emotionally demanding scene had to have been when Salem steps out of the car. That moment where Salem and her mother are making silent eye contact but communicating so much was pretty difficult.
WAS THERE A MOMENT ON SET WHEN THE REALITY OF THE STORY TRULY HIT YOU?
I think the moment where the reality of the story hit me the hardest was when Salem’s mother abandons her at the gas station and drives away. When we were filming that scene, it was the middle of the night, I was exhausted and freezing. As Salem’s mom drove off, I felt completely alone. Me, as Lara, felt so alone. That moment struck me, and I saw my mom as the little girl who was left behind.
HOW DID YOU SEPARATE YOUR ROLE AS AN ACTRESS FROM YOUR RELATIONSHIP AS A DAUGHTER DURING FILMING?
While on set with my mom, I started noticing that our connection as mother and daughter had stepped aside so the story could be told. When I saw her discussing decisions with our director, I didn’t see my mom. I truly saw a writer whose story needed to be told with care.
DID PLAYING THIS CHARACTER CHANGE HOW YOU UNDERSTAND YOUR MOTHER’S PAST?
Playing Salem helped me understand a lot about my mother’s past. I got a small glimpse of what every single day was like for her as a child. Going through the filming process of this story showed me just how strong she is. Not only was she incredibly resilient for making it through that situation, but the fact that she built such a fulfilling and loving life for herself is truly inspiring.
SALEM EXPERIENCES FEAR, LOYALTY, AND INDEPENDENCE ALL AT ONCE. HOW DID YOU NAVIGATE THOSE LAYERED EMOTIONS?
Navigating Salem’s layered emotions came very naturally to me. As humans, we almost always feel emotions in layers and very rarely do we feel a single emotion about an experience. So when it came to navigating the layers of Salem’s emotions, it actually allowed me to connect even more with her. Even though I haven’t gone through the experiences she has in my own life, I’ve definitely felt fear, loyalty, and independence all at the same time as well. So, I was able to reflect on my own life and understand that the layering of emotion is very natural. It doesn’t need to be confusing and hard to navigate, just tell yourself that you and this character are both human. Humans are layered.
WHAT DID DIRECTOR CALVIN GHAZNAVI ENCOURAGE YOU TO EXPLORE IN THE PERFORMANCE?
Throughout the entire process Calvin always encouraged me to trust myself in my own performance. There were moments where he could see that I was doubting myself and the performance I was giving, and he would simply come up to me and tell me to trust myself and encourage me that I understand the story that’s being told.
HOW DID THE CONFINED SETTING OF THE CAR SHAPE YOUR PHYSICAL AND EMOTIONAL CHOICES?
The setting of the car was very interesting. When it came to my emotion, it had to be meniscal or else it would come off very inauthentic and not believable. It was definitely hard emotionally, but I think there’s aspects of the physical side that were even harder. Being that confined in a car there were many times I was having to hold and contort my body in a very unnatural way; however, it looked natural on camera while acting at the same time. It was really fun honestly; it was a challenge that I loved taking on.
WATCH THE TRAILER HERE: STAY IN THE CAR TRAILER ON VIMEO
HOW HAS THE FESTIVAL RESPONSE IMPACTED YOU AS A YOUNG ACTRESS?
It’s all incredibly exciting. I’m so happy that my mom’s project and story has impacted people. As a young actress, the festival response is just another reason why I want to keep going and keep pursuing acting. Having an impact and influence on the film industry even if it’s on a small scale is incredibly rewarding.
WHAT HAVE AUDIENCES SAID TO YOU THAT SURPRISED YOU THE MOST?
When I get audience reactions showing that they truly felt for me while watching the film, it’s incredibly rewarding. Telling this story and honoring my mom’s life experience was extremely important to me, so it felt really good to see audiences recognize that the story was told with strength and care.
DID THIS ROLE SHIFT YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT STORYTELLING CAN DO?
This role showed me the power of silence. A lot of people think that to have an impactful moment as a character you need a fight scene or a big emotional monologue, but this role proved that some of the most genuine experiences are rooted in no words being said at all.
HOW DO YOU DECOMPRESS AFTER FILMING EMOTIONALLY HEAVY MATERIAL?
I’ve always been able to switch on and off of emotion between and after filming. When it came to this project, driving home from set with my mom I was able to talk through the experiences and emotions I went through when filming and ask any questions that popped up for me during filming.
WHAT KIND OF ROLES ARE YOU DRAWN TO AFTER THIS EXPERIENCE?
After and even before this experience, I’m drawn to roles that are going to be relatable and impactful to an audience. I’m drawn to roles that are very human and go through realistic human experiences.
LOOKING AHEAD, HOW HAS STAY IN THE CAR SHAPED YOUR ARTISTIC AMBITIONS?
Being a part of this project has reinforced how important it is for me to choose work that is honest and layered. The film has inspired me to seek out roles and projects that truly challenge me.
HOW CAN PEOPLE FOLLOW YOUR JOURNEY?
People can follow my journey by my Instagram and future projects that I’m in!
‘STAY IN THE CAR’ WILL SCREEN AT THE BEVERLY HILLS FILM FESTIVAL ON FRIDAY APRIL 17TH AT 5PM – AT THE WORLD FAMOUS TCL CHINESE 6 THEATRE IN HOLLYWOOD. TICKETS ARE AVAILABLE HERE.
