Julia Fae was born and raised in Hawaii on the island of Oahu. An artist all her life, she has found a means to express herself through installation art, 2D art, modeling, and acting. After modeling through college and graduating with a degree in Art History from the University of Utah she dabbled in Marketing and Education while making indie films. Finding a passion for acting has set her sails due course and she is now based out of Los Angeles, CA and traversing the globe from one creative endeavor to the next.
We had an opportunity to speak with Julia about “Ink and Rain” and other projects. Check it out below.
Hi, Julia! Thank you for chatting with us about your growing portfolio. We’re so excited for you. Tell us about your latest feature film Ink and Rain.
Ink and Rain is about a group of women using a gladiator system to survive in a post-apocalyptic world. I play the part of Mila, who starts off as a very loyal and meek best friend of the champion fighter, Rain. Eventually, Mila finds her ground through revenge and changes the tide of her future; whether or not these changes are desirable is debatable. Hopefully, we will see more of her effect on her world in the sequel.
How did you get the role of Mila?
I auditioned for the role, had a blast at the call-back, and then wasn’t contacted for months. I thought I didn’t get it but had an inkling that I should stay prepared. So I kept working out diligently, waiting for a call. Less than a week before shooting started I got a call asking me to come in for a stunt rehearsal to see if they could train me quickly. They were still shuffling around the cast at this point because with a large ensemble cast there are just so many things to take into consideration among the different actors. There was a lot of maneuvering going on to find the right combo and energy between us. I went in, proved that I can learn very quickly, had a few more nights of training and we were off to the races.
You were the makeup artists and hair stylist on the awesome film The Mason Brothers. Tell us about your favorite makeups in your career.
Being a makeup artist on a film set comes very naturally to me. As an actress, I get that sometimes the makeup artist is the only person that makes you feel cared for. Which you really need so you can focus on your performance. I appreciated being able to really be there for my friends on set, powder in hand and lavender oil in my pocket to help calm the nerves.
Many may not know you also model. Tell us about your favorite gigs.
Oh, wow! Favorite is such a funny word. I don’t have favorites, really. Recently I shot with a photographer who goes by Primordial Creative and it was such a complete pleasure. We were working with so many sets and mediums that the whole process felt so alive and creative. We used a scanner, film photography, digital photography, took a bunch of stills in preparation for an animation, and are now recording some songs too. I love working with creatives who play with many mediums. In this day and age, there is no reason to limit ourselves.
You’re also an artist. Tell us about your favorite pieces.
I absolutely adore installation. My favorite works have been installations because it feels full circle. Painting exhibits feel a bit like, “Oh, here is something I did.” Whereas installation allows the audience to experience it with you instead of after you. My last installation was an of a bedroom of a girl from the age of about 3 to 23. It was a mashup of my angels and demons growing up. It allowed the audience to live and breathe a surge of so many beautiful and troubling years all at once. It was cathartic for many and I was humbled by the many men who were so affected.
When you play a film role, do you use any past experiences to draw from?
I do. And I don’t. When I am creating a personality for a role it is initially less conscious and more organic. I start off by going through a script jotting down what my character is really thinking and feeling behind every line. Through this exercise, their own experiences and personality start manifesting from my subconscious. So, I suppose it is naturally coming from me and my own experiences. But I am not sitting there being like, “Oh, she had her heart broken. Me too. This is how I felt…”
What do you like to do for fun?
Camping and hiking and being outdoors is my absolute everything. I grew up in Hawai’i and lived in Utah for years, so I have been very lucky to have had access to epic landscapes for most of my life. In Los Angeles, it can be a bit harder, but I make do. If I get a day off I find myself a new trail to explore.
What inspires you in life?
People inspire me. Nature inspires me. Experiences inspire me. I find inspiration through constantly stretching my own comfort zone and observing my own human-ness throughout it.
Thus far, what has been the best experience working in the industry?
What comes to mind is a very pleasant surprise I had with a particular character. I played a sadistic clown for a short film and a theater production that accompanied the screening. When I started research on the character I was initially quite creeped out. It felt very bizarre. However, by the time we wrapped the last performance I was so connected with this clown character that I felt a severe sense of loss. How wonderful, to unlock something so new within myself. To find a friend in a character that I would so sorely miss. Those are the best experiences. When you make discoveries you had no idea existed.
Do you have any upcoming projects that we haven’t mentioned?
This October I will be playing a lead in an interactive theater piece by the name of Kaidan. You can get tickets here: https://www.rogueartists.org/kaidan-project
You can also check out my first feature film Artifice on Amazon Prime or iMovie right now.
Complete this sentence, if I had an opportunity to do anything I want, I would do ___________.
. . . a long-running tv series a la Louie or Girls.
Connect with Julia:
Reel:
www.juliafae.com/acting.html
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