Feature: Actress, Playwright, and Director June Carryl

Los Angeles based June Carryl is an actress, playwright, and director. Originally from Denver Colorado, she studied Political Science at Brown University with sights on a legal career. However, after pursuing a Ph.D. in English Literature, and collaborating with play writers such as the Pulitzer Prize-Winning Nilo Cruz (Anna in the Tropics, Night Train to Bolina) and John C. Russell (Stupid Kids), her destination changed.

After moving to Los Angeles in the early 2000s she wrote the screenplay for The Will, a gothic horror film for Deak Ferrand and Ken Rosen. She was commissioned to write ‘The Rings of Saturn’ for Visible Theater in New York, later performed for The Blank Theatre’s Living Room series, directed by Daniele Nathanson, and appeared in ‘The Threepenny Opera’ at Odyssey Theater with Paul Dillon.

Her distinguished career includes working alongside some of Hollywood’s elite, including Keanu Reeves and Penelope Cruz. June Carryl’s resume includes TV appearances in Parenthood, Law & Order: Los Angeles, Criminal Minds, The Members, The Bold and the Beautiful, Without a Trace, King of the Bingo Game, Nash Bridges, Qualia, Hired Gun, Dell’s Lungs, Sweet November, Haiku Tunnel, Woman on Top, and Speedie-Date.

Occhi Magazine was privileged to catch up with June to talk about Netflix’s ‘Mindhunter’ and her future projects.

Thank you! It was an incredibly gratifying experience.  The audience should expect to see Holden challenged on a deeply psychological level by what he’s up against.  Last season was about being right, this season to me is about being brave—to me, anyway.

Camille Bell is a mother, kind of a challenging personality—doggedly unimpressed, really capable, and gets things done.

I have never been pushed so wonderfully hard in a role, especially with David Fincher. He makes you feel like you can do this and he is going to give you all the runway he can so you can take off, be truthful and simple.  He was right every time. All of the directors I got to work with were amazing like that. They just made me feel safe and capable.

I think I like how salty she is.  She gives herself permission to wait and see; she’s out of hope but not hopeless if that makes sense. She expects promises to be kept. I think the real Camille Bell must be amazing.

A writer named Joe Reid captured the essence of the struggle for Holden this season. The system has forgotten many victims who are unimpressed by promises that lead nowhere. And Holden’s certainty that he can save the day bumps up against a system that doesn’t see certain people.  It’s a really powerful examination that I reflect on where we are today.

Camille may be number one because she was so very difficult to try to “get right”. The best note I got was that she’s not angry. She’s past that. She’s in action mode and you can’t be effective if you live just in anger. David, Carl, and Andrew all emphasized that and it was true. A couple of others are the Subway Attendant in Documentary Now! She was just that lady you see who is just DONE. It was so much fun and again another great production team. Betty, the psychologist in Back Roads was fun and challenging; Alex Pettyfer is an incredible director. Jasmine in The Mayor was a lot of fun. We just laughed all during. Really generous people; Yvette Nicole Brown just made everybody feel so welcome. Donna in Dead Women Walking. She’s nuts and I think Hagar Ben-Asher directed the film beautifully, and let me play.

Vinitia is a wife and mother with one son with a learning disability and another she kind of has to let parent himself—she’s tired and tired of being tired.

I got drafted into a play in grad school that I was writing with my playwriting class. My teacher told me to go to A.C.T. For the summer and that I could always get my Ph.D. later.

I think ‘The Good Minister From Harare.’ It was my first really strong script. It meant a lot to be writing about my friends’ struggle in Zimbabwe. They’re really brave people to be taking a stand through art. I wanted to do something to help and that’s the play that came out as a result of not thinking so much about my complaints. Other people are always way more interesting.

Got to do a Christmas movie. I’m also writing two operas with my friend Jason.

Honestly, I just saw a picture on my email feed and was like yes. That’s something I can do right now. Check out their website to learn more: https://plan-international.org

Instagram & Twitter: @junecarryl