The Faceless Lady: Meet Tara Lee
- How would you describe The Faceless Lady?
An immersive, horror series based on 17th century Irish folklore told in a modern setting through the eyes of 6 very different twenty somethings. Something you shouldn’t watch if you scare easy.
- What is your role on the show?
I play Ella, an Irish American girl who’s been convinced to come back to Ireland by her boyfriend Dion to win a castle in a competition she deems, “to good to be true.” She has a traumatic history with her homeland that haunts her, and is going through an existential crisis that’s leading her to question what’s real and what’s been assigned to her. She’s observant, brave, witty and has a calm exterior covering up a chaotic internal dialogue.
- How was the role described to you?
She was described as practical natured, highly intelligent and confident. Someone whose hidden nature is beginning to surface. They really gave me a lot of room to allow Ella to grow around me which I’m so grateful for as I really felt her pull in certain directions.
- What challenges did you face while filming?
Of course there were all the usual challenges; shooting a vast range of emotions out of sequence, physical stunts, wearing a T-shirt in an Irish winter…but VR came with a whole new set of challenges which we embraced. What to do when it rains and the 180 degree lens will catch the protective equipment, being fully “on” all the time when scenes needed to be blocked as theatre encompassing the whole room, how to scream repeatedly without losing your voice (impossible). We really went at it guns blazing and jumped every hurdle.
- In what ways do you relate to your character and if not what ways do you wish you did?
I drew from a lot of personal experience when shaping Ella so naturally there’s similarities. We find her on a journey of self discovery and she’s struggling with anxiety and panic attacks, so I knew her body language needed to be confident but with glimpses of that anxious energy. So she’s all smiles and confidence but she’s fidgeting with her rings or taking deep breaths or asking too many questions…essentially I was borrowing from those moments I experience. We’re both observant, we bite back. I wish I was as brave as her, she goes places I could never.
- What was it like working with such a great cast?
A dream. Ned Dennehy is one of the funniest people I’ve ever met. He goes from a one man comedy show off camera to fucking chilling as soon as the cameras role. Staz is an incredibly empowering scene partner; dedicated and present and set the bar so high. It felt like everyone took their character and morphed them into their own take. It was really inspiring to see and created a collaborative atmosphere that meant we could play ideas off of each other and be more in the moment.
- What were some of your favorite filming moments?
I don’t wanna give anything away but in episode six I got to do a walk. A dishevelled, bloody, tired walk. And it was everything. Shooting a scene with Mei who plays Tawni where we got to have a little moment of humour in all the devastation was so much fun and made me wish Ella and Tawni had their own spin off show. And a really special one was the opening sequence with the siege. It was a night shoot and one of only two nights that I wasn’t in the scene. And I came in just to watch all the action and fire and huge lights and got to watch it through the VR headset and just be present.
- What is one scene or moment you are most looking forward to people seeing?
Episode four. No spoilers but it involves flashlights, darkness…and some screams.
- What else are you working on?
I’m currently on location in Shetland, Scotland filming series 9 of BBC’s crime drama Shetland which is very cool and very exciting. I’m playing Lisa Friel – an outcast of society who has been punched in the face by life and has zero issues punching back.
- Tell me a fun fact about yourself.
Before I started acting I wanted to be a dancer and am a trained ballerina. I’d love to combine the two one day and do something dance related.
- What are you watching these days?
I’ve been watching a comedy series called The Dry – insanely good. I’ve just finished binging Love Is Blind but let’s say no more about that. I’m one season into This Is Us because it took me way too long to get there and it’s an absolutely perfect show. And I’m counting down the days to see Love Lies Bleeding. Anything with Kristen Stewart.
- What else would you like to share?
Anyone got a VR headset I could borrow?
