Chloe East had a unique coping mechanism for dealing with the pressure of growing fame – she convinced herself that every project was likely to fail. Her first major role is in the 2021 HBO teen drama generationswhen network executives touted the series as “the next Euphoria,” her first thought was, “Really?” Next, she landed a role in Steven Spielberg’s biopic fabelmann familyplaying the Jesus-loving Monica, is a mash-up of the director’s various childhood hobbies. She attended the 2022 Toronto Film Festival premiere and braced herself for the possibility that she might be left out of the film entirely. Now, she’s just weeks away from her first starring vehicle, A24’s latest thriller paganalongside Hugh Grant Yellow shirt army‘Sophie Thatcher – she was toying with the idea that no one would see it.
Of course, she was proven wrong every time. generationsWhile just a one-season wonder, it was responsible for launching the careers of young talents like Chase Sue Miracle, Justice Smith, and Lukita Maxwell. it’s her turn fabelmann family It’s just a scene-stealer. “They had me in most of the movie, and people were laughing at my performance,” East recalled of the premiere. “I was like, ‘What?’ and then I saw people leaving comments on Letterboxd (an app I respect wholeheartedly) and saying my name. That was a big shock.
East’s bookings have since continued to increase. Her upcoming year is an IMDb embarrassment of riches: She’ll star opposite Lisa Kudrow and Ray Romano in Liz Feldman’s next show, No good deeds; She is part of the highly anticipated Kogonada film A bold and beautiful journey; She will play Amy Adams’ daughter in the film at the seaside.
The 23-year-old grew up in San Clemente, California, but says her taste was honed through visits to Los Angeles’ indie movie theaters as a child. “I was a movie snob when I was 13. I remember my dad used to take me to the movies holy mountainit’s an X-rated movie,” she said. “We got to the Aviation Theater and they said, ‘We absolutely can’t let your daughter in.'” She had an almost insatiable appetite for work, but perhaps more crucial to her career was her ability to judge accurately. When a role is right and when it’s not: “If it feels like really hard work to crack a role in an audition, there’s probably someone better suited for the job.
when she read the script paganshe knew she was right. The film was co-written by quiet placeIt tells the story of two Mormon missionaries (Easter and Thatcher) who visit a potential recruit at his door. They are drawn to Hugh Grant’s obvious charm (and his assurance that his wife is home), but find themselves caught up in a deadly game of cat-and-mouse with religious fanaticism. East is not a Mormon herself, but she was raised as a Mormon and has many childhood friends who are Mormons—some of whom were even on missions of their own while she was filming.
“This sounds arrogant, but I feel like no one understands this character better than me,” she said. “I felt protective of this role and I wanted this role so badly so that I could represent Mormon missionaries respectfully. I just felt it in my bones.
Hugh Grant with Sophie Thatcher (centre) and East pagan.
Kimberley France/A24
The film is both an examination of religious beliefs and a fun gory thriller, and while East herself isn’t a fan of horror, this element appeals to her cinephile side. “I was really getting lost in the sauce when I was shooting this,” she said. “We would shoot these 15-minute long takes, and you’d be in that fear for so long that you start to believe it.”
The Vancouver-set production was also her first starring role, and while the job felt the same as her past jobs, she was struck by the stellar perks A24 offered—a personal refrigerator constantly stocked with Yerba Mates, a ride Car rides left daily from the set (for the first time she wasn’t driving herself), and there was even a Taco Bell truck (she accidentally revealed she was a fan). “Because you’re under more pressure [as a lead]things like that can make things easier and more enjoyable, but I do hope that I never really want the princess treatment,” she said.
Try as she might to resist it—or at least resist believing it—her life was changing. East conducted the interview via Zoom while she was in the process of making her next project, a project too secretive for her to reveal anything about. (“I only told my family and my dog,” she admits.) It’s a heavy mental burden for someone so young, but she’s learning to tap into the industry veterans with whom she shares her call sheet . She has maintained a close relationship with Adams since he completed production at the seaside. “I’ve worked with a lot of incredible people, but I just couldn’t relate to them. Like, Hugh Grant and I didn’t exist on the same planet. But for Amy, she started filming Spielberg’s movie, she grew up religious and her rise to prominence quickly made it feel like we were speaking the same language. East pointed to her iPhone, showing off her Notes app. Rice’s Questions” list.
“The most important thing for me is making sure I’m always in a position where if everything goes away, I’ll be OK,” she said. “I guess that’s why I try to convince myself that I’m going to fail at every job – I’m testing that feeling. “It would be terrible if I couldn’t perform anymore, but I could still go surfing, see my friends, Bake chocolate cake. “”
This story appears in the October 30 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. Click here to subscribe.
