6 Questions With Thomasin McKenzie, Actress

"Can I pick two favorite movie theaters?"

Name: Thomasin McKenzie
Occupation: Actress
Links: Thomasin’s Instagram

Fackham Hall is in theaters December 5 (showtimes here.) Thomasin is also starring in The Testament of Ann Lee, in theaters December 25.

1. What’s your favorite movie theater?

Can I pick 2? I’m from Wellington, New Zealand and there’s a fantastic cinema there called Cuba Light House. It’s very intimate and the screens are very small, but the seats are sofas and they’re very comfy… which is actually kind of a problem because you’re so cozy that you feel like you might fall asleep. It’s a great boutique cinema.

Light House Cuba Cinema, Wellington, NZ (photo cred)

Another favorite - I lived in Islington for a couple of years and my local cinema was the Vue in Angel. I just loved it there. They had Tango Ice Blasts which is my ritual to get when I’m at the movies. So those two cinemas would be my favorites.

2. What’s your go-to movie theater snack & drink combo?

A Tango Ice Blast! They’re probably horrible for you. I mean every time I drink them it feels like I’m pouring acid in my stomach, but they’re so good that I don’t care.

3. You have one of the coolest resumes ever (Leave No Trace is a masterpiece), working with so many amazing directors across many different genres. What drew you to a satirical comedy and specifically Fackham Hall?

It was just a fantastic script. There is no rhyme or reason to my career, at least not on my side. I really just go for the films that I respond to. At the time of first reading the Fackham Hall script, maybe it was a time where I just felt like I needed a laugh. And I think the world is in need of a laugh right now, it’s a tough time that we’re living through. I think part of why I do what I do is because I know that film is such an important escape for people, and also an important way to see the world through different perspectives. I hope Fackham Hall is a joyful escape for whoever goes to see it.

4. I definitely watched it on a day I needed a laugh. And I was giggling the whole time, but I also thought your character Rose was such a grounding presence. She brought such a sincerity and warmth to the mix, which I loved. Were there specific films or performances you watched to prepare for the role?

I’ve always been a fan of Downton Abbey. I watched it with my dad and it was the first series I became hooked on, so that was a brilliant piece of research. I took inspiration from Sybil (played by Jessica Brown Findlay) because like Rose, she’s a feminist and she’s very aware that she’s not comfortable with the role that women played in society at that time, the expectations placed on them. So she was definitely an inspiration for me. I also watched Airplane!, The Naked Gun and of course Gosford Park to get an idea of the tone we were trying to achieve.

Fackham Hall dir. Jim O’Hanlon (Bleecker Street)

5. I know you’re super busy with not only Fackham Hall but also The Testament of Ann Lee coming out in theaters soon, are there any recent movies you wanna make time to see in theaters?

I’ve really been meaning to go see Frankenstein because I think that’s a film that you need to see on the big screen. Another one is a film that my boyfriend saw that I hope is still in cinemas because I really want to see it. It’s called I Swear, and it’s about a young man with Tourette’s syndrome and it sounds really amazing. Those two have been on my list for a while.

Frankenstein dir. Guillermo Del Toro (Netflix)

6. On here we often discuss the best possible scenario to see a film - how some films call for a quiet morning showing and some for a packed room on a Thursday night. What do you think is the ideal way to watch Fackham Hall in theaters?

First of all, people should definitely go to the theater to see it! Go to a screening where the theater is full, because I think a big part of the experience will be laughing along with other people. I went to see Weapons (which is a fantastic film) in the theater not long ago and my favorite part was the audience’s response to it; the laughter and the screams and the horror. That really stuck with me and I hope people have that kind of (communal) experience watching Fackham Hall.