The Italian Rêve – Interview with Jessica Ellerby: On the New Wave of Female Leading Roles – Voices from the Screen (2025)

by Valentina Carraro,

We met Jessica Ellerby on a beautiful morning in London, and we couldn’t wait to meet her, a woman who is not only an actress willing to portrait always more “well rounded and 3D characters,” but also a brilliant director and writer, defining her own work as a labor of love.

Between laughs, epic fails and her new TV series “Living the Dream” where sheplays hyper-efficient, all-American, apple pie bakingStacee.), we found out that Jessica might be one of our favorite women in the independent (and not) cinema, who is always eager to discover what makes people tick, and wants to have a good laugh watching a very, very good comedy.

The Italian Rêve – Interview with Jessica Ellerby: On the New Wave of Female Leading Roles – Voices from the Screen (1)

Directing, acting and writing: which came first and how do they intertwine for you?

_____

Acting came first, in terms of career, and writing and directing are very new. I justwrote/directed/producedmyfirst short film.I also did the hair & makeup, costumes and, catering, props…basicallyeverything!

Did you like it?

_____



I really liked it actually.

It sort ofmaterializedfrom not working and alsofeelingfrustratedwith the things that I was being seen for,or the characters that were being written for women. So, I just thought, “I’m just going to writeand make something myself.”

For me, though it’s not one or the other – they’re not completely separate. In fact, I thinkthinkthe two are intrinsicallylinked.Both areaboutcreatingworlds and people who reside in those worlds. Of course, you have more artistic control when you are writing something because it’s yourbaby, everything is your decision, and that sometimes comes more responsibility than just playing one part in it, but there’s also thefreedomto just go wild.

The Italian Rêve – Interview with Jessica Ellerby: On the New Wave of Female Leading Roles – Voices from the Screen (2)

“…it’s your baby, everything is your decision…”

The Italian Rêve – Interview with Jessica Ellerby: On the New Wave of Female Leading Roles – Voices from the Screen (3)

The Italian Rêve – Interview with Jessica Ellerby: On the New Wave of Female Leading Roles – Voices from the Screen (4)

The Italian Rêve – Interview with Jessica Ellerby: On the New Wave of Female Leading Roles – Voices from the Screen (5)

The best part for you of shooting your short film?

_____

I think actually there were two things:

1 – Having people say ing“yes” and being excitedand passionateabout something that up until that point has just been a private seed of an idea. That was pretty special – having a team that believes in what you are doing.

And 2 – Seeing it all come together; maybe it’s like when you do a shoot and an interview: doing it and then seeing the whole piece? It was sort of that. When it suddenly clicks and makes sense, that was hugely gratifying.

I know what you mean. Everyone helping and when something clicks it’s…

_____



Magic, because it’s a real labor of love, isn’t it? No one has really been paid, it’s hard work, and you have to think of everything because maybe three people are doing one job. Actually, what it did was make me so grateful, going back onto a big set, for the crew. You realize how important everybody’s jobs are, how it’s like a well-oiled machine and everybody is working their backsides off. The runners, the ADs, the locations people – things that you take for granted when you’re on set like thinking, “that car’s been brought in because that’s what we need for the scene,” whereas when you are doing your own work you ‘dhave to organize that logistic too!

The Italian Rêve – Interview with Jessica Ellerby: On the New Wave of Female Leading Roles – Voices from the Screen (6)

The Italian Rêve – Interview with Jessica Ellerby: On the New Wave of Female Leading Roles – Voices from the Screen (7)

The Italian Rêve – Interview with Jessica Ellerby: On the New Wave of Female Leading Roles – Voices from the Screen (8)

On “The Hungry Games,” where did the inspiration come from?

_____

I think it just came fromlife in general. I just heard so manypeople, mostly female but male as well, talking in this obsessive way about what we look like on the outside. And I felt like it actually had very little to do with being healthy, or being the best version of you, or anything like that. It’sjust pure aesthetic. And it’s everywhere.

And, the ridiculousness of what people were telling me “This new healthy diet I’m on…”– when clearly there was nothing ‘healthy’ involved at all.

But the real climax was whena friendwas showing me a red carpet photo of her actress friend.We were talking about howamazingshe looked, and my friend told me she looked so greatbecause she was on this ‘diet’called ‘two chews and out, ‘and I was like, “what is that? Say that again.”

And she said:“So, you chew your foodtwice, and then youspit out.” And my immediate reaction was a laugh because I thought, itMUST be a joke, and I was like, “no, no, no.”

And on the one hand it isfunny (and that’s why I’ve written it as a comedy), but also,and more importantlyit’s SOdamaging and sopoisonous.So that was really the catalyst. I thought, this has gotten out of hand, Ihave to poke fun of that and shine a light on it.

That’s actuallyone of the diets that is in the short film. People think it’s oneI’vejust made up because it’s so ridiculous, but it’s not.

The Italian Rêve – Interview with Jessica Ellerby: On the New Wave of Female Leading Roles – Voices from the Screen (9)

The Italian Rêve – Interview with Jessica Ellerby: On the New Wave of Female Leading Roles – Voices from the Screen (10)

The Italian Rêve – Interview with Jessica Ellerby: On the New Wave of Female Leading Roles – Voices from the Screen (11)

“You realize how important everybody’s jobs are, how it’s like a well-oiled machine and everybody is working their backsides off. “

The Italian Rêve – Interview with Jessica Ellerby: On the New Wave of Female Leading Roles – Voices from the Screen (12)

It looks like the screen, whether it’s cinema or the phone can have bad influences. Do you think this influence could be turned around with messages such as the one of your short film, perhaps?

_____

Yes, of course. I think that it’softento do with being conscious aboutthecontentthat you choose to watch. There’s obviously a big difference between mindlesslyscrollingthrough Instagram or watching the Kardashians and high-quality screen work. But of course, both have their place!

Because now there are shows like “Black Mirror” that are showing in an exaggerated way, of course, what is bad for us. I think, maybe, on someone that can cause a little change for the better.

_____

I hope that people will be more aware and, maybe, more educated about what the screen does to you. They say that the blue light mirrors the light of sunrise, it causes our cortisol levels to rise, so your stress levels rise. And, apparently, the sounds of a phone going off or some of the soundscape behind a lot of modern cinemas can be quite damaging for the nervous system. I think comedy is always good for the soul, right? And I do also think that it is important not to be too earnest about entertainment, sometimes it’s just for entertainment.

I get it. Because sometimes you just want to go to bed and watch a really good comedy to wind down.

_____

Of course,you don’t always want tohave to think!

The Italian Rêve – Interview with Jessica Ellerby: On the New Wave of Female Leading Roles – Voices from the Screen (13)

“I think comedy is always good for the soul, right?”

The Italian Rêve – Interview with Jessica Ellerby: On the New Wave of Female Leading Roles – Voices from the Screen (14)

The Italian Rêve – Interview with Jessica Ellerby: On the New Wave of Female Leading Roles – Voices from the Screen (15)

The Italian Rêve – Interview with Jessica Ellerby: On the New Wave of Female Leading Roles – Voices from the Screen (16)

Why you chose satire as a medium for “The Hungry Games”?

_____

I think comedy isdisarming; I think that if you can make someone laugh youalready have them on sidea little bit, – itappeal sto something very human inus all. So yes, that’s it a guess. I ’ve alsodone quite a lot of comedies as an actress,soit felt like anatural place to write from. Though if I’m completely honestI wasn’t thinking about it too much: it wasn’t so premeditated. I just had this idea,and I wanted to poke the funny and ridicule it.

What’s a character you would dream to play?

_____

There isn’t a specific role per se, I think as an actor you want like a very varied career where you get to play a lot of interesting, well rounded, 3D characters that are believable — characters that are human or that you can bring some human qualities to, (even if they’re hideous human beings). I think I’m more fascinated by what makes people tick, how do people behave and why do they behave in certain ways or, also, how or what is your personal way of coping with life. Even down to, “what’s your morning routine like? How do you do the morning?” Things only you know, or that someone you live with does.

So, it’s about finding that psychology behind, even if you’re playing a serial killer: what makesthem behave like that? Because for them that’s completely normal, it’s just joining the dots, how they get from here to here: you have to find that path.

Also atthe moment I feel really excitedby this new wave,(and I hope it continues!) ofintegral, interestingfemale leads being written.I don’t think everybody is strong, you don’t have to be a strong female lead, but aninterestingone, and in a narrativewhere thespotlightis on awoman. Not in a “burn your bra” kind of way, I don’t want to shun men, but I feel it should beequal.And it’sexciting as a woman to suddenly getting scripts through and being like, “this is good.” because thoseare normally the parts that I read inwith my husband when he’s auditioning– he’s an actor too – and I’m like, “I want to play this role. Why are the good roles exclusively for men?!”

The Italian Rêve – Interview with Jessica Ellerby: On the New Wave of Female Leading Roles – Voices from the Screen (17)

The Italian Rêve – Interview with Jessica Ellerby: On the New Wave of Female Leading Roles – Voices from the Screen (18)

“Also atthe moment I feel really excitedby this new wave,(and I hope it continues!) ofintegral, interestingfemale leads being written.”

The Italian Rêve – Interview with Jessica Ellerby: On the New Wave of Female Leading Roles – Voices from the Screen (19)

“I don’t think everybody is strong, you don’t have to be a strong female lead, but an interesting one…”

The Italian Rêve – Interview with Jessica Ellerby: On the New Wave of Female Leading Roles – Voices from the Screen (20)

The Italian Rêve – Interview with Jessica Ellerby: On the New Wave of Female Leading Roles – Voices from the Screen (21)

Are you writing something at the moment?

_____

Yeah, I am. I just wrote a script foranother short – It’s ahorrorwhich wasn’t planned, but I get quite inspired by my life or everyday things.

I have a lot oflittle ideas going round my head at any one point. I remember hearing awriteronce saying that herideas were likecloudsaboveherhead and they just got fuller and fuller and fuller likerain clouds until one day they just pour down. And that’s kind of how I feel;I have a lot of little ideas that mull and grow in my brain until one day they just have to come out.Normally the writing process isreally quickfor me because it’s a fully formed idea already.

I’m also in the middle of writing a slightly longer short,about being a woman. Abouthitting thirty andbeing true to yourself;what happens when you’re not, what happens to when you don’t listen to that little voices inside your head.

The Italian Rêve – Interview with Jessica Ellerby: On the New Wave of Female Leading Roles – Voices from the Screen (22)

The Italian Rêve – Interview with Jessica Ellerby: On the New Wave of Female Leading Roles – Voices from the Screen (23)

The Italian Rêve – Interview with Jessica Ellerby: On the New Wave of Female Leading Roles – Voices from the Screen (24)

“I’m also in the middle of writing a slightly longer short,about being a woman. Abouthitting thirty andbeing true to yourself;what happens when you’re not, what happens to when you don’t listen to that little voices inside your head.”

The Italian Rêve – Interview with Jessica Ellerby: On the New Wave of Female Leading Roles – Voices from the Screen (25)

What about “Living the Dream,” what can you tell us about it?

_____

I joined the cast in the second season. Honestly, it’s the nicest job I’ve ever done.

We shot in Spain, near Sotogrande which is such a nice place to be. And it was the loveliest cast and crew–everybody is so nice and generous and kind. It was honestly like a holiday. And although I wascoming on to a set that is already established, I was very welcomed.

So we’re back inFlorida, and I playStacee, who’s areally sweet,enthusiastic,single mum.She comes to work for the Pembertons, joins their team and really turns things around for them.

She’s areally niceperson; thoughI tried really hard not to make her nauseatingly nice.

Like, so nice that you hate her.

_____

I hope not! It was a nice energy to have to bring onto set though! She’s always full of beans and super nice to everyone – it’s a nice person to play.

The Italian Rêve – Interview with Jessica Ellerby: On the New Wave of Female Leading Roles – Voices from the Screen (26)

The Italian Rêve – Interview with Jessica Ellerby: On the New Wave of Female Leading Roles – Voices from the Screen (27)

The Italian Rêve – Interview with Jessica Ellerby: On the New Wave of Female Leading Roles – Voices from the Screen (28)

“I playStacee, who’s areally sweet,enthusiastic,single mum.”

The Italian Rêve – Interview with Jessica Ellerby: On the New Wave of Female Leading Roles – Voices from the Screen (29)

The Italian Rêve – Interview with Jessica Ellerby: On the New Wave of Female Leading Roles – Voices from the Screen (30)

The Italian Rêve – Interview with Jessica Ellerby: On the New Wave of Female Leading Roles – Voices from the Screen (31)

Must have on set: Snacks.

Superpower: I’d love to be able to teleport. My parents live in the Middle East, and my brother lives in Australia, so on a Sunday, I wish I could just snap my fingers and I’d be at home.

Happy place: The beach. Like, specifically, in the sea. Swimming.

Epic fail on the job: I did a musical in the West End – it was a 1950s show, and I had these amazing full skirts.

And ON MY OPENING NIGHTwe were in the middle of a routine,and in this bitwhereyou had tospin, myheelgot caught in my skirt, and pulled my skirt, and medown ontothe floor. So I’ve fallen over,with a fullWest Endaudience watching meand I was like, “just get back up again,” andas I scrambled back up to standing, Irealized my skirt was still on the floor.

I think that’s an epic fail. That was horrendous.

The Italian Rêve – Interview with Jessica Ellerby: On the New Wave of Female Leading Roles – Voices from the Screen (32)

The Italian Rêve – Interview with Jessica Ellerby: On the New Wave of Female Leading Roles – Voices from the Screen (33)

The Italian Rêve – Interview with Jessica Ellerby: On the New Wave of Female Leading Roles – Voices from the Screen (34)

Favorite word: Ricochet. And I also really like saying BenjaminNetanyahu.

Favorite Accent:To hear I love an Irish accent, Northern Irish specifically. And to do – a Liverpudlian.

Favorite Movie as a Child: “The Aristocats,” such a good film.It’s a very underrated cartoon.

We used to have two back to back films, we had to fast forward.

“I love an Irish accent…”

The Italian Rêve – Interview with Jessica Ellerby: On the New Wave of Female Leading Roles – Voices from the Screen (35)

The Italian Rêve – Interview with Jessica Ellerby: On the New Wave of Female Leading Roles – Voices from the Screen (36)

Your favorite time of the day to shoot a scene: Nothing between 3 and 4, it’s a dead zone for me. Maybe like the second scene up, so not the first thing when the coffee is kicking in, and you didn’t have time for breakfast, but the second. I don’t know, between nine and ten, let’s say.

The last series you binge-watched: “Informer,” a BBC Series. But also, a Netflix series called “The Good Place.” It’s really easy-watching; it’s just half an hour, I can just shut my brain off. It’s good, and it’s funny, like actually funny. I don’t laugh my heart out at comedy lots. Tough crowd! But that was funny, really.

What’s for you acting? What’s the beauty of acting?

_____

I think that it’s getting into somebody else’s shoes. There’s something veryhumanizingaboutseeingthings from somebody else’s perspective.

Seeing what makessomebody else tick.

The Italian Rêve – Interview with Jessica Ellerby: On the New Wave of Female Leading Roles – Voices from the Screen (37)

The Italian Rêve – Interview with Jessica Ellerby: On the New Wave of Female Leading Roles – Voices from the Screen (38)

Photos by Johnny Carrano.

Makeup and Hair by Chantal Ciaffardini.

Hosted by Airbnb

The Italian Rêve – Interview with Jessica Ellerby: On the New Wave of Female Leading Roles – Voices from the Screen (2025)
Top Articles
Latest Posts
Recommended Articles
Article information

Author: Nicola Considine CPA

Last Updated:

Views: 5911

Rating: 4.9 / 5 (49 voted)

Reviews: 88% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Nicola Considine CPA

Birthday: 1993-02-26

Address: 3809 Clinton Inlet, East Aleisha, UT 46318-2392

Phone: +2681424145499

Job: Government Technician

Hobby: Calligraphy, Lego building, Worldbuilding, Shooting, Bird watching, Shopping, Cooking

Introduction: My name is Nicola Considine CPA, I am a determined, witty, powerful, brainy, open, smiling, proud person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.