Meet Bria Vinaite: the Instagram-cast film debutante breaking boundaries
Talking 'The Florida Project' and social media madness.
It’s not often you log onto your Instagram and find a DM worthy of note. But when someone slid into Bria Vinaite’s, it changed everything. Having posted memes, dance videos and plenty of joints, director Sean Baker saw great potential in her happy-go-lucky wit and outgoing blue-haired selfies. After being flown down to Orlando and meeting her screen (and soon-to-be surrogate) daughter Brooklynn Prince, Vinaite turned from an Instagram star to a poignantly raw film debutante, delivering the performance of a lifetime. Born in Lithuania and emigrating to New York at about six years old, Vinaite empathised with the outsider feelings of the residents in Kissimmee, Florida, and put her all into becoming Halley. In the cyber age of facades and fake news, her humour, natural charm and emotionality is refreshing to find online, on screen and upon meeting her in person. We caught up with Bria Vinaite to find out how she stepped into the world of the Magic Castle Motel, and what it means for her future…
As a film debutante, what was your relationship like with movies before The Florida Project? Do you think it changed?
For sure! I really love to read and I’d say that was my love before, I never really watched many movies or much TV. But now I’ve ended up watching a lot, catching up. It’s so funny because I feel like sometimes I’ll be watching things and friends will be like “that’s so great” and I’m like “that scene must’ve been so hard to film” (laughs). It totally changed my view on cinema because now I think of the technical aspects and what’s going on in the background and stuff. I feel like I’ve learnt so much, I’d never been on a set before and it was so amazing to shoot with film. I asked a million questions a day!
What was it like acting the first time with Sean Baker?
Sean is so talented. I really admire the fact that he puts so much thought into the littlest details, that other people might not pay attention to. Every frame every thing in the background, it’s all so thought out. I love all his films. He has such a unique vision and does things in such an unconventional way. In the industry there’s a lot of pressure for things to be done in a certain way, but Sean can say he didn’t do it that way and he still has this amazing, unique product.
I heard that you thought Sean was playing a sick joke when he first contacted you on Instagram?
He reached out to me and his Instagram – I mean have you seen it? It’s just dogs! (Laughs) So I open this DM and it’s like “Hey I’m contacting you about this film opportunity…” and I click on his page and it’s just…puppies! So I was definitely confused because I mean it’s just not something you think would ever happen through social media. But then I read his email and it was so well put together that I was like huh, let me entertain this… I got on the phone with him and he started telling me about the project and I realised it definitely wasn’t a joke. He flew me out to Orlando where I met Brooklynn and Valeria who were already cast. From the minute me and Brooklynn met we just hit it off, we have an amazing connection and I feel like Sean saw that. Then we were filming a month later! So it all happened so fast, I didn’t really process it until I was on the plane home and I was sitting there thinking “what did I just sign myself up for?!” But I’m so happy. My main goal was just to make him happy.
What was your personal relationship like with social media?
I mean I only have Instagram, and I feel like it’s a really great platform to express yourself. It’s a little mini scrapbook for me to express everything I’ve been going through. It’s really nice to be able to share them with people who care. It’s always been really fun for me, I love memes and I love to laugh so that’s how I use it.
Your performance was so moving, and I think part of that is that rawness that Sean is known for. How did you reach that level?
I feel like honestly everyone can relate to Halley in different ways. You don’t have to have a kid to understand what it feels like to be young and trying to figure things out. You have to make something out of nothing. I really respected Halley as a character, she never put the stress on her daughter – she never once explained that we don’t have money to pay rent, she just figured it out. I can’t imagine how hard it must be for people really in that situation to not have family or friends to help out and to have a child relying on you. I think having a really close relationship with Brooklynn really made it that much more emotional to me because she really felt like my daughter. I definitely created a backstory. I got to hang out and talk to a lot of the women that lived in the motels. And I am so thankful that they shared so much with me, even just day-to-day experiences – they welcomed us all with open arms. I felt like I could relate to it so much more, and after being at Magic Castle for two months before we actually shot it felt so natural. The fact that Sean used a lot of the residents as extras as well, it meant we all hung out and felt all the more real – it wasn’t a set, it was people’s home.
Can you talk a bit about your own upbringing? You were born in Lithuania and emigrated to the US? Did that experience influence your performance?
Definitely I moved to New York when I was six or seven, and I didn’t speak any English. So for the first few years it was very difficult because I’m a very social person and to have those communication issues you feel so left out. I didn’t have many friends until I learnt English and was able to express myself. So that definitely changed my views on being an outsider – it’s made me who I am today. I feel like a lot of my friends who were all born in the States don’t know what it’s like to emigrate from another country, it gives you the ability to connect with people all over the world who experience change like that. I’m very happy that I got to move to New York – it’s crazy to think how different it would be if my mom had never made that decision.
How did you find making a film so political in this current era?
I feel like it’s very necessary: it’s a very impactful film and I think it could open a lot of eyes. The world is a crazy place right now. I feel like you need these kind of films that are pieces of art that also shine a light on important issues. I mean the time now, it’s surreal – I really hope that people see that films like this need to be shown, that directors are encouraged to make stories that might not necessarily be told in Hollywood.
What was the toughest scene you had to film?
I think the fight scene for sure. I was in a really good mood that day, (laughs), and me and Mela [Murder, who played Ashley] before we went on set had to turn that happiness off and really get there. It was very intense. We did probably four takes, I gave it my all every time. By the time we finished I felt like we’d ran a marathon.
How did you find working with Willem Dafoe?
I love him. He is such an amazing, genuine, kind person. I really respected how he treated us like we were all acting equals. He always gave me advice or was there if I needed a confidence boost. If I was having doubts he’d say how he believed in me, and to have someone like him to say that! I mean I’d say to myself, if Willem says I can do it, I can do it!
How did you find improvising scenes?
The kids improvised the most, after we got the full script taped then Sean would want us to play around a bit with the dialogue and add in a few lines here and there. It was really helpful if there was ever a sentence where I felt like Halley would say things differently, Sean would listen. I think that’s part of what really helped me become the character, it brought her to life. The pool scene for instance, with me and Mela, that was all improv. It was fun to play around and I’m really happy that Sean trusted us enough to let us do that.
Was there a moment you and Brooklynn first bonded?
I mean it was pretty immediate. In between takes though, little moments where we’d be just laying in bed cuddling or hanging out on set, I really felt like she was my child. I never thought I’d have that sort of relationship with her, I thought we’d be good friends, but we do have a mother-daughter-esque bond. Someone asked her the other day, “do you think you’re more like sisters or best friends with Bria?” and she was like “no, that’s my mom!” (Laughs) So it’s good she feels the same way! She’s such a special girl, I can’t imagine the things she thinks about before she goes to sleep at night – my mind is going at a million MPH I can’t imagine being seven and going through all this.
I notice you’ve been wearing a lot of Discount Universe, who are some of your other favourite designers at the moment?
There’s so many! I love Prada and Gucci this season. Discount Universe is amazing – I just love fashion. It’s a dream come true to be able to wear some of the designers I’ve always admired. I’ve been working with a great stylist called Jamie Mizrahi and she really gets my style. It’s so amazing to be able to go through this experience and still express myself through fashion, I feel like it’s always been one of my favourite things to do.
Especially since you used to have your entrepreneurial weed fashion brand – one of the hats was even included in the film. Is that a project you’d like to continue?
Ive been so busy it’s been on pause for quite a while now. But I think it’s definitely something I could always fall back on, but I want to give acting 150% right now, to see where this could go. It’ll always be there, but this right now. I’d like to be involved in the fashion industry in the future, but movies for now! (Laughs)
What’s been your favourite moment of the experience?
Honestly just being able to share all of this with Brooklynn, Sean, Willem and everyone. Travelling the world and seeing people’s reaction to it, it’s so touching. The fact that people have responded so well to it, it’s a dream come true. I don’t think any of us thought it would be this well received, it was so special to us so to get that reaction – I think we are all very emotional!
What’s next for you?
I’ve been reading some scripts. But I don’t have anything specifically lined up. I think I’m processing the fact that this first film was so special to me and the whole experience was so magical. So I want to keep making films that tell special stories: ones that are impactful and have a voice. I think now is definitely the time to do it.
Check out ‘The Florida Project’, in cinemas now, and follow Bria Vinaite on Instagram here.