ROUGH ONLINE: What is it about time that makes us so worried?
LARA HELLER:
I guess it's that we have to think about our mortality. Throwback Holiday looks at what could happen if we had a do over. What mistakes would we fix, what would we embrace and whom would we keep or not keep in our lives?
ROUGH ONLINE: Can you tell us a bit about your role and the casting process?
LARA HELLER:
My character, Chelsea, is a journalist whose goal is to deliver news to the viewers in a fun way. She's a London reporter that has moved to the US. The character's curiosity and alertness was great fun to delve into. The casting team were looking for a British actress for the role. I was delighted the call came through that I'd got the part.
ROUGH ONLINE: Can you disclose anything about you latest movie Dally&Spanky?
LARA HELLER:
Dally and Spanky is a beautiful story about a miniature horse and a little dog that have become quite the hit on social media. The producers discovered the adorable duo and wrote a movie about their journey. It was a delight to work on this production, as I adore animals. I ride horses and have always had a dog so this was heaven for me! It's always nice to explore unlikely friendships-and a miniature and Jack Russell Terrier certainly falls in that category. We filmed in South Los Angeles and the film is due for release later this year.
ROUGH ONLINE: How did you find working in Los Angeles/the Hollywood industry?
LARA HELLER:
Any significant differences with your previous experiences? It's been wonderful working in LA. Prior to this I've shot in Europe and Asia. Locations that are very different to LA- like Snowdonia Mountain in Wales or in cities in Germany or France. I shot in Thailand for a few months and the Jungles were unreal! LA is geographically and culturally different. It's been wonderful to be in the capital of the film industry. Southern California is ideal for filmmaking- plenty of space for studios, lots of sunshine and the state has everything from mountains and oceans to deserts and sequoia forests. Hollywood is looking to work with multilingual actors and to showcase stories from other cultures-it's a wonderful time to be here! We filmed a movie called SYNTH in Beverly Hills which was very different for me. My first film was in the Badlands in the snow-SYNTH was shot just off Rodeo Drive surrounded by palm trees. I'm very grateful to work here and have love the American work ethic and culture.
ROUGH ONLINE: There's a pressure to look a certain way in Hollywood. What are some beauty tips that you would pass on to our readers?
LARA HELLER:
The best tip I can give is to laugh a lot. There's nothing more attractive than a big smile on someone's face. And when it comes to beauty I'm pretty natural. I don't wear much makeup-but I do love good face creams. I swear by Jan Marini. The products make me feel fresh and ready for a day of work.
ROUGH ONLINE: What beauty brands do you swear by?
LARA HELLER:
Jan Marini is my go to skin care brand. It's easy to feel overwhelmed by all the skin care choices out there. Makeup artists would always tell me that our skin is the largest organ we have and that a good skin care routine can work wonders. Jan Marini hit all the areas I wanted to focus on. I've finally found my long term skin care treasure chest. Jan Marini C-ESTA and the Bioglycolic Facial Cleanser are my favourites.
ROUGH ONLINE: Three things regarding fashion as you seem to have a great sense of personal style... what does fashion mean to you as an actress, who is your fashion icon and why and lastly how would you describe your sense of style?
LARA HELLER:
My style changes with my mood and activities. Having grown up in the outdoors, I like to walk a lot and the most comfortable summer shoes I own are Mephisto. They feel like clouds on the feet- perfect for a walking city like London or NY. The heels are super comfortable for a night on the town too. High quality shoes with beautiful leather!
Sports is a big part of my life and Lululemon is one of my favourite workout brands. The multi functional designs work well in a training setting or when going out for a weekend brunch.
Ralph Lauren has timeless designs that resonate with me. I generally gravitate towards classic colours-black, camel and white. Their brand captures the American Spirit beautifully-and I love cashmere! RL has achieved this effortless mix of sport and a luxury in their designs.
