Up Close with Lara Hunter

Actress Lara Hunter has been performing for most of her life. Beginning acting classes at just four years old, Hunter grew up immersed in performance before later studying theatre at the Denver School of the Arts. Now continuing her studies in English at UC Berkeley, she is balancing university life with a growing career in film. With a passion for emotionally authentic storytelling and a strong foundation in theatre training, Hunter is quickly emerging as a young actress to watch.

Movie Marker spoke with Lara about her creative process, the importance of training, and the lessons she’s learned pursuing a career in acting.

What first got you into acting?

I’ve been taking acting classes since I was four years old, so I don’t remember life before it. The story I’ve been told is that when I was little, I was always performing for my family and constantly wanting their attention, so my mom decided to put me in acting classes. I realized it was the path I was going to take when I started attending the Denver School of the Arts as a theatre major and understood how important this art form is to me.

What do you think makes you unique as an actor?

I think what makes me unique is my long background in theatre and the discipline I had to develop starting at such a young age. I’m always focused on growing as an actor and bringing as much authenticity to the characters I play as I can. I also love music, including singing and songwriting, which is another outlet I use for storytelling.

What kinds of projects are you drawn to?

I prefer projects where you can tell the people involved genuinely believe in what they’re making. I’ve seen situations where people work on something because they feel like they have to, but the projects I love most are the ones where everyone is dedicated to telling a story they truly care about.

What is your creative process when preparing for a role?

When preparing, I strip the character down to who they were before the story begins. I try to understand what their life was like leading up to the moment the script starts. That helps me connect with who they are and why they make the choices they do.

How important is training for you as an actor?

Training is extremely important to me. I’ve always believed that the moment you stop learning, you start dying. There’s always something new to learn as an actor and always ways to grow. Even the most successful actors continue to train, and I really respect that mindset.

What’s been one of the proudest moments of your career so far?

The project I’m most proud of is Stay In The Car. Being able to take my mom’s writing and help turn it into the reality she envisioned was incredibly rewarding. Seeing her reaction to the finished film was definitely the moment I felt the proudest.

What was your first reaction when you read the script for Stay In The Car?

My first reaction when I read the script was how real it felt. Nowadays, I read so many scripts that seem ingenuine or unrealistic but Stay In The Car was the complete opposite. I could immediately connect to the characters and see the humanity in each of them right away.

Did you have conversations with your mom about specific memories to inform your performance?

We had tons of conversations about her life. Ever since I was little, I’ve always been curious about what life was like before I was conscious of what was happening. I asked her about her life, her family, what it was like to have me, and what I was like as a baby… I wanted to know it all. When I first heard about the relationship she had with her mom, I asked questions nonstop. I couldn’t understand how a little girl, treated so badly by the person who was supposed to love her the most, could grow up to become the best mom anyone could ask for.

Was there a particular take or moment that felt especially personal?

The take of me stepping out of the car that ended up being used in the final cut was definitely particularly personal to me. At that moment, looking at Ashley (the actress who plays Salem’s mom) it didn’t feel like Lara and Ashley acting as mother and daughter. In that moment I truly saw my mom begging me to get into the car and making the decision that I wasn’t worth her getting possibly caught by the cops. It was really powerful and I couldn’t help but get teary.

If you could say something directly to Salem, what would it be?

I would tell her that it’s gonna get better. She’s an incredibly strong human being but getting that reminder and confidence that it gets better always feels good. And it was proven through my mom that it does get better.

What has been the biggest challenge of pursuing acting?

The biggest challenge is dealing with rejection. Auditions naturally come with a lot of “no’s,” but I’ve always tried not to let that affect my mindset. My advice would be to build a life filled with hobbies and people that bring you joy so that auditions aren’t the sole source of your happiness.

In today’s Hollywood, there is a significant push for greater inclusivity and representation. How do you see your work contributing to this movement, and what changes do you still hope to see in the industry?

I think film and storytelling has a really powerful way to represent different perspectives and experiences. As an actor, I hope the future work I’m a part of tells honest and meaningful stories that reflect the complexity of real people. I’m always drawn to projects that highlight the more authentic voices and perspectives. I’d love to see the industry create more opportunities for a wider range of stories and creators so that audiences can connect with characters and experiences that feel real and relatable to them.

How are you juggling university with acting?

Juggling university with acting is extremely fun and not entirely challenging for me. I’ve always been in school while I’ve also been pursuing acting so having both in my life while at UC Berkeley feels very normal for me. I’m extremely thankful for auditions being primarily self-tapes because I’m able to come home from class and do them when I have free time. When it comes to callbacks/bookings and getting back to LA… I live by the philosophy of “I’ll cross that bridge when it gets there”. I’m not going to stress myself out and not pursue other things in my life even if it means I’m not as close to LA. Everything ends up working out with the support from my family.

If you could give one message to your fans, what would it be?

Whatever brings you happiness, give everything you have to it. Life is too short to spend time worrying about things that don’t fuel joy. Seek out experiences that push you outside your comfort zone.

How can people follow your journey?

People can follow my journey via my Instagram.