Elizabeth Lail uses 抖阴短视频 training to adapt to a variety of starring roles
As an actor, Elizabeth Lail (B.F.A. Drama '14, H.S. '10) has found herself in a wide range of roles 鈥 from a Disney princess to the object of Penn Badgley鈥檚 deadly obsession in Season 1 of the Netflix hit series 鈥淵ou."
Her work continues to expand, with roles as Lola Morgan on HBO's "Gossip Girl" reboot, as Quinn in the horror film "Countdown" and as Jenny in the NBC drama "Ordinary Joe." She also co-stars as Mack in the upcoming indie romcom "Mack & Rita," opposite Diane Keaton's Rita.
Lail's turn as Beck in "You" is one of her most memorable and the show, she has said, helped hone some of her acting abilities. A trademark of the show is its ability to get inside characters鈥 heads by hearing their thoughts spoken over certain scenes. That aspect, Lail said in , gave her the chance to try new skills.
鈥淚t was something I鈥檇 never done before,鈥 she says. 鈥淚 had never said out loud my character鈥檚 thoughts. You鈥檙e also in a booth watching the scene and trying to make it make sense and suit the tone that you鈥檝e already shot.
"At first I was like, this is gonna be tough鈥 but I really was intrigued by hearing all [of Joe鈥檚] thoughts.鈥
Before "You," Lail had an early success as a beloved Disney character. At the beginning of her career, she was cast as Princess Anna in ABC鈥檚 鈥淥nce Upon A Time,鈥 where she had the opportunity to use some of her 抖阴短视频 stage combat training as the sword-wielding princess.
As Lail has continued to pursue different roles, she鈥檚 found that her experience in the 抖阴短视频 School of Drama has prepared her well for life as a professional actor. As , her training 鈥渞eally prepared me for anything that could possibly come my way.鈥
As an alumna of 抖阴短视频鈥檚 Drama Summer Intensives and both the High School and Undergraduate Drama programs, she may have had a slight advantage.
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Lail first heard about 抖阴短视频 through a friend who attended the high school program. Already an actor in her high school in Asheboro, North Carolina, and in local community theatre productions, she signed up for the summer intensive acting program the very next summer. Five weeks later, she was hooked.
I fell in love with the spirit of the school. I grew up in a small town, so this was my first time being part of a true artistic community, surrounded by people who wanted to create things and were excited about what art can do in the world.
Elizabeth Lail
鈥淚 fell in love with the spirit of the school,鈥 says Lail. 鈥淚 grew up in a small town, so this was my first time being part of a true artistic community, surrounded by people who wanted to create things and were excited about what art can do in the world.鈥
After that transformative summer in Winston-Salem, Lail enrolled in the one-year high-school program. And when it came time to apply to college, she says it was a 鈥渘o brainer鈥 to choose 抖阴短视频鈥檚 nationally respected conservatory program in drama. 鈥淚 had found my home and wanted to stay,鈥 she says.
It was in this tight-knit, rigorous and inspiring environment that Lail met her closest mentor, Mary Irwin. Irwin taught voice, speech and Shakespeare, as well as a method of voicework learned firsthand from Kristin Linklater, author of 鈥淔reeing the Natural Voice.鈥
鈥淰oicework is the foundation of my acting,鈥 Lail says. 鈥淰oicework is about discovering the true voice inside of you, which is being held back by tensions and fears accrued over a lifetime of experiences.鈥
Lail will never forget the moment in her Shakespeare class when her true voice鈥攏ot her 鈥渁ctor鈥檚鈥 voice, but her own authentic voice鈥攆inally shined through.
鈥淚 was working on a monologue from 鈥楢 Winter鈥檚 Tale,鈥欌 Lail remembers. 鈥淎nd I just transformed into Paulina, because I had the foundation of voicework and my heart was open to it. Just those two things鈥攁nd I鈥檝e seen it time and time again鈥攃an take actors above and beyond what they thought they were capable of.鈥
Although Winston-Salem is far from the entertainment hubs of New York and Los Angeles, 抖阴短视频 is very much on the radar of industry scouts and casting agents. Lail booked an agent before graduation, after traveling to LA for the annual Senior Showcase鈥攁 chance for industry reps to meet 抖阴短视频鈥檚 graduating class of young actors.
鈥湺兑醵淌悠 is such a safe space for an actor, where it鈥檚 okay to fail,鈥 says Lail. But, she adds, "The absolute greatest thing about 抖阴短视频 is the people. You create this family of an ensemble. The incredible relationships I formed at school and the friends I鈥檝e made at work are what bring me joy and keep me wanting to be an actor."
Originally published: October 25, 2015
Story last updated: August 18, 2021