00:00My name is Nikki Byrne. I'm the writer-director of The Julia Set, sitting here with some of the cast,
00:04and we're here for The Hollywood Reporter.
00:13In here feels great.
00:20I did not mean to kick you.
00:21I think I kicked you.
00:22No, I kicked you.
00:23One common mark.
00:25Hi, Saya Rankin here with the gals of The Julia Set, half of the set.
00:31We're going to start with you, Chase, and have you just introduce yourself and a little bit about your character
00:37in the movie.
00:38Okay, well, hi. My name is Chase. I play Julia Fisher in The Julia Set, and Julia is, I would
00:48not say that she would call herself this,
00:50but I would say that she is a math genius who is studying for the hardest math test in the
00:55world, called the Putnam.
00:56And you kind of see her navigate being a young girl with this incredible amount of talent, but is so
01:06quiet and so scared to show it to the world.
01:07So, that's a bit about Julia.
01:11Hi.
01:12I am Chloe Bailey.
01:14I play Erin, and I love Erin and Julia's friendship, sisterhood, and I just love how we get to represent
01:22women in STEM, and women who are very smart, but are also trying to navigate their personal lives within college.
01:30And I have to credit Nikki here for doing such a great job reflecting it on screen.
01:35And Nikki, director, but you say it.
01:40Yes, I'm Nikki Byrne, and I wrote and directed the movie.
01:42Period.
01:43Let's go.
01:44Okay, so tell us about finding Julia first.
01:50Well, our casting directors, Ellen Chenoweth and Suzanne Shield came on quite early in the process, obviously.
01:56And they asked me, they said, what are you looking for in a Julia?
01:59And I said, we need like Jodie Foster in Silence of the Lambs.
02:02We need someone who's so interesting as an actor and performer that we would rather watch her think than watch
02:09anyone else talk, which is a really high bar.
02:13A lofty.
02:13Very difficult, yeah.
02:15Because we also knew that the way that we'd be editing the picture would be a lot of like watching
02:20Julia think and hear what's happening around her.
02:22She didn't speak as frequently as everybody else.
02:25She's sort of interior.
02:26So we went on a hunt for that person.
02:28And when we saw Chase's audition, she was just incredible.
02:32And then meeting her and getting to know her a little bit, it just seemed like we had found the
02:37sort of core center of the film.
02:39Like there was, we kind of knew that the movie would live and die based on Julia and whether we
02:46cared for her and really could read her.
02:49And when we found Chase, we were like, all right, we have a movie.
02:52Let's go.
02:54Chase, did she tell you that you were going to be the Jodie Foster, that you were the Jodie Foster
03:00in Silence of the Lambs?
03:01Well, my first meeting with Nikki, actually, she was like, so this is what I was picturing for Julia.
03:07And she told me that that was what she was looking for.
03:10But I was, and then I told her, I said, I am too scared to watch Silence of the Lambs,
03:16so I don't really understand the reference.
03:19Which is like an ongoing conversation, I would say.
03:21I'm like, I'm really scared to watch anything terrifying.
03:25But she did tell me in the first meeting that that was what she was looking for in Julia and
03:30as a character.
03:32And I thought that was really interesting because there's so, so many things you watch nowadays where people are continuously
03:41talking in a scene.
03:41I think it's really refreshing to see, I guess, just what someone isn't saying.
03:46And I think the absence of what someone is, like, not saying is sometimes more interesting to see because there's
03:54so many people in the world, so many people in life.
03:56Like, even us moving through our own personal lives, there's so much that we don't say.
04:00And to see it on the screen, it was really cool.
04:01You filmed this after One Battle.
04:04Yeah.
04:04Okay.
04:05What do you think that filming One Battle gave you that, like, helped you on this movie?
04:11I think the biggest thing that I kind of took from that and brought to the Julia set is everyone
04:18on that set was, like, incredibly kind and, like, the most amazing leaders.
04:22And I just really was, I guess, inspired by, like, what the kindness and just, like, genuine energy that, like,
04:33Leo brought, that Regina brought, that Paul brought, and everybody across the board.
04:36And so I wanted to take as much of, like, a small little piece of that as I could and
04:41bring it to the Julia set and, I guess, try to be even, like, a fraction of the type of
04:46leader that they are and be there for my entire cast and for everyone the same way that they were
04:52there for me.
04:53Did you do it?
04:55Yes, you did.
04:56Yeah.
04:57From day one, so wonderfully and gracefully.
05:00And I couldn't have asked for a better scene partner, to be honest.
05:04When did you guys first meet?
05:06During rehearsal.
05:07Yeah.
05:08Yes.
05:09And the energy was, like, instant.
05:12Yeah.
05:12Instant click.
05:13Yeah, it didn't feel forced or anything like that.
05:15And Nikki had us do some exercises.
05:17Mm-hmm.
05:18We bonded over that after.
05:19Literally.
05:19We were like, what kind of exercises?
05:22Just, like, acting exercises in the scene.
05:25But do you want to walk us through what we did, Nikki?
05:27Like, all I remember is you guys meeting and me thinking, oh, thank God.
05:32Because they just loved each other.
05:33Like, I feel like the, like, the sound of set when they were there was the, can I get a
05:39ring?
05:39Like, these two were like, these two.
05:41Because that song had just come out.
05:42And they were singing so I could sort of hear them moving around.
05:45Like, I knew how far away they were based on, like, the sonic quality of their performances.
05:50But no, I think, I think, look, they're both, like, lovely humans.
05:54And they just clicked immediately.
05:56I think, you know, they both have a passion for singing and dancing and acting, obviously.
06:01But that's like a director's dream, right?
06:02You walk into a room with two people who've never met.
06:05You don't know what the chemistry's gonna be.
06:06And the next second they're like, K-pop dancing and singing.
06:09And you're like, okay, I think we're, I think we're good.
06:12Stand by really quick.
06:13We're checking a mic.
06:15Sorry, guys.
06:16Ooh, his mic broke.
06:17This is the first time we had a mic.
06:18Is that me?
06:19It's me!
06:20Oh, no!
06:22Did I get lost in the jacket?
06:24Yeah.
06:24Lost in the sauce.
06:25You were just too passionate.
06:27Yes.
06:27You were too passionate and felt.
06:28I was just, you know, I'm a mover.
06:30You said, I like to move around.
06:32I like to move around.
06:33I'm a filter.
06:34Just space.
06:34Thank you so much.
06:37Sorry, Sarah.
06:39That's okay.
06:41I did forget what I was gonna say, but that's okay because I thought of something else just
06:44now, which is, do either of you guys consider yourselves, before you did this movie, good
06:49at math?
06:50Yes.
06:51No.
06:52No.
06:53Tell me more.
06:55Math and science were my favorite subjects in school.
06:57I was like a goody two-shoe nerd.
07:01I still am.
07:03That's why I was excited to play Aaron because I got to really bring out the side that people
07:07don't really see from me through this character.
07:09I was a theater kid.
07:11Mm-hmm.
07:11I did show choir.
07:13I would literally like, I would show up and show out for my theater performance classes,
07:18and everything else, I was like, happy to be here, but I'm ready for my theater class.
07:23I did really like English, though.
07:25I did, I like, weirdly enough, I enjoyed writing papers, but that was kind of, that was kind of it.
07:31When you were writing the proofs and stuff on camera, did you just have to memorize, like,
07:37the symbols you were writing, or did any of it make any sense to you or mean anything to you?
07:40None of it made sense to me.
07:42Because, do you know what's crazy, is I remember when we were talking to our math consultant
07:45on the whole thing, I was so surprised by, like, without sounding crazy, like, how many,
07:52like, words and sentences there were, and the explanation of, like, proving that you can solve
07:59the problem, and I was just like, this is far beyond anything I ever did in school.
08:03Far beyond anything I can understand, and I was like, it was very enlightening.
08:08Very enlightening.
08:09So, it was cool to see, because it's, I can't say that I would ever probably get that experience
08:13ever again.
08:15Not a lot of math flicks going around.
08:16Not a lot of math flicks going on.
08:18That's why this one is special.
08:20The guys are coming in next, what should I ask them about your time on the movie?
08:25Ooh.
08:26Mmm.
08:27I feel like you should ask Nico and Chris about their hangouts.
08:31I feel like they would hang out a lot.
08:33I, I, they just, like, they both have such great, genuine, kind energy, and so, like,
08:40getting to, they didn't have any scenes, like, really, really together, but, like, getting
08:45to see them behind the camera, and then also just hearing, like, the stories of what their
08:49time in London was like, so I think, like, that could be something fun.
08:52Are you excited for the Emmys?
08:54I am excited for the Emmys.
08:56Do you know, are you nervous?
08:57What are you going to wear?
08:58What's, do you know, yeah, what you're going to do to celebrate?
09:02Not, you know, what's, what are you looking forward to?
09:05Well, I know what I'm going to wear.
09:06Okay.
09:06I'm looking forward to seeing a lot of familiar faces.
09:09Um, someone who, uh, Kingston Rumi Southwick, who's in Widow's Bay.
09:14Oh, yeah.
09:15Is going to be there, and I haven't seen him in a good amount of time, so he's somebody
09:19I'm very excited to see at the Emmys.
09:20Um, but just to see, like, familiar faces, and just feel the energy of the room, because,
09:25like, I'm, I'm so grateful that, uh, I'm a nominee, which is really crazy to say.
09:31Um, but I'm excited to have a good time and just, and be there to celebrate everybody,
09:36because it's, it truly is such a gift to be in that room, and that we all get to do
09:40the
09:41thing that we love and create such amazing work.
09:43So I'm, I'm excited to celebrate everybody in general.
09:46Chloe, who have you met?
09:47Who do you geek out over?
09:48Who have you met that, who do I geek out over?
09:51Starstruck, or who?
09:53Well, I get starstruck over, like, reality television.
09:57Ooh, tell me.
09:58Like, stars.
09:59Like, I remember the last two seasons of Love Island I was freaking out over, because I,
10:05by the grace of God, I get to work with, like, idols and legends and, like, the greatest
10:10inspiration, so I've learned how to keep and manage my cool with them.
10:14So, it's like, I get to bring out my inner, younger fangirl when it comes to who I fangirl
10:20about.
10:21It'll be, like, the most random people.
10:23Where did you meet the Love Island?
10:24Oh, wait, there's someone in this?
10:26Oh, no, no.
10:27Not, not, not today.
10:29Not in Toronto.
10:30But it was, like, in New York, like, a year and a half ago.
10:33I was like, I was with my manager, I was like, oh my gosh, that's this person.
10:35She's like, Chloe, you just breathe.
10:37So I'm, I'm one of those.
10:40Um, we have a couple of questions.
10:41We're asking everyone who comes in.
10:43The first job you had, and what did you gift yourself when you got your first job?
10:47Like, what was the treat you got?
10:49I bought myself a luggage set.
10:51A love, a love.
10:52Like, three-piece luggage set, because I was like, I'm gonna need it.
10:54Ooh.
10:56Well, I was four.
10:57I'm sure I got gifted a lollipop.
11:00Straight to the toy store.
11:01Yeah, but when I had my first solo tour that I got to headline, after we finished the first leg,
11:09I gifted myself this, like, Jesus Cross diamond chain neck piece.
11:15And it has a bunch of infinity signs on it, and I've never gotten a gift like that for myself.
11:20So I'll always cherish that one.
11:21That was, like, a real gift.
11:22You still have that?
11:23Oh, yes.
11:23Yeah.
11:24Yeah.
11:25And then, also...
11:26I gotta hear what Nikki got it so fast.
11:27What really is that?
11:28Oh.
11:28Mmm.
11:29Um, like, my first job?
11:32Yeah, whatever feels to you, like, kind of the first...
11:35Treat yourself.
11:35Look, my first job was a summer job.
11:37I worked in a spa.
11:39Period.
11:40I liked it because I could read a lot.
11:41Um, this is so embarrassing.
11:44Uh, okay.
11:46Why not?
11:47Um, I bought myself...
11:50I'm ready.
11:51What is it?
11:52I bought myself an authentic Lord of the Rings ring.
11:58That's great.
11:59From the jeweler in New Zealand who made it for the movie.
12:02That is so cool, though.
12:03Oh, my gosh.
12:04No, I love it.
12:04And I still have it.
12:05Period.
12:06That's so cool.
12:07That's not...
12:08Everyone says that their answer is gonna be embarrassing, and then they're never embarrassing.
12:12Exactly.
12:13Embarrassing at all.
12:15I promise.
12:16And what else...
12:16When you guys go on tour or on location for a movie, what do you need to bring from home?
12:22I always bring my music equipment with me and my carry-on.
12:26It's always extra heavy, and I always have to take everything out because they see a bunch of wires when
12:30it goes through the pre-check.
12:31That's really annoying, but I have to bring that because you never know when inspiration will hit.
12:37I feel like whenever I...
12:39I remember when we went to London to shoot this, I think I might have brought a blanket that I
12:49was from home.
12:50Like a blanket that just lays on my bed.
12:52But I also always travel with Vicks because it just calms me.
12:57Nice.
12:57And I grew up with that, so it just makes me feel comfortable and at home.
13:01That's a good one.
13:03I bring my friends.
13:05A lot of them are my co-workers as well.
13:07But yeah, it's the best.
13:10The gift you gave me when we first started, you...
13:13So, she knew that I loved Legos and she gave me this mini set of London to build.
13:19And I built it like...
13:20I built it the first two weeks and I just had it up in my apartment and it made me
13:25feel like home and like you actually cared about me even before we started working.
13:29And that's the thing about Nikki, like she'll find pieces of you and bring it out within the character but
13:35also value it outside of the character.
13:37That's a really good gift.
13:39What did you get, Chase?
13:41From Nikki?
13:41Yeah.
13:41I got the same thing!
13:42She got Legos too!
13:43I did!
13:44I had talked to Chloe and she was like...
13:46We had this long conversation about Legos and I was like, God, where do I get the cast as they're
13:50arriving?
13:50And I was literally next to a Lego store and I was like, everyone's getting Legos of London.
13:56And Chloe's really good at Legos.
13:59No, she is.
14:00Like, my obsession.
14:01She's really good.
14:02Like, she's serious.
14:03And I still have the chess board.
14:06You do?
14:06Yes!
14:07It's on my little mantle in my apartment and it has my name and it says Julia set that she
14:12had carved in there.
14:13It was a really great wrap gift.
14:15I'm happy.
14:16Well, thank you guys for chatting with us.
14:19I appreciate it.
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