New Zealand actress Molly Curnow, known for her roles in the slasher film ‘Heart Eyes’ and television dramas ‘Testify’ and ‘Bust Up’, shares an inside look at her experience working on the recently released ‘Klara and the Sun’, directed by Taika Waititi and adapted from Kazuo Ishiguro’s novel. Playing Rosa, an Artificial Friend in the Friend Store alongside Klara and Rex, Curnow worked closely with Jenna Ortega and Harry Greenwood. In this interview, she reflects on her journey from small-town New Zealand to her first major film set, the unexpected influences behind her character, and how Waititi’s collaborative approach helped her learn to trust her instincts.
How did you feel when you found out you had been cast in ‘Klara and the Sun’, and what excited you most about the opportunity?
I was truly over the moon to be cast in ‘Klara and the Sun’. Since the callback, I’d been having recurring dreams about getting the role. I’m sort of a superstitious person, so I’d convinced myself that these dreams meant I’d jinxed the whole thing. Thankfully, I was wrong! It felt quite unreal, coming from a small town in New Zealand and then being given an opportunity of this scale.I was so excited to be working with Taika, whose work I have admired for a long time, and who is something of a national treasure here in Aotearoa (New Zealand). I also love Kazuo Ishiguro’s work, so I was honoured to play a character in this story.
Could you tell us about your character and what drew you to playing her? How did you prepare for the role?
Rosa is an AF in the Friend Store who is friends with Klara and Rex. She’s cute and not very smart, but very well-meaning. To prepare for the role, I did some research into the behaviour of small children—the way they move, interact with each other, and learn directly from the world around them. I also looked at ’60s fashion iconography, and had a playlist that included more than a few Beach Boys songs.
What was your experience working on the film? Who did you work most closely with, and what moments or lessons from filming stand out for you?
It was my first major film set, so the experience was both overwhelming and exhilarating! I spent a lot of time working with Harry Greenwood, who plays AF Rex and became a real-life friend of mine. I also worked closely with Jenna Ortega, who was a consistently kind and generous scene partner. I think my biggest lesson from filming was to trust myself. I had done a lot of text-based preparation, but the way Taika works is very collaborative and improvisational, so I had to let go of control and just trust that my instincts were enough in the moment. That was very freeing, and is a lesson I’ve carried with me in my acting career since.
Looking back at your career so far, which projects or roles are you most proud of, and why?
I’m really proud of working on ‘Klara and the Sun’. It was such a huge step forward in my career and I got to work with people I deeply admire. A few years ago, I also worked on a New Zealand TV show called ‘Testify’, where I played a young musician who gets pulled into a corrupt megachurch. I feel proud of that project because I think it tells a really important story that people are often too afraid to speak up about. I also got to play music as that character, which is my other creative love.
What’s next for you, and what are you most looking forward to? Please share any upcoming projects you can publicly discuss and the types of roles you would love to explore.
I’m currently filming on a few Kiwi TV shows which are due to be released next year, and I’m looking forward to hopefully doing some more international projects in the future. I’d love to explore working in different genres like surreal comedy or psychological thriller.
Fetured photo credit: @anchorandgracephoto
