Lili Baross talks about her new film Hansel Vs. Gretel
The stunning Lili Baross has just co-starred alongside Brent Lydic in the Ben Demaree helmed Hansel Vs. Gretel, and gave a fantastically mature performance for this being only her second movie. I was impressed with the confidence and screen presence Lili demonstrated and also the way she really committed herself to the character. The busy actor kindly took time to answer a few questions for INFLUX Magazine.
by Nav Qateel
Nav Qateel: Congratulations on a wonderful performance on your latest film Hansel Vs. Gretel! How did you learn of the part of Gretel, and what was it that attracted you to the role?
Lili Baross: Thank you so much! I am glad the audience enjoyed the film. My agent originally called me to inform me about the role of Willy for Hansel Vs. Gretel. I auditioned at The Asylum with the casting director, then a few days later I received a call from casting, asking if I would be interested in auditioning for the lead role of Gretel. I was thrilled to be considered for the lead. I auditioned again, this time with director Ben Demaree in the room. A few hours later I received a call from casting letting me know that I booked the role!
Growing up I’ve always wanted to play strong female characters, and the fact that Gretel was both humble and sweet but then powerful and commanding throughout the film, was the best of both worlds.
NQ: Hansel Vs. Gretel was only your second movie role yet you played Gretel so confidently. When did you take up acting and what got you started?
LB: I started working commercially in Spain at the age of 8, throughout the years I started working in print and then took a break from the industry. I realized something was missing in my life and decided to hit the ground running and move to LA to pursue acting full force. Before Hansel Vs. Gretel, I worked on several independent projects which prepared me for the role of Gretel.
Production moves very quickly with The Asylum, which as an actor can definitely be a challenge, but a good one. At times, there was little to no preparation. However, Ben is very talented and really helped me get to where I needed to be for a scene.
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NQ: Did taking over the role from Stephanie Greco add pressure?
LB: There is always pressure when doing a sequel because you want it to be as successful as the first. I think Stephanie Greco is very talented and we both brought different elements to the character.
NQ: Did you pick up a lot working with Ben Demaree and your co-star Brent Lydic while shooting Hansel Vs. Gretel?
LB: Ben is a very talented director and I learned a lot from him. He was great at pushing my emotional boundaries for a scene. Brent was so much fun to work with. He kept me balanced on-set and is very devoted to each character that he plays.
It was truly a treat to work with such a talented group of people.
NQ: Any thoughts on reprising the role of Gretel?
LB: We are getting great feedback from Hansel Vs. Gretel. Who knows what the future holds!? (Smiles)
NQ: You’ve recently completed shooting Technopolis, by first-time director Andre Dixon. What’s your character like and was it fun doing a sci-fi movie?
LB: Technopolis has been in development for a long time. I am thrilled to finally have completed the project as it is very heavy in VFX and Andre is a perfectionist. The imagery is amazing and I am really looking forward to hearing the audience’s reaction. I play the lead role of Vermillion, an assassin in a future world recovering from a major Civil War. It was so much fun to play an action-packed role. There were a lot of fight scenes involved with the character that required a lot of training. My favorite!
NQ: Have you any other projects lined up that you can talk about?
LB: Yes! I’m working on a web series The Golden Age: Heroes of Men that is currently shooting; I play the role of Silk Raven which is also an action packed character.
I also have a couple of other projects that I’m working on that I currently can’t talk about.
NQ: Many thanks, Lili Baross.
