CHARACTER BLOG: JULIE

What can I say about JULIE without giving away most of the plot?!?!?!

JULIE is EVE's right hand woman and in this particular case also her partner in "crime." JULIE is EVE's publicist and she also just can't help but mother her a little bit. After all, EVE is the coolest girl that JULIE knows and not simply her biggest celebrity client.

JULIE is definitely young in spirit, and she takes situations as they come. It takes a lot to unnerve her and even more to lose her loyalty. JULIE is the rock that anchors the ship. And when you need a light moment, she has a wry sense of humour to take the edge off.

QUOTE:

ROSA goes to the kitchen. MARY is looking around like a kid in a candy store.

MARY

This is like a palace. It’s so beautiful, I’m afraid I’m going to break something.

JULIE

Go ahead, if it makes you happy. Eve has been known to do that from time to time. But she usually aims for people’s heads.

MARY

What?

JULIE

Never mind. Your room is straight up there. Top of the stairs. I’ll be back later. Good luck.

MARY

You’re going to leave me all alone?

JULIE

I’ll be back tomorrow to take you to the studio. Just lock yourself in the room, or go to the pool, or something.

Screenplay excerpt © 2016 Maria Dalekos

CHARACTER BLOG: MARY

MARY is one of my favourite characters in this film. She is a young, spunky, talkative, determined little troublemaker who is also a fun person and a useful and resourceful companion to EVE. In other words, she is a potential scene-stealer. MARY seeks her destiny in Hollywood just as EVE is seeking it in Crete.

My inspiration for MARY was my twenty-year-old self (who was easier to relate to when I wrote this screenplay 15 years ago or so). Part of the reason I wrote the script was because of my own self discovery: I always thought I was more like MARY, but I eventually realized that I am more like EVE. MARY represents my youthful side, both innocent and ambitious, seeking out opportunities and trying to grab them by the horns. EVE represents my thoughtful side, both melancholy and serene, more mature but also more able to change.

Why did my film need two women who are seeking a new world to belong to? I had two good reasons. The first reason was that MARY's character was so delicious that the scenes almost wrote themselves. The main reason, though, was to solidly prove my thesis for the film: everyone has a place in time where they belong, and the only way to get there is to allow themselves the opportunity and the courage to take a journey into the unknown. It begins with a desire for something more and it takes a leap of faith to get there.

With MARY's story in the screenplay I can also make another point: there is a place that is right for anyone. It's not the place itself but rather how the place fits the person. Let's see if the glitz and glamour of Hollywood can be MARY's place of belonging.

QUOTE:

MARY runs towards JULIE’s car which is idling in front of the house. She opens the door and pops into the back seat cheerfully.

MARY

Let’s go. I’m ready.

JULIE

You clean up well! God, I hope this works. Let’s go.

JULIE starts to drive off. She turns to MARY.

JULIE (CONT’D)

You know the name of the movie, right?

MARY

Yes, it’s “Let’s get this party started, I am ready!”

JULIE

God help us.

Screenplay excerpt © 2016 Maria Dalekos