Sligo born actress Elva Trill is making a name for herself on the big screen, with a number of blockbusters already on her CV. Elva appears this month in this month’s Jurassic World Dominion and can be seen soon in a film with Alec & Billy Baldwin. We chatted to the actress about her career so far….
Q: Congratulations on your role in Jurassic World Dominion, what was it like working on such a massive franchise?
A: It was certainly a unique and exciting experience to begin with but taking into account that it was shot during the height of the pandemic restrictions made it all the more surreal. My scenes were shot inside one of the Pinewood Studio sets with only a handful of people. It was super intimate as a result and felt like I was shooting something a little smaller than a Universal studios movie.
Q: Were you a fan of the Jurassic World movies beforehand?
A: I was, absolutely. My next door neighbour Christopher was obsessed with Dinosaurs when we were kids. He would bring his figurines over to my house after school and tell me their names. When we got a bit older we would watch the Jurassic films. It’s an incredible franchise.
Q: What was your most memorable experience on the Jurassic World set?
A: For me I think it was when (director) Colin Trevorrow knelt down beside me after one of the takes and said ” It’s not everyday a director gets to see one of the final scenes of the movie this early in production”. My jaw hit the floor because it felt like I had done something right. When I asked him at the LA screening how he knew that he responded “I just did”. Great response really.
Q: You studied performing arts in DIT Rathmines, how valuable was a course like this in furthering your career.
A: It definitely made me less self conscious standing in front of people and acting something out. I remember one of our classes required us to do some interpretive dance on our own in front of a class of 30 or more people. If you can survive that you can survive anything.
Q: Tell us about your acting experience before attending DIT? Were there opportunities to do anything in Sligo?
A: Unfortunately not. It’s interesting how many parents have reached out to me over the past few years asking what their children should consider doing in order to get started in the industry. A lot of them are in counties like Sligo and to be honest my advice is usually for them to get to Dublin or London and attend courses like Louise Kiely’s course or Bow street as they will get seen by casting agents there.
Q: Irish actor Tom Vaughn Lawlor gave you acting advice and helped you secure some roles, how did that come about?
A: Tom and I shared a scene in the movie Maze. I have never felt the ease I felt doing that scene since. I think we did three takes, if that. He was so generous on screen as an actor and was equally as generous off camera. He asked me if I was represented by an agency in the UK and advised me to get in touch with some. I reached out to his agency Lou Coulson Associates and when they contacted him to enquire about me he said such nice things they thankfully took me on their books. He is a gentleman and I have the best agents in the world.
Q: You’ve just finished a movie with Alec & Billy Baldwin, what can you tell us about this?
A: Billy and Alec play brothers in the film and I play Billy’s mother! Which is hilarious. These movies are a series of Christmas themed movies filmed in Rome directed by Francesco Cinquemani. Any opportunity to work with these people I will jump at.
Q: Where do you plan to base yourself? Will Ireland still be home or is a move to Hollywood on the cards?
A: I would like to base myself in either London or LA. I think. I will see where the wind takes me.
Q: What advice would you give to other young aspiring actors and actresses?
A: The harder you work, the luckier you’ll be.
JURASSIC WORLD DOMINION is now showing in Irish cinemas