VIP Interview with Ailíse Beales & Zara DuCrôs, directors of the Award Winning Series ‘Happy Even After’

Today, we introduce Ailíse Beales and Zara DuCrôs, two talented filmmakers, and directors of the series ‘Happy Even After‘. In this double interview, we talk about their inspiration both on set and behind the scenes. Enjoy!

Hello ladies, congratulations on your project and on your awards at NYIFA! Can you share something with us about your background, and when did you first realize you wanted to work in the entertainment industry?

A: I was born in England and moved to New Zealand just as I turned fourteen. My dad was an actor in his early twenties and I loved hearing his stories about touring the UK with his troupe, shooting summer adverts for holiday parks in the middle of winter, and rehearsing Christmas carols year-round. I had always known I wanted to be an actor, although I went through a period where I was embarrassed to admit it. It felt like a lofty dream that was far out of reach, so I used to tell people I wanted to be a teacher. I wrote a whole essay about it in school once and had to read it aloud to all my classmates; it felt like such a lie. They believed me, and that’s when I figured I might have a shot at the acting thing after all! Truly though, it’s been my path all along. I wouldn’t do anything else.

Z: I lived in Melbourne until I was seven, and then moved to New Zealand with my family. I’ve been singing, acting, and dancing since I was a preschooler, so I always knew it was what I wanted to do with my life. There’s a painting my mum still has that I made when I was four or five, that has a poorly rendered version of me singing under a spotlight with a caption reading, “When I grow up I want to be a professional singer”. As I got older I was particularly drawn to the theater, although much like Lish, there was a long while where I didn’t want to admit it for fear of ridicule. For a moment there I thought I might be a cricket player! As it turns out, my family has been more supportive than I could have imagined, even though none of them are in the arts. You can guarantee they’ll always be front row– I think that’s one of the reasons mine and Ailise’s families hit it off so well.

You both directed, wrote, starred in, and produced the short film Happy Even After. How was this experience for both of you? How did this collaboration start?

We met studying at The New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts and quickly became sisterly friends. We originally developed the idea in a content creation class and when we began writing the script it just poured out of us. Writing together made so much sense— we bounced off one another seamlessly and genuinely finished each other’s sentences. Our approaches to narrative storytelling align and yet simultaneously we challenge each other. We found so much joy in collaborating and our behind the scenes videos (available on YouTube!) reflect that. We balance each other out— Ailise, the Type-A Drill Sergeant, and Zara, the Type-B Chiller.

Where did the inspiration of Happy Even After come from?

A: My cousin passed suddenly a few years ago and it rocked my entire world-view. We were best friends from birth and in losing her I became very aware of my own mortality. Facing the seemingly impossible task of pursuing our joint dreams on my own was (and is) an uphill battle, and I notice this struggle leak into all of my writing and music. When Zara and I had the idea for Happy Even After, it came from asking ourselves what we were wishing for, what we were struggling with, and what kind of message we wanted to put into the world.

What is the message you wanted to communicate to the audience through this film?

That even when you experience grief and feel like you can’t possibly keep going in the wake of it all, there is happiness to be found even after such profound loss. Your joy is not a disservice to their memory, it’s everything they would want for you. We also wanted to reinforce the idea that family has no bounds– whether you are bonded by blood or choice, cousin or best friend, your most valuable relationships make you who you are. Talk about your loved ones, it keeps them alive.

Ailíse Beales and Zara DuCrôs, directors of the Award Winning Series ‘Happy Even After’

Who are the actors that inspire you the most? Is there a particular performance that inspired you during the preparation of this film?

Z: My performance was inspired by actresses like Emma Stone and Jennifer Lawrence, who bring an effortless and goofy charm to their work without compromising vulnerability and authentic emotion. Kate is very much an extension of myself, from her cheeky quips to her monochromatic outfits. She is the incarnation of someone who is utterly at peace with her inner child, unapologetically so. I definitely drew upon other performers for inspiration but brought a lot of myself to the role.

A: I draw a lot of inspiration from Meryl Streep. Her range, her command of the frame, the way she can convey such deep and specific feelings with her eyes alone– that kind of grounded vulnerability was important for me to bring to Phoebe. I also found myself channeling Nicole Kidman at times– the way she embodies guardedness and poise and then lets it melt away into desperation and openness in works like Moulin Rouge and Big Little Lies. Phoebe has such a journey throughout the series, and it was important to us that we show the good, the bad, and the ugly. I used a lot of my own experience with grief to navigate that process– it doesn’t always showcase your best self.

You are both immigrant artists originally from New Zealand, living in New York City. What are the challenges that immigrant artists face today especially in the entertainment industry?

Where to begin! First of all, it’s really important to acknowledge that we are in a position of immense privilege. It’s not lost on us that our families made large sacrifices to support us both emotionally and financially to get to (and through) school in the US, and that’s not a feasible reality for every aspiring artist. We’re overwhelmingly grateful and can’t stress enough how much we didn’t achieve this alone. We also encountered a multitude of hurdles during our experience immigrating to the States. As an artist, the standards you have to meet to remain in the country are considerable, and require a huge amount of resilience, resources, and time. We all know it’s a competitive ball game, but immigrant artists have to work even harder just to be in the running. (Shout out Zara’s single ‘Ball Game’ streaming now!)

Happy Even After is a 3-episode web series. Are you planning on writing more episodes? If so, can you give us a little spoiler about where the story is heading?

We did consider continuing Phoebe and Kate’s story! We actually filmed and released an alternate ending with a huge cliffhanger that leaves the story open. We loved the idea of exploring Kate’s presence further and testing the boundaries of her ghost-hood. Ultimately, we decided that it was important for the moral of the story that Phoebe learn to carry Kate in her heart. As much as we wish we could manifest our loved ones back to life, the reality is that all we can do is cherish their memory and make them proud. We didn’t want to do a disservice to that message.

Meryl Streep once said, “Take your broken heart and make it into art.” How does this quote resonate with you and your work? Does Phoebe, at the end, manage to use her grief and turn it into art?

A: It’s so funny that you mention that quote because it’s one of the very many reasons that I love Meryl Streep. I think that creating art inspired by your experiences is the best way to understand and process them. When your heart is broken beyond recognition and you can’t remember how the pieces ever fit together, what else can you do other than create something new with whatever you have left? This is exactly what Phoebe does, and in many ways, what I tried to do, too.

Do you have a fun anecdote you would like to share with us about filming?

A: Zara was a menace on set.

Z: Look, sometimes you need someone around to keep things light and remind everyone that we’re doing this for fun, and because we love it. When it’s hour thirteen, the iPhone is running out of storage, and there’s a Columbia student literally doing backflips in the back of your shot, you’ve gotta crack a few jokes. I was doing a public service!

A: My personal favorite was on our last day of filming when I was deep in discussion with one of our cinematographers, Malena, and then turned around to see that Zara and Louie (who plays Elliott) had snuck off to join a hip hop dance troupe performing in the middle of the courtyard. I was wheezing– you can’t take them anywhere together!

What do you do in your spare time? What are the activities or hobbies that nurture you the most as an artist?

We’re both musicians and singer-songwriters. It’s something we do separately but we’re always sending voice notes back and forth of songs in progress. It’s been really special to be able to share that with each other– it feels so personal and revealing to share original music with someone, but we’ve found a safe space in each other.

What’s the best piece of advice that was ever given to you?

Z: Probably from my dad– he’s been a pillar of support my whole life. He’s always said to me, “The harder you work, the luckier you get.” I think for this industry specifically, success often comes at the intersection of hard work and opportunity. I come back to my dad’s advice a lot.

A: I come back to my parent’s advice a lot as well– when I told my dad I was going to be an actor, he said that I could achieve anything as long as I was willing to work hard for it, and that I just needed to believe in myself more than anyone else. Growing up my mum was always encouraging me to consider other people’s feelings; I couldn’t complain about a bratty classmate without her thoughtfully suggesting that perhaps they had things going on behind the scenes. I think the generosity, empathy, and care that she embodied my whole life has been really integral to my formation as both an actor and a human.

What’s next for you? What are you working on at the moment?

We’re writing a short film that we’re really excited about. It’s quite different to Happy Even After, but (we hope) exhibits the same blend of heart and humor that made this project a success. While we’re both pursuing individual careers in film, theater, and music (again, shout out ‘Ball Game’ by Zara DuCrôs streaming now), we love creating together and can’t imagine that we’ll stop collaborating any time soon. Keep an eye out for our next project, Lucid, in the not-too-distant future! – Thank you so much for interviewing us and taking the time to watch our series.

We’re so grateful for the support NYIFA has shown us.

Ailise and Zara x

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