Georgia Pounsford
She played in Mark Howarth‘s Dollar Baby The Words Of The Prophets as Louise.
SKSM: Could you start with telling me a little bit about yourself? Who are you and what do you do?
Georgia Pounsford: I’m a graduate of English Literature and Theatre Studies from the University of Sheffield. I moved to London last summer and since then I have been gaining work experience within creative agencies. That pretty much sums up what I’ve done so far, but what I want to do in the future defines me better: I want to travel more and experience as many cultures as possible, I definately want to do something which requires imagination, but ultimately I also want to work very closely with others – I’m obsessed with behaviour and I want to understand everything I can about people.
SKSM: When did you know you wanted to become an actress?
Georgia Pounsford: I don’t want to be an actress. For one thing I’m not good enough, but I also wouldn’t have the right temperament. You have to be extremely comfortable with uncertainty, and it can become a very consuming line of work. That being said, I love acting and I find it fascinating, which is partly why I studied Theatre alongside Literature. I like losing myself in fantasy, but I also think that the ability to act is one of the most powerful skills. To be a good actor you must understand your character to the point that, even if you are playing the most well known person in history, you will still be able to surprise your audience. You have to connect with a vulnerability that you would never understand from just reading about someone. That is incredibly difficult and requires a great deal of imagination. The ability to compeltely put yourself in someone else’s shoes is such a beneficial skill in many different lines of business. If you can truly comprehend people’s thoughts, feelings, intentions and expectations, it allows you to understand how they will respond to your work.
SKSM: How did you become involved in The words of the prophets Dollar Baby film?
Georgia Pounsford: James Turner who wrote the script approached me about the part. I had previously acted with someone who knew him, and he told James I might be interested.
SKSM: What do you think it is about the story that attracts people so much?
Georgia Pounsford: Like many of his other works, it is the element of suspence and fantasy that attracts people. He’s also very good at creating magical realism, which allows people to understand the worlds in his books but to also see them in a different way. Another theme in this story is the power of randomness, and people love trying to make sense of what they can’t understand. This film is actually an adaptation of King’s short story ‘All that you love will be carried away’, which is esentially about a man trying to make sense out of graffiti until it drives him insane.
SKSM: You worked with Mark Howarth on this film, how was that?
Georgia Pounsford: Both Mark and James were great to work with. We didn’t know each other at all before we started filming, but James sent me the script really early on so I could read through it, and they were both good at keeping me in the loop. It was clear that James was a big Stephen King fan and Mark knew a lot about filmmaking, so i learnt quite a bit from both of them.
SKSM: Was there any funny or special moment when they made the movie that you would like to tell me about?
Georgia Pounsford: In one scene I got to play a dead girl. I had to cover myself in blood, and the protagonist (who was my boyfriend in the film) kept seeing me in mirrors. It was pretty fun getting to play the scary character.
SKSM: Do you still have any contact with the crew/cast from that time? If so with who?
Georgia Pounsford: Not since we finished filming. I think they’re both still at university but I live in London now.
SKSM: What are you working on nowadays?
Georgia Pounsford: I’m not currently working on any other films. At the moment I want to work in advertising and marketing, so am doing internships in London.
SKSM: Are you a fan of Stephen King’s work?
Georgia Pounsford: I’ve read a lot of his works and he’s got a really amazing mind, especially for the horror genre. However, my favourite is his ‘Different Seasons’ collection from 1982, which actually consists of less horror than his other books. This is actually where the story of the Shawshank Redemption comes from, which of course went on to be a great movie. He’s one of those people I would love to meet and talk to for hours about random stuff, because he would probably give you a really unique perspective. He also has a knack for creating very complex and compelling characters. If an actor can get it right, that makes good film.
SKSM: What is one thing people would be surprised to know about you?
Georgia Pounsford: One of my biggest desires is to hug a sloth.
SKSM: Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions. Is there anything you want to say to the fans that read this interview?
Georgia Pounsford: I definately don’t have fans, but if anyone has read this article it will most likely be because they have an interest in Stephen King, so I would reccomend reading ‘Different Seasons’ if they haven’t already.
SKSM: Do you like to add anything else?
Georgia Pounsford: Thank you!