The Irish singer and sometimes-actor will be at the Cinémathèque this evening, 20 September, for a Q&A session about her latest film, the thrilling "The People Before".
This morning, she joined the Sam Steen Show to share her experience shooting the film, as well as her thoughts on music and acting.
You might know her better as a musical artist, but tonight, it is donning her actor's cap that the multi-talented Irishwoman graces the Grand Duchy with her presence. The film The People Before, in which she plays a leading role, will be screened at the Luxembourg City Cinémathèque as part of the British & Irish Film Festival, and will be followed by a Q&A session.
The film tells the tale of Jess and her husband: Londoners who, desperate for a fresh start, jump at the chance to buy the quaint Maple House in the idyllic Suffolk countryside. However, the tight-lipped locals harbour a dark secret about the old mansion, and Jess soon realises that the purchase of their dream home might have been a grave mistake. Whispers of a chilling past and unsettling events reveal a haunting truth about the house’s history. As the menacing shadows of Maple House close in, Jess must confront the sinister situation before it is too late.
Imelda May was invited by Sam Steen ahead of the screening to discuss the film.
The seasoned performer on the musical stage but comparatively less-experienced actress confessed that seeing herself on the big screen at the film's premiere was as "terrifying" as it was exalting:
“I was watching the movie but also I was delighted that the audience were so wonderful. You know, they went with it. They kind of went through all the emotions and the humour, and the joy of it as well as the sadness.”
An avid reader, Imelda mentioned that studying Charlotte Northedge's novel The People Before, on which the film is based, granted her insight into her role, but that it was the actors literally living on set, in the foreboding Maple House, as well as the tight schedule and long working days, that helped her get fully immersed in her character:
“We shot it in a very short amount of time. I was only two and a half weeks there but it was intense, crazy 16-hour days and then sleeping and then jumping up and starting again. It was wonderful, it was intense and wonderful; but it was hard to switch off from the character."
Despite the manor's oppressive atmosphere and the story's suspenseful plot, she gladly admitted to having enjoyed her time on set:
“I was delighted to work with Liz White and Ray Fearon! They're such incredible professionals. I was truly in awe of them. They're great actors and great to be around, so it was a great experience.”
Imelda May, Liz White and Ray Fearon as featured in "The People Before" / © Facebook - Imelda May
Moving on to more general questions, she acknowledged that because every aspect of her musical activity was based on her commitment to staying true to herself, acting, with its requirement to play a role, made for an enjoyable and exciting change of pace:
"In music, I know what I'm doing, for I've been doing it almost all my life. But there can be pitfalls in that. Maybe I don't like to always know what I'm doing [...] So I like to push myself out out of my comfort zone, into a place where I need to learn: that's my passion."
Wrapping up the interview with a question about her return to music, she answered it would happen in due time:
"I don't think these things can be forced. At the moment, I'm making a documentary and I'm continuously writing poems and I filmed another film last year and I'm looking at doing another film - so I don't know! But I'm looking forward to writing. I have a plan to write with somebody that I'm a great admirer of because I do like to co-write, just because I think it's nice to bounce ideas off each other within a studio rather than writing alone. I think it pushes the boundaries of each person more, so I look forward to doing that when the time is right.”
📻 Listen to their full interview on the Sam Steen Show here:
The film screening at the Cinémathèque will start at 18:30, followed by a Q&A session. Imelda will be joined by castmates Liz White and Ray Fearon, as well as the film producers Anne Heath and Sally Wood.
