From Model to Method: Brittany Mcvicker’s Journey Through the Evolving Film Industry

From her early days putting on “shows” for her family to her burgeoning career as an actress, Brittany Mcvicker’s journey in the entertainment industry has been anything but conventional. Mcvicker has cultivated a diverse filmography, embracing challenging roles across genres, particularly psychological thrillers.

In this interview with Spling, she shares candidly about the rigorous demands of her craft, the transformative power of storytelling, and the evolving landscape of filmmaking, offering a refreshing perspective on navigating a sustainable career in a dynamic industry. You can see Mcvicker work her magic in the upcoming films, Dogwood and Kill Trip.

You began your career in modeling. What led you into acting? Was there a specific moment when you decided to pursue acting more fervently?

I always grew up super performative, not in a theatre way, but I was always annoying my parents, putting on little shows, and I loved older movies. Then I moved to LA just because I loved LA, and I met a lot of people in the industry. A lot of my friends were actors and they did it full-time, and I didn’t know it could be a real career.

I thought, “Oh my gosh, I’ve taken classes and stuff, I’ve got to figure out how to do this.” Modeling was just a foot in the door, an avenue, doing music videos. I would just get little clips of myself on screen and try to submit it. I’d be like, “Oh my gosh, watch me, look, I’m in there!” And they’d say, “But you’re not talking.” And I’d say, “But that’s okay, you see me!” So yeah, I just wanted to figure out how to make it work for me.

Your filmography shows a diverse range of roles. Can you tell us about your research and preparation methods for getting into character? Have there been any roles that truly pushed and challenged you, perhaps requiring experiential learning?

Every role, you know, they say comedy is the hardest, and I would have to agree because I’m not a very funny person or have good timing. So it’s definitely natural instincts that are really hard to work out. But I think anytime I sign on to do a thriller, like I did a thriller last year, there’s a lot of physicality involved. Not that you have to look in shape, but you do have to work your muscles up a little bit to have that stamina.

When you’re shooting a running scene, you might see it for a couple of seconds, but you’re filming it for like 8, 12, 14 hours, and then day after day. Some actors who are a bit more green didn’t start working out or doing that prep, and they’re always like, “Oh, my muscles!” And you’re like, “Oh, yeah.” That was a hard lesson because that was me in my first thriller.

But yeah, just doing the research. Whenever I show up to set, my scripts always look so lived in, and they’re like falling apart by the time we start shooting. I’m one of those people that really gets into the process. I trained with a couple of teachers in London via Zoom who help you with movement. I really love the way they teach over there, and you can really transform that way. So that’s always fun.

Are you one of those actors who has a sweet spot for takes, like your best take is around take seven, or does it vary?

I think it really depends on the director you’re working with. Some directors want to do 20 takes, and others are like, “I really just want to do that one because I loved it, but let’s do another one for safety.” In the past couple of directors I’ve worked with, it’s been one or two takes. So it’s really important to know their directing style. If you’re doing 20, you know, you’re still putting your all into it, but you can do different variations and give them options.

But if it’s a one- or two-take situation, you can put 110% in and then kind of continue on. So I think it just really depends on who you’re working with. I do have a crazy amount of stamina. I think something I’ve just learned over the years is that acting can actually be really draining. It’s not as glamorous as people think it is; it can really be exhausting. So yeah, I think I just built up the stamina for it.

Which of your performances are you most proud of, and what kind of roles do you want to attract going forward?

It’s funny because whenever I first started auditioning for things, it was a lot of rom-com roles, and I’ve just never really seen myself in that place. I’ve always really admired films like Girl, Interrupted or One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, more psychological thrillers, and I always saw myself in that space. And that’s what I ended up booking. So it’s really funny because it’s like, “You look at me,” but it’s like, “No, I love thrillers and that kind of stuff.”

Because you can really dive into these complex roles, and you can study a little bit more about psychology and really try to get in the headspace of someone. And I think the coolest part is that you take that with you, and you’re a bit more empathetic to people in your day-to-day life. So I think that’s something really neat that you can take with you. I love this lane that I’m in right now of doing a lot of thrillers. So I love it.

Speaking of directing, tell us about your experience with your award-winning short film Just Peachy. It tackles a sensitive subject. What inspired you, and how has directing contrasted with and given you insights into your acting?

Oh, definitely. Maybe way down the line, I’ll look into more directing. But I really wanted to figure out how directors do things or what it took to be a director. Because, as Marlon Brando expressed a couple of times, actors should really learn the art of filmmaking. Not that you have to go out and be a gaffer or a sound mixer, but it’s really good to understand the process of it. Like, what lenses are they using? Why are they lighting this a certain way? It helps you not limit yourself as an actor so much, so you can learn, “Okay, this is my framing, this is what I’ve got to work with,” knowing your limitations of movement and things.

Stepping into directing, I learned so much, and a lot of it is so logistical. So it was really neat figuring that out. And I think I can have more of a shorthand with directors, especially in scenes. When you go to film, some directors really do want something specific, and then this director I just worked with was so open about what you wanted to bring. That really helps you to think more on your feet or what works logistically.

The film talks a lot about grief and addiction, and how that can lead you down a different path. Is it going to be a story of redemption, or where is it going to go? We’ve actually been screening it to incarcerated men and women, and we’ve had a lot of amazing feedback. It’s just a really touching story in that way. So that’s been really cool.

You’ve had a varied filmography, from bigger productions to indie films. What have you observed about the current landscape of independent cinema regarding creative freedom versus commercial viability?

I think with any production, sequels and prequels are fabulous. But there is a space right now and a demand for people wanting fresh new material. Honestly, people are kind of starved for new stories. So I think if it’s an indie production, a studio, if it’s something people want to see, or it’s interesting, it’s going to fill those seats. You’re going to want to see it.

As far as the backend, honestly, the only big difference is sometimes with indie filmmaking, you have a bit more of a say in your characters because it’s more of a studio or a higher-brow production. There are so many people involved, you don’t really have much leeway, and you have to be what they call “word perfect.” You can’t really change up words or bring your ideas to it. And crafty!

Sometimes, you know, they just have a lot more snacks, and they have a coffee truck, and indie films are like BYOB sometimes [laughs]. Not really, but essentially, if you want your good snacks, you’ve got to bring them. So as far as behind the scenes, that’s really the only difference – the crafty. I feel like that’s the big difference.

The industry has been rebooted and is trying to find its feet again, especially with distribution. As a creative navigating this new terrain, what are some of the biggest lessons you’ve learned about creating a sustainable career for yourself?

Man, I think every single project, I walk away learning something amazing. When you’re in film school, which I did for a little bit, there’s just nothing like learning hands-on. I’m one of those people that’s always asking the producers or directors, “Hey, so like, how does this work? How does distribution work? Or, you know, how is producing?” And they love to share and tell you. I think that’s a really cool camaraderie in the industry.

It is different. It’s so different than even pre-COVID. But I think it can be a positive because you can make your own projects and find an investor, then sell it and get distribution. It’s a bit easier that way. Cameras are more accessible, and the knowledge is more accessible. You don’t have to really go to NYU; you could go to YouTube, and people are talking about the process.

So I do think there is a lot more access. You can be anywhere and live anywhere now, versus in the early 2000s, even just then you had to move to LA or New York. And now you can just do everything from a phone or a laptop, even acting, everything’s a self-tape, which some people have their reservations about. But it’s great for me because I can be anywhere and send in a tape. Or people can be home with their families more, not just confined to one city. So I think it just depends on your perspective and how you look at it.

You mentioned the team sport of filmmaking. How have genuine connections and relationships impacted your career trajectory and growth as a creative? Are there people you like working with all the time?

Oh, tremendously. Definitely. In life, you gravitate to a couple of people. I mean, if I could, I would want to work with everyone, but it’s kind of not sustainable to talk to a couple thousand people a day. So you gravitate towards people you know a bit more, or it just logistically works out a bit better. But I’m a super collaborative person. So if there’s someone that’s just got an amazing work ethic and just puts in that little extra 10% or really seems to know what they’re doing and have a passion about it, I love to bring them on other things.

If I know a film is looking for an actor at the last minute, maybe someone got COVID, or maybe someone wasn’t able to do it, or if they’re looking for a random horse wrangler or an editor, if they’re looking for whoever, I love to bring people on. And then my friends have been so gracious enough to do that with me. And that’s just kind of how the industry is – a lot of word of mouth.

But I, first and foremost, do cultivate friendships, regardless if I was going to quit acting tomorrow, I would still be really close with a lot of these people. And I think sometimes people miss that when they’re networking, and they just try so hard because they want it so bad, which is great. Be passionate about it. But you really need to lay those friendship foundations first. And that goes so much further – those connections and not just being friends with people because you want something out of them, but you really do enjoy their company and them as a human and getting to know them on a personal level.

You’re building that trust. And then they’re more wanting to put their reputation on the line to bring you because whatever you do bring someone on, that’s a reflection on you as well, or you give someone a referral. That’s any business in life; it’s not just this industry. So I think that’s for anyone, that is my biggest tip and life advice, no matter if you’re a lawyer, if you’re an actor, whatever you do, make sure you work on a real relationship, and it’s not just for what you can get, because especially in this industry, they’ll know. They can sniff it out pretty quick.

Are there any specific themes or social issues you are passionate about exploring through your work as an actor or director, or beyond?

Oh my gosh, yes! I think filmmaking is one of the best avenues for this. I mean, if we look at a couple of films that changed a lot of legislation in different countries, and the prime minister watched something, and they’re like, it really touched them. I’m just an actor; I don’t know much about policy, but I’m learning. I knew I wanted to get into this, and it guides you.

I think life is like one little stepping stone at a time, and learning more about social issues and the climate of the world today, you learn, “Oh, this isn’t just entertaining,” although a lot of films I do are just entertaining. And sometimes we need that. We need that break. But there is a really great outlet for films that you can bring something that you’re passionate about, like Just Peachy that I had wrote and directed.

It’s a lot about grief, and there’s a moment in it where she makes a decision to do something, and it lands her in a rehab. And her mom was in rehab, the grandma was in rehab, and it’s like this generational thing, and which she comes out, results in her being in jail, and what that looks like. So, they’re very big issues, but it’s interesting that you can really touch people’s lives with it and actually make a difference and a change through filmmaking. So something that some people might think is so frivolous or it’s just entertaining can have a huge impact.

Social media plays a big role in today’s film industry, often influencing casting decisions. How do you navigate the pressures and opportunities of maintaining an online presence? Which platforms are most important to you?

It doesn’t hurt, you know, sometimes. But then again, there was an actor, and I cannot remember his name. It’s an interview Michael B. Jordan did recently, but he was saying how I think it was Denzel Washington actually had told him that don’t essentially let people get tired of you. If you’re out there so much, so often, they’re going to get fatigued. And what makes them want to watch your movie? It’s a very specific medium because it’s true. It’s like back in the days when we had kind of the old Hollywood, the only times you would get to see them is if they did essentially red carpets, or you’d go see them in the movies.

And I think that’s a really interesting balance, “Well, do I want to try to build a following? Do I want to try to build a social media presence? Or do I want to make myself a bit of a commodity?” But how do I do that? Because being on social media does help, and producers do look at a following and seeing about wanting names attached. And it’s just a really interesting kind of power balance there. I’m not a big social media person. I never have been. I really love popping in a couple days a month and posting what I need to post, and then I get right back out of there. Like, I’m not scrolling through all day and seeing everything. I was getting content fatigued because you’re getting so much, and I know it’s kind of my attention span getting shorter. So for me, that’s just a personal preference to take a step back.

But I mean, a following doesn’t hurt sometimes. But I think it’s also if you can figure out how to build a name without being on social media so much, that might be a sweet spot. But I don’t know if you remember the height of reality TV with like Jersey Shore and when the Kardashians got really popular. I just remember kind of at the beginning of all that, people were so excited for reality TV, and I think it did shape the industry a bit because they were seeing people’s real mannerisms. And if you notice film and acting was a little different because people are used to seeing real mannerisms and stuff. But then we shifted towards the end of when reality TV got that huge spike, and people were, “Oh, well, a lot of this is set up, like a lot of this really isn’t reality.” And then now reality TV has kind of taken a backseat to things.

And so you just kind of wonder, are we getting to that space in social media where people are getting really, really big, and then all of a sudden, two weeks later, no one’s watching their content anymore? Like, they almost like start hating them. They’re building up these celebrities in a couple of days and then watching their downfall really quick. So it’s like, just because things come and go really quick like reality TV, we’ll see about social media.
You just start to wonder, is it going to be there forever?

I think it’s a lot to do with attention. I think that’s the commodity of today. So how do you keep someone’s attention? You have to keep performing to actually keep them watching or keep them subscribed or whatever you want to call it or keep them invested. So I think it’s a really interesting dynamic because on the one hand, you’re wanting to be as authentic as possible, and on the other hand, you’re trying to create and craft content that’s going to keep that person hooked on whatever story or narrative that’s going on behind you.

And then you look at someone like Meryl Streep who actually didn’t want publicity because I think there’s this interesting trade-off where an actress like Meryl Streep doesn’t want it because if you think that you know the person when they’re performing, it kind of ruins the performance. Like with her, what do we really know about her? When you see her on screen, it’s much easier to fall into the fact that she’s playing this character because you’re not thinking, “But I know exactly who this person is; that’s not them.” So it keeps people thinking, “Who is this person?” There’s more of an enigma to them. And then it’s easier for them to convince you that they aren’t themselves when they are playing a character. But yeah, it is a long and deep rabbit hole.

That’s a really good way to put it though. But it’s like, you know, that was a different era. You mentioned the sweet spot for actors with social media. On one hand, you want people to watch your movies, but then they can just pull up your account and watch you there. How do you find that balance?

Yeah, you know, sometimes you’ve got to find that. It’s true. It’s like the chicken or the egg situation, because you need a following to get noticed, but then you don’t want to look like you’re having to rely on that either. And then once you are noticed, then hopefully it’ll just start escalating by itself without too much effort anyway.

For people that don’t do acting, who are in the business world, it’s essentially like what we’re saying is when you apply for a job, they want you to have all this experience, but this is like your first job. And you’re like, “How am I going to get experience if no one gives me a job?” It’s like that.

Exactly. So just one of those weird anomalies. What can audiences look forward to from Brittany Mcvicker in the near future? Are there any dream roles or collaborations you can share with us? I saw on your IMDb profile that you have six films in post-production.

Oh, there’s actually eight. There’s two not even on there. Yeah, it’s been a lot. There are a couple of comedies, a couple of thrillers, and a horror. It’s been all over the place, like the range. I’ve been so excited. But movies take so long to come out. I think my family sometimes thinks I’m not really doing anything. I think they just think I’m on vacation all the time or in a different place, and they say, “Oh, did you really do that? Because we haven’t seen anything.” And it takes a year or two to come out. So it’s a funny process because everyone’s saying, “When is this coming out? When is this coming out?”

But I do have a really cool Western coming out pretty soon, hopefully end of this year, early next year, called Dogwood. It’s with Academy Award nominee Eric Roberts. Ruby Singleton was our amazing EP on it. And it’s going to be a really cool Western period piece, which for an actor or really anyone, it’s always the dream. Like you watch The Good, the Bad and the Ugly once, and you’re like, “I’ve got to do that.” So that’s going to be a really cool one.

I just wrapped a thriller called Kill Trip. If you’re a fan of Hitchcock films, you’re going to love this. It’s very Vertigo inspired. And a lot of it, the way it’s shot, is very specifically styled. There are a couple of shows that have come out recently doing something that we’ve done with this, so it’s just going to be a really interesting watch visually. And they’re really pushing for this to come out soon, so we should have a trailer for that in late July or August. So that will be cool.

Then lastly, do you have any all-time favorite films?

Oh my gosh, yes! Sunset Boulevard, Funny Girl…

I’m also a Sunset Boulevard fan. My top four are Sunset Boulevard, Chinatown, Excalibur, and then Monty Python.

Gosh, I could have like a top 20…

I always say that Sunset Boulevard is the film that made David Lynch, because I agree. It’s just everything that kind of plays out. Old Hollywood versus new Hollywood, and there’s that creepiness, that “what lies beneath” type thing. But then it’s also not super serious.

I love it. It’s so good. And it was so ahead of its time, just so ahead of its time. It’s great.