Up-and-Comers of the Month: “Florida Project” Stars Brooklynn Prince and Bria Vinaite on Their Blessed Hollywood Journey

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The past month has been a dark time for Hollywood, which is why we need stories like that of Bria Vinaite more than ever.

The 24-year-old New Yorker was hawking a marijuana-themed clothing line on Instagram when she was discovered by Tangerine director Sean Baker, who liked her look and asked her to audition for one of the leads in THE FLORIDA PROJECT opposite Willem Dafoe and a precocious six-year-old (now 7!) named Brooklynn Prince.

Vinaite and Prince are the Tracking Board’s Up-and-Comers of the Month. They play a mother-and-daughter duo who live in a rundown Orlando motel that is managed by Dafoe’s character. The Florida Project debuted at Cannes and has won praise from critics and audiences alike, and it’s entirely possible if not likely that the film will score a Best Picture nomination come January.

Regardless of its awards buzz, The Florida Project has launched the careers of Prince and Vinaite, who respectively signed with UTA and ICM Partners for representation. Casting directors have begun reaching out, and both actresses are starting to audition for a variety of projects as they embark on this Hollywood journey together.

The duo share fantastic chemistry onscreen and off, as you’ll see in our interview below. Enjoy!

Brooklynn, how were you discovered by Sean, and did your parents have any hesitation about the foul language and how adult this role is? Did they ever try to talk you out of it?

Brooklynn: My mom got a call for me to audition. I went for hours, but I loved it. To be honest, I was real excited [to say bad words]because I never got to say those in my life. And no, [my parents]were kind of worried, but they felt good with Sean. It was fun.

Bria, you were discovered on Instagram because Sean liked your look. How did that all go down, and did part of you ever think he was just some creepy guy online?

Bria: Yeah, definitely. It just happened so unexpectedly, because he had reached out to me through Instagram, and then we got on the phone and he told me a little bit about the film. It just never occurred to me that it would be this amazing of a project. It happened so fast, I kind of just threw myself into the situation without really thinking about it.

Tell me about the tattoos. They’re authentically you, yet to me, they were such a big part of this character. So why did you get those tattoos, and what do they signify for you?

Bria: I mean, honestly, most of them are cover-ups, because I started getting them when I was really young, so the big ones were just kind of fixing the old ones that I didn’t really like a lot. But I always felt like it was a way to express myself, and I liked the look, so I just started early and continued.

What was it like working with Sean? How did he get you to go to some of those difficult places?

Brooklynn: Well, Miss Sam [acting coach/associate producer Samantha Quan]really helped me out with that [climactic scene]. She just told me that everything was fake, and she really made it feel good so that I wouldn’t stress about it and my parents wouldn’t have fear of me taking it all day, because I wouldn’t want to leave the waiting room, because I didn’t want to do that scene. And also, Bria really comforted me, too. She knew how much I was really nervous for that scene.

Bria, did Sean ask you to improvise a lot? I know you took a couple weeks of acting classes before starting, but did you practice improv at all? Was it nerve-wracking?

Bria: I definitely didn’t practice the improv part. The only improv I really did was, there’d be a few lines I’d say differently, or I’d add another word, and Sean was really helpful in allowing us to really mold our characters into who they were. I feel like having the classes and being in that atmosphere and hanging out with some of the women who lived in the motels, I really got to understand Halley’s character. Sean was so welcoming to us, and to have that freedom to put in those little suggestions and speak our minds… he was just very helpful throughout the whole process. It was really amazing to work with him.

Bria, how did you react to the news that you’d be sharing scenes with Willem Dafoe? Did he offer any advice to either of you during filming?

Bria: It made me a little nervous, just because you never know what to expect from someone of his caliber. The thing I really respected about him was, he just treated all of us like we were equal. He was just so friendly and willing to talk and help in any way he could. It was a really big help to have someone like Willem just be confident in all of our characters and in the story.

Brooklynn: Yes it was.

What about you, Brooklynn? Were you intimated at all working with him, or was he really nice?

Brooklynn: Ohhh yeah! I was like, let’s get this party going Mr. Famous Person! I was like, oh my gosh, he’s in Spider-Man! That’s the only movie I ever knew he was in, because growing up, I didn’t really grow up with the stars, I just grew up in Florida like a normal kid. It was really cool to meet my first famous person.

This has been quite the journey for you two, so what has been your favorite part? Was it being in France for Cannes and having your picture taken? Meeting another celebrity?

Bria: I think my favorite part has definitely been the traveling. A lot of the cities that we’re going to, I’ve never been to before. So it’s really nice to go see new places and meet new people. Every little piece of this experience has been so special, and to be able to do it with Brooklynn has been very special. I feel like we’re all kind of going through this special experience together, so to  have them to go through it with has been really great.

Brooklynn: Thank you, Bria.

And what has been your favorite part of this journey, Brooklynn?

Brooklynn: Hanging out with Bria. She’s super cool and like I said, she’s really supportive. She’s a very nice girl, and she’s like a kid too.

Bria: Yes, I am.

Brooklynn: She’s not very, very professional, like, “shoo, kid! I’m getting my makeup done!” She deserves this big part and all this press. I really like her. She’s so sweet and kind and very funny. She’s super nice because we got friendship aliens.

Bria: Oh yes we did! We have these stuffed aliens. We both have one. I have Fred, and Brooklynn has Ed.

Brooklynn: Oh yeah, because that’s my grandpa’s name!

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Let’s go back to those two weeks of acting classes, Bria. What did you take away from them?

Bria: I think the biggest thing was building really solid relationships with the kids, because I definitely wanted to have those relationships be as real as possible before filming. And also, just memorizing my lines, and learning how to turn it on and off. There were a lot of really heavy scenes that I had to prepare for so there were a lot of mental exercises to kind of explain how to play with my emotions. Stuff like that.

Have you either of you ever stayed in a motel like the one we see in this movie, where it may be a little rundown but the tenants are sort of like a makeshift family?

Bria: Personally, I have not.

Brooklynn: Nope, never. Ever, ever in my life. This is the first hotel that I’m really, really into, but I can’t go to the pool, so it’s kind of boring.

Who’s been the coolest person you two have met along the way? I’ve seen Drake pop up on your Instagram feed, Bria.

Bria: Yeah, he was definitely one of the cool people. We’ve definitely met a lot of cool people and it’s really awesome to have people who we look up to and admire kind of really love the movie. It’s been a really surreal experience.

Brooklynn: The one person who I love and who follows me on Instagram now is Elle Fanning. I met her in Toronto. I know, dreams do come true! It was like, the best day of my life. She’s really supportive too, and nice and funny. She’s really, really sweet and kind, because she follows me on Instagram and she watches all my videos really closely and always comments on them. That’s really a big deal to me, because I only have a couple followers, and she’s like, my top one right now.

And she started out just like you, as a really talented little girl.

Brooklynn: Yeah, she was like, two years old when she started. Oh, wait! I think I started before her. I’ve been acting since I was two, but I haven’t been in all movies, I’ve been in commercials.

What do you love about acting, Brooklynn?

Brooklynn: Everything! I like everything. Like the way you can be your own character and form that character into life, and really feel their emotions and be the character. It’s really, really surprising how that can all form into one person.

Do you plan to continue acting? Do you think this is going to open any new doors for you, maybe in the world of fashion for you, Bria?

Brooklynn: Yes, definitely. I feel like it’s going to really be a new door opened, because all my life, I’ve just been doing small parts in acting. I’ve only been in two movies so far, so this is like my big one that really opened doors for me. One already opened the door… the Elle Fanning door, which leads to the Dakota Fanning door.

Bria: I definitely want to continue acting. It’s something I really enjoy doing, so it’s definitely the way I’m going to go. Not as much modeling as acting, which I’m definitely going to keep pursuing.

Brooklynn: I want to be a modeler too. I can model! We’re not facetiming, so you can’t see my poses.

Brooklynn, why do you think Moonee runs off to Disney World with her friend at the end of the film?

Brooklynn: It’s not really mentioned in the movie, but I think it’s because Moonee had always dreamed of going there, and I think she enjoys just watching the fireworks. Jancey sees that in her, so that’s why she decides to take her to Disney.

Bria, what do you think the moral of this story is? What’s the lesson that audiences are supposed to take away from this film?

Bria: I definitely feel like what people should take away from it is to just not be judgmental of people’s situations. You might not necessarily know the full extent of what’s going on in their lives. And also, to be entertained and take in the story, which really makes you think a lot. I just hope that people get the right message.

Brooklynn: Yeah, me too. I agree. I think people really need to realize what’s going on. They’re like, let me just chill out in the car and not look at anything and just snore. I think they really need to see what’s going on. Open your eye-peels!

You’re right. Movies don’t often show characters like these in this kind of setting.

Bria: Yeah, I definitely agree. I feel like there needs to be more films that show real stuff instead of a fantasy world that doesn’t exist.

What was the most challenging scene for both of you?

Brooklynn: The DCF scene. I really liked the energy that I could use in that scene, like how mad I could be. I could be the Hulk. I even use that line! “You do not want to get me angry.”

Bria: I think the most challenging scene for me was the fight scene, because it was just such an intense energy. I was in a really good mood that day, so to channel all that anger was definitely very interesting for me, and then afterwards, to have it turn that off after doing five takes of beating someone up, was challenging. But it was also kind of fun.

Brooklynn: I actually wanted to throw up. I was like, ewww… gosh, Bria! What did you do to her? Maybe she was punching a pillow. Were you punching a pillow?

Bria: I was punching a mat.

Brooklynn, you are eating a ton of ice cream in this movie. What’s your favorite flavor of ice cream?

Brooklynn: Yes I am! Strawberry Mint Chocolate Chip. And Cookie Dough! Oh my God, I love the chunks in Cookie Dough! That just makes my day, you know, bro? You probably know.

And Bria, I’ll ask you the adult version of that ice cream question. You’re smoking a ton of weed in this movie, so what’s your favorite strain?

Bria: Probably Blue Dream.

That and Cookie Dough ice cream would go really well together.

Bria: (laughing) I can’t!

Brooklynn: I cannot! I cannot have Blue Dream ice cream.

No, you cannot! You’re way too young, Brooklynn. So what’s
next for the two of you? Are you going on auditions now?

Brooklynn: I’m auditioning for a big Disney film [likely The One and Only Ivan], and I’m on hold for another movie… I think.

Bria: I have a new project that I’m going to be working on soon. It’s an indie film called The Disenchanted, so I’m definitely very excited to start that.

You’re both represented by manager Thor Bradwell at Thirty Three Management. Why did you decide to sign with him?

Bria: I just love him so much. I just have a really good relationship with him and he just like, understands me as a person. It’s really nice to be going through this experience with someone who really, genuinely cares about me and my future, so I’m very happy that I’m working with him.

Brooklynn: I’m very happy too. He has a hammer, so I can smash things, even if they’re valuable!

 Jeff Sneider | Editor in Chief