Meet Paris Dwyer | Actress

We had the good fortune of connecting with Paris Dwyer and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Paris, what role has risk played in your life or career?
Since I can remember, following the trajectory of finishing high school, going University, getting a degree, and then finding a job that could fulfill my everyday needs looked like the only safe bet at achieving a sense of stability in this lifetime. Growing up in a working-class family, I was privy to the struggles my parents faced to put food on the table, and the resentment they sometimes felt towards their past choices. Nor my mother or my father went to University. They were artists, beach bums, and free spirits who lived moment to moment. They continue to lead beautiful lives, but not without phases of discontentment at the thought of what could’ve been of their careers and financial freedoms. My mother especially stressed the importance of my education. As much as she fostered my dreams, she encouraged a more conventional pathway than the one she had taken. She wanted more stability for me. And I wanted the same for myself. I have always been academic, I love to learn, and so I was able to achieve the grades I needed to attend my dream University in Sydney. Freshly eighteen, I found a little apartment in the city and settled in to my studies. I would be the first person in my entire family tree to pursue a higher education. Everyone was so proud. And then I dropped out. I had worked my way through the first two semesters, so consumed by the workload that I forgot to sit with myself and wonder if any of it was making me happy. I was completely preoccupied with proving myself to my professors, and my peers; who I learnt came from totally different worlds (family’s, high schools, dinner tables, tax brackets) to me that I totally lost sight of my identity, and even worse, the creativity that had exploded from me since childhood, thanks to my mum and my dad. It wasn’t until I took a screenwriting elective in my third semester that I remembered what it felt like to feel inspired; to dream. This propelled me back into acting. A career in academia was making less and less sense to me. What I wanted more than anything was a life of art. I had been warned by just about everyone of the weight this decision held over my future; over my stability. But in my heart, the risk of working in a space that subdued my spirit felt equally as threatening. I knew pursuing what I loved meant taking a risk, but the irony was that my desire to act and to create was the only thing I could ever truly rely on. And so I deferred my degree and worked sixty hour weeks between restaurant jobs, e-commerce modeling, and overnight factory book-packing, sold much of my treasured vintage clothing and antique furniture and moved back home to my Mum’s house for a year to fund my studies abroad at the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute. My older brother, Saxon, gifted my flight for my 20th birthday present and off I went to New York.
Though it has not been all smooth sailing, I have not regretted this choice for a second, and I am stable in the knowledge that I never will. Acting, at its foundation, is largely about taking risks; emotional risks, embarrassing risks, experimental risks; being brave enough to explore the stakes. Risk-taking often occurs in response to passion and desire. It is so deeply human. Taking risks is a part of my duty as an artist, and I thank my own experiences for guiding me to draw this conclusion.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I have spent the last few years sinking my teeth into the art of film. Acting on camera is a wonderful thing – the medium gives you the freedom to tell your story without the restriction of time or distance. I am obsessed with the subtlety. The camera catches everything; every thought, every expression, every silence. There is no hiding. That is the discipline, staying totally present in the given circumstances from beginning to end of each take, and often times that means staying there for the moments in between. I come from a background of Method Acting training. While I have folded in elements from other techniques into my toolbox, I stay pretty loyal to the fundamentals of the Method. Every character I approach has an internal life based on my own truths, behind every line, action and reaction is a parallel reality. I explore this through analysis, sensory practice and rehearsal – until I can paint a clear picture of what I need to experience as the actor in order to bring my character into true existence. I’ve had the pleasure of working with some incredible creatives around the city. Film is so much about collaboration, and the relationships formed on set are really reflective of the project’s result. Shooting Indie, low-budget films is not all glitz and glamour. I’m often finding myself in all kinds of predicaments; whether it’s somewhere out in the weeds of New Jersey or a random gas station out in Long Island in the middle of the night. We will be shooting a beach scene in the middle of winter, or costumed in traditional Nun garb’s in the armpit of summer. It gets cold, hot, exhausting, repetitive, uncomfortable and stressful. But it’s the camaraderie that gets us through those tough set days – and the knowledge that we have all showed up for the same reason; to create something worthwhile. I’ve learnt how important it is to be a good sport, to show up with a positive spirit and to truly commit yourself to whatever project you work on. Once I have signed on to a role, that character is my baby, and it is my absolute duty to give it my all, regardless of the size of paycheck or the film’s prestige. That has done a lot for me. Many of my roles have come as a result of my work and attitude while connecting with filmmakers on prior sets.
I am a prolific reader and especially a lover of plays. I enjoy acting on stage and hope to delve deeper into that side of my artistry in coming months. The theatre is an inspiring space to me, and I think I have a lot to learn from it. I am excited to continue evolving and expanding my work.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I am exactly the opposite of a ‘creature of habit’. New York has so much to offer, and I am eternally trying to experience every single bit. Whenever my friends and family come to visit, I have them do a mandatory wander. Walking around the city and stumbling into stores and cafes and galleries that you feel some higher calling to is such a big part of what the city means to me. You can never stop discovering, and as long as you are open to the city, it’ll be open to you. In saying that, I’ve stumbled across a number of places I’m known to stumble back to.
A perfect New York day for me begins here; it’s the first flush of spring and everyone outside is so happy to be without a jacket, finally feeling the sun on their skin. There is such a specific energy vibrating through the city during this time of year. Everyone looks and feels reborn. It’s the best time to visit.
Our first stop is Olive’s cafe in Soho for coffee and a pastry. Partial to an iced-latte at least once a day, I can attest theirs is the best in the city. From there we walk over to St Luke in the Fields Garden, find my favorite bench and enjoy our coffee in the sunshine. Hands down my most frequented and the most underrated park in the city – whoever does the gardening there is not messing around.
I like to travel by foot whenever I can, so since we’re in the neighborhood, Murray’s Bagels on 6th Ave is on the menu for lunch. Murray’s and Tompkins Square are my top competitors in the bagel department. Both are scrumptious. My order is notoriously controversial, I like a pumpernickel everything bagel, fresh, with egg salad, spinach and hot sauce, always. Post-bagel we can get going on a walk along the Hudson River and up to the Whitney museum. It’s one of the best for contemporary art and generally less busy than the museums uptown. You can also catch a really beautiful view of the city from the top floor.
Since we’ve been on our feet for some time, its time to sit down, shut up and watch a play at the Lucille Lortel Theatre; one of the most iconic off-broadway spots in New York; and an overall inspiring atmosphere. After the show we can head over to Small’s Jazz Club for an intimate discussion concerning our thoughts on the play over an aperitif. For dinner we are having pasta at Fiaschetteria, a lovely little Italian restaurant in the area. Their Cacio e Pepe is the best I’ve ever had. While their Tiramisu is hard to resist, our final stop is Saint Ambroeus for my favorite desert in the city – their Principessa cake. It is nothing short of perfect. Then to bed for a full nights sleep, I’m an early girl.
Some other things to check out are; the Morgan Library and Museum – heaven for anyone with a love for literature. The Drama Bookstore – for the thespians. La Cabra – quality coffee and yummy treats. La Bonbonniere – cheap and cheerful brunch gem. Dimes Deli – great sandwiches. Parcelle – for the wine nerds. Also Saint Jardim and Gem wine. And for lovers of vintage fashion; I am about to put you on – Above Chinatown – second floor of the Chinatown mall under the Manhattan Bridge. The best collection of vintage women’s fashion in the whole city. My other favorites include, Procell, Lara Koleji and Other People’s Clothes.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I am eternally indebted to everyone who has shown belief in me, one way or another. That has been the greatest gift of all. It is easy to feel like an imposter in any creative industry, with no dependable guideline for what constitutes good art, and successful artistry, we are often left with nothing but the passion to intuit the validity of our choice to take this path. I thank those who let me know that this passion is enough. And my mum, always, for every sacrifice and every forehead kiss. Thank you for teaching me freedom and spirit. Thank you for raising me to dream.

Website: parisdwyer.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/parisdwyer/

Image Credits
Kevin Kim Min Soo Park Willow Nichols Moon Choi Andres Meijia Jackson Zernich Emma Holzer