Rising Star Lara Pictet On The Five Things You Need To Shine In The Entertainment Industry

Be patient- I found myself working like a maniac because I thought if I wasn’t “hustling” then I wasn’t being productive and someone somewhere else in the world was taking my role. Everything happens when it’s supposed to, everyone’s paths are different and not everything is in your control. You can do what’s in your hands and then the rest is not up to you. Let it go and enjoy the journey and the process because at the end of the day, that’s what you will remember.

As a part of our series about pop culture’s rising stars, I had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Lara Pictet.

Award-winning Swiss actress & Producer Lara Pictet (Beast, By Light of Desert Night, Offline) stars in four exciting new film releases for 2022, including Dakota and Renegades.

Dakota is Out Now in the United States and is released in the UK end of May/June 2022. Also slated for release in 2022/23 are Muti and State of Consciousness, featuring Lara alongside Morgan Freeman and Emile Hirsch respectively.

Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Can you tell
us the story of how you grew up?

Thank you for having me! I grew up in somewhat of a divided home. My parents got divorced when I was 1 and my father left for London. My siblings were significantly older than me so they had already left home for boarding school so it was my mom and I in Geneva. From the age of 3 years old until I left for London which was when I was 13 I was on a plane every Friday until Sunday to visit my dad in London. Travelling as a UM on Swiss or British Airways was the first step into my independence… Ha. Come to think of it now, it’s crazy to think I was travelling by myself at 3 years old every weekend but at the time I remember having a great time, I was telling my whole life story to every person sitting next to me and would walk up and down the plane to find new people to speak too- Needless to say, I was very social.

Can you share a story with us about what brought you to this specific career path?

I started theatre when I was 6 as a form of escaping what was going on at home and I found comfort in playing different characters in various worlds. It became a way for me to express myself and I came to life! I remember creating “little shows” and forcing my family to watch me perform after dinner. I went on to work at a theatre in Geneva, did my first short film and commercial and then I left for London at age 13 to continue my education but also start my training in Theatre.

Can you tell us the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?

There are too many to choose from! Working in film is so varied, often no two days are the same and the demands of roles can be totally different. I find everything I work on interesting and relish the challenges.

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

I think the funniest mistake was perhaps thinking working in film would be glamourous. On set for By Light of Desert Night, I laid in a dirty ditch in the hot sun for two days, and my back was covered in scratches. Luckily I’m up for anything and throw myself body & soul into roles — so it’s more about the acting and the results than the glamour for me.

What are some of the most interesting or exciting projects you are working on now?

I have been working on something for quite some time and it’s finally coming to fruition with amazing people attached. I can’t go into much detail about it right now, but I’ll just say it will definitely generate buzz in many different aspects of the industry.

You have been blessed with success in a career path that can be challenging. Do you have any words of advice for others who may want to embark on this career path, but seem daunted by the prospect of failure?

Nothing in life is certain, every career path can be “a failure”. It all depends on how you go about it, if you are crystal clear about your goal and objective it brings a certain drive and passion to everything you do. You have to find ways to make things happen for yourself as opposed to waiting- waiting for auditions, waiting to get signed, waiting to meet the right people. Do the work, do the research, do the training, do the workshops and the networking events. You are your biggest asset so it’s up to you to show your worth and why “they” need you as opposed to you needing them. My biggest 4 jobs I didn’t get through my reps, I got from keeping in touch with the right people over the years, by continuously working on my craft and showing them I was working and making things happen on my own. As artists, we always find ways to be creative, so just do it! You have nothing to lose- go create!

We are very interested in diversity in the entertainment industry. Can you share three reasons with our readers about why you think it’s important to have diversity represented in film and television? How can
that potentially affect our culture?

For so long, diversity wasn’t an important factor in Hollywood. These past few years, a lot has shifted- not only from an audience’s perspective in that people were tired of seeing the same faces on screen, that’s when “beauty” started evolving and it was reintroduced in many different looks, shapes, colors, and sizes- at last! Because at the end of the day film and television is a form of “reality” Whether it’s depicting a true story or a fictional one, you’re watching a story come to life and in real life- in the real world it’s a melting pot of diversity- 7.9 Billion people that are all different, so why has it taken so long to implement that in the stories we write? It’s so important, everyone wants to relate to a character they are watching or to connect to the story of someone’s life. It’s important for our culture and generations to come to see that equality- But it should be equality, not just a checkmark to compensate for all these years of not representing that diversity. The industry is always evolving and is trying to find its balance with all the changes that have been occurring- I feel very blessed to be where I am today and be able to witness and work with this shift.

What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started” and why? Please share a story or example for each.

1. Connections. They are everything- My father had one or two connections but I was so eager “to do it on my own” that I refused to use those connections for the longest time. Until I realized I was shooting myself in the foot because yes, I can use that connection, that connection will get me through that door, but then it’s up to me to blow them away in 5 minutes.

2. Be patient- I found myself working like a maniac because I thought if I wasn’t “hustling” then I wasn’t being productive and someone somewhere else in the world was taking my role. Everything happens when it’s supposed to, everyone’s paths are different and not everything is in your control. You can do what’s in your hands and then the rest is not up to you. Let it go and enjoy the journey and the process because at the end of the day, that’s what you will remember.

3. Make rejection your best friend- You will hear more often than not “no”. Don’t let that be a discouragement, welcome it in as a motivational tool to change something, to find a different way, to reflect and come back with a bigger BOOM.

4. Know your self-worth before anything- How do you want to sell something if you don’t know what it costs? During a difficult time in my life, I was at a very low- low and I lost all sense of self-worth, every meeting or audition was just a nightmare because I wasn’t present within myself, I was self-doubting and insecure- so of course, I wasn’t getting any jobs! I took a little break to take care of myself, find what works for you (meditation, journaling, reading self help or motivational books, doing a hobby, going on holiday etc…) and just do it, it’s so important to honor yourself and honor your body. You will resource and recharge and when you come back, you’re a different person- I remember when I checked off my last day of my break, that following week I was getting meetings and auditions left and right because then, I knew what I was selling and I knew my worth.

5. They are interviewing you but you are also interviewing them. I remember my first meeting with a big management agency, I was so nervous because I wanted to get signed by them so badly. I told them everything they wanted to hear and wasn’t being my authentic self- and when the meeting finished, the person I was with asked me “so- what did you think?” and that question baffled me! What did I think? Obviously, it doesn’t matter what I think, what did they think? Did they like me? Did I do ok? We went for coffee and he sat me down and told me the best piece of advice that I carry with me everyday. You are the powerhouse, they need you- you don’t need them. Next time, I want you to write 4 things that are important to you, what do you expect from your manager and your next meeting, you will interview them, you will see if they are a right fit for you and if you feel that you share those 4 values that you wrote before.

Which tips would you recommend to your colleagues in your industry to help them to thrive and not “burn out”?

Like I mentioned before, it’s so important to put yourself first and honor yourself and your body. Don’t overwhelm yourself thinking it’s productivity- In your planner, write down on 1 column what can you do, what’s in your control- and the next column what you cannot control. Focus on the left column and spread it out so that when you’re doing each, you’re focused on each and doing them well. Live to work, don’t work to live. It’s all a healthy balance and the good thing about being an Artist is that every life experience you can use in your work so nothing is ever a waste.

You are a person of enormous influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-)

I think, especially today the main one that I feel called to is peace, no war. That sense of unity amongst us humans, to love each other no matter who we are or where we come from, our shape or colour- But just to be one. I also think if there was a way of implementing therapy as part of our education in our society, so that growing up we are immediately given the tools on how to express ourselves, how to communicate etc… It wouldn’t be so taboo today and people would have a better sense of who they are or what kind of person they want to be.

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?

Honestly, I’m grateful for everyone in my life because every single person that’s close to me played some part in helping me get where I am today. Every relationship I have has shaped me into the woman I am today, even during the hardest times, it was all for something bigger and I’m glad I went through those happy moments as well as those traumatic ones because they gave me the strength I need today to do what I do.

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?

“Trust the path you’re on, everything that is meant to happen will happen when the timing is right. In the meantime, ride the wave.”

That was relevant to me because I have a tendency to be impatient when I’m passionate, I want to do everything at a million miles an hour and then I have no light or energy left. I had to understand that everyone’s on their own path, at their own speed and I can’t rush time, I just need to focus on my objective and ride the wave, life is too short to be worried all the time!

Is there a person in the world, or in the US whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this, especially if we tag them. :-)

Oh, so many! I think if I just stick to the legendary Meryl Streep. That woman is so fascinating, I’d love to just sit down and have a conversation with her about life and just take in all her wisdom and knowledge she exudes.

This was very meaningful, thank you so much! We wish you continued success!