Interview: Brittany Curran: All Hail the High King of Fillory
Brittany Curran can currently be seen as Fen, the High King of Fillory in the SyFy series, The Magicians, which is based on the bestselling series from Lev Grossman. Brittany auditioned on her day off from filming a movie. The casting director knew her work. Brittany read a few scenes and as they say the rest is history. The latest season of The Magicians is a real doozy. It had us in tears and as avid fans of the show we cannot wait to see where they go with it next. Brittany sat down with Glitter to talk to latest season of The Magicians, her new series, FraXtur, the one travel item she can’t live without, and how important it is for women to stand up for themselves. Read on to find out more about this talented actress.
GLITTER: Did you always want to be an actress?
BRITTANY: Pretty much. But there was a short period of time when I was really little when I wanted to be a flight attendant. I loved our family vacations to Disney World so much (and I still do) that I highly associated flight attendants with Disney, because how excited I always was on the journey there. I used to practice buckling and unbuckling my seat belt, pretending to be giving the safety demonstration they always give at the beginning of flights.
GLITTER: What can you tell us about the new season of Syfy’s The Magicians without giving anything away?
BRITTANY: I can tell you that the season finale is literally going to shock you. I was on set visiting the final day of the season and was literally crying while watching them shoot the last scene. I also bawled my eyes out during the table read. It’s going to be a rough one. So gird your loins.
GLITTER: How did you audition for the show?
BRITTANY: I was shooting a movie at the time and happened to get an audition for The Magicians on one of my few days off. The casting director, Carrie Audino, already knew my work and we knew each other over the years, so she brought me in directly to meet the producers. I went to the casting office, which is at Raleigh Studios in Hollywood, and I remember there being a basket of cookies in the waiting room that the actors could snack on. That NEVER happens. It was awesome. So I went into the room, read the two scenes, and then discovered there was a third scene that I was very much not aware of. I still have no idea to this day how I possibly missed it. I told them what had happened, stepped out into the waiting room for five minutes to try and learn the scene real fast, and I guess it went pretty well because I got the offer later that week.
GLITTER: What is it like playing Fen, the acting High King of Fillory? Are you like her in any way in real life?
BRITTANY: I’m now the official High King of Fillory, which is PRETTY sweet. I’ve always had a love and deep fascination with castles and royals and histories of monarchies, so I especially nerd out that I get to be a High King of a magical kingdom. I would say that the things Fen and I have most in common is our childlike joy that we find in most things, our loyalty, and our affinity for apologizing too much.
GLITTER: Does the Syfy show follow Lev Grossman’s book, or is it a bit different from the books?
BRITTANY: The first season was pretty closely aligned with the books, I’d say as the seasons progress, the books serve more as a guideline as the show finds its own life and own journey, while still honoring Lev’s creation.
GLITTER: What can you tell us about the new series, FraXtur? Who do you play and where will it air?
BRITTANY: FraXtur is about a group of college students who get unexpectedly and inexplicably caught in a post-apocalyptic world. My character Aria is a little shy but also fearless and ends up kicking some butt, which was a lot of fun. We don’t have a release date yet.
GLITTER: What can you tell us about you work with the Los Angeles Children’s Hospital and the Boston Children’s Hospital?
BRITTANY:I’ve taken part in a lot of volunteering event at the LA Children’s Hospital and done patient visits. A few years ago, I ran on the Boston Children’s Hospital team in the 10k Falmouth Road Race, our team raised about $80k for the hospital. I also hosted a screening at the hospital of my film Legally Blonde 3 and did visits with patients. But the charity I’ve been highly involved in lately is Donate Life, an organization that champions organ donation. I’m actually forming a team to run a 5k on April 27th at Cal State Fullerton. So if anyone wants to join my team or donate to this great cause, they can do so here: http://olf.convio.net/goto/brittanycurran
GLITTER: What is your top travel item for the girl on the go that you cannot live without?
BRITTANY: A book. Usually more like five books.
GLITTER: How often do you meditate?
BRITTANY: I want to say every day, because that’s what I’m trying to do. But at this point probably only once a week. I need to do it once a day though. I love meditating in my living room in the morning, facing the window into my backyard. It’s a very peaceful space for me.
GLITTER: What do you love to do in your spare time?
BRITTANY: Travel, write, and hang out with my cat and boyfriend. Also currently binging The Office, The Good Place, and Supernatural.
GLITTER: If you weren’t an actress, what would you want to do instead?
BRITTANY: Be a screenwriter/producer, which is what I’m pursuing now. But if I had to be something not in the film industry, a novelist.
GLITTER: How do you stay grounded in this business?
BRITTANY: I surround myself with people who love me enough to be honest with me. I also do a lot of charity work and try to focus on things outside of myself and my industry. Honestly, I’m such a deeply empathetic person (to a nauseating degree) that it’s hard to ever get too full of myself.
GLITTER: What is something fans may not know about you?
BRITTANY: I’m obsessed with spy novels and spy movies and spy stuff in general. I’m currently reading, The Secret History of MI6: 1909-1949 by Keith Jeffery.
GLITTER: What is your mantra?
BRITTANY: One of my favorite quotes by Jack Kerouac: “One day I will find the right words, and they will be simple.”
GLITTER: Favorite book right now?
BRITTANY: Favorite book is probably The Great Gatsby, but the books I’m reading right now, in addition to my MI6 is Harry Potter and Red Sparrow.
GLITTER: Do you have any new projects coming up that you can tell us about?
BRITTANY: I have my very first animated film coming out at the end of the year where I voice a character! I can’t really announce it yet. I’m also producing a documentary about Scotch whisky called “The Water of Life” that I’m very excited about. I’ve also been writing a short western that I plan on making next year, which will be the first thing I’ve ever directed. I’m both excited and terrified.
GLITTER: What positive message do you hope to send women who follow you?
BRITTANY: It’s the same message I always tell myself: always be reaching to be the best version of yourself while simultaneously loving who you are right now and being grateful for what you have right now. But never stop reaching and challenging yourself. This message, of course, applies to men as well.
GLITTER: Many women are coming forward in media and standing up for their rights as women. How important is this issue to you?
BRITTANY: It’s 100% important to me. We’ve come so far as a society, but still have so far left to go. I was recently on Facebook and saw a post by a young woman who I’ve known since she was a little girl. We don’t talk often anymore, but we’ve spent some amazing time together over our lives. Her post was a link to article that literally talked about how women are less than men, not as worthy as men, and should obey men. Always. The post said that this is what God wants. And she thought the article was beautiful and truthful. When I read it, it truly, truly broke my heart. Here’s this young woman in her mid-twenties who literally believes her Creator sees her as subservient and less than. I thought about what a sweet little girl she is and now how she will live the rest of her life bowing down to men and never truly respecting herself. The fact that it’s 2019 and young women still feel this way, is why we need to keep fighting for our fellow women who still don’t value themselves. We need to fight for ourselves and for the women who aren’t strong enough to fight for themselves. Because I believe someday, they will be strong enough.
GLITTER: Glitter has a Celebrity #SelfLoveCampaign, what’s self-love mean to you?
BRITTANY: Self-love means loving yourself and respecting yourself even when you’re not happy with yourself. We all have things we wish we could do better or accomplishments we have yet to achieve, but self-love is loving you no matter what happens along the way.
GLITTER: How can fans follow you?
BRITTANY: I recently just started a Cameo account where I make personalized fan videos, it’s a lot of fun. Here’s the link: https://www.cameo.com/brittanycurran I’m also on Instagram: @brittanycurran / Twitter: @BrittanyCurran / Facebook: @ActorBrittanyCurran
