If Millicent Simmonds wins a BAFTA on Sunday night, she’s celebrating with carrot cake. 'Every time I've accomplished something, be it a premiere or getting a new role, I always have a piece of carrot cake.' It seems that the 19-year-old breakthrough star actor might have to get used to eating a lot of cream cheese frosting as the accomplishments are mounting thick and fast.
Having made her on screen debut aged 12, in Wonderstruck alongside Julianne Moore and Michelle Williams, this weekend she follows Letitia Wright, Daniel Kaluuya and Bukky Bakray as one of this year’s EE Rising Star Bafta nominees. The award nomination celebrates her nuanced and captivating performance as Regan, Emily Blunt’s onscreen daughter in thriller A Quiet Place (Parts I and II), whose family must stay silent to survive in post-apocalyptic chaos.
Ahead of the BAFTAs, Simmonds talks to ELLE about greater inclusivity in Hollywood and her plans to push for better representation from in front and behind the camera.
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Congratulations on the nomination! How did you find your way in to acting?
I got involved with the drama club at school. I loved telling stories with sign language. I loved connecting with the audience. I wasn't thinking about being a professional actor because I'd never seen anyone deaf on my screens growing up. It didn't occur to me that it was an option. But then my drama teacher noticed that there was an audition and they were looking for a deaf actor around the age of 12. She begged me to go. I really didn't think that I was going to get the part, but five years later here we are...
What a five years! Are you happy to be the deaf visibility on screens that was missing for you?
Oh yes! I've become super motivated to be a representative so that children watching who maybe feel different from mainstream society are seen. So not just deaf girls, but anybody who feels like an 'other', and for them to realise that they can have big dreams and achieve them as well.
We've seen some big strides in aural diversity in Hollywood this year, with an Oscar nominated film starring the first deaf superhero: Lauren Ridloff in Marvel's Eternals. Do you feel encouraged?
Absolutely. The past few years we've really seen a lot more deaf actors. And I'm so happy to not be the only one on screen. It would be a lot of responsibility to be the only representative of an entire community of people. The deaf community is incredibly diverse. And so there needs to be a diverse representation of us all. It's critical.
Here in the UK, we had a moment for deaf awareness with Rose Ayling-Ellis winning Strictly Come Dancing. Did you watch her?
I saw her dancing and reached out to her to congratulate her. She's so sweet. And now we are very much in touch. I'm so proud of her and happy for her experience on the show.
Do you see yourself acting forever?
I would like to carry on doing this for as long as possible. But I'm also interested in doing behind-the-camera work. Currently, I'm producing a TV series which focuses on a deaf child who has parents that don't sign, but gets sent to a school where she does learn American Sign Language and creates friendships. I've been learning a lot doing it so it’d be great to get more involved with writing and maybe directing one day.
A producer at 19! What comes next?
I think I'd like to play something a little bit lighter - maybe a comedy or romance. But specifically, I'd like a character that spotlights me as a deaf person, but not in a helpless position. I just want to see more people that are disabled portrayed in environments where they're not struggling. Send them up to space, have them in a love story. Doing things that other people are doing. I think the struggle that disabled people experience has been done on screen. I want like to encourage more directors, and producers and writers to get out of their sort of comfort zones. Be more creative with their deaf actors and characters - it can be fun.
Public voting for the EE Rising Star Award is open at ee.co.uk/BAFTA until March 11, 2022 and the winner will be announced at the EE British Academy Film Awards on Sunday March 13, 2022.
During Lena's tenure at ELLE, she has been building the brand’s cultural content and special projects including benchmark events; ELLE Weekender, The ELLE List and The ELLE Style Awards. During her time at the magazine, she’s commissioned essays from Zadie Smith, interviewed everyone from Miley Cyrus to Jodie Comer and made viral videos like ‘More Women’ that shone a light on gender inequality and was seen by millions. As an editor, Lena specialises in travel, music, arts, film and all culture and is an active BAFTA member having sat on a jury for many years. She has written for numerous titles including The Guardian, Vogue and The New York Times.
