Lily McInerny on working with Chloë Sevigny and being a Celine girl

Lily McInerny could play the lead role in the newly debuted Hello, sadnessbut until the film's premiere earlier this month at the Toronto Film Festival – followed by a celebration hosted by Celine and Hedi Slimane – she hadn't seen the final cut. It's a discipline the New York-born and -raised actress tells me she inherited from fellow star Cailee Spaeny, whom she met last summer at a party in Paris ahead of the Venice premiere of “The 40th Anniversary.” Priscilla“I was so impressed by her patience and willpower that I immediately thought about whether this was an opportunity I wanted to explore creatively,” she said.

“When Hello, sadness was finished, I decided that I wanted to wait so that I could enjoy the film with an audience, with the best sound and, above all, with my collaborators on the film itself.” As she then tells me, she has no regrets.

CELINE by Hedi Slimane coat, shoes, sunglasses and earrings.

The adaptation of Françoise Sagan's famous novel, in which he stars alongside Chloë Sevigny and works with director and writer Durga Chew-Bose, may be only McInerny's second film, but you wouldn't guess it from talking to the winner of the Best Breakthrough Performance award at the 2023 Film Independent Spirit Awards. But like many aspiring stars, McInerny cut her teeth as an extra during what she thought was a semester off from her studies at Bennington; an experience she describes as “invaluable training.”

“I didn't know at the time that I was going to drop out, but what I did know was that I wanted to give myself a chance to pursue acting full-time. At the time, I was living in Providence and taking acting classes in the city once a week while also applying for central casting,” she continued.

“I was a fly on the wall on these sets. I absorbed, experienced and even questioned the processes of film production. This kind of insight and learning is unmatched.”

This naturally leads me to ask McInerny about her relationship to the concept of “give and take” in her latest role and in the film industry in general. “What do you think you learned from your co-stars and what do you feel you were able to pass on in return?” Her answer surprises me.

“Some of my best experiences on set were when we were shooting scenes, but my coverage had already been completed and the camera was focused on a single of one of my scene partners.”

“My only job in those moments was to perform for their benefit, and it was one of the few opportunities to really enjoy the co-stars' performances and be fully involved in what they bring to the scene. It's so fulfilling to be able to give that, but also to have the favor returned.”

LEFT: Jacket, top and skirt by CELINE by Hedi Slimane. RIGHT: Dress by CELINE by Hedi Slimane, Teen Nino bag in patent calfskin and necklace.

Hello, sadness is the first adaptation project McInerny has worked on, an opportunity that forced her to change her approach to the character of Cécile. The original novel, which Sagan wrote when she was 17, is full of humor that is unusually rich and deep for her age—a trait McInerny shares with the French playwright, novelist and screenwriter—and which was highly frowned upon in literature written by women in the 1950s. It was this voice and openness that brought out the spirit of Cécile in her; a vibrancy McInerny described as stunning and fearless. “Cécile was such an exciting exploration of femininity because she was raised by a single father—one who particularly exhibited some of the traditionally male traits, namely promiscuity and carefreeness, but also a certain closed-off nature. It was super challenging and fascinating to deal with those two sides of her,” she says.

“A lot of the preparation I do as an actor when exploring my character's desires, thoughts, feelings, memories and dreams was already written down for me, and it was a real joy to be able to experience the source material as a reader and then use it as a performer.”

LEFT: Coat and shoes by CELINE by Hedi Slimane. RIGHT: Dress by CELINE by Hedi Slimane, Teen Garance bag in two-tone patent calf leather and earrings.

Top and skirt by CELINE by Hedi Slimane.

This reaction makes me think about how McInerny balances character exploration with her sense of self. In the context of an adaptation, is it OK to play the character exactly as he was portrayed? How does she decide how much of her own experiences to bring in?

“I think this question speaks to something really fundamental to the process of performing and creating through the body and emotionality,” she begins. “I think it's impossible to separate myself from my characters, and to try to do so would actually be a disservice to the story. That's not to say I don't believe in extreme transformative abilities and don't challenge myself to 'reinvent' myself in my roles. But the materials I do that with have to come from my own memories, otherwise that portrayal loses all authenticity for me.”

LEFT: Top by CELINE by Hedi Slimane. RIGHT: Dress by CELINE by Hedi Slimane, shoes, Teen Garance bag in patent calf leather and necklace.

LEFT: CELINE by Hedi Slimane dress, Teen Garance bag in two-tone patent calf leather and earrings. RIGHT: CELINE by Hedi Slimane coat, hat, sunglasses and earrings.

As I quickly learn over the course of our conversation, authenticity is McInerny's guiding light. It's a commitment she maintains in all aspects of her life, and an energy she generously shared with us on set in Paris for our digital cover. Shot in her dream city (and the place she hopes to call home—or a second home—in the future), the actress's connection to the city's bustling streets is anything but fleeting, and forms much of the synergy she shares with luxury fashion house Celine.

“It feels very natural to me and every time we've worked together it's been so empowering. I always feel like the best version of myself and so authentic in the way I wear Celine. I love everything about Hedi's design sensibility and have always admired the house's vision of how they blend influences from decades or past collections while always remaining very fresh and current,” she said.

“Both fashion and film are about creating this fantasy world where we have the privilege of telling stories, making images and role-playing in these alternate dream worlds.

“My roots in theatre and film inspire me a lot, and I know I share that with Celine and Hedi. I first fell in love with acting when I was studying at a performing arts school, where we were exposed to a lot of methodologies and historical principles that underpin practice. In my own work and personal style, I hope to honour this while allowing myself the freedom to experiment.”

LEFT: Top, skirt, belt, earrings and bracelet by CELINE by Hedi Slimane. RIGHT: Coat and earrings by CELINE by Hedi Slimane.

LEFT: Top by CELINE by Hedi Slimane. RIGHT: Dress by CELINE by Hedi Slimane, Teen Nino calfskin bag, earrings and ring.

With the success of Celine’s campaign “Portrait of an Actress” and Hello, sadnessour conversation turns to what's to come. As for dream roles, McInerny tells us wistfully that she's always dreamed of starring in one of the classics – “…Shakespeare, Chekhov… a role where I can bring everything I've learned about integrating narrative layers through a historical lens.” At the mention of theater – a field she not only knows as a performer, but also enjoys participating in (she's a native New Yorker, after all) – I'm curious if she's developed a deeper connection to one medium than the other.

“I enjoy having the opportunity to play a story out in its entirety on stage. It's incredibly satisfying to tell a story continuously in a single night or a single day. I also love being able to repeat things on stage. Theater is both forgiving and unforgiving because you have the grace to try again and dig deeper night after night. You can build that character cumulatively. At the same time, there's only one take, so if you don't get it across the way you expect, that's the experience that the audience will definitely remember.”

“On camera, however, I love expressing emotions in extremely subtle ways. I feel incredibly comfortable with a narrow lens because it gives me freedom and purity of experience – I don't have to force anything. I can trust that my body will communicate the way it needs to, as long as I'm present.”

Dress by CELINE by Hedi Slimane, Teen Garance patent calfskin bag and earrings.

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