Exclusive Interview: Pop Culturalist Chats with The Thing About Harry’s Britt Baron

Britt Baron is a scene-stealer who’s captivating audiences in every role she embodies, whether that’s in the ring as the youngest GLOW wrestler or as a pop star rediscovering herself in Hulu’s Into the Dark. Next, she’ll be seen starring opposite Jake Borelli and Niko Terho in Freeform’s The Thing About Harry. The queer rom-com follows two high school enemies, promiscuous jock Harry (Terho) and out-and-proud Sam (Borelli), as they travel to their Missouri hometown for a friend’s engagement party on Valentine’s Day. Britt dazzles as Stasia, Sam’s edgy and outspoken best friend. Pop Culturalist had the pleasure of speaking with Britt about the film.

Career

PC: How did you discover your passion for acting?
Britt: I always loved acting and performing. I was in children’s community theater when I was young, and I happened to go to a public school with a really strong theater program. I was actually a competitive dancer growing up. Eventually, it got to the point where I had to choose because I was missing so much dance for play rehearsals. I made the decision in sixth grade that I enjoyed theater way more than I did dance. I really discovered my passion for acting through community theater. I loved dressing up. I loved playing characters. So I guess I knew from a very young age.

PC: Who or what has had the biggest influence on your career?
Britt: My mom. She’s been a constant support system in my life. I graduated with a bachelor’s in fine arts from the University of Michigan. I actually double-majored because I was always worried. There are no promises in this industry or career. A lot of it is luck and being in the right place at the right time.

My mom encouraged me to move out to Los Angeles. I’m from the East Coast, so Los Angeles felt really far away. But she was the one who told me to go out there while I was young. That’s the best advice I could have gotten. I moved here when I was young, and at that age, you don’t care if you don’t have proper furniture or silverware. [laughs] I think all of our furniture came from the sidewalk when I first moved here. I’m so happy I made the leap. Plus, my parents are the ones who paid for community theater when I was young and drove me to all my auditions. Without a supportive family unit, I don’t know I would be doing this.

PC: Having gotten your start in dance and theater, what’s that transition been like going to film and television?
Britt: It’s definitely different. I think it’s a hard transition personally. In professional theater, you have a month of rehearsal. Then you perform the story from beginning to end. With film and TV, it’s so different. You barely have rehearsal. I think rehearsal is a loose term. It usually you just reading the lines and the director telling you where to stand. There’s not a lot of time. We shoot everything out of order, especially on something like GLOW. We’ll shoot Marc’s [Maron] coverage like ten times. When they finally get to me, it’s been an hour and a half of shooting the same scene. You have to make sure it still feels fresh. It’s all out of order. It’s almost a different art form. You need a different skill set for each. But I love it. It’s been fun for me to figure out what works.

Starting on a big show like GLOW has been so helpful. I get to work alongside all these seasoned women. I’ve gotten to learn from watching Betty Gilpin and Alison Brie, who are at the top of their craft. They’ve been doing this a little longer than me. Plus, GLOW is filled with people from the theater world. So, that’s been super helpful.

PC: You’ve had tons of success already in your young career. When you look back, is there a particular moment that stands out to you?
Britt: Whenever I reflect, it seems like every step led me to the next. I did a small theater production at the Garry Marshall Theatre. It was my first thing ever. Everyone was telling me not to do a play during pilot season. But I did it and I was excited. That casting director ended up Taft-Hartleying me, which is when you can join SAG without any real credits. She cast me in my first-ever TV gig. Then I went and did Steppenwolf [Theatre Company], which led to me playing Gary Sinise’s daughter in Criminal Minds. So I don’t know if it’s necessarily one moment—obviously booking GLOW was massive for me—but it’s interesting. Each job led to the next. I think I booked GLOW because Liz Flahive and Carly Mensch [showrunners] come from the theater world. So they knew I did Steppenwolf and that I was a theater girl. I think that was helpful. I try to remind myself when things aren’t going well that it’s all meant to be.

Into the Dark

PC: You have two exciting projects coming out in February. Can you tell us first about Into the Dark?
Britt: I’m so excited. Into the Dark is part of the anthology series on Hulu. It’s a crazy thriller about a pop star named Valentine, who I play. When we meet her, she’s reclaiming her identity as an artist and musician. For the past few years, she hasn’t been performing. Her ex-boyfriend has a new girlfriend. He’s stolen all of my music and my persona and placed it on her. She’s now famous. The movie picks up after that. We end up at a music venue together locked in, and chaos ensues. There are comedic moments in the film. It’s not all horror, which I enjoyed. It’s part thriller, part drama, part dark comedy. It was a really fun experience.

The Thing About Harry

PC: You’re also starring in The Thing About Harry. Can you tell us about that film, your character, and what drew you to that project?
Britt: The Thing About Harry is a queer rom-com on Freeform. I loved the script from the moment that I read it. For me, it marked a new chapter in LGBTQ+ representation in media. Now stories are being told where it’s not about coming out or about figuring out their identities. It’s a rom-com about two men who are falling in love. That was so exciting to me. This is only possible because of all the other stories that have been told that have paved the way. We’re finally at a place now where it’s just normalcy.

I play Stasia, who’s Sam’s [Jake Borelli] best friend. She’s very opinionated. She’s very confident. She’s outspoken. We all become best friends with this character named Harry [Niko Terho]. There are some betrayals on my part. But I loved playing her. Outside the rom-com aspect of the film, there are major themes about friendship, loyalty, and how important friendships are.

When people are in their early twenties, everyone is making mistakes. You’re all still babies fumbling around and figuring it out. It’s a story that I related to and I’m excited for everyone to see it.

PC: Was there any pressure heading into this project, given the fact that we don’t normally see these films made in this way on network television?
Britt: Yeah! I think that was also one of the most exciting parts about this project. I’m a massive Disney fan. I have Disney season passes. I love Disney. The fact that Freeform is doing this movie is even more exciting to me. There super family-friendly. It was exciting that they are making such an effort to have inclusive stories. It’s so important because their demographic is young and they’re impressionable. It’s so important for these fifteen/sixteen-year-olds to be able to see stories that they identify with. I didn’t have any of that when I was in middle school/high school. [laughs] If they were, they were super sexualized. I remember Marissa and Alex kissed on The O.C. That was very male-gazey. We did not have these stories being told in a respectful way.

PC: Your character has a lot of really interesting relationships within the film. Which was your favorite to explore and why?
Britt: I really love the Stasia/Sam relationship. This is Peter Paige’s [writer and director] love story. A lot of time movies, especially romantic comedies, are all about the romance, but I loved that Peter emphasized the importance of having a best friend who you’ve been with throughout the years and knows you like family. We all mess up, and how do you reconcile and forgive? What’s fun about the Sam/Stasia relationship is that we first meet them in college, and we see them through stages. It’s a sweeping story about their relationship. And Jake is so great!

PC: There’s a natural chemistry that comes off the screen between the cast. How did you build that bond?
Britt: I was actually nervous about that! I got the part, and then I had to go to Chicago. I had a phone conversation with Peter, and he said it’s so important that Sam and Stasia, right out of the gate, have to be all over each other and super comfortable. I was nervous. How do you build that? Again, that’s the hard part about TV! You don’t have that rehearsal time.

But I did know Jake. I met him a few times. We were in the same acting class. It goes to show you how important chemistry is. It happened to be effortless between Jake and I. We actually talked about it after filming: how easy it was for us to find these characters together. He’s such a giving actor. He’s such a great listener. He’s so generous as an actor. It was really fun. We never had to force anything.

Niko is amazing too! Niko, Jake, Peter, and I were all living in the same hotel, all from out of town. It helps when you’re on location because you have no one else to hang out with. We were always together and riding to set together. It’s a little different in LA because I feel like everyone goes back to their own lives at the end of the day. It felt like camp. We became a family really quickly because of that.

PC: With the film coming out on February 15, what do you hope audiences take away?
Britt: I hope it makes people feel good. Personally, I love Valentine’s Day. I love celebrating love, whether it’s friendship or romantic or whatever it is. I think we’re living in such a crazy time. Whenever I open the news, it’s unbearable. So I hope this makes people feel good, happy, and bubbly for an evening. I think that’s the best part about rom-coms, and I’m glad they’re making a comeback. It’s great to have feel-good movies that you can laugh and cry at.

Pop Culturalist Speed Round

PC: Guilty pleasure TV show?
Britt: Survivor

PC: Guilty pleasure movie?
Britt: I love Mean Girls. Actually, I love Miracle on Ice. That’s probably my guilty pleasure. [laughs] That’s a feel-good!

PC: Favorite book?
Britt: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

PC: Favorite play or musical?
Britt: Maybe Killer Joe. That’s so dark, oh my god. [laughs]

PC: A band or artist that fans would be surprised to learn is on your playlist?
Britt: I love Bon Iver.

PC: Who would play you in the story of your life?
Britt: Mila Kunis maybe?

To keep up with Britt, follow her on Twitter and Instagram. Catch The Thing about Harry on February 15 at 8/9c on Freeform.

Photo Credit: Ron Mey // Photography Assistant: Ron Mey // Makeup: Beth Follert // Hair: Kat Thompson // Styling: Bruno Lima