Exclusive Interview: Pop Culturalist Chats with 12 Hour Shift’s Chloe Farnworth

Chloe Farnworth is the breakout stars of Magnolia Pictures’ must-see dark comedy, 12 Hour Shift. Set in 1998, the film follows Mandy (Angela Bettis), a nurse who’s trying to make it through a double shift while also being involved in a black-market organ-trading scheme. Chloe shines as Mandy’s cousin Regina and her performance has critics and audiences raving!

Pop Culturalist caught up with Chloe to learn more about how she got her start in acting, 12 Hour Shift, and her unique approach to her characters.

PC: How did you discover your passion for acting?
Chloe: When I was younger, I was homeschooled until I was fifteen. We grew up in the countryside, and my brother and I used to play in the fields all day long and pretend to be different people. We used to put shows on for our parents. I actually forced my brother to do it because he wasn’t into it. I was like, “Come on! Let’s put on a show.” We did weekly shows for my mum and dad. Then, I took ballet classes from the age of four and acting classes from the age of ten. I always loved performing.

At the time, I didn’t know it was something I could do as a job; we grew up without a TV, so I was very isolated from TV and film as a kid. Once I realized that there were TVs and people did this as a job, I was like, “Okay. This is what I want to do.” I went to this dance and drama college when I was sixteen for two years. Then, I moved to London at eighteen and studied at The Central School of Speech and Drama. After that, I did everything I could to work and get into acting and film. That was the start to where I am today. I’ve been in LA for about five and a half years now.

PC: Who or what has had the biggest influence on your career?
Chloe: I’ve worked with director Mark Wellington a few times. He’s known for doing a lot of music videos. I met him on a Linkin Park music video shoot. He has always been a great supporter and has brought me back for a few jobs. He’s always said, “You have to keep going. Don’t ever stop doing what you love. Keep working really hard.” I’ve always been someone that worked hard and hustled away. I’ve put everything I have into this, into my auditions, into my career, and into this industry. He’s always been a good supporter—I wouldn’t say mentor, but he’s a very good friend in the industry with many years of experience. He’s definitely someone who I look up to, admire, and love working with.

PC: Tell us about 12 Hour Shift, your character, and what drew you to this project.
Chloe: 12 Hour Shift is a dark comedy-thriller. Angela Bettis plays Mandy, a drug addict who has a side business smuggling organs. My character, Regina, is Mandy’s cousin. She comes along and messes up her organ delivery and basically turns Mandy’s whole day and shift upside down into this crazy rollercoaster.

Regina is a bit of a psychopath. [laughs] I like to describe her as a “tornado of chaos”. She lives inside a bubble and doesn’t really see much outside of the bubble. She’s like, “This is what I need to do. This is what I’m going to do. I don’t care what happens.” She doesn’t think about the consequences of her actions.

The film and Regina are what drew me to this project. When I first saw the audition come out, I was like, “I have to be involved with this project!” I’ve known about Brea Grant—I’ve seen her work and I think she’s amazing. I looked into HCT Media, who are the producers, and I was like, “This is such a good project.” When you have a character like Regina, you can do so much with it. I actually emailed the producers myself. I was like, “Hey, my name is Chloe. I really want to audition for this film.” I also had my agent and manager reach out. They gave me an audition. I did two auditions and then they offered me the part. It was awesome to get.

PC: You’ve said in a previous interview that your preparation starts with the physicality of the character. How did you develop that approach?
Chloe: In drama school, we used to have a lot of movement classes. We couldn’t use our voices; it was about your physicality. We did hours and hours of work, having whole conversations with someone else through the use of our bodies. It looks strange to watch, I would imagine.

So, I think back in drama school, we learned how to move our bodies in a different way to tell someone’s story without actual speech, and I fell in love with the idea of doing that. Now with every project I do and every audition, I think about the physicality first before the lines; it can change how the whole character comes across.

PC: The film has been incredibly well received. What do you think is resonating most with audiences?
Chloe: It’s a female-led film. I feel like most horror and thriller movies, normally the female characters get killed off halfway through the movie. It’s nice that in this one, the females go from start to finish. It’s a fun film; it’s not just scary. You can escape for an hour or so and have a laugh. It’s a great story.

Pop Culturalist Speed Round

PC: Guilty pleasure TV show?
Chloe: The Bachelor.

PC: Guilty pleasure movie?
Chloe: Love Actually. It’s so good. I’ve watched it so many times.

PC: Favorite book?
Chloe: Blackbird by David Harrower. It’s a really dark story, but it’s so good.

PC: Favorite play or musical?
Chloe: Hairspray.

PC: A band or artist that fans would be surprised to learn is on your playlist?
Chloe: Bowling for Soup.

PC: Who would play you in the story of your life?
Chloe: Michelle Williams. She’s amazing. I love her.

To keep up with Chloe, follow her on Twitter and Instagram. Watch 12 Hour Shift from home.

Photo Credit: David Higgs // Hair + Make-up: Alexandria Storm // Styling: Aaron Gomez at Ivan Bitton Style House