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Meet Melanie Ehrlich. She’s a talented, up-and-coming actress who we’re predicting big things for. She’s currently starring in The Miseducation of Cameron Post, a film that’s making its way around the festival circuit, and slated for a summer release. Winner of the Grand Jury Prize at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, this coming-of-age drama follows the life of Cameron (Chloë Grace Moretz), a young lady who’s caught having sex with another girl during prom, and sent to a “treatment” center that practices gay conversion therapy. Melanie’s character, Helen, is one of the people that Cameron meets at the camp, but unlike Cameron, Helen believes this program will “cure” her. Pop Culturalist was lucky enough to chat with Melanie ahead of the its debut at the Tribeca Film Festival.

PC: Tell us about The Miseducation of Cameron Post, your character, and what drew you to this project.
Melanie: The Miseducation of Cameron Post is based on a YA novel by the same name. It’s about a girl who’s forced to go to a conversion therapy camp against her will by her conservative aunt and grandmother. While she’s there, she meets a variety of people in similar situations. My character, Helen, is another girl in this program, and what I loved about this character is she’s the only person who actually wants to be there and believes this program will help her.

What drew me to this project was Helen. I fell in love with her immediately after reading the script. As an actor, you hear a lot of no’s so you have to do your best to be unattached, but I wasn’t able to do that with this character. [laughs]

Photo Credit: Tribeca Film Festival

PC: How did you prepare to step into Helen’s shoes?
Melanie: There were two main avenues that I went down to prepare for Helen: Exploring the ways we were similar and trying to understand the ways that we’re different. I wanted to empathize with her as much as possible. That’s how I approach any project. I want to be the character and not just play the character. She has this hopeful naïveté about her, and I can see that within myself.

Helen genuinely believes same-gender attraction is a sin. She really believes her natural inclinations are wrong. So I spoke with friends who grew up in religious households and spoke to friends who are a part of the LGBTQ community.

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“I want to be the character and not just play the character.”

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PC: While the novel that the film is based upon is a work of fiction, these conversion therapy camps actually do exist, and are a reality for many people across the country. Did you feel any added pressure knowing how meaningful this story is to so many?
Melanie: I don’t know if pressure is the right word but I felt a sense of responsibility. I wanted to make sure I got it right. I wanted to be sensitive to Helen’s experiences and struggles, and I wanted to make sure I did her justice.

This took a whole new meaning after the election. We were filming during that time, and you could see everyone’s face go from hopeful to despair after the results were announced. It so happened that the day after, we were filming one of the joyous parts of the film, and we weren’t feeling it. Our director took us aside and gave us a pep talk. It was hard to stay positive when you have a president who’s in favor of these acts.

PC: The movie has been making its way around the film festival circuit, and many survivors of these conversion therapy camps have been in attendance. Do you have a favorite post-screening interaction?
Melanie: I was sick during Sundance so my interaction was limited but I did make it to the premiere. [laughs] The standout moment was meeting a survivor who Desiree and Chloë spoke with during their research. After the premiere, I remember speaking with him and him saying how much it meant to him and the other survivors that we were sending this message. I’m tearing up just thinking about it.

PC: What did you learn about yourself being a part of this film?
Melanie: It reinforced my feelings about human rights, my love for acting, bringing characters to life, and storytelling.

Pop Culturalist Speed Round

PC: Guilty pleasure TV show?
Melanie: The O.C.

PC: Guilty pleasure movie?
Melanie: The Nightmare Before Christmas and Hot Fuzz. I can watch those repeatedly.

PC: Favorite book?
Melanie: Ah! I can’t give you just one. I’ll give you my top three: Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, The Giver, and Bel Canto.

PC: Favorite play or musical?
Melanie: Another one where I’m going to give you three answer! The Importance Of Being Earnest, Ubu Roi, and Six Characters In Search Of An Author.

PC: A band or artist that fans would be surprised to learn is on your playlist?
Melanie: I have an eccentric playlist. My favorite band since college is the Japanese rock band B’z.

PC: Favorite social media platform?
Melanie: I don’t really like any of them. [laughs]. Maybe Twitter? or E-mail!

PC: Hidden talent?
Melanie: I can play the harmonica with my nose. I’ll let you figure that one out!

Make sure to follow Melanie on Twitter and Instagram, and check out The Miseducation of Cameron Post at this year’s Tribeca Film Festival. For tickets and screening information, click here.