An In-Depth Interview with Emily Roman
From a competitive dancer to a recurring cast member on Prime Video’s The Lake, Emily Roman’s journey epitomizes versatility and resilience. Born in Canada and now based in Los Angeles, Emily’s career spans dance, acting, writing, and directing, showcasing her passion for storytelling across various mediums. Inspired by filmmakers like Damien Chazelle, Emily infuses her work with depth and complexity, drawing from her own life experiences and a commitment to authenticity.
Beyond her artistic pursuits, Emily emphasizes the importance of giving back, rooted in her parents’ act of sponsoring a foster brother and sister through Plan Canada. As she continues to navigate the entertainment industry, Emily remains dedicated to finding balance and staying true to herself, inspiring audiences with her creativity and unwavering spirit.
Join us as we delve into the dynamic world of Emily Roman and discover the stories, lessons, and experiences that have shaped her remarkable career.
You started out as a dancer and at one point were a top competitive dancer in North America. What first drew you to dance and what kept you motivated to keep training to be one of the best?
I grew up a super active kid, I’m grateful my parents let me partake in so many extracurricular endeavors. When I was 6 or 7 I remember going to my cousin’s dance recital. I watched her perform onstage at a theatre and immediately knew that’s what I wanted to do. The next year I auditioned for a dance studio and spent the next 10 years of my life there. I fell in love with dance, and thrived in that competitive environment, so staying motivated was easy for me. As I matured, I realized that I was only in competition with myself and having that focus on doing my best for myself is what I believe made me unstoppable. That goes for everything in life, staying connected to the root of why you are doing it and avoiding unhealthy comparisons will ensure your ability to succeed.
Congratulations on the success of Prime Video’s show The Lake! Tell us about the show and your recurring role. Why do you think this show resonates with the viewers?
Thank you and yes! I was very lucky and grateful to have been a part of such an incredible and caring cast and crew. I played Jeri Moore, one of the “Quads” on the show, (Jayne and Wayne’s nightmare children). I enjoyed playing Jeri because given the show is a comedy, we could be as outrageous and hilarious as we desired. I love comedy, and The Lake gave me the opportunity to work on my comedic skills and improvisation on set. The entire cast was amazing, providing me a masterclass on comedy every day. I think this show resonated with the viewers deeply because of how personal the story is. Our showrunner, Julian Doucet, put his heart and soul into The Lake and I believe that is what enticed viewers to watch and allowed them to truly connect to the person behind the story.
You are originally from Canada and decided to move to New York to attend The American Musical and Dramatic Academy. Why did you decide to move to New York for school? Was New York always in your career plans?
In hindsight, I could not be happier to have lived and studied in New York. It was the absolute best 2 years, that brought me so many new experiences and adventures that only New York could bring. It never was in the plan, but during the pandemic, I didn’t really have that much of a plan to begin with. I only knew that I wanted to act in the states, I just had to figure out how to make it a reality. After applying to AMDA, I made the decision to attend their NYC campus instead of Los Angeles, because I knew I would always end up in LA, and I wanted to experience another major city before then. It was also nice to be in the same time zone as my family back in Toronto. I tell this to my little sister still in high school and I’ll tell it to everyone; you should try your best to live in New York for however long or short you desire, because it truly is one of my favorite places with a community and an energy so incredible only the real New Yorkers understand.
Currently you are in LA working in all aspects of the film industry including writing and directing a few short films. What is your inspiration for writing scripts and what draws you to certain projects?
Filmmakers like Damien Chazelle and Greta Gerwig constantly inspire and push me to share my stories. I also find that music, nature, and my own life experiences (good and bad) inspire me to write and make films. It’s a form of therapy and self-expression, and there’s nothing more I love than sharing the beauty of life with the world. I know that sounds so cheesy but it’s true. Creating art that stems from a singular thought or opinion regarding our society, that can only be transformed through your personal perspective into a film, is a superpower. No one can tell a story the same way, and that’s why by having trust in yourself and your words, you can provide an escape or change someone’s life, just from watching your work.
Having started your career as a dancer, how has your background in dance influenced your approach to on-screen acting, and do you have any dream roles you’d like to tackle in the future?
Dance provided me with tons of experience on stage, allowing me to develop presence, storytelling abilities, and discipline. I’ve always been a storyteller at heart, so the transition from dance to film in that aspect was seamless, and I’m lucky to be able to do both! One of my dream roles is to be in a Bond film, it’s the perfect balance of action and elegance. Plus my dance and stage combat skills are waiting for their moment to shine.
When you were young your parents sponsored a foster brother and sister through Plan Canada. How did that experience open your eyes to the importance of giving back?
Watching my parents take that initiative as a young child was really inspiring. It made me realize anyone can make an impact, no matter who you are. I learned so much about all the important ways we can help other individuals and the planet from my parents, which has allowed me to support the causes I care about today.
You’ve worked with esteemed actors like Julia Stiles and Jordan Garvaris. What have been some key lessons or experiences that you’ve taken away from working alongside such seasoned professionals?
Julia and Jordan were a dream to work with on The Lake. Julia is such a veteran in this industry, so any stories or bits of advice she would pass along are noted in my brain. She was always fearless and fun during scenes and carried herself with ultimate poise and professionalism every time I saw her work. Jordan was our leading man on the show, and he taught me the value of not only showing up as the best actor you can be, but also the best human. We all know how important maintaining good character is in life, but Jordan blew me away with how kind and thoughtful he was every single day to every single person. I could tell he had a genuine heart, and everyone’s day always got a little brighter after talking to him. I want to carry that energy everywhere I go on set and in life.
Through your different projects you have chosen very different roles and showcased your versatility in various genres. How do you approach selecting roles, and what kind of projects are you drawn to?
I want to stay as versatile as I can, so as long as the role has significant depth and complexity I can dig out of the script, I am open to it. I love learning more about myself through various characters. I’m drawn to scripts that defy a character’s certain perceptions or weaknesses. I think when characters become entangled with problems that juxtapose who they are and allow them to change and grow are so important, and so fun to play. Also, when characters have the range within them to engage in comedy, drama, action, romance, and all the good stuff is the dream.
In addition to your artistic pursuits, you also enjoy surfing, poetry and traveling. Why do you think it is important to find the time to unwind and recharge when you have a busy schedule?
As a proud Libra, balance is what I do best, or try to do best. It’s not always easy mapping out your life ensuring all aspects of your spectrum and your passions are being exhausted, but it’s trying those counts. As an actor and a creative, art imitates life, so in order for me to make my best art, I need to live. So, I don’t really see my other endeavors and down time as a stop in my life, but as a necessary aspect of my career, and my development as a young adult. Actors will agree with me when I say that studying the craft causes your perspective and emotional awareness of everyday life to change. It’s a beautiful blend of learning and experiencing things in my life as Emily and translating what I learn into my work as an actor or filmmaker. But whenever I do feel overwhelmed or run down, I listen to my body, because there’s always time to recover, every minute counts if it’s a minute committed to re centering yourself.
As someone with a significant following on Instagram, how do you engage with your fans on social media, and what role do platforms like Instagram play in your connection with your audience?
Social media is my main platform for my short films that I create as of now. I like to call it my mini movie theatre, because I’m able to screen my films to the world and receive responses as to how it affected viewers in whichever way. It’s the connection I have to viewers and has enabled me to meet so many upcoming filmmakers and collaborate with the next generation of artists. I love sharing the beauty of life through my perspective, I just follow my gut as to what I want to post, and don’t overthink it too much. Social media is a slippery slope and I find it’s always best to just trust yourself, and be excited about what you want to share, and not read into the response too much. On a creative note, the more you worry about posting something you’ve created, the less likely you’ll post it and get it out in the world, which is a greater crime than whatever silly opinion a follower must share about your work.
