Films and plays are a reflection on everyday life. A way of exposing thoughts or ideas about life and people and the way they behave. That’s what I find brilliant; you can tell all these stories about all these people in all these different situations and they are all created. They are made up but we see them, if only for two hours, as the truth. I make up stories and I gather them from what I see. This is not an active thing, it’s just always there. AD.

Anna Drijver is one of the most talented people I know, and having played parts in major Dutch movies like ‘Stella’s Oorlog’, ‘Bride Flight’, ‘Komt een Vrouw bij de Dokter’ and several television-series, she became a well known Dutch actress. First time I met Anna was, when we worked together for a photo-series I’m working on. Besides that she’s always good company and I’m very happy, having her answering a couple of questions for this interview. Interview & photography Ilja Keizer.

What projects are you working on at the moment?

I just finished filming a TV series, which will be aired next year. I’ve been working on it for about 5 months. It’s about a choir, a group of people, different ages, different people, who chose to sing every Thursday night. My character is a young mother struggling to get her life back on track after serving time in jail.

Besides that, I’m currently finishing a novel, which will come out this winter.

What was your motivation to become an actor?
I didn’t make a sudden choice for acting, it just felt like the most natural thing to do for me. I’ve done modelling jobs since I was 14, but I already figured out, that that was very useful to get some experience in camera work.

I have been in love with film, my whole life. I find it magical, and in the best cases: healing. You can learn, be comforted and grow, through a film a play or a book; simply by a story. That’s magic.

What has been the road to your succes ? What people / things have been important in achieving this?
I think achieving your personal goals has got a lot, if not everything to do with being honest in critising your own work and working hard. Acting is not just an art, it is a craft as well. It is based on techniques and practice, not only intuition or impulse. It’s about watching people and behaviour very closely, analyzing films or scenes that can teach you. About keeping your eyes open and realising that almost everything can enrich you.

I don’t necessarely look at other actors alone, I think that within dance, music, photography or philosofy there’s a lot of inspiration and wisdom as well.

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What’s your opinion on the actress ‘Anna Drijver’, in comparisson to other actors?
I don’t really compare myself with other actors or actresses, you can’t really compare people with other people. I only look at my own standards and whether I’m developing enough. I do look at the choices other people make. You can learn from that. The most important thing is that you’re growing, developing. I am actually quite harsh on myself, I’m not so easily satisfied.

Can you remember when you first started acting?
I think acting starts when you’re a kid, playing. You place a newspaper on your head and say:
‘I’m the King!’ and then you are, it’s that simple…
Kids are the best and most honest actors.

When you play a certain role, how far do you go to really become that person?
When I’m working on a project, I’m already in a state of mind that has to do with my character. When I play a mother I notice the little boys in the street, that’s not even consciousness, that’s just what you’re working on. It’s always there somewhere. Sometimes more in the background. I’ve never really fallen in love with my co-star or forgot my own name, it’s too much of a technical thing to be doing that. But you do think more in that direction.

Can you name a role that you have played, that you’re proud of?
A lot of projects are still very dear to me. Even when I think that they’re not brilliant, it might have been very good for that specific moment in your life.

I do have a special place in my heart for my part in ‘Bride Flight’. I played Esther, a Jewish girl who survived the War en fled to New Zealand to become a fashion designer. Her style, attitude and strenght was a pleasure for me and, even with all her shields and armour on the outside, that part felt very personal.

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Most Dutch actors I admire, do a lot of acting in plays. I don’t see you doing that very much, why is that?
I’ve graduated Theatre Academy one and a half year ago, in 2008, and since then I only did one play and was filming most of the time. It’s actually just a coinsidence, it just happened this way. But I’m actually doing a play from september on.

For me, a lot of things are the same, the work is just different. For one: the hours. Filming means being picked up at 06.00 AM, theatre means driving rush hours to a theatre somewhere and drinking a beer somewhere afterwords. Secondly: the focus. Theatre has so much more time for rehearsel, time to tell a story in several hours. Film means, acting scenes for about two minutes, then relaxing, then giving it your all again. It’s like comparing marathon runners with 100 m sprinters.

Do you see yourself focussing on different aspects within the acting-business, like writing and directing?
After this last project I really needed to write. So now I booked two months of to finish a novel. I really think you should do, what you feel like doing most at that moment, in that way your performance will be best.

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What type of films are your favorites?
I try watching a film everyday, or a play, or an episode of a tv series. I do love all different sorts of films. I can appreciate ‘Four weddings and a Funeral’ as much, as Italian fims by Fellini. Quality has no genre.

What things do you do to relax?
Painting. Listening to music, talking to friends and dancing.

What’s your opinion on ‘famous’ people like yourself, engaging in social debate?
I think that in these times celebrities have too much power. It’s a pity that the public knows more about the point of view of actors and singers, than that of politicians and professionals. Sometimes I really think that there’s too much attention for that. For myself, I try not to be an ambassador for all kinds of brands and clubs, just to give it a face. Other celebrities may do that for me. I can only do and support something when I truly believe in it, and I do need to have some sort of connection with it.

I do try to talk about politics or problems when I want to. In my professional life I do get more platforms for that, I just want to use them rightfully.

What will be the next project in which people can see you?
This summer I’ll be filming a part in ‘Loft’ A remake of a Belgian thriller. I’m looking forward to it, also because the other actors are all people I admire.

Well, I’m looking forward to see your new projects and reading your novel, thank you very much for the interview!

Interview & photography Ilja keizer

Ilja Keizer / Editor-in-Chief / photographer / creative consultant / 24/7 curating and searching for talent / not a great fan of plastic / always hunting for un-fake moments, with or without my cameras / loving the 'send' button in my email program / eating every day of the week / Unagi / Hamachi / Thank you. twitter / website