ITV_BROOKE

THE INTERVIEW

July, 2025

BROOKE BAYER

WOMEN IN RED

BEST ACTRESS

Brooke, tell us a bit more about yourself. Where does your desire to be an actress come from?

I come from a very creative family. My sisters and I have been dancers, musicians, and performers from a very young age, so we always had the perfect ensemble cast on hand to nurture our shared love of acting and storytelling! We read books and watched movies together and then raced to our room to reenact scenes, create new characters, and invent different storylines that explored the many universes we could play in. I’ve always loved how stories about others—both truth and fiction—can teach us more about ourselves and our own feelings and relationships. When I took my first acting class in college, I was hooked!

What is your background?

I was born and raised in Wisconsin, and first explored my love for performance and storytelling through classical ballet training. Dance, music, and art were a huge part of my childhood and helped shape my understanding of myself and my passions. While studying biology and neuroscience at the University of Texas at Dallas, I had the incredible opportunity to participate in a screen acting intensive at the New York Film Academy, which gave real and solid possibility to a profession in the creative arts—something that had previously always felt like a secret fantasy. After graduating, I moved to Los Angeles and began working both as an actress and behind the scenes on any productions I could. Learning on the job from both sides of the camera has taught me so many unique and valuable lessons, and I’m excited to see what I can discover next!

Why did you accept the role for Women In Red?

At its core, “Woman In Red” is a coming-of-age story about Laura, but what first drew me to the project was the relationship between her and her older sister. I am both a younger and older sister in real life, and the connections I have with my sisters have shaped my life from the moment I was born. I love stories that explore these sibling dynamics, and I loved watching that play out in “Woman In Red”—Laura’s journey and growth as an individual, all in the context of her role as a younger sister. I knew that I wanted to be a part of telling her story.

Brooke, you won Best Actress at the RED Movie Awards, what does that mean to you?

It is such an honor and a joy to be recognized among a selection of so many truly incredible films and talented artists! Above all, this is a testament to the outstanding dedication and skill of the entire cast and crew who worked on “Woman In Red” and succeeded in creating
such a beautiful and moving story. I’m so grateful for the opportunity to be a part of this team and help bring our film to life. Acting is such an important part of me, and it is extremely touching and inspiring to be recognized for this work!

How did you work with the director?

Cynthia Yiran Wang was the incredible director for “Woman In Red,” and it was an absolute joy to work with her! I really enjoyed exploring the world of Laura’s mind with her—her emotions, her relationships, her fears, and her motivation. So much of acting relies on the direction we receive, and Cynthia’s deep understanding of her story and characters made it easy to work with her to bring Laura to life. I’m very grateful for the safe and professional environment she created on set, and the thoughtful directing she provided.

What was the biggest challenge in this shooting?

There is very little dialogue in the film, allowing the majority of the story to be shown rather than told to the viewer. I think this allows for a beautiful opportunity to communicate the raw emotions of the characters visually, but it can be intimidating as an actress to portray so many strong feelings without words! A lot of careful work and consideration went into the physical movements, body positions, and facial expressions required to share Laura’s thoughts and experiences in this way.

Do you have an anecdote to share with us in particular?

It’s hard to choose just one moment from this project because the entire experience was so positive and enjoyable! I was particularly grateful to work with the exceptionally talented Juliette Cecile, who plays Moana, and whose incredible acting made it easy to feel the connection between the two sisters. I enjoyed sitting in the bathtub and chatting
with her in between scenes! Her kindness made a big difference in easing the anxieties that can come with playing such an emotional role, and created the perfect environment to share our characters’ stories.

Many actors and actresses pass the course of the realization, have you already thought of directing a film in the future?

I have considered directing, but haven’t found the right project yet! Watching Cynthia work on the set of “Woman In Red” has definitely given me a better understanding of and appreciation for all the hard work that goes into directing. I’ve always enjoyed writing and shaping characters, so I’d certainly be open to and excited for the possibility! I’ll have to see where my journey takes me.

What is your next project?

You can see more of my work in the feature film “Spark” (dir. Nicholas Giuricich), which was just released in June and is now available on Amazon and Apple TV. I’m also super excited to see another short film I worked on, “Love Eternal” (dir. Dominic Czarnota), which is screening at the LA Shorts International Film Festival on July 24!