Photos by Christine Dong.
How did you prepare to play this character?
I’m the oldest of three sisters, and so the relationship dynamics are in my blood, but one of the things I love most about Mary is that she absolutely, 100 percent is who she is at every moment — awkward and offbeat but not wrong. Her first line in the play is about avoiding post-trip leg swelling. It may be the holidays. There may be the presence of a Christmas tree for the first time in Bennet family history. But Mary? Mary’s worried about water retention and preventing Deep Vein Thrombosis. Being encouraged to really play up the eccentricities of this character (She is who she is and in her “state” for real reasons, after all) while indulging in the vulnerability and sweetness of first real love is something that proved irresistible to me. We’ve all been Mary — a little outside the action, a little self-contained, but bursting with passion and wit. She’s an observer and so, so attuned to what is left in the wake of her vibrant sisters — she knows where the bodies are buried but would rather talk to you about native grasses.
What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given about anything?
Don’t be meek. Take up space. Do it anyway. These all boil down to simply knowing your personal power, respecting your autonomy and agency, and that it is no fluke that you are where you are supposed to be. I am someone who likes to make people comfortable and will happily step back — much like Mary until she gets her teeth out. So, claiming my right to be here, to play fair but play hard, has been a huge part of my personal growth. It makes me uncomfortable. But it also makes me better.
Who or what inspires you?
The intangible unknown and challenge of making a story and character your own, for better or worse. But mostly my baby nephews: their determination, creativity, and discovery as they begin walking, talking, and making their first jokes. Mary Oliver’s poetry. Kissing in the street. Elizabeth Pruitt from Tartine Bakery, who seems to try everything that piques her interests and masters it for the sake of the journey. Bougainvillea — how it bursts into brilliant bloom with little regard to what you might have to say about it. Big dogs who let you carry them and little dogs who would never.
When and why did you start acting?
I was too shy to sing, too Type A to “let go” in art class, too uncoordinated to master the flute. Acting was the last elective left for me in middle school. It picked me, like a rescue dog.
What advice do you have for someone wanting to follow in your footsteps?
Do it all. I spent time immersed in journalism, sociology, and so many other things. You can take all the time you need to get to where you want to be in your career, and you’ll end up right where you are supposed to be. If you, like myself, can’t afford grad school or a conservatory, that does not mean you are doomed. If you can, remember that you’re incredibly lucky, and a lot of people you meet are dealing with different circumstances. Try your hardest not to judge them for that. Be kind, not nice. Be honest and selective. Develop your own standards and hold yourself to them ruthlessly. They can be different from whatever the textbook is saying. Listen to everything the quietest person in the room says.
Are there other actors in your family?
There should be! No one is funnier than my sisters and parents — I’m the “boring” one, the Kourtney Kardashian. My family is incredibly charismatic, and each could wipe the floor with me.
Which famous actors do you admire? Why?
Catherine O’Hara, Indya Moore, Danny McBride, Robin Penn, Alec Baldwin, Kathy Bates. Meryl! All of them embody joy and truth and honesty. You can tell they love what they’re doing, and watching them peel away artifice and ego to produce something transcendent, whether comedic or dramatic, is thrilling. It sends chills down my back. Also, parents lying about Santa to their skeptical children — toughest audience and highest stakes.
Do you get nervous before a performance? Do you have any pre-show rituals?
I have a few things I repeat and remind myself. A small clutch of totems and objects that I keep at my dressing station. And on especially tough days, when I’m scared or tired or furious, I try to channel the spirit of every single opening act or backup dancer who outshined the headliner.
When did you first know you wanted to be a professional actor?
When I’d get viscerally angry watching other people perform — whether they were Six Flags variety show performers, Sea World trainers, my uncle in Charlotte’s Web at his high school, or my sister’s dance troupe. Envy means you need to do something about it. Otherwise, it will eat you up. So, I called my own bluff.
What’s the biggest challenge you’ve had to overcome so far, and how did it change you?
Having Dwarfism, this is literally the no. 1 career I was told I’d NEVER be successful in, outside of being a pro-basketball player. So the word “Can’t” has lost its potency — every role I get to play dilutes it further. But when I was in 7th grade, I had my legs straightened. Overnight I went from an active, rambunctious 12-year-old to being in a wheelchair for six months and on crutches/using a cane for another six. I’d never experienced anything like that before. During that time, I was cast in my first middle school play and remember using it as motivation to get really good, so I could walk on and deliver my two lines without using my crutches. It would have made no difference to anyone but me, but that goal was as important as any other I’ve accomplished since.
What do you find to be the most challenging part of being an actor?
Making time for yourself and saying, “No.” In the past few years, mapping out specific blocks of time when I know I am not working because you do no one any good by running on empty, for the sake of being busy or booked. My work isn’t good; I don’t feel good; my relationships with others and myself all suffer. It is healthy to want to do other things beside perform every night. It is healthy to recognize that you may need a break, that you need to be boring, enjoy daylight hours, and not say the same sentences over and over again. I act for a living, but that shouldn’t shield me from living.
Who have been some of the most influential people in your life?
My loving, accepting, inordinately strong parents, my two beautiful, brilliant sisters, Lu Biado, Gretchen Icenogle, Rose Riordan, Julie Akers, Sara Bruner, and Bill Rauch. Each of them pushed me to better — myself, my work, my standards before I even knew what they were. Marissa Wolf and Nataki Garrett, for so beautifully, fearlessly embodying who and what is next, and making it all so damn exciting. Christine Nielsen, Amy Waschke, KT Vogt, Kate Mulligan, and Robin Goodwin Nordli for their grace, humility, wit and scorched-earth talent — women at the top of their game, who are also so generously kind. And Chris Murray, always in my corner with water and a fresh mouthguard while also being my favorite sparring partner.
Artslandia’s theme for the 2019–2020 season is A Night Out. Describe for our readers your perfect night out.
This is the question I was born to answer. Chills. My recipe is classic, like a dip your Dad makes: One part each people I love (family/friends/my Boo Thing), incredible food and drink (dining out or dining in — my friend Alice and I are obsessed with Alison Roman’s cookbooks), and absolutely no timeline or curfew. I want to get greedy with conversation, laughter, and all the good stuff. In PDX, I’d say starting with drinks at Angel Face or Hey Love and then dinner at Eem or St. Jack or Ava Genes. Or just ordering too much pizza and all the vegetables at Lovely’s Fifty-Fifty and getting their quince ice cream for dessert. I’m a big fan of just posting up somewhere and letting the night take you where it does. Surprises are the best ingredient
Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley at Portland Center Stage at The Armory November 30 – December 29, 2019
Lauren Modica, who plays Mary Bennet in Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley lives it up in The Benson Hotel’s grand lobby.
The lobby features Italian marble floors, Austrian crystal chandeliers, and Circassian walnut wood from the imperial forests of Russia. Since 1913, the venerable establishment has catered to celebrities, business leaders, and a majority of U.S. Presidents. Nothing quite compares to the quintessential elegance, timeless beauty, and luxurious amenities of Portland’s landmark hotel.
The Benson Hotel is a proud supporter of the arts in Portland.
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