“I need oxygen, water, and creativity.” Olivia le May’s decision to pursue acting was for her as fundamental as breathing and the artistic life was an inevitable career path for her.
The London based Up-and-Coming actress, also known as Olivia Williams, grew up in Dursely, Gloucestershire and graduated in drama in 2022 from London South Bank University (LSBU).
Olivia’s journey in the demanding and highly competitive world of acting started as an extra in the short film, ‘Same again Vincent’ and has through hard work and dedication achieved her first lead role.
Over the Shoulder spoke to Olivia about her experiences searching for an artistic breakthrough, her journey as an actress and her new leading role in the to be released in 2024 film, ‘ The Janissary’.
How did you discover your passion for the arts?
Olivia:
I genuinely feel like I was born with it, we need… oxygen and water to survive. I need oxygen, water, AND creativity. I’ve never remembered a moment in my life where I haven’t wanted to do something creative or haven’t been passionate about it. It started with devising acts with my sister and performing them to mum and dad, all the way to now and the amazing opportunities that I’m being given. I was too young then to understand that I just loved taking on the role of someone else. It made me so excited as a child.
Do you think LSBU prepared you for life as a professional actress?
Olivia:
I learnt a lot from LSBU.
I don’t think anything can quite prepare you for the industry. There’s no book or set of guidelines, otherwise everyone would be doing it.
It helped me discover more of who I am as an artist. I enrolled there thinking I wanted to do musical theatre, and as I evolved, I wanted to be a screen actor and explore other parts of the creative industry, like modelling, or directing or writing.
I’m lucky to have gained this knowledge to use as I move on from there.
Do you still want to do musical theatre in the future, or is it mainly now just the big screen?
Olivia:
If someone came to me and said, “would you rather do musical theatre or would you rather do a screen lead role”? Without hesitation, it would be screen.
However, I do have some regret that I dismissed it because most of my training has been in musical theatre and live performance and there’s nothing quite like performing live to an audience.
How hard has it been to get a foothold into the industry?
Olivia
It’s so difficult to define this with one word. It’s one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to try and accomplish. Looking back, I was naive and a little bit ignorant.
I thought, “I’m going to move to London, do three years of training and BAM! I’m going to be famous!”
I think as a working-class girl, if you don’t have a lot of money or you don’t know anyone, just to find the key to open one door is so difficult. It’s like trying to find a needle in a haystack.
How did your role as an extra in ‘Same again Vincent’ help to get you your first lead acting role in another other short film Exodus?
Olivia:
Katie, a fellow student got me a one line role in the studio she was working in and there I was introduced to the guys that created and wrote ‘Exodus’. They then reached out to me and offered me the part.
What advise has someone has said to you that has stuck?
Olivia
I’m just at the start of the race. I’m nowhere near the finish line. Actor Kelvin Fletcher, that I was very fortunate enough to meet said this,
“You need patience, a lot of patience and persistence.”
Those two P’s make the third P, which is progress. You’ve got to be strong minded. My saying is rejection is redirection. You can’t let the no’s break you down.
Your first leading role in a feature film is the ‘The Janissary’ to be released in 2024. What drew you to your character Virna and what did the audition process entail?
Olivia:
I liked that she’s cool and she’s in control of herself even though at times it doesn’t seem like she is. So that really drew me. For the audition I dressed in black leather to really put the image in there.
It was my first ever in person audition as the previous ones had been on Zoom because of COVID.
It was with the writer/co director/ main character, and a woman playing the female co-lead. She was there to do a read through with me because they wanted to see if there was chemistry.
They offered me the role on the spot.
How has your relationship been with your co-stars? Are there any techniques to improve on screen chemistry?
Olivia:
In life, you’re always going to meet people that are difficult to work with. It’s inevitable. It’s about how you deal with that.
I think you must establish how you feel towards that person and then you can build on that with the character.
From my own experience, I have enjoyed working with everyone. Even the people that have been slightly more difficult teach me something. Not just about acting, but about myself.
Out of all the roles that you’ve played so far, which one has been the most difficult?
Olivia:
I really struggle to answer that question because it’s not like I have one specific role that has been difficult.
It probably would have to be ‘Virna’ in ‘The Janissary’ just because she was so different to me. She has the aspiration to be famous or successful which I can relate to. The character was a little bit older than me so when you’re playing someone younger, like in ‘Exodus’ and ‘Lollipops,’ I can relate with that because I’ve been through that age. Whereas with her, she was 28 or 29 and I haven’t experienced that age yet.
‘The Janissary’ is an action film. Would you do another film of this nature in the future?
Olivia:
I would never rule out a genre. I would like to try all of them and see which ones I love the most. So absolutely I would do action again. It was so fun and it’s like a constant gym workout so I can’t complain.
I feel the genres that I would adore, and I believe I would be very good in are period, rom coms and school roles because I still look really young. Or a mean girl!
As well being an actress, you have a background in dance. Would you want to combine these two passions into a role?
Olivia:
I would absolutely love to. Some music videos that I’ve done in the past have been a bit of acting mixed with dance and I loved that.
I wouldn’t say necessarily I’m the best dancer, but I can do it. I would adore a role of as dancer girl.
What are your long-term goals in the future?
Olivia:
Mainly to be happy. I think for me to be happy it must firstly come from myself. For me, it’s to live in the world that I’ve desired for myself since I can remember. That is to live in a world of passion for creativity and to lead a life that I don’t want to break from. Go big or go home, I would absolutely love to be at the Oscars and win!
I would love to go into film and television and be a star on all platforms like Netflix or Amazon Prime. My absolute dream would be to be directed by Quentin Tarantino.
I’m still learning. There’s a lot of great actors that I’m yet to come across and great movies I’m yet to be a part of and I’m excited to see what the future holds.
Over The Shoulder would like to thank Olivia for taking time out of her busy schedule to talk to us. We encourage everyone to check out her work which is impressive in its expression and maturity. We will track her progress and hopefully be with her when she wins the Oscar she is working hard to achieve.
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