BIANCA FOSCHT: A RELENTLESS WARRIOR IN ‘DAY OF A LION’ AND BEYOND

INTERVIEW: BIANCA FOSCHT

BY RYAN M. LUEVANO

Embarking on a career in the entertainment industry is a formidable challenge, demanding not only talent but also an unwavering determination to overcome obstacles and rejection. Few individuals embody this unyielding spirit quite like actress Bianca Foscht. Much like her character Wanda in her debut feature film, Day of a Lion, Bianca has proven herself to be a relentless warrior in the pursuit of her goals. Growing up in the suburbs of Austria, Bianca transformed her childhood dreams into reality by creating films in her backyard, enlisting her siblings and neighbors as her first cast. With a rich background in the arts, including dance and theater, she quickly made a name for herself, winning accolades for her performances, most recently an award from StageSceneLA for outstanding performance in a Short One-Act. Now, with the release of her first feature film, Day of a Lion, she is poised to showcase her remarkable talent and solidify her place in the film industry. Join us as we explore her inspiring journey, the motivations that drive her, and the creative process behind this exciting new project.

When writing Wanda/Dolly how did you incorporate your own acting strengths into her character?

Writing those two characters was a blast. Bringing two such wildly different characters to life was quite the experience. I believe Wanda is a wallflower, a trapped animal not allowed by herself, the circumstances and the world around her to speak up. She is raised in the shadows and when her sister Dolly arrives, that caged animal finally gets released. Even though Wanda seemed passive on page, she became incredibly active on screen. Wanda is someone that tells more with her eyes than her words and I believe that’s what I love so much about her. She is very observant, like a cat, and she has so many smart thoughts, she realizes all the details that everyone else overlooks. That makes her clever, and dangerous. I wanted to play with that danger. I love characters that I have to dig deep underneath their skin to understand them fully. I think,even after writing and portraying that character, I still don’t fully know Wanda. She is a mystery in herself and that is the point of her. 

As an actress I’m naturally drawn to complex characters. Underdogs, geniuses, trailblazers, the forgotten, the forgiven, the underestimated, the calm ones with a vulcano boiling inside them. I’m intrigued by characters that can kill with a look and spill a secret with a smile. I think personally I bring my curiosity to every character that I’m approaching. For Wanda I brought my curiosity for underestimation, loyalty, anger and pain to the table. When diving into Wanda as an actress, I never pitied her, even if the outer circumstances screamed for it. I saw her as a silent warrior instead. Someone who knows when to fight when the time is ripe.

Can you share your process for getting into the mindset of your character in the film?

Phew, great question. Every project and every character is different, but for Wanda I played a lot with bringing attention to the outside rather than the inside. Portraying a character that is used to a life in the shadows of another person is a task that needs quite some observation and I wanted to bring that observation into play. Knowing how the world around me looked like if I saw it through Wanda’s eyes helped me understand her better. I worked a lot with Alexander Technique and “Animal Work” that I learned from the fantastic Jean-Louis Rodrigue and Kristof Konrad for this character. Wanda to me is a street cat locked into a house. 

What do you hope audiences take away from your performance in Day of A Lion?

Sincerity. That’s all I’m hoping for. Every character has their own world view, habits, rhythms, physicalities and more. With acting you can’t pretend. You need to crawl under the deepest most uncomfortable layers of a character and dig out all the truthfulness there is. That’s how I approach every character. The camera picks up every little thought that goes on in the actor’s head and I think staying true to the character and therefore to the story, that’s most important. That’s the great thing as an actor, it can get ugly, wild and even disturbing, as long as it’s truthful I’m willing and curious to go there. 

With the film industry evolving, what do you think are the most important skills for actresses to develop today?

Create your own toolbox. There are so many great classes, coaches, and more out there. Everyone communicates differently, but at the end of the day, it’s what resonates with you the most. As with most things in life, listen to your gut feelings when it comes to acting. Get out of your comfort zone and let your curiosity and passion guide you. Go with your instinct, even if it leads you into the ugly, the fear or the great unknown– embrace it. And don’t be afraid to start before you’re ready, that’s often when the greatest magic happens. 

What are your future aspirations as an actress?

I’m open to the wild west of cinema. Give me something ugly, something sweet, something dangerous and something unexpected. I’m very excited about characters with an edge. Movies and their characters like Birdman, I’Tonya, Carol, A Million Dollar Baby, Winters Bone by Debra Granik and Beautiful Boy are on my vision board for sure. I’d love to bring my horse riding skills, dance skills and “pretend to be an action star skills” to the table in future projects. 

Are there specific genres or roles you are eager to explore next?

I’d love to explore something gritty and dark next. Maybe a horror, an odd arthouse, or an earthy drama like Beautiful Boy. There is a lot of incredible European cinema too that I’m looking forward to supporting as an actress. And of course theatre. That’s where I started and that’s where I’m always excited to go back to. Theatre gives me the chance to explore those wild human emotions live, with an audience. It’s a shared experience, and it’s terrific and truthful and terrifying, and I love that. The horizon is wide open and I’m excited to jump into more beautiful stories by talented writers, directors and filmmakers out there. 

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PREORDER DOAL ON APPLE TV

CONNECT WITH BIANCA ON SOCIAL MEDIA

DAY OF A LION ON IG: https://www.instagram.com/dayofalion.film/

FOSCHT TWINS ON IG: https://www.instagram.com/foschttwins/

BIANCA FOSCHT ON IG: https://www.instagram.com/bianca_foscht/

BIANCA IMDB: https://m.imdb.com/name/nm11516255/