Johanna Liauw is an up-and-coming actress that plays Stella in Netflix’s sequel, Tall Girl 2. The actress’s flourishing acting career is off to a great start, so we were delighted to be able to talk with her about Tall Girl 2, her role and this exciting time in her life.
Congratulations on landing your role as Stella in Netflix’s sequel, Tall Girl 2. Since Stella is a new character, how do you think she adds to the dynamic of the movie?
Thank you! I feel like Stella brings some comedic relief to the group when she shows up. There is some obvious drama and tension already occurring between Dunk, Jodi and even Stig. So, I feel like she lightens the mood when she comes around. On top of that, she goes through a similar experience in her own relationship which Dunk can relate too. It makes sense why they formed their alliance.
You spend a lot of time with the cast and crew during the making of a movie. What have been your favorite parts about having this quality time with these people?
I think we all enjoyed getting to spend quality time with each other during the pandemic. Getting to socialize and bond with others was very much needed. Being able to create, have some good laughs and share stories… we made some fond memories there.
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Stella is Stig Mohlin’s sister. What was it like working with Luke Eisner and forming this sibling bond on-screen?
He’s great. He has a very big heart and is so talented. He loves to pull out dad jokes and he’s great at puns! I think we bonded most over our love of animals and our cats. He’s big on rescuing animals, so I got to pick his brain a bit on his journey with that. He really did feel like a brother to me and gave superb pep talks when I was feeling anxious on set. I really appreciate him for that.
What take-aways do you want the audience to have from watching this movie?
I hope they resonate with the message of believing in yourself despite what your own thoughts might be telling you. Lean on your friends and family when you need them. I absolutely love how Kimmy turned in her mean girl ways to sympathize with Jodi in this movie. It shows us that we can always turn around our behavior and show kindness to those around us. Because you never know what someone might be going through behind closed doors. Love and kindness go a long way on this journey of life.
You began your acting career during the beginning of the pandemic and quarantine in 2020. How was this experience trying to launch your career during such a time?
It’s all I’ve known, so in a way I think that helped me in the long run. We were all stuck at home with nothing to really do, so I got to really focus on my work. When I’d get an audition, I’d memorize my lines right away and turn around that self-tape either the same day or the next. I put 100% of myself into it and found joy during quarantine because of acting. I really tapped into my spiritual side as well, which I think also really helped me in many ways.
You’ve now helped write an episode of a web series and starred in it and acted in a few feature films. What are you looking forward to in the future for your career?
I’m looking forward to getting to play more interesting characters, the future friendships that will be formed and hopefully to getting an opportunity to write/produce/direct my own film. I have quite a long bucket list to continue checking off!
Photography by: Ben Cope
