Even before the rumours and whispers of a Fifty Shades of Grey movie became fact and the steamy story made it to the big screen, the crisp pages of this first instalment of an equally steamy trilogy told a tale that galvanised millions of readers in a way that perhaps only the Twilight Saga or Harry Potter series had done.
Make no mistake, the “shades of grey” are no “Potter fodder” nor do they hide in “twilight”; but they have engendered more than just a simple buzz that has allowed them to quickly take on a nearly iconic status and provoke great debate, as is always the case when a beloved story is made into a screenplay.Equally intriguing is the story behind the story. The story not only of the process, but of the people whose talent and creativity made this project possible.
In a recent sit down and “get your grey on” discussion with actress Anna Sargeant who was part of the larger ensemble cast, I was struck by the power and passion of this up-and-coming UK born and Canadian raised actress who has one of her own not so secret places, a quiet little studio by the beach where she fine-tunes her other artistic talents.
What is this twenty-something doing now as part of a nearly post-apocalyptic existence, one that I’ve come to lovingly call the L.A.G, or “Life After Grey”?
The answer is as complex as the young woman herself, who is presently exploring her new reality with a refreshing sense of honesty; as she will be the first one to tell you while she is not new to the industry, she is faced with an interesting challenge now that the movie is part of “herstory”.
“It’s a business and it’s an art. But, it’s more a business and I understand that, but I’m still looking at how all the pieces of this huge project come together to take me to the next level. That has nothing to do with my creativity or my acting ability, that’s just the nuts and bolts of what it takes to make it in this business,” remarks Sargeant.
She is one smart lady, and while nothing about her left me feeling she was being calculating or inauthentic, she is deeply introspective, intelligent, and aware that she has been given a unique opportunity and as such, is handling the nuances of it and navigating the potential minefield we lovingly call Tinsel Town, with an awareness that strategy is the key.
“After the movie I took some time off to travel, and not everyone agreed with my decision. The people who really understood me knew that I needed time away. Those who didn’t understand or didn’t care to try, felt the need to remind me that this was the worst time to leave Hollywood, as I should be riding the proverbial wave. Well, that just wasn’t the way I saw it. I knew I needed a break, I knew I needed to clear my head, and I knew that the first rule of Hollywood is that there really are no rules”.
Success is a slippery slope and with celebrity comes an added complexity. Here is a woman with a plan and part of that plan is taking care of Anna. I didn’t expect to come away from this interview with anything more than an interesting story about an up-and-coming actress, but I was wrong. There are always lessons to be learned, and sometimes they happen when we least expect and in the most unassuming places.
Anna Sargeant is a star on the rise and only time will tell how brightly she will shine. Her brilliance is contextual as Hollywood can often dim the celebrity luster. But make no mistake, Ms. Sargeant will always light the way for her own future as she is a woman of conviction and integrity in an industry that historically is not known for either.
I left not really sure what the next big project for her might be, but I felt assured that she would be a success and continue to embrace life without apology and a with sense of wonder. A life lived out loud and free of any nondisclosure agreements.