Monica Barbaro’s Advice for Oscar Newcomers Rose Byrne and Jacob Elordi
Hollywood star Monica Barbaro, who navigated the whirlwind of awards season for the first time just last year, has offered some candid advice to fellow Australian first-time Oscar nominees Rose Byrne and Jacob Elordi as they approach the March 15 ceremony. Barbaro, recognised for her powerful portrayal of Joan Baez in the Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown, shared her insights on pacing oneself during the intense period leading up to the Oscars.
“What’s wild is, I was shooting this movie while I was doing that [awards season],” Barbaro recounted during a promotional tour in London for her new heist thriller Crime 101, where she stars alongside Australian actor Chris Hemsworth. She recalled a moment, perhaps the day after the BAFTAs, when she had to forgo the post-ceremony festivities to return to filming.
“It was one of those moments where we were all at dinner [afterwards] and I was like, ‘I’m not gonna go to the after-thing, I gotta work tomorrow,’ and people were like, ‘Ohhhhh, on set’,” she explained. This experience led to a profound realisation for Barbaro.
“It was this beautiful moment where I realised that everyone in that award space just wanted to be back on set,” she reflected. The glamour and accolades of awards season, while significant, ultimately pale in comparison to the passion for filmmaking that drives creatives.
“Then when I went to set the next day, people were like … ‘I’ve never been, what was it like? Is it as glamorous as…’ and I was like, ‘It’s so funny, everyone there just wants to be on set again’,” Barbaro observed. She elaborated on this sentiment, stating, “Because ultimately, it’s a bunch of creatives walking around trying to display best versions of themselves and take the honour, and have a lot of gratitude, but really, we all just love being on set.”
For Barbaro, the ultimate aspiration behind the entire awards season spectacle is to secure more opportunities to work and create more films. “I think more than anything, the fuel behind that whole wild system is just to get to work more and to get to make more films, it’s the ultimate goal,” she stated. Her advice to Byrne and Elordi is therefore grounded in this perspective: “So, yeah, have strength. Get through it, try to rest, and then get back on set, I guess.”
The impact of receiving industry recognition, including a SAG Award nomination, continues to shape Barbaro’s career. “Things have definitely changed in a lot of ways, and then in a lot of really important ways, things have gone back to the life that I want to be more of my norm,” she shared. She stressed the importance of taking a break after such a demanding period.
“I think it’s really good to take a break after, I think it can be a very exhausting process. It’s important to get a lot of rest and then, yeah, just keep doing what you love. I think that’s what got them there in the first place,” Barbaro advised.
Embracing Diverse Roles Beyond “Strong” Characters
Following her compelling performances as the strong-willed Joan Baez in A Complete Unknown and Lt. Natasha ‘Phoenix’ Trace in Top Gun: Maverick, Barbaro finds herself once again portraying a character she “really admires” in Crime 101. However, she clarified that her tendency to play strong female characters isn’t a conscious career strategy.
“God, yeah, I have done a lot of that [but] it’s not a prerequisite,” she told nine.com.au. To illustrate this point, she revealed an upcoming role in a London play where her character’s fate is quite different. “I’m about to do a play here in London where my character literally dies of heartbreak. So that’ll be an interesting shift for me, and I think a great one.”
Barbaro believes her connection to characters often stems from their vulnerability. “I think I’m always most connected to the characters I play in their vulnerability and I think that’s so important to have,” she explained.
In Crime 101, Barbaro’s character, Maya, is described as “quite strong” and “perceptive.” She holds her own against Davis, a character described as an “avoidant guy,” constantly questioning his motives and hidden truths throughout their developing love story.
A Positive Collaboration with Chris Hemsworth
Barbaro had nothing but praise for her Crime 101 co-star, Chris Hemsworth, noting that he is nothing like his character. “He’s incredible,” she gushed. “He’s very forthcoming and very thoughtful, very kind, very creative, just really interested in diving deep into the work.”
She highlighted Hemsworth’s dedication, stating, “He’s very committed to it, and then also to his family and to the greater good on the set. So, yeah, it was a blast, he’s great.”
Crime 101 is set to be released in cinemas across Australia on February 12.
