INTERVIEW | CHARLIE CHAN DAGELET

On January 22, Homies premiers: a new Dutch movie about a bunch of young people living in Amsterdam, starring Charlie Chan Dagelet. She plays Timo's girlfriend, an Amsterdam based hipster who wants to grow up and win Charlie - who is named Sophie in the movie - back after a break-up. I had the privilege to interview Charlie Chan about the movie, her work and her secret passions. Charlie Chan is a 28-year old actress, born and raised in Amsterdam. Check out what we talked about! 

HOW DID YOU PREPARE FOR THIS ROLE?

I play Sophie, Timo's - played by Robert de Hoog - ex-girlfriend. Therefore, I worked with him in most scenes. After reading the script, I figured that Sophie could not be some silly girl. She had to be a cute one, someone who you understand that Timo is in love with. Although it was kind of a gamble, I decided in advance to let the chemistry between us surprise me on set and develop the character from there.  

YOU TOLD ME THAT YOU GREW UP IN A CREATIVE FAMILY AND ALWAYS KNEW THAT YOU WANTED TO BE AN ACTRESS WHEN YOU WERE OLDER. LOOKING BACK, WHAT HAS BEEN A TRULY IMPORTANT STEP IN YOUR DEVELOPMENT AS AN ACTRESS? AND WHAT DID YOU LEARN FROM THAT?

I have acted my whole life, but it was not until I went to study drama at college that I really realized acting is a true profession. Something in which you have to indulge yourself and go for 150 percent. Not something you can do on the side. That resulted in the fact that school was a pretty frustrating place for me for a while - especially as it made me insecure about myself - and made me loose the fun of acting. Acting kind of is about putting yourself out there and daring to fail. Shamelessly. It is not until you are confident enough to act without thinking of how it will be perceived by others, that you progress and surprise yourself by what you are doing. That was a true eyeopener for me. Daring to fail is therefore probably the most important thing I have learnt in my development as an actress. 

THE MOVIE DOCUMENTS THE AMSTERDAM BASED HIPSTER CULTURE - THINK LOTS OF COFFEE DATES AND GROCERY SHOPPING AT STACH - AND REFLECTS CONTEMPORARY AMSTERDAM. IS THAT SOMETHING THE DIRECTOR REALLY THOUGHT ABOUT?

I do not know if the underlying idea was to reflect the Amsterdam hipster culture, but it was clear that the movie's story had to be based in Amsterdam. Our director Jon Karthaus did want to catch the current zeitgeist though. How do young people live in a city, when they just finished college and are looking for the right job and girlfriend? That is why you probably recognize a lot of the things the characters in the movie are dealing with or thinking about, like developing an APP or talking about their lives on a coffee date with friends.

A LOT OF AMSTERDAM CITIZENS HAVE THEIR GO TO HOTSPOTS AROUND TOWN. AS SOMEONE WHO IS BORN AND RAISED HERE, YOU PROBABLY HAVE YOURS TOO. WHERE DO YOU LIKE TO GO ON A LAZY SATURDAY?  

I used to have a few favorite spots in town. At the moment though, I am so busy that I am not aware of the latest hotspots or cool hangouts. With that said: Amsterdam is my city and I still fall for it every day. One of the things I like to do on a Saturday is just riding my bike or go for a stroll around town. I always run into people I know, as Amsterdam truly is just an oversized village. I especially love the Zeedijk area, where you find cool pop-up shops like the Emporium of Wonders: a place where you can get a coffee, as well as shop for furniture and clothes. I actually bought the blouse I am wearing now - check out the photograph above - at that store. It is from a young, Amsterdam based label called Nobody Has To Know. Furthermore, you can find me in museums and theaters quite often. The thing I love about Amsterdam most? Everything is in a 10 minute reach, when you hop on your bike!

DO YOU THINK IT IS IMPORTANT TO VISIT THE THEATER AND MUSEUMS? DO YOU NEED IT PROFESSIONALLY?

Yes, I do! I try to visit as many shows and exhibitions as possible. Art and theater stimulates your creativity. It also challenges you to think differently about day to day stuff. I think that is important and healthy. 

WHAT KIND OF CHARACTERS DO YOU LIKE TO PLAY BEST?

Most actors will say that it is most fun to play a character that is nothing like you in real life. But what I love most about my job is that producing a great play or movie is all about working together as a team. Therefore, the ambition and chemistry of the group probably is the most important factor in a production's succes. If it lacks that chemistry, it will show in the final cut. To find that chemistry can be pretty tough, as most productions are produced in only a limited amount of time. When shooting Homies, we all felt the chemistry and team spirit, which made working with this team really cool. And really, I think it translates to the screen.

DO YOU HAVE A SECRET PASSION, NOT MANY PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT?

I sure do: music! My mother is a musician and I play cello and piano. I used to practice a lot when I was younger, but somehow I recently rediscovered my love for those instruments. I would love to spend more time practicing and performing in the future. I am actually working on a production with some of the guys I know from college, in which I will be playing cello. Really exciting, because I never performed on stage. I am enjoying it to the fullest though and I hope to show you guys more soon!

GET TO KNOW THE CAST!

Do you want to get to know Charlie Chan and the rest of the Homies cast? Check out their website! For a sneak peek...Watch the trailer below! And thank you Charlie Chan, for the lovely conversation.

Happy Sunday!

-xoxo-

JP

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IMAGE SOURCE 1ST PICTURE // DE STENTOR