Actress Lily James has shared her unique ritual for focusing on her roles, which involves creating distinctive scents for each character she portrays. This practice, she believes, helps her concentrate better.
The 36-year-old actress revealed in a recent issue of Britain’s HELLO! magazine, “Every day, when I’m getting ready, I spray whatever it is on, and suddenly it takes you to a place and focuses you.” She finds scents to be incredibly seductive, stating, “I like to either spray scents that are already made, or I’ll create one and put it together.”
In her upcoming film Swiped, James takes on the role of Whitney Wolfe Herd, the founder and CEO of a dating app. She expressed that portraying a real-life figure comes with added pressure compared to acting as a fictional character, noting, “With a real person, first and foremost, you want to do them justice.”
James reflected on the complexities of telling someone else’s story, sharing, “Feeling as though you could ever possibly have the right to tell someone’s story is such a confusing conversation and something I think about a lot.”
Although she didn’t meet Whitney, 36, prior to working on Swiped, James dedicated herself to extensive research to accurately represent the businesswoman, who became the world’s youngest billionaire. “I watched hours of interviews with her, I read about her, I studied anything I could to get to know her. What I found was a life force and energy that is truly infectious,” she explained.
The actress admitted feeling “guilty” and a “bit of a fake” for starring in Swiped, as she has never used a dating app. Despite this, she believes it’s important to share Whitney’s story. “I think because hers is a true story of triumph and of building a legacy,” she said.
James emphasized the significance of representing female entrepreneurs, stating, “There have been a lot of films about male founders of big businesses, but not so many about females. Whitney is an inspiration, and her story is so powerful and full of hope and courage.”