Tegan Mordt grew up in Johannesburg, South Africa. She made her way to New York City at 19 to study acting at The William Esper Studio. Back in NYC, she had performed in her first off-Broadway play titled The Phillie Trilogy, and produced, directed and performed in her first theatre production in an East Village theatre called Under St Marks.
“These were some of the best years of my life!, says Tegan. “I spent some time after that living and auditioning in Cape Town until I knew I needed to be back in a big city.” So then Tegan made her way to the United Kingdom and she never left! “I’ve had the chance to work in many short films and now my first major Indie film”, says Tegan.
The moment Tegan realized she wanted to be an actor was at 10 years old and she got to watch the High School kids rehearsing Little Shop of Horrors for the school play. “It looked like the most exciting place to be and I never changed my mind!, says Tegan“
indieactivity: What acting technique do you use?
Tegan Mordt (TM): I studied at a Meisner technique School in New York and therefore I will always bring this into my work. Meisner gives you a very strong foundation in being present, listening, staying true to the moment and your scene partner. To be observant and connected as well and It teaches you to really go after your characters’ wants and needs. I will always use emotional preparation to understand the emotional headspace my character is in when the scene begins and the circumstances in which they find themselves. I focus a lot on the motivations and deepest desires of my characters and find a way to personalize them and make them mine. Sense memory is also a very important and useful tool which connects me with my imagination and sense.
How did you get connected to the project?
Tegan Mordt (TM): I knew Jordan beforehand, who was our wonderful and talented makeup artist on the film. She is South African as well, and we were connected by family friends and then she so kindly put me in contact with Nick. Nick emailed me asking If I would be interested in auditioning for the role of Anna and so I did, and it all went positively from there! I got the job!
How did you prepare for such a role and the demands of the project?
Tegan Mordt (TM): I did a lot of work building on Anna and Maya’s history and on their relationship before the film began. I wanted to really understand the journey of their relationship and how they ended up being so disconnected from each other. I did a lot of work building and creating Annas life and who she was outside of this story, connecting with her dreams, aspirations, wants and needs. The most important thing for me was to understand what she wanted from Maya and knowing what she wasn’t getting.
How do you create the character from a script into a person?
Tegan Mordt (TM): I think the biggest challenge for me when I initially read the script was that I knew it was going to be a high stakes environment, especially in that last scene and I had never shot something that intense before so that definitely scared me! But I Loved the story from start to end and I loved all the characters. It kept me on my toes, it was suspenseful and of course working with an all-female cast was definitely a plus for me! And of course I wanted to work with Nick.
You’re not new to indie films. What do you enjoy about the work that keeps you working?
Tegan Mordt (TM): The experience of being on set and a set where we all became really good friends is what keeps me coming back. Because we became close it made the acting more playful, experimentative and gave permission for us to explore more. I really enjoyed how intimate an indie film set can be
Give an example of a direction you received from the director during the production?
Tegan Mordt (TM): I can’t remember too much now but I do remember Nick sent me a picture of a blonde wonder woman type girl and to somehow use that as inspiration for Anna. Tall and strong.
How did you collaborate with your cast members from scene to scene?
Tegan Mordt (TM): I don’t remember too many discussions happening before shooting each scene, there would be blocking out positions and then just diving in and giving it a go. However, we did have a lot of chats about our characters to each other prior which I’m sure bled into how the scenes went.
What did you take away from the film production?
Tegan Mordt (TM): After this production I definitely want to lean more towards doing film and TV than theatre. I love the art of filmmaking and the process of creating a movie. Thanks to ‘The Imposters’ and now I just want to do more! And to really just give it everything you have got and not to care what other people think. Be true to who you think your character is and give them 110%.
What do you like most about the director, and his/her collaboration with his/her team?
Tegan Mordt (TM): I think Nick has an amazing mind! He’s incredibly creative and is a very talented writer and director. Nick’s entirely self-reliant and independent! He’s always open to your ideas and cares deeply about each and every character. Nick doesn’t talk much during shooting and we learned that when he’s quiet he’s happy. He will let you know if he wants you to do something differently!
What is next for you?
Tegan Mordt (TM): I’ve been doing a lot of portfolio building and rebranding this year. As next year I plan on getting my first TV credit and nothing’s going to stop me!
What advice do you give actors regarding what you learnt on the project?
Tegan Mordt (TM): My advice to other actors is to know your character like the back of your hand. I know their history, their thoughts, their desires, and motivations. I really get specific with their relationships in the film and their point of view of those relationships. Know everything about them and leave no room for being unsure. Then trust that you FRIGGIN got this!
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