Geraldine Viswanathan hasnāt been in the industry long, but sheās already made an indelible mark.
First grabbing audiences as Kayla in 2018ā²s āBlockers,ā the Australian-born Viswanathan has gone on to appear in Apple TV+ās coming-of-age film āHala,ā TBSās anthology series āMiracle Workersā and HBOās Emmy-winning āBad Education.ā
Now, the 25-year-old is starring in Natalie Krinskyās āThe Broken Hearts Gallery,ā and as a woman of Indian and Swiss descent, she joins the short list of actors of color whoāve headlined romantic comedies.
For Viswanathan, landing the role of art gallery assistant Lucy Gulliver was a dream come true. But it was only after she had filmed the project last year that she realized how significant her casting was.
āI think the visual reminder, and the reminder from other people, is always what kind of brings me back to this unfortunate reality that it is something that we donāt usually see, and itās so absurd,ā Viswanathan told HuffPost.
āIām very honored to be a part of this shift that is happening where weāre saying, āWhy is it just assumed that Lucy would be a white person? Why is it that if we cast a nonwhite person we feel like we might have to explain why theyāre not white?ā Lucy is just a woman of today, and so am I.ā
The film follows the 20-something emotional hoarder, whose apartment is full of both sweet and unsanitary keepsakes from past loves, after she gets dumped by her latest boyfriend. Through heartbreak, Lucy becomes inspired to curate a pop-up gallery featuring personal items from failed relationships. In the process, she leans on her friends Molly Gordon (āBooksmartā) and Phillipa Soo (āHamiltonā) and falls for entrepreneur Dacre Montgomery (āStranger Thingsā) as he renovates a boutique hotel in New York City.
In this interview, Viswanathan talks through the filmās unconventional release and the importance of seeing someone like her be funny, charming and, well, mesmerizing on screen.
I forget you are Australian because your American accent is so good. Iām sure itās a compliment you get frequently?
Iām actually doing my best Australian accent right now. [Laughs.] But yeah, thank God. Imagine if people were like, āStop failing at pretending to be us!ā So Iām glad that itās working.
It must feel different to promote āThe Broken Hearts Galleryā during this time. The release date was pushed back from July to September and, of course, promo tours arenāt functioning as they normally do. Howās that been for you, especially with this being your first major leading role?
Itās been a mixture of feelings. Itās kind of uncertain and complicated, just like the rest of this year; just like everything is at this time. But itās also been a little extra special in a weird way and a light for me in this time. It has felt good for me, personally, to put something out into the world that is positive and uplifting and fun and sweet. And it means a lot when I get messages from people who say that it made their day or they really went out of their way to go see it.
Itās all just so unconventional, and I think weāre all adjusting to the new way that things are being done. Like, this movie will just be slowly rolling out and people will see it slowly over time when itās safe to do so for them.
But at least itās out there because, as weāre seeing, a lot of films keep getting pushed or delayed and there really is not a lot of new content out there.
Right. Iām happy that itās released. I think it has put the movie in a very interesting position, but Iām happy that it kind of went to the theaters first and will eventually end up on streaming or on-demand. All movies have a couple life forms.
Yeah, itās definitely different. But, hey, drive-ins are back and thatās a cool way to get to see a movie like āBroken Hearts Galleryā...
It was! I donāt think Iāve ever gone to a drive-in before, but I sat in the car with some friends and ate In-N-Out. It was cute, and everyone was just in the comfort of their cars, like honking as reactions to things, which I thought was fun. It feels very, you know, classic America.
You had just moved to New York from Australia when the pandemic hit. So what has it been like to adjust to an altered city life not only with the pandemic, but with an economic crisis and and racial unrest? You had just filmed, months prior, a movie in New York about New York ā a New York love story.
I mean, the timing of that was just ... hilarious. But, yeah, we had so much fun making this, and a lot of the cast is from New York and, of course, itās a real love letter to New York. Natalie [Krinsky] kind of spent her 20s there and I left the film feeling like, āIām going to do that! Iām going to be 25 and in New York and Iām going to experience the magic of the city while Iām young enough to have the energy for it!ā
And then, truly, the week that I got an apartment everything shut down, so all my plans have drastically changed. But I think the spirit of New York is pretty amazing, and itās been really incredible to watch how the city has come alive in a new way.
āThe Broken Hearts Galleryā focuses a lot on friendship, as well as your character Lucyās blossoming romance ā you know, similar to other romantic comedies, except youāre a woman of color at the forefront. Sadly, we still donāt get to see many women of color in leading roles, especially in a rom-com, so what has it meant to you to be able to explore this character and have this platform?
Itās so interesting because itās never something that I think about consciously while Iām working. It really only comes into the conversation after the fact ā
when Iām watching it or when Iām talking to people who have watched it. I think the visual reminder, and the reminder from other people, is always what kind of brings me back to this unfortunate reality that it is something that we donāt usually see, and itās so absurd.
And Iām very honored to be a part of this shift that is happening where weāre saying, āWhy is it just assumed that Lucy would be a white person? Why is it that if we cast a non-white person we feel like we might have to explain why theyāre not white?ā Thatās something Iām very appreciative of Natalie for is that she never felt like we had to explain it or go into Lucyās backstory or ethnic background. Lucy is just a woman of today, and so am I.
Iām really honored that, in my career, Iāve gotten to play characters that
arenāt defined by their ethnicity. And yeah, itās not lost on me how significant it actually is. When I get messages that are like, āIāve never seen someone that looks like me on screen,ā thatās when Iām reminded that this is a part of something bigger.
Did you have someone that you watched and thought, āOh wow, I see myself?ā
I mean, I was hugely inspired by Mindy Kaling because she was in the comedy world and she created her own opportunities. I was deeply obsessed with her and her career, and thatās really where I wanted to go.
Do you think itās female creators and producers, perhaps, that make acting opportunities like these more readily available for young women?
Iāve worked with a lot of female writers and directors in my pretty early career, and I think it does really boil down to me being drawn to those scripts because there is that specificity and nuance and real understanding that happens when itās an experience that the writer and director and creator [have] this personal relationship to.
Did you get a sense of who Lucy was when you first read the script for āThe Broken Hearts Galleryā?
Yeah, I did. I felt like Lucy was just this bleeding heart, but at the same time just had this strength and conviction and self-assuredness and this ultimate wisdom. And I could tell that a lot of Natalieās essence was put into Lucy. When I met Natalie, I was like, āOh yeah.ā Sheās totally 25 at heart and you can tell that sheās just always been the coolest, chicest, wisest person. And now sheās an adult! So sheās always who I turn to for advice on life stuff because sheās lived a pretty cool life.
Watching this movie, you immediately want to be friends with Lucy, so I totally get it. Sheās an extrovert, eccentric at times, and completely obsessed with love. Did you relate to her at all?
Definitely. I related to her sort of deep love for life and the kind of life and love that she wants to bring into the world. I do think part of it was also a little aspirational for me. Sheās really outgoing and can just make friends with someone instantly and has this real New Yorker energy that I really have always admired. Just like, everyoneās a friend! No oneās a stranger! And that was something that I wanted to experience for myself because Iām a little bit more introverted. I am a little anxious in social situations sometimes, so I wanted to feel what it was like to just be totally open and free.
Also, her wardrobe is everything. That white power suit!
Oh, I know. Where is that? I want that! But, yeah, [this movie] gave me such a crash course in fashion and style because I really know Iām the least stylish person. I really donāt care about clothes, but Lucy does, and Natalie is very stylish, so I learned a lot from them and definitely got to keep some stuff. And, honestly, ever since Iāve done the movie Iāve actually bought more clothes. I understand now!
You were in a few successful teen movies ā āBlockers,ā āThe Package,ā āHalaā ā and now youāre the lead in a young adult rom-com. How has it been to transition into this next stage of your career?
I mean, Iām not leaving the teens for good, but Iām definitely, for a moment, stepping out here and being a 20-something, which is quite fun.
It feels really cool, it feels amazing. I get to just keep the ball rolling and do the things that I want to do. I do feel like Iāve been growing alongside all the work Iāve done and the projects Iāve done, and this one definitely feels like that. Iāve done a lot of coming-of-age stories that are more, like, āWho am I? What am I doing? Where am I going?ā And this is more that age range where you do know more about who you are and where you are and where youāre going, but itās still really confusing and hard!
Do you feel like that at all in your life? Just deciding on the next project to take on or the next place to live?
I guess Iām realizing that a lot does go on! Iām like, āWhy am I so overwhelmed? Is it the pandemic? Is it 25? What is it?ā But itās all of those things for sure.
Youāve been fortunate enough to work alongside extraordinary talents like Hugh Jackman (āBad Educationā), Daniel Radcliffe (āMiracle Workersā), Leslie Mann (āBlockersā), as well as directors like Natalie, Cory Finley and Kay Cannon. Whatās important to you when you decide on your next project? Is it that collaboration and the people youāll get to work with every day?
Of course. Itās the greatest excitement and joy for me to get to work with people that I respect and admire. I can just soak up their energy for a bit and learn from them. Itās very, very fun.
With the state of the industry, things will definitely be different in terms of that collaboration and the in-person exchanges on set. Have you heard anything about whatās been going on with productions?
I guess things are slowly starting up. Iām always kind of wary. I think weāre all just treading on uncertain footing. But yeah, weāre figuring it out. Thereās big-level production thatās happening where people are putting down the money to work around COVID and do testing and all that. And then thereās teeny, tiny budget things with very few people involved. I just did one of those ā a really small, born-out-of-COVID project that hasnāt been announced yet, but itās cool to see what people are able to do in this situation.
Iām sure itās nice to get back in the saddle a bit and flex those creative muscles again?
Yeah. It just feels really amazing to be working with other people on a project. Thatās really what I missed is that collaboration and coming together out of mutual enthusiasm about something, and everyone doing their best to make it good. Thatās such an exhilarating process.
This interview has been edited and condensed.
āThe Broken Hearts Galleryā is now playing in theaters.