August 18, 2022

Ryan Kiera Armstrong | All You Need Is a Rock and Flint

by Anna Brosnihan

1 MONCLER JW ANDERSON sweater and skirt, BY FAR shoes, and talent’s own rings

In a contradictory world that often fails to make any sense, one thing we can be certain of is that with life comes a great deal of challenges. At first thought, the inevitability of facing barriers can feel frightening, but without challenges or the risk of failure, what is there to strive for?

At the young age of 12 years old, Ryan Kiera Armstrong has all of the drive and seemingly none of the fear. While Armstrong has become a familiar face in the horror film genre, the actor has a resumé that spans more than that. From drama to science-fiction, Armstrong demonstrates an impressive range for an actress so young in both age and career, dipping her toes into a variety of different projects with a tenacity that is beyond her years. Fresh off the release of her most recent film, Firestarter (a remake of the famous 1984 film of the same title, which starred Drew Barrymore), Armstrong discusses the pressures of remaking a classic, as well as her fearless determination to take on new challenges.

MCM jacket, shirt, and shorts and talent’s own necklace and rings.

What about Charlie’s character did you connect most with when you read the Firestarter script?
I’ve learned so much from Firestarter. It’s funny because Charlie loved to draw, and right before I started shooting, I actually started to learn how to do realism in drawing. I ended up reading the script, and there were so many scenes where there’s a drawing on the refrigerator, or she’s drawing a Rainbird. I ended up having a few conversations in advance with Keith Thomas, the director, and I ended up doing most of the drawings in my room on set.

How did your approach to this character differ from others, being that this film is a remake?
There’s definitely an expectation that you have to meet certain criteria. It was very important to find where I fit in and see Drew Barrymore’s performance, too. Now that I’m almost playing her in this role, it’s kind of crazy. You know, it’s her movie. I have to respect that she invented Charlie. It was definitely a challenge, and I look forward to more of these kind of challenges. But it was an amazing experience—and I mean, superpowers, right?

Who is the first person that you turn to when you’re nervous about a role?
My dad. He comes with me to every single set. He was the first person where I was like, ‘I really wanna do this, and this is something that I wanna pursue.’ And I mean, he’s a part of the business, and I think that was a great guide. It’s almost like a little team relationship we have because he’s actually a coach. So while I’m on set, he can also coach me. You don’t see that very often, and I’m very thankful for it.

1 MONCLER JW ANDERSON sweater and skirt and talent’s own rings

You have a wide range for such a young actor. What is your favorite genre to act in?
Each genre means something different to me. Horror is actually kind of funny because I can’t watch horror, but I love making it. And it’s become like a saying now because I really can’t watch it. Like, it’s gonna haunt me for the rest of my life! But there’s so many different characters and different genres that I would like to explore. I’m really looking forward to anything that comes my way.

What is your dream role?
Anything that would be very challenging. Also, I’m kind of growing up with acting, so anything that comes forward, I’m very excited for. I’m about to do a project that’s almost like my dream role. And I’m so excited to share this news when I can.