Für die Apple TV+ Serie „Trying“ schrieb sie einen kompletten Soundtrack, ihre Single „John Hughes Movie“ ist ein großer Popmoment 2021 – Maisie Peters hat unverkennlich ein Faible für Film & Fernsehen. Mit Anna hat sich die Künstlerin darüber unterhalten.
When you released „John Hughes Movie“, I felt very seen – a girl, influenced by all the movies and then disappointed by the real life. And I immediately knew that I wanted to talk to you about growing up with movies and how they influence our thinking. So, of course, the first question is: What are your all time favorite films?
Maisie: My favorite two films, which I feel like really represent the two tenets of my personality are „10 Things I Hate About You“ with Heath Ledger and with Claire Danes – it’s the perfect film, the perfect 90s rom com. It’s like all the best bits where there’s actors right before all of them really broke through, I just I love everything about the colors, the music, the soundtrack… it’s my comfort film.
And then my other favorite film kind of randomly is „The Big Short“, which is about the financial crisis of 2021. I’m a huge, huge fan of that film as well. . So there’s a scriptwriter called Aaron Sorkin, who also who wrote „The Social Network“, „The West Wing“ also „The Newsroom“, which I love. It’s very underrated, kind of a hidden gem. I always think is really important to bring up those people as well, because he has this amazing way of writing dialogues, super quickly, very like candid and sharp — it’s always been really inspiring to me as well.
I think that’s a really good balance between 90s rom com and modern day crisis. Anything special you watched during the lockdowns? I spend way too much time binge-watching stuff…
Maisie: I had to isolate in my house for a long time, like 14 to 16 days, so I watched the whole of „Succession“, which basically falls under the category of the „The Big Short“-side of my sanity. Everyone told me I was gonna love it. And I just fell in love with it, I’m obsessed with it. And again I think the dialogue is very intrinsically, that’s what I love about film and TV.
I also watched a really wonderful film during Christmas time called „Baby Teeth“. It’s beautiful, it’s Australia in the suburbs. It really takes you by surprise I think, how much impact it has is really amazing, because it’s not necessarily like a typical narrative, it gives you just like scenes, and it jumps between moments. It’s kind of hard to explain, but I found the experience like listening to an album, it was a collection of scenes and moments of importance. And it was beautiful aesthetically, also really touching.
Was there ever a character who you found yourself in or you wanted to be growing up?
Maisie: That’s a good question. I loved „Little Women“ growing up, I definitely wanted to be Joe March, realistically I am probably Amy, but I definitely wanted to be Joe. I definitely wanted to be Hermione Granger. I definitely wanted to be Bella Swan…I mean, I loved Twilight growing up. Between the ages of about 12 and 15, I’ve probably read Twilight and especially „Eclipse“, my favourite of the four, like 15 times. I was obsessed, I used to go through and I read my favorite sections just over and over.
But were you Team Jacob or Team Edward?
Maisie: Team Edward definitely. Nothing better than a tall pale man who can’t express his feelings! Edward Cullen is basically the blueprint, the more I think about it…disappointing but not surprising.
There has been a huge TikTok trend about „being the main character“. Have you tried that?
Maisie: I’ve been the main character, but right now I’m actually having a bit of a break from being the main character because too much happened, I’ve had enough. I need to go and be the narrator now, that will be the best thing for now.
Feel that! And to be honest, this TikTok way doesn’t work for me…everything looks so aesthetically pleasing, also a lot of filters and effects.
Maisie: I feel the same. I have a very ugly house, and I say that with my whole heart. I love her, but as a student house…we’ve tried our best, but she is just a little bit ugly. And so whenever I film stuff, I used to try and do like the aesthetic main character, but I said to myself: „No, we’re just gonna make it super chaotic and funny, because that’s more accurate“.
We already talked about Edward Cullen, but did you have another big movie/show crush? The person that formed the ideal dream partner?
Maisie: Patrick Dempsey from Grey’s Anatomy, the early seasons. Yeah, I have strong memories of Patrick Dempsey. You don’t want this isn’t one, but I watched „Suits“, one summer when I was like 16, I think it was the arrogance, so that’s not a good blueprint, but Harvey Specter. Give him one. And Laurie from Little Women is up there as well.
Isn’t it so crazy how we think: that’s my dream man or dream woman. But we don’t want to realise that they are not real…and it’s not realistic to find someone like them?
Maisie: I mean I refuse to believe that Patrick Dempsey isn’t Derek Shepherd.
I met him once through work, I mean technically he walked past me at this event, but it was still the best day of my life!
Maisie: Wow, that’s big! Amazing!
So we know that movies can give us a lot of false expectations but I think so does music for me at least. How do you feel about it, and is there any artists on your mind and maybe it’s the same one that’s on my mind.
Maisie: That’s what music and films are great for is that you can just live vicariously: It’s a magnified way of living. I want people to know I don’t live necessarily the way I live in my songs. A lot of my songs are how I wish I lived or what I wish I’d said or how I wish it had gotten, that is what „John Hughes Movie“ is literally about.
I’ve definitely said before, but Taylor Swift gave me thoroughly unrealistic expectations.
That was the answer I waited for.
Maisie: I mean…“Speak Now“? I really thought someone someday would throw pebbles at my window. But no, that does not happen – Taylor, that would break my windows, they are thin glass! „Entchanted“ was a song like that aswell, also „Good Job“, „Sparks Fly“. The list could go on…also „Fearless“. I know I’m now on another album, but it’s huge.
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