‘Don’t Forget To Live’: The Fall’s Tara Lee Reveals The Advice She Got From Kim Cattrall

With a role in the lauded Irish move A Date for Mad Mary and The Fall lighting up her CV, it’s slightly intimidating when you hear Tara Lee also has a record deal with BMG Chrysalis. But after a debut acting role in RTE2’s Raw when she was only 16, she’s merely living her destiny.

The actress appears in STELLAR’s October issue – on shelves now – and she dished some home truths about doing whatever it takes to follow your dreams.

On dropping out of college after six months

“I’d been in school for so long and always kind of hated it. Structure was something I needed to break out of,” she says. “My parents would be a little let down if I’d a normal job.”

A move to London came earlier this year. “The first two months was a lot to take in. It took a lot for me to get used to the the groping on the bus,” she grimaces. “There’s a lot of issues like that and everyone’s off their head all the time. It was quite intense for me, but I’ve met some amazing people. Music-wise it’s where you need to be.”

Music-wise, things are working out. Tara’s working with a producer Jonas Quant, whose roster includes No Doubt and Kylie Minogue, and avoids the seedier side of things. “I’ve had some really fucked up experiences,” she says enigmatically before assuring us her current team are amazing.

On who she wants to be when she grows up

“Grimes is killing it. The way she learned how to produce everything herself, that’s what I’m trying to do,” she enthuses.

On her unlikely mentor, Kim Cattrall

“She came to see Moon Dogs [Tara’s next feature film] when we were Edinburgh. I asked if she’d any advice, she said don’t forget to live a life, because if you just work and don’t live, you’ve nothing to draw from.”

On being a ‘f***ed up artist’

Tara’s not afraid to dig deep. “I’m a very emotional person, as my ex-boyfriend will tell you,” she laughs. “I feel stressed out if I’m not emotional. If I’m happy, I’m not writing songs, because I only write songs if I’m really depressed or heartbroken or pissed off at somebody. I’m one of those fucked up artists.”

Tara Lee stars in Element Pictures’ A Date for Mad Mary, which is in cinemas now. Check out our interview with the stars of the movie below.

Read our full interview with Tara Lee in STELLAR’s October issue, on shelves now.

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• Acting
• career
• inthemag
• irish actress
• irish film
• tara lee