Esther McGregor on Starring in Two Venice Titles With ‘Room Next Door’ and ‘Babygirl,’ and How ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’ Helped Rekindle Her Relationship With Father Ewan

As I delve into the captivating narrative of Roe McGregor, a young actress who seems to be making her mark in Hollywood, I find myself utterly mesmerized by her resilience and determination. Born into a family where acting is more than just a profession, it’s a legacy, Roe has navigated the complexities of nepotism with grace and tenacity.


Esther McGregor was certain she had botched her tryout for Pedro Almodóvar’s highly anticipated first English film, “The Room Next Door.”

At the moment, an actress, model, musician, and tattoo artist (who openly admits being a “Nepo Baby”), feeling less than enthusiastic about a project, agreed to produce a brief film on a whim. She didn’t put much thought into the projects she was offered, so when lines were sent for her review, she gave them a cursory read and emailed over the recording without her usual precision.

“Two minutes after sending the tape, she returned to verify and saw Almodovar’s name. She exclaimed, ‘Oh my God, I messed it up, I ruined my chance!’ she admits, speaking from Nova Scotia on a day off between filming scenes for Amazon’s upcoming series ‘You Were Liars.'”

Almodovar is the kind of director that any actor would be excited to collaborate with at any point in their career. However, for McGregor, who openly admits to being an “international film enthusiast,” he was a filmmaker she had deep admiration for, studied intensely during her school years, and his works she had watched repeatedly with awe. “I was incredibly disappointed in myself.” (paraphrased)

Luckily, it turned out that her disappointment wasn’t necessary. Around three months later, around the end of 2023, without any prior communication or feedback, she received a call informing her that she had landed the role in which she co-stars with Julianne Moore and Tilda Swinton.

McGregor learned about the role in the movie “Babygirl,” directed by Halina Reijn of “Bodies Bodies Bodies” fame, while she was on another film set. This production stars Nicole Kidman and Antonio Banderas, who interestingly has worked with Almodovar extensively (eight films and counting). Upon hearing about her part, Banderas expressed surprise, exclaiming, “No way!”

Naturally, the two then took a quick selfie and sent it to the director. 

She expressed that it was an unusual encounter. “I couldn’t help but look twice, thrice, in fact, and exclaimed, ‘Is this actually happening?’ Upon rewatching the audition video, I hesitated, then thought, ‘Well, alright!'”

Despite acknowledging that her parts in “Babygirl” and “The Room Next Door” are modest, they have still managed to achieve something extraordinary for the 22-year-old actress, who is still relatively new to the industry. This unique accomplishment allows her to boast about having two of her films being screened in competition at the Venice Film Festival this year. Notably, these are among the most talked-about productions being shown on the Lido, with limited information disclosed as producers try to maintain secrecy.

Title Translation: “The Room Next Door” – This is Pedro Almodóvar’s first film in English, and it continues his tradition of comedic family dramas. The story revolves around a “deeply flawed mother” and her “resentful daughter,” who are estranged due to a “deep-rooted misunderstanding.” (Sony Pictures Classics has recently released a dialogue-free trailer offering few plot details.) Meanwhile, “Babygirl” is a sultry erotic thriller where Nicole Kidman’s powerful CEO embarks on an illicit relationship with a younger, captivating intern, portrayed by Harris Dickinson.

For McGregor, portraying the “grunge” teenager character in “Babygirl,” a role that shares familial connections with Kidman and Banderas, held an unusually intimate aspect for her.

She candidly admits that aspects of her own personal life, particularly those involving her family dynamics, seemed to mirrors themselves on the screen, albeit in a reversed manner. Instead of dealing with her mother off-screen, these scenarios were portrayed with her character interacting with her father’s counterpart.

In the already lively scenario, another notable figure, Ewan McGregor, is revealed as Conor McGregor’s father. Coincidentally, the character she plays in “Babygirl” corresponds to the age she was when her dad went through a highly publicized, chaotic separation from her mother Eve Mavrakis and began a relationship – eventually marrying – his “Fargo” co-star Mary Elizabeth Winstead.

As a film enthusiast, I can say that the era depicted in the movie marked a turning point for me – a time when I began to understand that parents, just like any other humans, are fallible. They make mistakes, act impulsively, and sometimes prioritize their own interests over others. Revisiting this phase from a fresh perspective at 22 was intriguing because my personal family issues unfolded around the same age, 16. Now that I’ve achieved closure and have a clearer understanding of my life path, I found a newfound voice in portraying this character. I believe this dual exploration of both the on-screen and real-life characters was a unique and special experience for me.

Esther McGregor on Starring in Two Venice Titles With ‘Room Next Door’ and ‘Babygirl,’ and How ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’ Helped Rekindle Her Relationship With Father Ewan

McGregor acknowledges that her relationship with her father had been strained, and for several years after the family split, they didn’t communicate. However, it was her debut in a significant production that initiated a healing journey for her.

Although she spent a significant portion of her childhood on movie sets around the globe, which she referred to as “my Disneyland,” albeit disliking actual Disneyland, she didn’t start pursuing acting professionally until later in life. She mentioned that her parents never allowed her to participate in child acting roles.

She hated feeling bored, so she decided to learn music, starting with the piano and eventually moving on to the guitar. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she formed a band named French Thyme with fellow musician Leo Major. Although she has released an EP, which features mostly dreamy electro-pop tunes that she sings herself, she emphasizes that her music is primarily for her own creative expression (“It’s the one thing I have complete control over”).

Her love for art propelled her into the world of tattooing as well. After obtaining her license and moving from LA to New York City with a friend, they opened up a shop together. This was after her family had relocated from the U.K. when she was 11 years old. In New York, she also started her professional modeling career, although her initial campaign took place in LA alongside her older sister Clara. Quickly, she found herself participating in fashion shoots and catwalks, eventually opening Miu Miu’s 2023 spring/summer show in Milan – a position she earned due to being selected by Miuccia Prada. “I do quite a bit of runway modeling,” she jokes, “but I’m only 5 foot 4, so I probably shouldn’t be doing that much runway modeling!”

However, it wasn’t until all these career paths were simmering gently that acting unexpectedly surfaced. This happened when she was unexpectedly invited to audition for a project while studying in New York. The project turned out to be the Disney+ series “Obi-Wan Kenobi,” which, as you might guess, stars her father in the leading role.

“I just thought, I’m going do it, just for fun to see what comes out of it,” she says. 

After a callback, Director Deborah Chow received a call (at the very moment she was standing outside her store on the verge of beginning a tattoo session).

“She told me, ‘I need to share something with you, I haven’t mentioned it to your father yet, but I’ve decided to give you the role. Please understand that it isn’t due to your father’s influence.’ This was very thoughtful of her,” she recounts. “So I asked her to keep it a secret for now, and not to tell him just yet, let’s surprise him with it.” And that’s exactly what she did – right on the set itself.

In addition to having both McGregors featured in the series, Esther takes on a minor role in episode two as Tetha Grig, a drug dealer who attempts to peddle spice to Obi-Wan Kenobi. This is interesting given her character’s connection to her father’s past struggles with addiction, something she acknowledges was difficult for her to grapple with during filming.

McGregor shares that acting together for the first time, although it was just a brief scene, significantly impacted their bond and brought them closer. This encounter several years post-estrangement seems to have mended things between them. Now, she expresses a desire to collaborate with her father again in the future.

This leads us to discuss the topic known as “Nepotism Kids,” a term McGregor openly embraces with dignity.

She mentions that her dad, who’s an actor, has provided her with a unique upbringing on movie sets and sparked her passion for acting at a tender age. She feels this wouldn’t have happened if she hadn’t been exposed to it. However, she acknowledges that having a well-known father in the film industry has opened some doors for her and she doesn’t want to undervalue these opportunities. Yet, she emphasizes that being his daughter hasn’t directly led to any acting jobs for her.

She acknowledges her privilege by saying, “If I were lacking in ability, I’d clearly show it. However, I am aware of my privileged position and wouldn’t view being labeled a Nepo Baby in a negative light. If you choose to do so, that’s your prerogative, but I won’t let it undermine the effort and dedication I’ve invested in this endeavor. If I were content to idle away my time, I certainly wouldn’t be working as diligently as I am now.”

McGregor only mentions that she’s focused on improving her acting. Despite having a TV project in Nova Scotia that won’t finish until October, she can’t attend the Venice film festival for “The Room Next Door” or “Babygirl”. Yet, she appears content to stay with the production. When a fellow actor expressed eagerness for a break because he was exhausted, her reaction was “No! I should be going straight to another set!” She admits that this work is what excites her and keeps her motivated.

I’ve chosen to pause my modeling career for a while, as travel was becoming quite intense. However, music remains a constant companion, even if it’s just my guitar off-screen during our Zoom calls. Although she’s moved on from the tattoo shop in New York, leaving it in the capable hands of her friend, there’s a loyal clientele eagerly awaiting her return. Interestingly, many film crews I’ve worked with are heavily tattooed and eager for me to contribute more designs to their canvases, just like Conor McGregor.

With her acting career just starting to gain momentum, McGregor is contentedly dedicating all of her time and energy to this newfound profession. She’s eagerly learning from more seasoned performers, whether it’s through Almodovar’s distinctive rehearsal techniques (she fondly recalls her time on “The Room Next Door” as a “wonderful, wonderful experience,” surrounded by “love and happiness”) or observing Kidman’s method of meditating before scenes in “Babygirl” and quickly slipping back into character (a technique she’s attempting to master herself, acknowledging that she hasn’t quite perfected it yet but remains hopeful).

Quite surprisingly, it seems she’s holding back on learning from her father for now, or so she claims.

She acknowledges that she needs to reach out for help, as there have been instances when she felt deeply overwhelmed after a long day’s work. She mentions feeling extremely depressed, almost consumed by her emotions, and in such moments, she considers seeking advice from her father about handling such situations. However, there’s a part of her that wants to handle things independently, hoping to solve the problem on her own and then proudly announce, “I figured this out.” She admits that it’s a great privilege to be able to consult someone so close and gain valuable insights, but her personal reservations sometimes hinder this opportunity.

Read More

2024-08-30 11:48