IN CONVERSATION WITH LUCY FREYER
interview by JANA LETONJA
Australian actress Lucy Freyer is quickly establishing herself as one of the most compelling emerging voices of her generation. Currently starring as Billie in FX/Hulu’s Adults, she brings wit, vulnerability and a scene-stealing energy to the acclaimed comedy’s sharp portrait of Gen Z friendship and the messy realities of becoming an adult. A Juilliard graduate, she made her New York stage debut opposite Katie Holmes in The Wanderers, earning a Theatre World Award for her performance, before making her feature debut alongside Owen Wilson in Paint. Now based in New York and moving fluidly between stage, film and television, Lucy is building a career defined by curiosity, comedy and characters that embrace all the contradictions of being human.
photography by EMILIO MADRID
Adults has been described as a defining comedy about the Gen Z experience. What initially made you feel that this was a world, and a character, you wanted to be part of?
I grew up on New York City comedies about people in their early twenties, like Friends, Broad City, Girls. There’s something so affirming about seeing your life and your experiences reflected back at you in a way that feels authentic. So, when I got this script, the idea of being part of a show that felt so aligned with the shows I love the most, was really exciting. I also felt like I knew who Billie was immediately. I remember taping the scenes and thinking, “Should I be doing more with this?” I feel like I was just playing myself.
What parts of Billie feel closest to you, and where are the two of you completely different?
I see a lot of my younger self in Billie. Her desire to get things “right”, her perfectionism, her overthinking.
Where we differ is that I can cook chicken. And hopefully I don’t make people cringe as much.
The show captures that strange period when you’re technically an adult but still figuring out what adulthood actually means. What does being an adult mean to you at this point in your own life?
I don’t think anyone ever truly feels like an adult. The goalpost is always moving. When you’re 18, you think you’ll feel grown up at 21. At 21, you think maybe it’ll happen at 25. Then you turn 25 and you’re like, “Well, probably by 30.” There’s never really a moment where you wake up and think, “I’ve arrived. I have it all figured out.” In that way, I think being an adult is less of a destination and more of a journey.
Friendship is really at the center of Adults. What do you think the series gets right about the intensity and intimacy of friendships in your twenties?
I think the show really understands that in your twenties your friends can become your family before you’ve even realized that’s what’s happening. They’re the people you’re calling at 2 in the morning, the people who know every version of you, and often the people helping you figure out which of those versions is authentic and which is a silly voice you do at the bar because you get nervous when you flirt.
What I love about Adults is I think that it accurately captures the feeling of your friendships being your number 1 priority. These characters are deeply devoted to one another, but they can also be selfish, competitive, and way too involved in each other’s lives. That messiness is part of the intimacy.
Critics have singled you out as a scene-stealing presence on the show. Is it strange to suddenly see people responding to your work on that scale?
I’ve tried to not pay too much attention to that kind of stuff, as annoying as that may sound. I’m so proud of the work we all did on set. Before the show came out, I reminded myself that this is work that I’m really proud to sign my name to, and no matter what the response was, that would always be true. I feel lucky that the response has been wholly positive.
Social media, dating, work, money and identity have made young adulthood feel very different from previous generations. What aspect of contemporary Gen Z life do you think Adults captures particularly well?
It’s easy to be cynical about young people today. It feels like there’s an impulse out there to paint Gen Z as self-absorbed and narcissistic. I think Adults does the opposite. The show understands that, in the face of so much instability and uncertainty, young people actually give more of a shit than ever.
The characters on the show care deeply about being good friends, good partners, and good members of the community. Obviously, they don’t always get it right, but underneath all of the irony and self-awareness, these characters are incredibly earnest. That’s the truth of my generation.
You graduated from Juilliard in 2020, at an incredibly unusual moment to be entering the profession. How did that period shape the actor you became?
It definitely wasn’t an ideal time to begin a career as an actor, but funnily enough I felt very supported by the industry. My class at Juilliard in particular felt very rallied behind. The casting directors were really taking the time to meet with us, agents and managers showed up to our Zoom showcase, the energy felt very “let’s help these kids out and make sure they don’t get lost in the wash.” I feel immensely grateful to have that be my first foray into the industry. It’s helped me stay positive.
Your New York stage debut in The Wanderers opposite Katie Holmes earned you a Theatre World Award. What did theater teach you about yourself that training couldn’t?
At drama school, I hadn’t done a run of a play longer than a few performances. The run of The Wanderers taught me a lot about finding and maintaining spontaneity in repetition.
You’ve already moved between theater, film and television. Do those different mediums satisfy different parts of you creatively?
Definitely. I find them to be artistically fulfilling in different ways. Being on a set and learning about different lenses and lighting and shots and how they affect the storytelling scratches a particular itch in my brain. The feeling of being on stage, connecting with an audience and having a performance only exist for one moment is equally as fulfilling, but in a completely different way. The pressure and excitement that comes when something goes slightly awry and has to be fixed in real time, without the audience knowing, is a high like no other.
You’re at a point in your career where people are beginning to describe you as a “rising” or “breakout” talent. Does that kind of attention create excitement, pressure, or do you try not to engage with it too much?
I really try not to engage with it too much. It’s been so lovely for the response to the show to be so positive.
As your opportunities expand, what kinds of characters are you most hungry to play next? Is there a side of yourself audiences haven’t seen yet?
It would be fun to play a role completely different to Billie. I’d also love to do another play.
TEAM CREDITS:
photography EMILIO MADRID
hair ALISON FARFAN
make-up CAT MIGNANO
