Tiffany Smith Talks 'IN FLIGHT': Suspense, Mystery & Claire’s Journey

[00:00:09] Tiffany, thank you for joining me today on Pop Culture Unplugged.

[00:00:13] I'm so happy to be here. Thanks for having me.

[00:00:15] Exciting times. We have In Flight, like I mentioned earlier, you know, I spoke to Bo and Maria yesterday and I love, I don't know, I enjoyed this movie. I like the whole, you know, you're watching, you gotta pay attention, you got little Easter eggs, you got a big twist at the end, you know, I don't want to give it away, but it's like, I need to know when you were going, when you're reading that script, what went through your mind?

[00:00:33] Um, I was just excited to get to play this character because I think like people watching it, you're kind of trying to figure out stuff as you're, as I was reading it, I was trying to figure it out. So I think the people that they're watching it, they're trying to figure it out. And I hadn't gotten to play a role like this before. So that was something that was just so appealing to me because there is the fun side of it where it's like, not only am I thinking as myself, Tiffany, like, what does the audience know? What don't they know? But I also think Claire, no, what doesn't she know?

[00:01:01] And then balancing all of that and all of us on set, making sure that like, well, she wouldn't know this. So we need to make sure she doesn't do this. Um, so that part was really fun and interesting, just a whole new thing to keep track of while you're filming.

[00:01:13] You mentioned Claire, you know, she goes through a lot of this film. Uh, how did you connect with this character, uh, given, you know, her recent like personal challenges and, and it's a big decision to travel alone.

[00:01:24] Yeah. I mean, I think almost any character that I play that I've been lucky enough to play, there's always something that's kind of like the entry point of like, Oh, this is kind of, this is similar to me. And then obviously you build on that. Um, for Claire, it was, you know, I am super studious. I I'm type A when it comes to my work where it's like, I will do all the things I need to do.

[00:01:46] Um, trying to shut my brain off from that and go on a vacation is something that's really hard to do. Cause especially in this industry, you feel like you always need to be doing something. You always need to be working. So that was a big piece of this character that I could really connect with because, you know, I need to force myself sometimes though. I love being on vacation. I love traveling. I get to do it for work sometimes. So that kind of helps.

[00:02:07] Right. It's definitely something where I'm like, I have to be like, shut off your work brain, Tiffany. It's okay. Um, so that was kind of the entry point with Claire for me.

[00:02:17] It's kind of an emotional journey for her too, throughout this film. Like, uh, what did you find like most compelling about this journey and Claire?

[00:02:25] Yeah. You know, I think what was so cool about it for me as an actor was that usually you do a movie and you don't get to act with every single person or TV series and you don't get to act with everybody.

[00:02:35] Um, but for this project in particular, I pretty much got to have a scene with everyone. That's a part of the movie, which was really cool. Um, because you could kind of, how did this person work? How did this person work? What do they bring to the table? Is that something I could use for the next project I do? Um, so that part of it was really appealing and fun to get to have that, you know, intense scene work with people.

[00:02:58] Um, and the character, like I said, she is, there's a lot of her that I'm similar to, but then there's other pieces where, you know, she is an incredible badass. She puts herself in this crazy situation and she, when she gets pushed up against the wall, she fights back. Um, and I hope that I would be like that if I was in this situation.

[00:03:19] Right. So I kind of look at Claire as like the inspiration version of me, if I were ever to be in that situation, which hopefully never ever happens.

[00:03:26] Right. You mentioned the word, uh, intense also, you know, there's some intense scenes on the plane. Uh, how did you like, how did you perform like those scenes, especially when you're going to play like, uh, you know, like disorienting, you know, like she's out of it. She doesn't really know what's happening.

[00:03:42] Yeah. I mean, what was interesting about this one is usually when you're on a set, you can kind of get away, step off and then come back onto set.

[00:03:50] But because we were filming the airplane set, it was a lot harder to get time away from the rest of the cast for me. Um, so that was something that I really had to figure out for myself where it was like to tell everybody like, Hey, I might need to be quiet for this moment because I love talking to people and I wanted to like chat with everybody, you know? Um, so there were a couple of days where I was like, Hey, like, or in this scene,

[00:04:11] like I'm going to be a little quieter. So just so you guys know. So, cause we're doing this next big intense scene. Um, and what's great is when you're working with actors, they totally get it. Um, because there did need to be somewhat of a disconnect between Claire and everyone else on the plane, but all of them kind of have some time to get to know each other. So that was something where, even though I was building these awesome friendships with people in real life that I had to be like, okay, I need to like separate for a little bit just so that way we can get through this scene.

[00:04:40] Um, and there was one scene in particular where when I get really like emotional, I get really hot.

[00:04:46] The airplane itself was really hot. I was getting really hot. And I was like, I just, I have to like hop out the back door and like fan myself to get ready again. Cause I was like, not only my stress, am I doing the performance that I need to get, but also I'm like, did I just sweat through my shirt?

[00:05:03] That's awesome. That would be me. Cause I don't, I'm like, I like traveling, but when you're on a plane for like eight hours, you're kind of like, all right, I need to get off.

[00:05:11] Oh yeah. Oh yeah. That's how I feel. Uh, without, uh, you know, without giving out too much away, uh, how would you describe the, like the relationship or even the chemistry between, uh, Marco and Claire?

[00:05:23] Yeah. Um, so what was really great is Beau, Christo and Kelsey who plays the best friend in this one. I'd worked with all of them on a short film right before this called the power within.

[00:05:34] So I got to spend some time with Christo on that one. Um, we did not get to do like scenes together, like we get to do in this one. Um, but it was so much fun working with him because obviously everyone knows him from Ted Lasso. Um, and his character is just so warm and charismatic and sweet and kind of.

[00:05:52] And all I will say in this one is we get to see.

[00:05:55] Totally opposite.

[00:05:55] Um, and so it was something that I love to see because, you know, for me, I'm pretty bright. I think I'm pretty bright and shiny in life and happy and optimistic, but I love playing things that are different than that on screen. And so it was fun to get to work with somebody who is similar to that, where it's like off camera, like we were making jokes and, you know, having fun and chatting and stuff. And then we'd get to the scenes and we could just drop in really easily, which was really cool.

[00:06:23] Do you have a favorite moment filming this or anything that stands out the most?

[00:06:27] Gosh, a favorite moment. I mean, it wasn't, it wasn't necessarily anything that we filmed, but on the last day when we had most of the cast there, we all piled into the plane and took a group photo with the cast and the crew and everyone and did the selfie kind of shot. Um, and that's something that definitely will stick with me because we filmed this leading up to like, we finished two days before the SAG strike started.

[00:06:51] Oh, wow.

[00:06:53] So it was something that I was really lucky to get to be doing it. It had been written. So it was all set. Um, but it was something that kind of helped carry me through the strike where I could just kind of remember how enjoyable that moment was and remember what I love about acting so much. Um, and that helped a ton. So that, that I think is having everyone together and having that energy and that being like a memory that I could kind of feed off of during the strike was really special.

[00:07:19] How was it working with Bo? I, you know, I spoke to her yesterday. You know, she was one of her first films as a director.

[00:07:25] Yeah. This is her first feature of the director.

[00:07:28] She is amazing.

[00:07:31] She is just one of the most calm, cool and collected humans I've ever met in my life. There could be like a disaster going on right over here. But like when she's talking to you, she's like, so what's going on?

[00:07:41] You never would have any idea that I think crazy is going on. Um, and she knows what she wants. And I think as a director for an actor, that's something that's so important because you know, being an actor, you can only do so much. You're not seeing yourself perform.

[00:07:56] You guess how you look, you guess how it's going to come across on camera, but trusting the director to know that they're going to guide you where you need to go is the most important part.

[00:08:05] I think a lot of times where you're just like, you have to have that trust and that connection with them. And, um, like I said, cause we did the short film together before we already had a kind of rapport.

[00:08:14] And so this just built it up even more.

[00:08:17] I asked her this yesterday and ask you the same question. She, I asked her, um, cause you see a continuation of this movie or a different story to it. She goes, she's all for it. Would you jump back in if you could?

[00:08:29] Uh, absolutely. I would, I had such a great time filming in flight and, you know, it's something where like, I, I aspire to get to keep working with my friends on every project that I do.

[00:08:41] And I feel lucky enough that that's kind of been the case so far. So, um, getting to go back and find out where Claire is at the end of in flight and this other direction or new direction, um, would be so much fun.

[00:08:57] Last, uh, last question. What are you hoping for the viewers when they tune in? What are you hoping they get out of this film?

[00:09:01] I hope that they feel stressed out and want to figure it out and feel all those feelings that you feel when you're watching a thriller.

[00:09:09] I hope that they feel connected to Claire, um, and are trying to figure out all the pieces along with her as she goes along in this journey on in flight.

[00:09:19] Amazing. Tiffany, I want to thank you for giving me a minute today. Good luck with the film. I think it's November 15th, if I'm correct.

[00:09:24] Yep. November 15th. You can pre-order it now though on Apple. And if you're in the LA area, we're doing, um, in theaters at Glendale.

[00:09:33] Amazing. Tiffany, thank you again. This was great.

[00:09:35] Thanks so much for having me.

[00:09:36] Thank you.