Interview: Anne Winters on 'Grand Hotel', '13 Reasons Why', and 'Night School'.

Filled with an enthusiasm like no other, Anne Winters talks passionately about a number of her forthcoming projects - whether it be the the Eva Longoria-produced drama series ‘Grand Hotel’, or the comedy ‘Night School’, both of which follow her appearance in the latest season of '13 Reasons Why'.

We hung out with Anne Winters in Los Angeles before she went to shoot the next season of ’13 Reasons Why’, to talk about choosing projects to work on, charity work, and more…

Everyone that you surround yourself with, I think that they should bring a new part of you, or really make you feel like you’re the best you.

COUP DE MAIN: You star in the upcoming comedy ‘Night School’ - do you enjoy working across different genres of film/television (e.g. ’13 Reasons Why’ versus a comedic film role)?
ANNE WINTERS: Yeah, I definitely enjoy doing different things. I think that’s the fun part about our job, is that we kind of get to immerse ourselves in so many different types of worlds, like making situations funny, or really diving deep into a serious situation. I love it. I think I’m definitely more into drama, but I think comedy sprinkled here and there is really fun to do, especially when you’re super serious all the time and do a lot of drama.  

CDM: Are there any other genres/types of acting that you’d love to explore in your career?
ANNE: I would really like to do an action-packed type of movie where I was a badass, fighting and doing my own stunts. They usually don’t let you do all your own stunts, but I would DIE to do my own stunts.

CDM: When you’re looking at scripts, is there one particular thing that catches your attention / something that you look for?
ANNE: I just look for something unique and different - something that resonates with me. I think it could really be anything, but something that really grabs my attention. When you’re reading a script and you really feel for a certain character and you really see where they’re coming from, and it’s different than what I’ve done, then that’s really all I could ask for. I’m always asking to do different things, and I think overall all the characters that I’ve done have been a pretty good variety of different roles and different characters. As long as I’m always challenging myself and doing something different than what I’ve done before, then that’s pretty much what I look for.

CDM: Your Twitter header is a very inspirational quote: "Stay close to people who feel like sunlight." Why do you think that's such an important thing to take to heart?
ANNE: Oh my gosh, that’s so funny, that has been my background photo for so long! I mean, it’s pretty simple, but it’s just so true. You should surround yourself with people that really make you who you are, and bring that light out of you - and don’t let anyone dim your light. Everyone that you surround yourself with, I think that they should bring a new part of you, or really make you feel like you’re the best you.

CDM: Your next project is 'Grand Hotel', which Eva Longoria is executive producing. Have you gotten to work with her in pre-production yet?
ANNE: I have gotten to work with her so much, she is the most hands-on producer ever. She actually just started a Whatsapp group yesterday with the whole cast, and was sending us videos of her on set - they’re building the whole lobby of the hotel that we shot in Miami. She was sending us videos of all the stuff and behind-the-scenes. She’s amazing. I tell everyone this, but she was on her hands and knees hemming my maid-skirt on set. She was like, “Us short girls, we need short skirts because we can’t look short on-screen.” And I was like, “Yes!”

CDM: Talking about playing Chloe on '13 Reasons Why', on Twitter you mentioned that “love goggles” can blind people from reality. Do you think it’s important to sometimes take off the love goggles in a relationship?
ANNE: Yes, 100%, I think that’s a big thing that you learn too, that you need time to yourself to really see where you’re at in your own head and where you’re at in your own life - you kind of just re-evaluate yourself and where you’re at in that time of your life. Really make sure that you’re still staying true to who you are, and that your relationship is growing you and not tearing you down. I think that’s something that Chloe didn’t really get a chance to do. But hopefully she will next season. <laughs>

CDM: How did you feel when you heard the song your boyfriend wrote for you, 'Lil Anne', for the very first time? Did he tell you he was making it?
ANNE: <laughs> It was so cute! I think that’s one of the first songs that he made, because he used to be in this boyband that hated me, so now he’s doing his own music and getting to write songs about me - it’s actually really exciting and really cute. I was really happy. He goes to the studio and spends the whole night there and will come back with a new song and it’s always a surprise. One time he came back and there was already a song on iTunes with my face on the cover, so I was like, ‘Well that’s nice!' He was worried I wouldn’t have approved it, but I was like, ‘That’s so cute, of course I’m gonna approve of it.’

CDM: You recently attended a special Spotify event for Troye Sivan’s new album! Do you love the album? What other music do you enjoy listening to?
ANNE: I did, I really loved it. It was so cool, we got to sit in a big bubble - he created a massive blow-up bubble full of blankets and pillows inside and we all laid down and listened to the album. Honestly, it was super super cool and a lot of variety of emotions and songs. I feel like my favourite music is just old throwback R&B songs, I don’t know why, but any song that I used to listen to when I was in middle school still makes me so happy. I like all kinds of music, it just depends on my mood really. I also think music is a big part of acting too, I always have a playlist or a couple songs that I think each character identifies with. If I want to get into character I put on a certain song that gets me to that place. It really helps.

CDM: Back in 2016 you were part of the 'Open Your Heart' campaign to help promote awareness for 'healthy hearts'. Are there any other charities you'd like to use your platform to support?
ANNE: I’m always down to help out with so many different ones, we recently just volunteered for a church that we just started going to. We helped give out backpacks and help kids get ready for school that can’t maybe afford all the school supplies and all those things, so that was really fun. I’m down to help out wherever I can, I’m really passionate, different projects make me passionate about different things. I did a show called ‘Zac and Mia’ and that made me really passionate about cancer and kids that are going through that and their families. So if I could help out with that, that would be cool.

'Night School' is in NZ cinemas this Thursday September 27th - watch the trailer below…