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Camila Morrone’s career is booming. The American-Argentinean actress recently starred in “Gonzo Girl,” a film that premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival, and places Morrone in the midst of some of the best and most seasoned actors in the industry.
In a cast Q&A following the film’s screening, Morrone talked about the incredible opportunity she got to work with Patricia Arquette and Willem Dafoe, two actors that she called “masters of their craft.” “For a newcomer like me, I just didn't ever expect in my life to get to work with people at their level and masters of their craft," she said, per Entertainment Weekly. “I went into this just wanting to be a sponge and learn as much as I could from these people whose talent I admire, but also their career and their filmography. I just was like, 'I'm here, I'm ready, teach me everything.'"
The film is Arquette’s directorial debut, something that pushed Morrone even more to fight for the role. "I sent in my audition and I just prayed and prayed and prayed, and I didn't hear anything for, like, two months, so I just assumed that I hadn't gotten the role," she said. “Then on my birthday, I woke up with a phone call that Patricia Arquette chose me to play Alley Russo in Gonzo Girl. I couldn’t believe it.”
“Gonzo Girl” is based on a semi-autobiographical novel written by Cheryl Della Pietra, trailing Morrone’s character as she spends her summer working for Hunter S. Thompson, the beloved author and journalist.
Patricia Arquette’s discusses Morrone’s audition tape
While introducing the film, Arquette discussed Morrone’s “incredible” audition and performance. "When I first saw her audition it was so incredible, but I thought, 'Is she too pretty?'" said Arquette. "And then I thought, 'Wait a minute. Wait a minute. I have my own self-conscious bias. Why am I trying to say, "No, you just get to be pretty, that's all you can be"?' That's not right."
"You gave this incredible performance. You have this gift to give and this thing in your heart that you want to share," concluded Arquette.