INDIANAPOLIS — You may recognize Indianapolis native Katy O'Brian for her recurring role as Elia Kane in "The Mandalorian" or her supporting performance as Jentorra in "Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania."
She now has a leading role in a major motion picture film — in a part that seems tailor-made for her.
In Love Lies Bleeding," a reclusive gym manager (Kristen Stewart) with a violent past falls in love with an ambitious bodybuilder (O'Brian). Just how far will you go for the people you love?
"She's a lot more laid back than I expected because you never know what you're going to encounter when you're on set," O'Brian said of co-starring with Stewart, who is best known for playing Bella Swan in the "Twilight" films and later earned an Oscar nomination for her portrayal of Diana, Princess of Wales, in "Spencer." "She was just really welcoming right off the bat, laid back, and we just got to play around with this wild world."
Despite moving to Los Angeles to pursue her acting career, O'Brian has a storied background in the Hoosier state, including:
- Trained as a kid at the Indiana Repertory Theatre
- Graduated from Indiana University
- Worked as an officer for the Carmel Police Department
- Trained with former Mr. Indiana Ben Barkes to do bodybuilding competitions
- Took acting classes with Jim Dougherty, who is the chief instructor of Indy Actors Academy
Having been through the ups and downs herself, O'Brian shared the following advice for aspiring actors.
"I'd say if there's anything else that you want to do, do that, and if you really can't think of anything else, then try acting because it is really, really difficult to even get a foot in the door," O'Brian said. "You have to do the work — take classes, read plays, read scripts, learn as much about the industry as you can. The business side of things is just as important as the artistic side."
Although O'Brian's role in "Love Lies Bleeding" seems almost like it was written specifically for her, that wasn't the case.
"The audition was wild. A fan actually sent me a casting call because they were having difficulty finding the part, like someone to fit the part, and I saw it because of her," O'Brian said. "I was like, 'Why did I not get this audition?' So I actually, I never do this, but I was like, 'I have to audition for this role.' It's a queer bodybuilder from the Midwest."
And 2024 isn't slowing down for O'Brian, whose next role is in the highly-anticipated "Twisters," a standalone reimagining – not a remake or sequel – to the 1996 film.
"While we were filming ('Twisters'), my parents house (in Indiana) got smoked by a storm, so it's close to home," O'Brian said.
"Love Lies Bleeding" is now in theaters.