Ella Beatty beats me to the Carlyle.
Oh, GodI hope you havent been waiting long, I tell her, fumbling with my scarf.
Ella promises that she just got here too.
Ella Beatty at the premiere ofFeud: Capote vs. The Swansin January.
But her neatly folded coat, draped over the crook of her arm, suggests otherwise.
(Or, in her case, early.)
If you show up and be kind, it goes a long way.
Were here because, after growing up surrounded by actors, Ellas become one herself.
This January, the 23-year-old made her professional acting debut in Ryan MurphysFeud: Capote vs.
The Swansas Truman Capotes surrogate daughter, Kerry OShea.
It’s a big role to step into.
And I really hope that I can offer something meaningful.
Along with the 17 other students in her class, she studied drama under legendary instructors like Moni Yakim.
(He demands 100% of you, Jessica Chastain once toldThe New York Timesof Yakim.
Hes not really a hand-holder.
Hes not a coddler.)
What I grew up learning was that youre supposed to be a vessel for a character, she says.
Its better if people know less about who you are.
Now a year out of school, Ella still considers herself a student.
Her favorite memories of the show?
He came to my dressing room privatelynot in front of anybody else.
He was like, Do you want to run lines?
Do you want to talk about the scene?
Do you want to talk to each other?
They had been working for a couple months already.
(The costumes also were a highlight: The Van Cleef of it all!
she gushes, clapping a hand to her chest.)
Truman Capote introduced her to all these really interesting people, she says.
I related to that kind of curiosity meets fear a little bit.
I ask her to name the person shes felt the most shy around.
Within weeks of putting herself on tape for the part, Ella had a callback with Paulson and Esper.
When her agent told her shed landed the role, she burst into tears.
