When your schedule is hectic, you try to indulge in small luxuries when you can. For Anna Camp, that means spending time at…Whole Foods. “I never get to go! But we’re on hiatus this week, so I figured I’d just treat myself and go up and down every aisle,” the actress says with a laugh. “I’ll definitely do the samples and get some cheese and fruit, maybe a little coffee.” Camp has made a name for herself playing reserved yet entertaining characters, like Aubrey in the Pitch Perfect franchise. Up next is Perfect Harmony, a comedy about a small-town church choir (which airs Thursdays on Citytv). Camp stars as Ginny, who, not unlike the South Carolina native, “wants to maintain this image of perfection, but underneath there’s a fire to her.”

On Perfect Match:

“I really relate to Ginny. She’s in this unknown part of her life, and I’m in a similar part of my life where all these doors are open and nothing’s figured out. She’s finding her voice for the first time without being in a relationship—she’s on her own for the first time, and I’m kind of on my own too.”

On being typecast:

“In Hollywood, you definitely get typecast for doing something well, which is a compliment and a curse at the same time. I feel like people saw me do [this character type] on True Blood, and they wanted me to repeat that. Of course, it’s a little bit frustrating. When you’re cast in those roles, the trick as an actor is to step outside and make sure you never fit into one box.”

On Hollywood: 

“The whole industry is changing. We’re at the tip of the iceberg, and we still have a long way to go, but I really am seeing a difference, even just in how people talk to women on-set. It’s been empowering – I feel like I can have more discussions and change minds. Women are being given more respect as actors.”

Her dream tune:

“Because the show is set in Kentucky, we’ve been singing some Dolly Parton songs, which has been really fun. I’m a huge Kacey Musgraves fan, so I’d love, love, love my character to sing one of her songs.”

Her beauty essentials:

“Kate Somerville’s Gentle Daily Wash is phenomenal. And I’m really into Charlotte Tilbury lipsticks—the colours are crazy.”

Currently reading:

The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck. It’s a humorous way for me to relax.”

Binge watching:

“The Righteous Gemstones is super-funny. And I just finished Fleabag, which was a perfect show. I think Phoebe Waller-Bridge is a genius.”

 

This article first appeared in the November 2019 issue of ELLE Canada.