In the new psychological horror film Saint Clare, actress Joy Rovaris takes on a role that strikes a deeply personal chord. While audiences may recognize her from portraying Bobbi Kristina opposite Vivica A. Fox, her latest project places her alongside Bella Thorne, Ryan Phillippe, and Rebecca De Mornay in a chilling tale of vigilante justice that’s dripping with stylish cinematography. The film centers on a solitary young woman who has been, since she was young, driven to kill those who would harm others. In Saint Clare, her most recent kill exposes a dark underworld of corruption and human trafficking. For Rovaris, this theme is a cause she holds close. When we had the chance to sit down with her over Zoom, we were excited to discuss everything that went into bringing the role to life.
Rovaris shared how she was drawn to Saint Clare because of its themes of justice and its honest look at human trafficking. She talked about preparing for the difficult role by using her own personal experiences and building a strong connection with co-star Bella Thorne, whose quiet nature off-camera was a surprise. Read on for the full interview, including what it was like working with director Mitzi Peirone, but beware as there are some spoilers ahead.
The Interview with Joy Rovaris on Saint Clare
[Editor’s Note: This interview has been lightly edited for clarity.]
Ayla Ruby: I’d love to know how you ended up on this project. What drew you to it, and just anything you want to or can share about that.
Joy Rovaris: I’m a sucker for justice and I like smart characters, getting away with things, good things. So I always say I cannot watch falsely accused movies. I just can’t stand to watch someone go through injustice for an hour and a half. So when I read this script and this girl is getting justice and it’s a woman and it’s in the most badass way, unexpected, right under your nose, and then also the whole human trafficking aspect of it is so real and so scary. I love that they touched on that. Yeah, I was in, that drew me in.
Ayla Ruby: It’s super satisfying that it’s not a happy ending at the end, but all these these ne’er do wellers get what’s coming almost.
Joy Rovaris: Yeah, they get a thing or two in the end.
Ayla Ruby: So what was your preparation to get into Juliana? How did you… Because she’s got a couple of things going on, right?
Joy Rovaris: Yeah. She’s got a lot going on, and Mitzi [Peirone] was so great. She gave me some creative control with even just her last name. She let me pick the last name, and I was like, “Oh, that’s cool.” So I really took a lot of my background and put it onto Juliana, because I had that creative control. And then with… I say I learned a little bit from every role I play. So a couple of roles in the past inspired Juliana as well as far as just her being so welcoming and open and then a little bit naive, because this happens to her, the unexpected, but as smart as she is, because she’s on to Clare, but then she is so smart outward, she doesn’t realize the danger right here. So I just took some very real vulnerable moments from my own life, from some past characters lives.
And then I did a PSA for MTV, I want to say 2010, and it was human trafficking. And I was like, “This girl…” It’s so funny. I played an eighth grader, even though I think at the time it was 20 something and they had… She’s in little Hanes undies, that’s how young she is. And then they had all of these Does, these guys just filtering in. And even though it was a commercial, I still get tingles. It was just so crazy that how revealing it felt and people really go through this. And then I brought that in with Juliana too. Okay, sorry, long answer, short.
Ayla Ruby: No, no, no that’s great. So working with, to jump around a little bit, because I feel like that goes into trafficking bit, can you talk a little bit about working with Bella Thorne as Clare and what went into that? Because she clocks her as being… Juliana clocks her as being really dishonest and then this thing happens to her that I don’t want to spoil, but…
Joy Rovaris: Yeah, no, it’s so hard to talk around the thing. But yeah, so Bella in real life is so shy and reserved, very quiet, which I don’t know, I don’t know what I expected, but she was so shy. And then that’s when everyone else is around. But then when it was just she and I, or just a small intimate group of us, the girl is hilarious. She’s so funny. She’s got that dry wit, so you catch it or you don’t. She’s so much fun. She’s so down to earth.
Joy Rovaris: So because of us having that one-on-one time in between with the earlier scenes, by the time we got to the hard stuff, we were able to really trust each other and really go there and feel safe going there. And that’s all you can ask for with a co-star. It felt safe to do the work and I’m good with that. That’s my girl. So we got it done.
Ayla Ruby: So filming itself, what was it like? Where was it? What was it like time wise and… Anything you want to share on that?
Joy Rovaris: So we were in Louisville, they were giving me so much crap about how I said it, because I’m from New Orleans, so we got little-
Ayla Ruby: Oh boy.
Joy Rovaris: Yeah. But Louisville, Kentucky, and it was smack dab in the middle of the summer, super humid. My hair kept frizzing, but it was almost like we bonded in that heat. That’s another one of the times we got close. A funny story is people kept finding out where Bella was staying. She had to move every week. I didn’t know how famous Bella was. And so she kept having to move, and then at one point I think we had to get security on set because they would come to set. I was like, “Who are you?” I mean, I know, but dang. But yeah. And then I feel like the locations, maybe because we were in Louisville, they were so authentic. Set designs did their thing, but the whole basement scene…
Ayla Ruby: Yeah.
Joy Rovaris: Yeah. A lot of that was not props, it was just… There was an actual toilet there, but it really helped me slip into the role. Yeah, I love Louisville. It was, I think, the perfect setting for this story. We filmed in this super historic home, which was one of the first homes to be built in Louisville, Gigi’s house. That’s that home. There’s just a lot of culture there. And the crew was so passionate, everyone was so professional, they were so dope.
We still follow each other on Instagram, the crew. It was a really good time. And Mitzi is like, I don’t know, she’s just such a knockout. She used to be a model, a babe and all that. And then you think like, “Oh, is she going to be able to come in the room?” Mitzi… She gets it done and she’s got such a good eye and so creative. So that was inspiring too, to see a woman in charge of getting it done. Bella, we would talk. She’s making her own things. Erica [Dasher], she’s in there, she’s writing. It was a very creative type vibe. I don’t know if it was the city or the people, but what.
Ayla Ruby: I love that. So what was the most challenging thing or just thing that you’re most proudest of accomplishing as an actress with this part? It seems like, I don’t know, just as a person watching it, it’s a lot.
Joy Rovaris: It is a lot. It’s a lot. I think my favorite scene by far is when me and Bella have that scene in the basement. It was almost like a cathartic release. It was like, “Oh…”
Ayla Ruby: The rescue?
Joy Rovaris: Yeah, the rescue, it was… And the stories usually end poorly. These stories don’t always end that way. So it felt like it tingles. Juliana felt like an opportunity for me to serve a story that is not told enough. People don’t really know how right next door it is. That was probably the most rewarding part for me with Juliana is… It’s fun to be funny, or the girl next door or the love interest, but this one felt I got a chance to shed light on a social issue. And then while this girl is being a badass all around me, I thought that was really cool. But yeah, the most, I think, rewarding part of playing Juliana was that rescue scene when she just got to let it all out and she’s safe. But then after that, she’s also someone new now. She’s not that same naive person anymore. She’s been through things, which is life.
Ayla Ruby: Yeah. And you mentioned how right next door it was in those final moments too. Juliana isn’t there, but where they find out it’s their classmate, that was the recruiter, like, wow, that’s…
Joy Rovaris: It’s deep. Yeah, because I mean, in order to get that close to these girls, they have to have someone inside. And all it takes is one broken home and someone giving love, because that kid’s not getting love at home and then that’s their end. They just give that person attention and then they’re getting attention, and it’s almost like brainwashing. They’re kids, they don’t know. Well in our story, we’re college age, but it happens with kids too right under your nose.
Ayla Ruby: I know we’re pretty close on time. Is there anything else you want people to know about this project you or anything you’re working on next?
Joy Rovaris: Yeah, I would just… Be kind always, but then also be alert, sound guard. This is the perfect testament of that. And I guess I’m Joy Rovaris on all socials. You can follow me there. Keep up with everything. Yeah.
Ayla Ruby: Wonderful. Okay. Well thank you so much. It was really nice talking.
Joy Rovaris: Thank you. I had a blast too, appreciate it.
Saint Clare is now available in select theaters and on digital and on demand.
Learn more about the film at the IMDB website for the title.
You might also like…
