Big Girls Don't Cry: Q&A with Ani Palmer, Beatrix Rain Wolfe

New Zealand coming-of-age film Big Girls Don't Cry releases on Thursday October 8 following its successful premiere at the 2026 New Zealand International Film Festival.

Actor Beatrix Rain Wolfe and lead actor Ani Palmer, who plays Sid, spent some time reflecting on their roles, their characters and the filming experience.

Beatrix Rain Wolfe:

Tell us about your character Lana

Lana is an adventurous soul who undeniably gets caught up in validation from others. I believe a lot of this stems from insecurity within herself — something I myself have related to, and I think, in some form, most of us have too. She definitely enjoys portraying that effortless ‘cool girl’ image, which she executes pretty well alongside her other half, Stevie (Sophia Kirkwood-Smith).

There’s a really interesting contrast within Lana because, on the surface, she can seem incredibly sure of herself, almost untouchable at times, but underneath that there is still this search for reassurance, belonging and identity. I think that contradiction is what made her so much fun to play. She can be bold, intimidating, hilarious and completely carefree, but there are little moments where you begin to understand there’s more going on underneath. I loved being able to explore those different layers of her rather than viewing her as simply one thing.

What was it about this role that spoke to you?

I remember the day I read the audition script for Lana. I was instantaneously struck with curiosity and immediately began exploring who she might be beyond the few pages I had in front of me. What spoke to me most about Lana was how confident and sure of herself she liked to seem.

Throughout my teens, I remember always being on the hunt for movies and TV shows that gave me some sense of relatability or curiosity around teen-hood. When I eventually read the entire script, I felt this huge wave of nostalgia for that time in my own life. I myself have been on the receiving end of not-so-kind-seeming girls throughout school, alongside experiencing that constant searching and longing for security in my own identity, which felt almost perpendicular to Lana. There were parts of her I recognised and other parts I wanted to understand.

I think that was what drew me in so much. Rather than immediately judging her, I wanted to know why she behaved the way she did, what she was protecting and what mattered to her. I knew she would be such a fun role to explore because there was this really exciting balance of confidence, humour, insecurity and chaos within her. I remember a few months prior to filming we worked through the script with Paloma, and she gave us an activity to write a Diary entry of who each of our characters are. I would say that embedded this clear image of Lana, who was a dream and she came true.

What was the filming of this like? Can you share any memorable anecdotes at all?

Filming Big Girls Don’t Cry was truly so special to me. I remember walking into the final round of auditions — the third audition — and there were so many talents going for the roles of Lana and Stevie. It was rather overwhelming, but awesome at the same time.

I remember locking eyes with Sophia, who plays Stevie, almost instantly, and we just clicked so well. Meeting her definitely eased the nerves a little bit before we went into our audition with Paloma. There was a scene we had together where Paloma suggested that we improvise completely, and we just had the time of our lives with it. It honestly felt like we had known one another for far longer than we actually had.

I remember walking out of the audition pretty certain I hadn’t been gifted the role of Lana. However, I was over the moon that, no matter what happened, I could walk away having met what already felt like a new lifelong friend. A wee while later, I received a phone call from Sophia saying, “I GOT IT!” and I was absolutely thrilled for her. Sure enough, about half an hour later, I was given the news of a lifetime — I got to play the one and only Lana Crawford alongside my new friend Sophia. What were the chances, right?

The filming itself was such a special time and completely new territory for me. Meeting the entire cast and crew was so exciting. I remember walking onto set and slowly learning how everything worked — all the moving pieces behind creating something that, eventually, an audience will only see as one seamless world.

There were so many laughs, so much patience and, most importantly, we built this little family out of all of those moments together. It was also crazy cold at times, despite the fact that we were often supposed to look like we were living through the middle of summer, which made for some very funny moments between takes. I think that mixture of excitement, chaos, cold weather, long days and constantly laughing together is something I’ll always remember so fondly.

What was the moment that you found hardest to film and why? And what was the best and why?

I wouldn’t say there was one particularly difficult moment, but the scenes I worked on with Ani were probably some of the hardest emotionally. We would hug before and after scenes before stepping into character because sometimes it was genuinely difficult having to say certain things to her face and those eyes. You become so fond of the people you’re working with, so then having to switch into a completely different dynamic once the camera starts rolling can feel quite surreal.

In a strange way, though, those scenes were also some of the most rewarding because they reminded me that what Lana says or does isn’t necessarily a reflection of who I am. I had to trust the character and allow myself to be uncomfortable when the story required it.

As for the best moments, I would probably say all of the laughter surrounding filming. There were moments where it genuinely felt as though we were living inside a movie. I especially remember filming in the rain or freezing cold and all of us collectively pretending that the weather was gorgeous, that it was the middle of summer and that the pool was most definitely heated.

Those little moments felt so ridiculous and magical at the same time. Helping bring what felt like my dream teen-hood film to reality was truly so special, particularly because I had spent so much of my own teenage years searching for stories that made that period of life feel seen.

What was the best piece of advice you got from Paloma, your director?

The best piece of advice Paloma gave me would probably have to be something along the lines of, “Just have fun, girly.” It sounds so simple, but I think that was genuinely one of the greatest things she could have said to me, especially as this was my first experience working in film.

Her approach to improvisation also taught me so much. From the very first audition I had with Paloma, improvisation was always part of the picture. It was incredibly unique having such an open-minded and freeing first experience in film because I never felt as though there was only one ‘correct’ way of performing a scene.

Between takes, Paloma would often plant the seed of an idea — something like, “Hey, try this as an idea, but make it your own” — and suddenly the scene would feel completely fresh again. She created this environment where experimentation wasn’t something to be scared of; it was encouraged.

That was exhilarating for me. It taught me to trust my instincts more and not become too rigid with a performance. Sometimes the most natural or unexpected moments came out of simply allowing myself to play around and have fun with it.

What was the moment when you thought you had a perfect handle on Lana and her character?

I don’t think I can say there was one particular moment where I suddenly felt Lana come to life, because for me it felt like the Lana I walked into the audition room with just kept flourishing from there. My familiarity with her as a character was constantly evolving as more pieces of her world began to fall into place.

Every new element would bring another little flicker of Lana to life. I remember every time I walked into costume design with the one and only Miss Karen Inderbitzen-Waller, I would begin seeing more and more of her (Thanks Queen). Clothes can say so much about somebody before they’ve even opened their mouth, and suddenly seeing what Lana might choose to wear, how she presented herself and the image she wanted to create helped me understand her even further.

And then, of course, whenever I was with my Stevie — Sophia Kirkwood-Smith — another side of Lana naturally appeared. So much of Lana exists in that friendship and in who she becomes around Stevie. I think rather than one defining moment, it was all those pieces gradually coming together: the script, costume, improvisation, friendships and being on set. She just kept becoming clearer and clearer to me.

What's your most awkward memory growing up? And how much do you relate to the friendships and relationships which are a big part of all of this?

I think my most awkward memory growing up was honestly just feeling awkward a lot of the time. That sounds vague, but I think there’s something very specific about being a teenager and constantly being hyper-aware of yourself — how you look, how you sound, whether you’re saying the right thing, whether people like you and where exactly you’re supposed to fit. I remember easily feeling embarrassed and my cheeks went as bright as cherry tomatoes and then someone would point it out and they then turned into heirloom tomatoes :)

I relate to the friendships and relationships explored in Big Girls Don’t Cry a fair amount because being a teenage girl can be incredibly challenging, right? And I don’t think the messy parts of it are talked about enough. Some of the toughest moments of my life came from that timeframe, and while you’re living through it, everything feels enormous. Your friendships feel like your entire world, rejection can feel completely devastating, and you’re constantly learning who you are through the people surrounding you.

Then suddenly you’re an adult and that period has passed, but you still carry so much of it with you. I’ve felt like Sid before. I’ve known a few Lanas and definitely encountered a few Omaha boys. That familiarity was such a big part of what made filming special for me. I also loved that we were bringing a recognisably Kiwi, Aotearoa reality to life. There is a particular way of growing up here — the humour, the friendships, the parties, the language and the way people interact — and it’s really awesome seeing that represented on camera without it feeling like it has been translated into somebody else’s version of teenage life.

What's next for you?

What’s next for me? I’ve recently come to terms with the fact that I don’t feel any rush to get through experiences or immediately know exactly what I want to do with my life. I think slowly figuring life out is actually teaching me far more about who I am as a person than having everything mapped out ever could.

I want to see things. I want to travel, learn, create, meet people and experience as much as I possibly can. I want to keep following opportunities that excite me rather than feeling like I have to choose one path and have the rest of my life completely figured out already.

Acting has opened up this whole new world for me that I’m incredibly excited to continue exploring, but more than anything I want to keep allowing myself to be curious. I want to thrive, make things, experience different places and keep finding out what I’m capable of.

Of course, I’m dreaming of a second Big Girls Don’t Cry. I don’t think I’m quite ready to say goodbye to Lana Crawford just yet.And one big shout out to the most awesome director I think anyone could ask for, Paloma, you are sensational ! Thank you!

Ani Palmer:

Tell us about your character Sid

Sid is a 14 year old small-town girl from New Zealand  who grows bored and restless during her summer school holidays. She idolizes girls who she thinks are cool and beautiful, trying on different personalities as she desperately wants to be accepted and liked by the people she admires. She is determined, brave, a bit of a weirdo, and really just wants to be loved and accepted in this ‘transitional’ phase in her life. What I love best about Sid is that she is so specific yet so vague, allowing the audience to see themselves through her despite having different upbringings.

What was it about this role that spoke to you?

The first thing that jumped out to me when I got the audition script was actually the name Sid - which is a nickname that I used to call my younger sister. The Character reminded me a lot of her (as well as heavily relating to the Character myself), which immediately made me feel protective of Sid, like I wanted to do this character justice. I think that right from the beginning I could tell that this was a very soulful story, and I especially connected to Sid's desperation and longing to be seen and loved. I'm so grateful to have been trusted with bringing Sid's story to life.

What was the filming of this like? Can you share any memorable anecdotes at all?

I was lucky to be working with the most amazing cast and crew (predominantly women) who were all incredibly passionate and made me feel so safe and supported throughout the process. I made so many memories that will stick with me forever, of which I could go on about forever. An example that jumps to mind is a game I started playing with my co-star Rain Spencer - where the goal was to see how many words that sounded like ‘Paloma’ that we could call our director without her noticing. I think I lost at ‘melanoma’.

What was the moment that you found hardest to film and why? And what was the best and why?

The scene that I dreaded the most right from first reading the script was the final hug scene with the dad. I've never been much of a cryer and I was really nervous that I wouldn't be able to pull off what is arguably the most impactful scene in the film. Thankfully I had a lot of support and guidance to help me reach that emotional space and I think it turned out pretty alright! But honestly the hardest scenes were often the least expected. For example my least favourite scene to shoot was the jeep scene on the beach, where I was freezing my butt off in the rain with soggy sand spraying into my eyes and mouth all while trying to act like I was having the time of my life.

You act opposite Noah Taylor as your dad - he's been around for a bit, what was the best piece of advice you got from him?

While I can't think of any specific advice that Noah gave me, he was always such a guiding light. He really looked after me especially during the bigger emotional scenes, and he always made sure I got the space and support that I needed to build that emotional intensity all while making me feel very safe and cared for.

What was the moment when you thought you had a perfect handle on Sid and her character?

I was so lucky to have Paloma who guided me a lot throughout the process of creating Sid. We had a pretty extensive rehearsal process where instead of rehearsing scenes we spent a lot of time journaling, researching the 2000s and improvising/creating memories. But I feel like I always had a pretty clear picture of Sid in my head from the start or auditioning, and I don’t think there was ever an ‘aha!’ moment - I would say I even continued to discover new things about Sid throughout filming.

What's your most awkward memory growing up? And how much do you relate to Sid's being stuck in the middle of all of this?

It’s weird because obviously I have the universal teenage experiences of embarrassing myself, but for some reason it’s always been the most small/random things that stick in my mind. Like for example I remember in primary school when I accidentally got on the wrong school bus, and the feeling of everyone’s eyes on me has always haunted me even though it’s such a nothing burger. But there is so much of Sid’s situation that I can relate to. I relate to her desperation and longing to be accepted, I relate to that small-town boredom that comes with summer breaks and the desire to make something interesting happen. I relate to her confusion and her awkward attempts to appear ‘cooler’ than she is, even though she is incredibly cool just she is. The list could go on and on.

What's next for you?

Well one of the most amazing things to come out of this experience has been the opportunity to discover new places and meet new people. I fell in love with acting while working on this film and would absolutely love to be in more films, but I think my favourite part has been having lots of interesting experiences and meeting likeminded creatives. So really I would love to just do more things and experience all the sensations of life while continuing to meet people who help me grow.