Canyon Wildflower: A Summer Editorial With Elise Eberle

Up-and-coming actress Elise Eberle is total muse material: her energy is completely infectious, she can commit herself completely to a character—the more complex the better—and she's got the kind of effortless, fawn-like beauty that makes any photographer's job a pleasure. Just ask Stephanie Pia, who recently shot Eberle in and around Malibu for our summer editorial. Wearing an all vintage wardrobe from Squaresville—also styled by Pia—the New Mexico native wasn't afraid to get her hands dirty (or should we say her feet wet?) as the two trekked into Solstice Canyon where Elise happily splashed around in a creek. Pia had in mind a "woodsy Saugatuck River summer escape by way of Cali vibes" aesthetic for the photos, which she shot on 35mm film. 

As for the actress' body of work, she can be seen most recently in the new Amazon series, The Last Tycoon, based on on F. Scott Fitzgerald's last, unfinished novel. And not long also she wrapped the final season of WGN's Salem, where she played a possessed Puritan girl turned vengeful witch, but you also might have caught her starring in videos for The Lumineers and Silversun Pickups, or in Tiger Eyes, the film adaptation of the beloved Judy Blume novel. 

We're as inspired by Eberle's trajectory as we are with her candidness about working in such an often intimidating industry. That said, it was the perfect time to chat her up about what keeps her on her toes, how she gets through those tough moments, and what she misses most about the Land of Enchantment. 

You just ended a three-season run on Salem. What did you love about playing Mercy?

What didn’t I love? Not only did I have the opportunity to play such a range of different characters within the sole character of Mercy, but I also grew leaps and bounds as an artist and discovered so much about myself during those 3 years of filming. I feel so beyond fortunate to have had that experience, it changed me and opened my eyes to a world I never knew existed. 

We'll all get to see you in The Last Tycoon! Tell us about that character. 

Kitty is a homeless, struggling artist who is now a patient at Mercy Hospital (coincidence?) suffering from a brain tumor. With no promise of hope or prospect, she finds solace in one of the hospitals volunteers, Rose (played by Rosemarie Dewitt). Together these two lost women find meaning and strength in each other.

You've been prominently featured in a few music videos. Do you find something unique about that format as an actor?

It gives artists this accepted freedom to take risks, something that’s rarely embraced within the film industry. 

Acting seems to present a unique set of challenges. How do you keep moving forward positively in a job that inherently involves a fair amount of rejection?

I call it the three P’s: passion, persistence, and patience.

What are some ways you keep your craft sharpened?

Whenever I have time off from filming, I attend classes focusing on scene study and relaxation. It’s so important to be around other actors and to keep honing your craft no matter where you are in your career.

What was the last movie role you watched and thought, "I'd love to do something like that!" and why?

Any character who pushes stereotypes into the gutter!

What are the most rewarding and most frustrating aspects of being an actress?

The magic that happens on set is quite an intoxicating feeling, especially when everything just clicks. And I’d say one of the frustrating parts is the lack of certainty and dependency. But oh my goodness, is it worth it!

You're from New Mexico: what do you miss most about home?

The people and the sunsets.

That said, what do you love about being in LA?

The vast variety of landscape, the culture, and the farmers markets.

And the most cliché question, where do you hope to be in five years?

Doing what I love and working with artists who are just as passionate as I am.