Millicent Simmonds Is a Force to Be Reckoned With

Millicent Simmonds in conversation with award-winning actor and producer Michelle Williams

Actor Millicent Simmonds is a master communicator. Before 12 months old, Millie lost her hearing due to a medication overdose. Her mother, Emily, taught her sign language so she could be independent, and she encouraged Millie to vigorously read books. Soon Millie gained an affinity for expression and began participating in her grade school drama program. Millie fondly remembers standing out in drama club, entertaining her peers with stories, and acting in her first play, as Puck, in A Midsummer Night's Dream.

By the time Millie got her first major role in Todd Haynes’ Wonderstruck, alongside Michelle Williams, Millie was a true thespian. She got the role after meeting and auditioning for Todd in person, moved to New York for filming, and quickly got swept into Hollywood. Her second role, as Regan Abbott in John Krasinski’s A Quiet Place, would solidify the 15-year-old as a serious force. She returns to the role in the upcoming A Quiet Place sequel, due out on March 20.

During their chat, Michelle and Millie dissect what it means to be a budding teen actor with a desire to change the world, one role at a time. — Danielle Kwateng-Clark

Michelle Williams: What is your earliest childhood memory?

Millicent Simmonds: Being at a restaurant with my mom. I was looking at a stuffed-animal cat near the register, and was asking my mom for it over and over. She kept saying no, [but] I noticed an older man behind us who was paying attention to the conversation. I don’t think he understood the conversation, but I’m sure he understood that I wanted the cat and my mom was saying no. When my mom was paying, he motioned for me to give him the cat. I did. He went up to the other register, paid for it, handed it to me and winked. I remember giving him a hug and he left, and I’ve always wanted to thank him. I’ll never forget his face. It always reminds me that even the smallest of actions can make a huge impact on someone.

MW: With that said, who was the first character that you saw on screen that you could relate to?

MS: Honestly, I don’t know if I ever saw one character on screen that I felt I could relate to as a deaf person. But the show Freaks and Geeks really resonated with me. I thought it was so well written, and really you could relate to any of the characters and their experiences going through high school. They were all such diverse characters.

MW: Now that you’ve been in a couple of large projects, how do you choose your roles?

MS: In choosing roles, I really have to feel an instant connection to the character that I’m playing. If I can’t relate to the character, I know I won’t be able to convey that role honestly. I’d like to see more roles for people with disabilities that you don’t feel sorry for. We don’t feel sorry for ourselves, so we don’t need other people to feel that way about us.

MW: What is your favorite thing about being an actor?

MS: Everything. I love everything about it. I love traveling to new places, meeting new people, and [the] catering. But really, even after a hard day when I’ve been in tears between takes, I wouldn’t want to do anything else. It has really defined me as a person, and there’s nothing like working so hard on something and then seeing it on a screen and people responding to your performance. It’s extremely satisfying and I feel so fortunate to be doing it.

MW: Which part of being an actor do you wish didn’t exist?

MS: I’m a pretty private person, so I’m still not used to being recognized or followed in public. I’m not sure I will ever be comfortable with that aspect. But I understand it comes with the territory. I think it can be damaging for young actors to be overexposed at an early age.

MW: Do you keep in touch with the other kids from Wonderstruck? I remember you all becoming such close friends.

MS: I really loved making that movie. We really did become close. It’s hard to keep up with each other, especially when we live in different states and are constantly working. But I definitely am planning on seeing The Goldfinch, that Oakes [Fegley] was just in. I read the book and loved it!

MW: As a teenager, how do you balance having a plugged-in digital life and an imaginative life that is free from societal pressure and social norms?

MS: I think for teenagers it’s so easy to get distracted and be on your phone constantly. When I was young, my mom really emphasized reading. She always had a book and was reading about something she wanted to learn more about. I loved that. I think it’s so important to always be learning; but as a child, reading kept my imagination and creativity active. I loved writing and telling stories. I still do. I always have to have a book with me. I also connect with my family when I’m not working. I love riding motorcycles with my dad. I love rock climbing with my brother. I love playing and reading to my sisters.

MW: So what is your relationship with your phone? Do you love it or hate it?

MS: Both! Texting and FaceTime have completely changed the lives of deaf people. I can’t imagine not having the technology that we have today. I’ve been able to keep in touch with family and friends that would be so hard otherwise, especially when I’m working and gone for months. So in that sense, I love it. But when you’re at dinner with your friends and they don’t look up from their phone, I hate it.

MW: Can you imagine yourself acting for the rest of your life?

MS: That’s hard! I don’t know. There are so many things that I feel like I want to do. I started acting professionally at 12. That’s so young to decide on a career. So I think I’m open to doing something else if it really calls to me. But for now, I really like what I’m doing.

MW: What is something surprising you have learned about yourself through the process of becoming an actor?

MS: When I got the part for Wonderstruck I was 12. It seems like forever ago, but I was very intimidated about the whole process and really doubted myself and whether or not I could act. I was very shy and felt a little overwhelmed by it all. After it came out, and the advice I got from Todd, Julianne [Moore], and you, I gained a lot of confidence. I don’t think the nerves go away, but hopefully that little voice inside you that says “you can’t do it” gets quieter, and eventually goes away. I’m still working on it.

MW: What inspires you?

MS: Oh, wow — a lot! My mom really inspires me. She’s the strongest woman I know. People like Malala [Yousafzai] inspire me. I read her book and loved the relationship that she had with her father. I love that he was so supportive of her in a country that opposes girls getting an education. After being threatened and shot, she didn’t give up, and had even more resolve to help girls. I love hearing stories about someone who has everything going against them and instead does the complete opposite and succeeds. Greta Thunberg is another one that I can think of. I think what she’s been able to do is pretty amazing.

Meet the rest of Teen Vogue's Young Hollywood Class of 2020.

Stylist: Chris Horan (@chrishoran20)

Makeup Artist: Lottie using TYNT Beauty (@lotstar)

Hair Stylist: Lauren Palmer Smith using Shu Uemura (@laurenpalmersmith)

Manicurists: Jacqueline Yekikan (@nails_by_jacqueline), Merrick Fisher (@merricures)

Set: Justin Fry (@jebuz)

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Originally Appeared on Teen Vogue