Mr. Skin was lucky to chat with sultry actress Tracey Birdsall who got our attention with her sex scene in Rogue Warrior: Robot Fighter. Tracey is a total blond bombshell that reminds us of Jayne Mansfield or Marilyn, but she's more than a gorgeous girl. She's a stunning actress, producer, and filmmaker. Talking with Tracey it was clear that she's thoughtful and has a great sense of humor. It was a delight to chat with her, just like it's a delight to watch her sexy scenes on Mr. Skin.
Tracey is a hardworking filmmaker and activist who posts about her projects and causes on Instagram, complete with photos that are sweet on the eyes. Follow her to keep abreast on all things Tracey and check out this interview that will definitely make her your new crush.
Skin Central: What was your journey into show business like? Did you always want to be an actress?
Tracey Birdsall: My journey was always the same, never waning… I love to create characters and lives, I love to study people and I wonder constantly what it would be like to be others, to think like others, and to experiment with the idea of being much different than myself. Humans and the human condition fascinate me.
Growing up consisted of learning the skills necessary in order to completely create these other characters, and to live the lives of the script as what I consider to be a third person which I create. I’ve studied a multitude of methods and ideas over the years which all led up to how I approach it today.
SC: I read that your great-grandfather was composer Bert Lewis. How does it feel to be a part of that legacy?
TB: My mother’s grandfather was the late Bert Lewis, and my upbringing was surrounded with everything Disney as a result. I’m honored to be a descendant of his legacy, as it’s the all-out pursuit of a creative dream that was realized - always admirable.
SC: In Rogue Warrior, what was it like filming a scene with nudity?
TB: Yes, well, the character was nude at one point. I don’t really consider that to be me… Seeing as it’s a natural progression for a couple to make love, there was nothing uncomfortable about it from that perspective. It was tastefully set to film in a very small spaceship set; however, it was very hot with all of the lights and people. My given wardrobe of discreet gel-like adhesive items to cover my bits didn’t hold up well in heat, however.
My character, Sienna, was not aware of the fact that she was Artificial Intelligence at this point (nor was the audience aware), which also made the audience more invested in her humanity after the reveal - and after the exposure which also unveiled her vulnerability.
SC: We have a scene of yours from Who’s Jenna…? on Mr. Skin. What was it like working on that movie?
TB: Who’s Jenna…? is a comedy set on the east coast which toys with the idea of a hidden identity with my character, Jenna. It was a blast to film with a very talented cast primarily from the East Coast. I shot it back-to-back with Rogue Warrior, only having a week off in between the extremely different genres (and extremely different characters lives to live) - which was not only challenging but exhilarating.
SC: How do you feel about onscreen nudity in general?
TB:The truth is that humans aren’t always dressed (shocking concept, I know). Additionally, the inner strength of a human often comes from exposing one’s vulnerability. When we see a character at their most vulnerable and private moments, such as when they are naked and supposedly alone or with a loved one… the contrast of their strength at another point in the film is amplified. We have to find the truth in our characters, the humanity.
Again, as long as the nudity is called for in the storyline, I think it’s beautiful. I’m a huge fan of the human body, the beauty that it brings to a storyline, and to the aspect of bonding relationships (all part of humanity when we bring stories to life.) Gratuitous nudity in a film doesn’t really interest me - as it’s primary purpose is to titillate the viewer. If the purpose in the script is to further the story or to allow the viewer to feel the human elements involved, then it’s beautiful.
SC: Since this is Mr. Skin we have to ask: what are your favorite movie nude scenes?
TB:Eyes Wide Shut was pretty amazing. 91/2 Weeks is a longtime memorable contender. As a youngster, I was quite impressed by the growing up human scene in Starman… I mean, some of the best nudity in a film doesn’t lead to or stem from sex.
SC: Who are your Hollywood crushes right now?
TB: I get what you might call a crush on talent and brilliance on screen. Basically, men and women I can completely crush on if I love their work, but that doesn’t mean I actually want to meet them and crush on them… but I would love to work with them and think we could inspire one another and grow - make magic on screen. I live to make magic on screen. I’m absolutely loving some of the performances right now on TV/Film/Streaming, but not doing an all-out crush like I used to. Loving performances by Gillian Anderson after watching Sex Education on Netflix, and Elisabeth Moss on Handmaid’s Tale…
So many of the shows I’m enjoying, however, aren’t about the acting performances (which is rare), and although I’m sincerely enjoying them, many of the characters seem replaceable and it’s the story and execution I’m enjoying overall.
SC: What are you working on next? Anything you can tell us about?
TB: We’ve been working, for several years now, on two different series which I lead up to be released later this year. Age of Darkness is in the same universe as Rogue Warrior: Robot Fighter, dealing with the struggles of humanity when merged with Artificial Intelligence. Up next after Age of Darkness is another series we’ve literally been working on for years: The Time War, a truly epic time travel series, deals with the Nazi empire and Hitler’s journey to control the world using time travel technology. In that series, my character is the daughter of Hitler, and also his nemesis. All in all, two very different series with character’s that are coming from different perspectives and who’s goals are complete opposites.
