Birds of Paradise (2024)

I auditioned for Ira Irvani one hour before I was set to host a birthday party. Between slinging cupcakes and messing up my sight lines, I was certain I’d flopped. Instead, Ira gave me the best birthday present of all time.

“Birds of Paradise,” perhaps more prescient in 2025 than we ever thought it would be, straddles pre- and post- Hayes Code Hollywood. I played writer-director Arlene as she tries and ultimately fails to represent the queer experience while appeasing a censorship board determined on bringing her to heel.

Arlene is based on real life writer-director Dorothy Arzner. By some measures, she was the only working female director in 1920s and 30s Hollywood. Once the Hayes Code was established, she never made another film.

Though she invented the boom mic and taught Francis Ford Coppola (among others) at UCLA, she remains largely unknown. The true aim of censorship, after all, is erasure. It’s because of people like Ira, Elaine (our incredible DP), and the entire 25+ cast & crew the we can unearth what was and pass on knowledge, honor, and context for the world we want to make.

I loved working on this film, and I owe Ira more than I can say. After 18 takes of a 3 minute one-shot, I like to think he owes me tiny bit, too.

This piece is currently finding a world premier, but until then, here are our earliest test shots.