Making Her Mark with Hollywood’s Heavy Hitters: From her start in a hummus commercial to her role in “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” Christina’s making her move to be the next “It” girl to watch out for!
By Inez Barberio
Taking part in the most anticipated superhero movie this year, “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” with some of the biggest names in Hollywood can be quite intimidating for an actress who got her start in a hummus commercial. Christina Wren, however is not just any girl. A graduate from New York University, Wren has a positive spirit and vibe about her that is ready to be shared with the world.
Wren first got noticed while she was working on a small Indie film in New York. The actor cast alongside her was also working at a commercial casting firm who was looking to cast a female for a hummus commercial. Wren was asked to audition and upon booking the commercial, Wren’s path in life would lead her to new opportunities she never imagined.
The director of “Man of Steel,” Zack Snyder saw the hummus commercial and took an interest in Wren for a role in his movie.
“I got an email, from a casting associate at Warner Brothers, saying a Hollywood director has seen your hummus commercial and would like you to audition for an untitled Warner Brothers project,” Wren explains. “I thought for sure someone was being a jerk and made up a fake email address. That just doesn’t happen!”
In the off chance that it was real, Wren submitted a tape. Not knowing what the film was, Wren used her artistry and filmed various versions of herself, based on the scene she was given.
When Wren received the call to go in for a live audition, she was finally told that it was for a new Superman movie, but had to keep it a secret.
Wren was shocked. “I was just floored! I am such a huge Superman fan. Growing up, it was such an iconic part of my childhood. It really did feel like a little kid’s dream come true.”
Wren’s role as Major Carrie Farris alongside actor Harry Lennix’s character, General Swanwick was reprised in the upcoming feature, “Batman v Superman: Man of Steel.”
Though Wren could not offer any details of the script, she truly believes the audiences will love it.
“It will be awesome! It’s such a huge team of incredible players from production all the way through the actors. It’s a tight ship and the script is incredible. I honestly think you are going to love it, I really do!”
One may wonder how it feels to be part of such a big production with actors Ben Affleck, Jesse Eisenberg, and Henry Cavill.
“On the one hand I feel very thankful to be part of something that is culturally significant. In a sense it really gets the audience excited and moved. There is so much attachment to these characters. I really feel so honored to be part of it.”
Wren adds, “I am also kind of a geeky fan. I am really excited to see it as well. I kind of share in that experience at the same time, which is really great.”
Alongside Batman and Superman, Wonder Woman, played by Gal Gadot joins the cast. In a time where women are beginning to receive more recognition and where the “Like a Girl” campaign has taken off, Wren sees the strength and positive changes women are making.
“I feel so excited with incredible strong female heroines who are out there right now. I see girls today with more options than what we had. They can go from playing with dolls to going to karate class and not really see a line of difference.”
As women begin to learn to empower and support each other and celebrate each other’s accomplishments, Wren recognizes that teams of women are beginning bring each other onto projects as collaborators.
“When you look at Amy Poehler and Tina Fey, there is nothing caddy between them. They are better because of their support of each other. We have Amy Schumer and Jennifer Lawrence teaming up. Lena Dunham has a squad of women around her. Clearly we still have a long way to go as far as empowering women in the upper levels of the industry, but we have some really solid examples that I am definitely thankful for, that I feel I can benefit from.”
Aside from Superman, Wren is also a fan of “Star Wars.” On opening night, Wren and her husband, Demetrius got in full costume as characters Rey and Finn. During the previews, the trailer for “Batman v Superman” appeared. As Wren giggled to herself watching the trailer, her cousins who joined her and Demetrius were overly excited.
“My cousins were freaking out when the trailer played. They were grabbing me and cheering. Everyone else in the theater were thinking ‘Wow, they are really pumped up for that movie!’ ”
As Wren will have to wait until the movie premiere to watch the film in its entirety, she has complete trust on the team working on “Batman v Superman.”
“I just hope I did a good job, I hope it works and resonates with audiences and adds to the scene. You kind of hold your breath a little bit as you watch it. I have to watch something twice to really get into it and appreciate it. The first time I am still clouded by what my process was as an actor. I have my own interpretation of how I remember a scene going. I have to see how it comes across in the movie and then go watch it again knowing what the story is. The first time it’s hard not to be distracted by your own self!”
As Wren prepares for opening day, she is still adjusting to her latest role of being named by Deadline as one of the “top five rising female stars to watch out for in 2016.”
“I was totally shocked! A friend sent me a link. That was quite a surprise. I don’t know how people even know who I am to put me on that list, but I’ll take it!”
Writing and working behind the camera are passions of Wren. Her first project was a documentary named “Street Ball” which followed South Africa’s 2008 Homeless World Cup Team. She and her husband Demetrius, have since began launching their own production company, Studio No. 2.
“I am super pumped about this! Demetrius and I started this company Two Kids with a Camera a couple of years ago and that’s what’s been housing our work thus far. We started it young and it has been trial and error and a grand adventure of building up clients and relationships and bodies of work. Now we feel we have accumulated a deeper understanding of our voices and style to the works we are able to do. We have a lineup of shows we are in the process of writing and completing in print production. We are building a pretty exciting and robust team and it’s going to be all different genres of stories. We want to make work that reflects the things that we love in a really exciting way. Hopefully within the next few months there will be content coming out and ready for our viewers to watch and enjoy.”
When asked who Wren’s celebrity crush is, she enthusiastically responds, “my husband!”
As Wren and her husband continue to build Studio No. 2, she hopes to see it one day as a driving and robust production company.
“For me it’s really important to be the both the content and creator and an actor. I would love for people to know who I am because of the work I am doing as an actor and for people to look up to me and say, ‘oh, she wrote that and created that show.’ ”
Perhaps one day Wren will be producing and starring in her own superhero movie.
“I would love to be a superhero! Be a fierce kind of warrior/character. Whether that is in spandex and capes or more of a “Hunger Games” or “Divergent” type!”
“Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” opens in theaters March 25, 2016.
You can learn more about Christina Wren and her projects at www.ChristinaWren.com and follow her on Instagram @ChristinaWren.
Photo Credit: Demetrius Wren