Ocean’s 8 cast share advice for surviving the industry

Exclusive: the stars of Ocean's 8 share their advice for creative people with a story to tell who don't always feel they fit in

Ocean’s 8 is a movie about a diverse group of women, most of them misfits and outsiders who come together and combine their skills to achieve greatness. Okay, greatness in the field of stealing stuff, but greatness nonetheless.

It’s a very positive movie about friendship and support and creativity, and yeah, stealing stuff. Den Of Geek had a chance to catch up with stars of the movie Cate Blanchett, Sandra Bullock, Mindy Kaling and Sarah Paulson. What we wanted to know was what advice they would give to other creative people out there who have a story to tell but perhaps feel like they don’t always fit in, and what advice they would give to their 8-year-old selves if they were able. 

Mindy Kaling

“I think that this business is very hard. It’s not like you have a job like our mum and dad’s were growing up where they have one job and they keep it forever. The single best advice I could give to anyone in this business, which is easier said than done is really developing, particularly young women and extra particularly young women of colour, a really really thick skin.

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“Because whether you’re an actor and you’re dealing with that kind of rejection, or you’re a writer and it’s just rejection, this is the whole lifestyle of the career is that kind of rejection. And to have any semblance of sanity or self esteem it really requires you knowing you have something to offer and really not letting that get deterred by the practical results you get at work.”

Sarah Paulson

“I think there’s this thing that happens in this business where the very thing that makes you unique can sometimes be alienating in a world that likes a more homogenised flavour, I think it’s very important to try to stay true to your particular world view, whatever that is because it’s the only thing that separates one actor from another, one human being from another is your particular way of seeing the world and putting that back out there in your work whatever that work may be.

“So I would sort of say, if I were able to, to my 8-year-old self don’t try to take away all of your uniqueness and don’t try to squash yourself and keep yourself small so that it’s more manageable for other people.”

Cate Blanchett

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“Find your peeps. This film is all about people who are outsiders and who ordinarily wouldn’t band together but they find a common purpose – which is stealing stuff – but without each and every one of them as eccentric and individual outsiders as they are the heist wouldn’t be able to be pulled off.”

Sandra Bullock

“[when I was 8] I was looking for someone who was like me. I didn’t have examples, it goes back to finding your peeps. If you’re not seeing yourself represented, demand that you are. So you have examples of where you can go.

“Plenty of people out there blazing trails are just not being heralded and that’s changing a lot. As a kid I didn’t have anyone that… I was looking at Jerry Lewis, and Carol Burnett and just people who had this ability to find humour in the worst circumstances, but they didn’t look like me they didn’t… so just finding your peeps.

And stop worrying so much!”

CB: “Stop saying sorry! Have you noticed as a woman now how frequently we apologise. I say sorry all the time. It’s the not worrying what people think. It’s really hard for generations behind us with the whole like/dislike culture. Just go out there and have the courage of your convictions but also listen.”

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SB: “Don’t worry about how many likes you get on your feed.”

CB:Or maybe don’t have a feed at all.”

SB:Walk away from your feed.

Ocean’s 8 opens in cinemas on the 18th of June.