Lineage does not matter in Hollywood: Kiera Chaplin

Actor Kiera Chaplin talks about India experience, her starry life and also talks about why her surname doesn’t matter
Kiera Chaplin has an impressive lineage —she’s the granddaughter of Sir Charlie Chaplin and great granddaughter of the Nobel Laureate Eugene O’ Neil. But she prefers not to talk about her famous relatives. A model and actress who was rated as the 7th sexiest woman in the world by a leading magazine, New York-based Kiera is someone who’s known to speak her mind.Keira also did not mind going topless for a mag cover, but she dismisses it as something she did in the past. In an e-mail interview Keira chats about the Indian experience. Excerpts:
When did you really become aware that you belonged to a double barrelled lineage? We were just normal kids growing up in Switzerland, where my grandfather lived from the time he fled the US in the 1950s until the end of his life, so there was a Charlie Chaplin statue and a Charlie Chaplin park, and a bar named after him. We all wanted to do something different. I was actually part of a band with my brother and sister. Later I decided to move to LA to pursue acting. I don’t get bogged down by any kind of pressure that people perceive —be it about my lineage or anything else. One should live life on one’s own terms. I am not the kind of person whosuccumbs to any kind of pressure.
What made you choose to work with Rajshree Ojha whose last screen outing Aisha was a failure? I am an actor and I work with people who can convince me. I met Rajshree during her screening of the short film Moment in LA. She won a Student’s Academy Award for the film.She seemed enthuasiastic and I thought she’d have fresh ideas. I was correct. But she wanted to shoot Chaurahen in Kolkata so she was not too sure if I would like to work in her kind of films. After the narration, I was bowled over. And, Hollywood doesn’t function like Hindi film industry. Lineage doesn’t really matter when it comes to work out there . If you are talented then a studio will approach you, or else you can jolly well sit in your own glass castle!
What has been your experience of India like? While shooting for Chaurahen, I visited India for the first time. It was great working with talented actors like Victor Banerjee and Roopa Ganguly in Kolkata. Rajshree insisted that I try the local food, it was yummy, but I had food poisoning after having extremely spicy food. I loved jaggery sweets from Kolkata. I still remember that we were shooting in summer and Kolkata was burning! We were shooting outdoors. Rajshree would call for coconut water for all of us, and we would cool down and then shoot again.
What are the chances of you working in Hollywood projects? I would love to work. In fact certain things are in pipeline. In our industry, we don't talk about films unless the studio gives us the permission to do so.
You grew up in Switzerland, moved to Paris, LA and now you live in New York...What do these cities mean to you? I grew up in Switzerland, I speak Italian, France is where I grew up. Paris is a city where I love to indulge myself and LA was my home for a while. Now I live in New York. It’s been my home for while. I love moving from one place to another. Cities are like seasons to me. I keep changing them as and when I feel like.
What are your future plans? I love fashion and music. I recorded an album with my siblings. I model for my friends and if I like a script/ director, I am open to acting offers too.