Eras Tour Opener Marie Ulven – Girl in Red – Is Not Playing Herself in ‘Low Expectations’: ‘I Have a Real Interest in Acting’

Norwegian singer Marie Ulven—better known to her global fanbase as girl in red—takes on the role of a troubled musician in Eivind Landsvik’s drama "Low Expectations," yet she insists the character is far from a mirror image of herself. The 25-year-old artist, who first broke through in 2018 with her hit single "I Wanna Be Your Girlfriend," admits the initial offer gave her pause. "It has been a little frustrating because I’m very different from Maja, and I put a lot of work into this role. But just because I’m an artist as well, some people assume: ‘I guess that’s her.’ It annoys me, which is why I was hesitant when Eivind said he wanted me to play the part," she tells Variety.

The film, which premiered at Cannes’ Directors’ Fortnight and was recently screened at the Norwegian International Film Festival in Haugesund, follows Maja as she unravels after years of international acclaim, retreating to her hometown to teach at a local high school. Ulven’s own trajectory has been meteoric—The New York Times once hailed her as the "gay musical role model she never had," and she has since collaborated with Sabrina Carpenter on "You Need Me Now?" and opened for Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour, the highest-grossing tour in history. Yet Maja’s story takes a different path: she chooses to step away from her artistry, at least temporarily. "Maja still feels she has something special [to offer] and it would be a shame to give it up. But she’s not being an artist at that time in her life, and that’s ultimately what made me say ‘yes,’" Ulven explains.

For Ulven, the theme of stepping back resonates on a personal level. She recalls advice from a mentor in Los Angeles who described her current phase as "a period of incubation." "As an artist, it’s important to allow yourself those moments when you immerse yourself in books or other people’s art," she says. "It’s different for everyone, but you have to stay potent. You can also be very prolific, but if your motive is stress and the need to stay relevant, that’s not truthful." Maja’s breakdown, she adds, stems from a toxic mix of mental illness, drug abuse, and the crushing weight of expectation—a situation many creatives can relate to. "You start asking yourself: ‘Maybe she wasn’t made for that?’ What I love about this movie is that you really want the best for her. I don’t know if it was bad for her, and I don’t know if she’s going to figure it out. But I hope so," she reflects. "In the end, it’s about finding balance in life. Maja tipped the scale over to something that became toxic for her. But she’s still passionate about making music, so maybe she can figure it out? That’s the big question."

Despite the challenges of separating herself from Maja, Ulven says she’s eager to pursue more acting opportunities. "I have a real interest in acting, and it feels genuine. I had genuine fun making this. I was intrigued and challenged on set," she notes, though she acknowledges the difficulty of being recognized. "It’s a really hard transition because people know your face. Also, just because you can make music doesn’t mean you should be an actor. But if that’s what you want to do, you should do it." Director Landsvik, whose film has drawn praise from audiences across generations for its "honest and true" portrayal, worked closely with Ulven to craft Maja’s introverted, slowly thawing demeanor. "With Marie, we talked a lot about the character and how she’s very distant and introverted at first, but she slowly opens up through small gestures from the people around her," he says. "There are scenes where she almost doesn’t respond to people talking, and this was a challenging thing for Marie. It’s so far from who she is as a person. At the same time, I guess it’s what intrigued her. Neither of us intended for her to play herself." He adds, "During rehearsals, I discovered that Marie had this quality of expressing so much without words or grand gestures. Her presence is so great."