Hannah Cheramy: Finding Strength in the Quiet

Film

Hannah Cheramy isn’t interested in overplaying a moment. There’s something quieter about the way she works, more about what sits underneath than what’s immediately shown. It’s a quality that’s become especially clear in her role as Julie in FROM, where strength often shows up in subtle, internal ways rather than big, dramatic beats. Acting wasn’t always a set path for her, but once From came into her life, it shifted everything, turning something she loved into something she couldn’t imagine stepping away from. Now, as her world continues to grow, she’s learning how to balance that openness the work demands with the need to stay grounded in herself.

When did you first realise acting was something you needed, not just something you enjoyed? 

I think that From really solidified my love for acting in a way that before I filmed it. I wasn't sure what I was going to do with my life. I was planning on going to University and auditioning on the side, but then From came along, and my life dramatically shifted to filming full-time and going to university on the side. I can't see my life going down any other path now. 

How did that shift change your approach to your work? 

It made me take every aspect of my career more seriously, which in turn has led me to explore other avenues of the film and entertainment world that I never had before. 

Do you see vulnerability as something you protect, or something you actively lean into? 

I see it as both, to be honest. Being an actor is an inherently vulnerable art form; creating in general takes a great deal of vulnerability. So to close yourself off from that vulnerability is to lose what it means to be an actor. But at the same time, you still have to protect yourself and your emotions so that you don't lose yourself along the way. 

Your performances feel very internal, how do you hold emotion without fully releasing it? 

I believe it comes from just a lot of prep work. Knowing where the character is at and what they are feeling internally helps to know where the emotion needs to lie in the scene to further the plot and the story that you want to tell. 

In FROM, your character Julie carries a quiet strength, how did you define that for yourself? 

I would define Julie as a very internal character who often opts to keep her emotions to herself. That in and of itself is a form of strength. This season, however, her strength manifests in a different form, one of determination and steadfastness following the death of her father.

Do you think softness in characters is often overlooked, especially in worlds like that? 

I think that in a place such as “Fromville,” there is little room for a character’s softness to come out when every part of the world is trying to seek out that softness and snuff it out. Yet there is still a light inside each character that John Griffin plays with so beautifully. 

How do you stay emotionally open without becoming overwhelmed by what you’re carrying on screen? 

It's a very difficult line to walk. There have been many days when the work comes home with me, specifically on the emotionally demanding days. I think that de-processing on set (i.e. taking off my makeup, steaming with a warm towel and some good skincare) is a great way to avoid bringing the character home with me.

Has there ever been a moment where you felt pressure to make a performance bigger or louder than necessary? 

I don't know if I would say “pressure” per se, but there will be times that you match energy so well with your scene partner that if it starts to escalate, the volume or movements naturally follow suit and get bigger. This isn't always a bad thing, but sometimes the scene doesn't call for such a performance, and it's important to keep it grounded. 

What does strength mean to you now, compared to when you first started acting?

Strength to me now means having the ability to trust my instincts. Back when I first started acting, I think that strength was found in my ability to handle rejection at such a young age. 

As everything around you grows; the work, the audience, the expectations, what are you most careful not to lose in yourself?

My genuine love and passion for creating and telling stories. This industry can cause a lot of people to burn out and lose their love for acting; I hope to never feel the same.

FROM Season 4 is out now

Words by Philipp Raheem