Lacoste. The eponymous last name hits you first. After all, you’d have to be under a rock to not know it. But if you went by the last name alone, you’d miss the best parts of the story.

There is a delicacy about Victoria Lacoste that is impossible to miss. It’s in her features, her bone structure, the way she speaks, the words she chooses. It is present in her poise, the way her shock-red hair frames her face, in the slope of her shoulders. And yet there is a frenetic fierceness underlying it all that is undeniable. It’s a surprise at first, as given her poise, this fire takes you a bit off guard. But it is precisely this force of spirit that propels Victoria past her grandfather’s legacy and into her own.

A big name is a double-edged sword. On one hand, there are the obvious benefits of being an heiress. But when a name is as great as Lacoste, the bearer runs the risk of disappearing beneath it. This is not Victoria’s fate. From leveraging frustration to forge her own career path to learning how to lead, as well as why championing platforms for the lesser heard is essential, we spent a sun-streaked afternoon conversing about storytelling, perspective, and achieving your dreams.

What you do for a job/career?

I am an executive producer as well as the founder and CEO of Edelweiss Productions, a film production company with the goal to seek out young, talented writers and/or directors and elevate them within the film sphere.

Edelweiss Productions was born out of the frustration of wanting to make projects for ourselves and our way, without the actual craft being watered down by market influence or mainstream homogenization. I’m also a film and theater actress and was growing I constantly heard that I “didn’t fit the look” (aka not skinny enough) for an actress. Edelweiss is for all the storytellers and artists that have been told they don’t fit - from unique ideas to appearance, size, shape, racial background, gender, sexual preference, etc.

What is it about this line of work that makes you feel passionate about it?

There’s a spark I get whenever I read something that excites me. I’ve always been an imaginative person, so both executive producing and acting are wonderful outlets. I can be a part of different worlds and express a side of myself that I can’t as much in my everyday life. I get to see and feel life from so many different angles. When you come to the first day of shooting or that first day on stage, when everyone’s there as a team to create something that has never been created before, you feel the excitement of making that thing together. And there’s nothing quite like it.

What is the hardest part of your job/career?

In producing, it is definitely the leadership aspect. There’s no training for leading aside from hands-on practice. You just have to do your best, listen and learn along the way, and surround yourself with good people. In the beginning, I made mistakes because I had never produced a movie and never led a team. Being young and being a woman can also make it especially hard for people to take you seriously. But being in a leadership position is also extremely rewarding. It pushes you to trust yourself and your instinct in the process. I am genuinely grateful that I was able to learn those lessons through my own company.

How did you overcome it?

You overcome it by practice. I’m definitely still learning, but I got better by learning to speak up often and constructively. Basically, the biggest mistake you can make is to not voice your perspective. It’s better to say something and take the risk and look like an idiot than to stay quiet and say nothing at all. I found that I have regretted more the times where I stayed quiet than when I voiced my perspective in a constructive manner.

Is there a particular book/essay/etc… that has changed your life/ how you approach life?

One of the few books that I read from start to finish in one day because I was so enthralled with it (and also in part because I was stuck outside of LAX for 4 hours) is 11 Seconds by Paolo Coehlo. It tells the story of a Brazilian woman named Maria, who moves to Switzerland after following her dreams of becoming a model but ends up falling into prostitution. The story contains incredible lessons about love, sexuality, and male/female relationships. An absolute must-read in my opinion.

Favorite productivity trick?

If there is something that feels daunting I do not want to do during the day, starting out with small achievable tasks helps set my motivation in motion.

What is your biggest secret to getting ahead in your career life?

When you empower others, you also empower yourself in the process. It’s very much a shared experience. Nothing gets done completely by a single person and you can learn a great deal from others. That’s why whom you surround yourself can truly be make or break.

What is your biggest secret to getting ahead in life in general?

Be slightly delusional yet firmly rooted to the ground. We live in a time where the world is shifting in unexpected ways and it is important to have an imaginative vision - but also to be aware enough of reality so that your actions are attainable. It’s all about balance. That’s why I believe the arts are so powerful. Filmmakers, for instance, are masters at putting an idea into form and inventing worlds for their narratives. We live in an era where we are going to need visionaries in order to move forward in a positive direction.

What is your biggest secret to pretending to have it all together?

A good skin care routine! Seriously, it makes a huge difference to my day if I have taken the time to take care of my skin. I can’t go about my day with dry skin. It just drives me insane and makes for a bad day altogether.

A few favorite products?

Cleanser: Pai Roseship cleansing oil

Day Serum: Aurelia CBD Super Serum

Day Cream: Tata Harper Waterlock Moisturizer or Cicapair Color Correcting Treatment (great for my rosacea)

Night Serum: Aurelia Cell Repair Night Oil

Once a week: Biossance Squalane + Glycolic Renewal Facial

Oh My Cream Poudre exfoliante (Exfoliating powder)

I also love Ren’s Glycop Lactic Radiance Renewal Mask

What is your favorite part about running your own business?

As someone who has struggled with asserting myself, it has been hugely empowering to build a company aligned with my values and beliefs. In some ways, it’s like building a house from the ground up and having the opportunity to be accountable for everything from how the foundation is laid to how the inner structure is built to support the work you want to do. It’s a lot of effort. But it’s worth it.

What is the hardest part?

To know when to listen to other people’s advice who have more experience than you, but to also design your own path regardless of how it might be perceived. You want to be able to move forward without losing your authenticity and it can be a difficult balance to achieve.

You make an active point to champion women in your work. What does that mean to you?

It means giving a set of people a chance who otherwise might have been overlooked on unfair grounds. I know what it feels like when your ideas and your character as a whole are not being recognized. And I’m lucky to be in a position where I can empower others, so it is especially important for me to try to create a more equal playing field. Unfortunately, the male gaze has become an integral part of the fabric of almost all storytelling, even the stories of women. I’m not saying that the male perspective is by nature ‘bad,’ but it does build a one-sided, dogmatic narrative that can cause long-term damage.

In the past few years, I noticed that quite a few of my beliefs came from the content I watched growing up, which wasn’t always the most empowering perspective for an impressionable young woman. By placing women at the root of storytelling, either through writing or directing or both, you have the opportunity to diffuse the male gaze and allow for a more female-centric perspective. I would love for the current and future youth to have more points of reference, because I believe that what we grow up watching has a huge impact on how we perceive ourselves and the world we live in. This goes not just for women in general, which was my starting focus, but also for anyone of different backgrounds, race, class, sexual preference, identity, etc. I want to assist in amplifying voices who have had their voices previously overpowered in film.

Right now, your company is currently focused on horror. What types of films are you looking to get into in the future?

Yes, our last two projects were both horror films and we are potentially gearing up for a third. I have a particular affinity for genre movies as I think they allow for more creative expression. There’s a liberty in genre films that allows for so much more in the way of casting, directing, and what a person can do visually.

But to me, it starts with the story and the genre comes second. I love diversifying and exploring all the different ways there are to tell a new story. Personally, I have a penchant for dramedies. I’ve always enjoyed contrast, since I believe genres don’t have to be one thing. There’s more than just drama in a drama. There’s more than just laughs in as comedy. I have a dry sense of humor, so I love British comedy. If anyone has a good British comedy story, come to me!

still: ‘The Fourth Wall’ teaser 2020 Produced by Edelweiss Productions, Written and Directed by Kelsey Bollig — still: ‘The Fourth Wall’ teaser 2020
Produced by Edelweiss Productions, Written and Directed by Kelsey Bollig

What is it about the script for the first film you produced, 'Asking for a Friend,' that inspired you to take on the project?

I absolutely loved how daring the story was - as if ‘Weekend at Bernies’ and Gaspar Noé had a love child and I am 100% here for that. I also starred as Q, and there was something about the clumsiness of the main character that I could weirdly relate to, but brought up to an extreme level. Truth be told, I can’t say enough compliments about Kelsey Bollig, who wrote and directed it. I believe that she is one of the future prominent directors in her field. I am honored that I could help bring attention to her work in a meaningful way… and by covering myself with 60 gallons of blood and scaring the hell out of my landlord in the process!

still: ‘Asking For A Friend’ 2019Produced by Edelweiss Productions, Written and Directed by Kelsey Bollig — still: ‘Asking For A Friend’ 2019
Produced by Edelweiss Productions, Written and Directed by Kelsey Bollig

What has your experience been in as a female in a male dominated industry?

My experience so far is that, unfortunately, as a woman, people feel entitled to give you their opinion. It could be your looks, the way you dress, the way you carry yourself, and so forth. In acting, it can be incredibly disheartening to realize that you might not fit a certain mold, since you are led to believe it will impact your success in the long run. In producing, it can be more difficult to gauge your authority as a young woman because you often find yourself surrounded by more experienced men who have been working the industry for years. You have to fight harder to get your opinion heard - even when you are in the position of authority. However, I have also been met with overwhelmingly positive responses from people who want to see a change in the content that is being produced. I believe we live in an unprecedented era where slowly but surely, doors are opening for a more diverse film community. There are also plenty of men who are incredibly supportive in this industry, like my co-producer Simon Brook, whose opinion I value greatly.

When it comes to your career, what is your idea of success?

This is something that I actually think about on an almost daily basis and it has shifted quite a bit in the last couple of years. I would say that the moment you are truly in your power and feel aligned with your desires, regardless of how others might respond, is a pretty good sign. I know that it’s the kind of stuff you read on a motivational poster or in a self-help book, which is why it used to make me roll my eyes, but the closer I get to it, the more I can see that it actually holds a lot of truth.

I used to believe a lot of what people said about me, but I realized that a great deal of it was a projection of their own feelings of inadequacy. The moment I started seeing that, I immediately felt my life change for the better. I’m not saying one should not listen to constructive criticism, because sometimes people truly have your best interest at heart - but there is a difference in intention. I don’t believe I am fully there yet, but reminding myself of this regularly has helped me to stay on track and not let outside opinions or comments derail my focus.

What is the main difference between working in the US vs working in Europe?

There are quite a few. I wouldn’t say one is necessarily better than the other, as both culture present pros and cons In the way they approach work. In Europe and France especially, taking your time is an art form and it transfers over to the way people approach film making. I am not saying that there aren’t deadlines and rules to abide to and that all French people do is drink wine around the table, but we love to take our time to get to know each other. What can I say, we are sentimentalists! In the States, there is more of a focus on efficiency, which allows to us create and advance at a formidable speed, due in part to the size of the industry as a whole. It was a fascinating experience to shoot Asking for a Friend, as I was astonished by the speed at which production was achieved. There was never a question of ‘if’ but always rather a question of ‘when’. Nothing seemed to be too grandiose, or too out there. Fat Eye Studios didn’t blink an eye when we rented it out and poured hundreds of gallons of blood on a raving crowd. In a way, that’s very American.

Do you think growing up outside of the US has given you a unique perspective on the US Film industry?

I definitely think that growing up with an outsider’s perspective always gives you a certain ‘distance’ and allows you to see things from a different angle, which can be helpful. I grew up idolizing the States, in part due to the content I was watching growing up. A lot of it informed my decision at a very young age that I wanted to move to the US to experience my own ‘American Dream,’ so to speak. The contrast between my childhood beliefs and the reality of the situation is laughable, yet empowering at the same time. I’m a big believe in dreams coming true, but I also believe that it’s almost never in the way you’ll expect it to happen.

And this last one for fun: If you started a cult, what would your belief system be based around?

Chocolate worship.

Women Of Strength: Victoria Lacoste