Geraldine Viswanathan on Karaoke and Lizzo Dance Breaks

What first caught your eye about “Broken Hearts Gallery”?

Lucy was just such a little firecracker. I thought she was so open and her energy was really infectious, even on the page. I was like, I want to be friends with this person, slash I want to be like this person — maybe if I play this person, she’ll rub off on me in some way. She’s such a Leo. Lucy has a really big heart, and I think she wears it on her sleeve a little bit more than I do. She expresses herself so fully and unapologetically, and I think I have that, but just not to the level that she takes it.

It still feels very rare to find a rom-com where we get to see a woman of color falling in love. What has it been like for you to take that on?

While I was filming, I never felt the pressure — I don’t really see myself as different in any way until I’m reminded by others that I am. It feels a little bigger than me, but it’s the most meaningful to me when I get messages like, “I’ve never seen myself reflected onscreen like this,” or, “It’s so nice to see someone who isn’t the default be onscreen and desired by men, and to be a beautiful and radiant young woman living her best life.”

Some of the most joyful scenes show Lucy with her roommates (Molly Gordon and Phillipa Soo).

Oh, it was just such a dream. We got so lucky with our trio, because we didn’t do a chemistry read or anything. We just instantly got along, and I think we all felt relieved, because it meant that we didn’t have to try very hard. Natalie was like, “Great. You guys just hang out and do your thing, and I’ll capture it.” If there was ever a lull in energy on set, she would blast Lizzo and we would have a little dance break — some of it is in the movie.

You and Dacre Montgomery also have really tangible chemistry in the film.

We had this natural familiarity with each other — might have something to do with both of us being Australian. I felt like our dynamic really mirrored Nick and Lucy’s. It’s kind of perfectly encapsulated in the karaoke scene — Dacre was genuinely terrified doing that scene, and I am totally the person at karaoke that makes everyone get up and sing.