For this year’s release of The Breadwinner, Birdie Borria played Hadley Wilcox alongside her on-screen family Nate Bargatze and Mandy Moore as her parents Nate and Katie and Stella Grace Fitzgerald as Gracie and Charlotte Ann Tucker as Sam, and the comedy feature film was written by Nate. In Series 5 of Stranger Things, Birdie played recurring character Rebecca, with her episodes premiering last year, and she played guest character Parker in Series 2 of Puppy Place on Apple TV. Birdie was cast as Young Reggie Fabelman (Julia Butters) in The Fabelmans, which is based on the life of Steven Spielberg, which Steven also directed, and her previous roles have seen her play Nora in the 2022 Fox sitcom Pivoting and Zoe Brigham in You. We found out from Birdie about playing Hadley Wilcox in this year’s release of The Breadwinner, her recurring role of Rebecca in Stranger Things and her time as Young Reggie Fabelman in The Fabelmans.

You play Hadley Wilcox in this year’s release of The Breadwinner; was there anything that drew you to the project?

When I first read the audition material and the script for The Breadwinner, I loved it. I loved how relatable the comedy was, and knowing how funny Nate Bargatze was, I was very excited to step into that world.

What was Hadley like to play, and how was it having stand-up comedian and actor Nate Bargatze (who also co-wrote the film) as your on-screen father Nate, and Mandy Moore, Stella Grace Fitzgerald and Charlotte Ann Tucker as the rest of your on-screen family?

I connected to the role of Hadley as soon as I read her scenes. She was smart, kind, responsible and funny, and I found that we had a lot in common. Stella, Charlotte and I connected immediately, and we grew to feel like real siblings. Mandy was so sweet, warm and welcoming that she made us feel at ease. And working with Nate was hilarious, as you could imagine. Filming alongside him was a lot of fun, and we cracked up all the time, but it was the playful moments behind the scenes and in between takes that I will always remember.

Did you have any favourite scenes to work on, and what did you enjoy about working on a comedy feature film?

One of my favourite scenes to film was the volcano scene because it was a really fun experience being able to watch it explode everywhere. Another one of my favourite scenes was the Walmart scene because we got to play and run around in the store while it was still open for customers. What I enjoyed about working on a comedy feature film was the team behind the camera. Eric Appel was an amazing director who gave us a lot of freedom to play and make our own choices. Jeremy Latcham also created a fun environment and always had a great attitude. He encouraged us to have fun.

How did you feel booking your recurring role of Rebecca in Series 5 of Stranger Things, and can you tell us about the character?

I was a major fan of Stranger Things and even had a Stranger Things-themed birthday party, so booking a role on the final series was an absolute dream come true!

What were your scenes like to film, and how was it meeting the rest of the cast for the first time?

Being on set in the world of Stranger Things was surreal. Meeting the cast for the first time was a little nerve-racking because I had been a fan of their work for so many years, but everybody treated me like I belonged there.

How was it watching your completed episodes when they premiered last year and seeing the fan response to the final series of Stranger Things?

My friends and I were obsessed with the show to begin with, so when it finally came out and I was able to share that I was in it, they couldn’t believe it, and honestly, neither could I. We had a viewing party, and there was lots of screaming and excitement.

What was it like playing guest character Parker in Series 2 of Puppy Place for Apple TV?

I love animals very much, and my biggest take away from working on that show was being able to spend my time on set working with a dog. Fun fact about me: I’ve since shared the screen with many other animals, including a cow, a rat, a horse, a monkey and a cat. That’s my dream come true!

How was it getting into character as Young Reggie Fabelman (Julia Butters) in The Fabelmans, and how did you prepare for the role?

The first thing I did when I got cast in The Fabelmans was watch as many Steven Spielberg movies that were age-appropriate. Knowing this was going to be based off of his actual life, I was able to look at pictures of Anne Spielberg (Steven’s sister, whom I portrayed) and the rest of the family during that period of their lives.

How was your time on set of The Fabelmans and how did you find the experience working on a Steven Spielberg-directed film?

I loved my time on set of The Fabelmans. I got along so well with the cast and crew. Steven, to no surprise, was so kind to me and my on-set siblings, and he made us feel very comfortable. He encouraged me to be myself and have fun with the role, which I did. Dressing up as a mummy was so much fun to film.

Can you tell us about playing Nora in the 2022 Fox sitcom Pivoting?

Playing Nora was a cool experience. It was my first recurring role on a network series, and I got to work with my very first on-screen sibling Wolfie Schaeffer, who is an awesome person and super-talented actor.

What do you remember most from filming for You as Zoe Brigham?

I was only five or six when I filmed my recurring role on You, but what I remember most was that metallic-gold box that wardrobe dressed me in.

When did you know you wanted to act professionally and how did you originally get into it?

I knew I wanted to act when I was four years old. One day, I asked my dad about it because he is an actor, and I wanted to try it out. My parents let me give it a go, and I booked one of my first commercial auditions and here we are nine years later, and I’m still loving acting.

Do you have any favourite films and TV shows to watch?

I love bingeing shows, but the ones I’m hooked on right now are Grey’s Anatomy and Ted Lasso. I also really enjoy watching horror films.

How do you like to spend your free time?

I like to spend my free time dancing, hanging out with my friends and my pets, and I love chill time watching TV.

Have you received any advice over your career so far that has stuck with you?

Steven Spielberg once told me to always bring a little bit of Birdie into the roles I play.

What are you hoping the rest of 2026 brings, and do you have any projects coming up that you can say about?

Personally, I hope the rest of the year brings a lot of fun experiences and memories with my family and friends. Work-wise, there’s something cooking up in the near future that we’ll hopefully be able to talk about later, but I’m very excited about it!

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