Lara Wolf on Upcoming Role in Peacock’s Those About to Die, Wellness Tips + More

Photo by Sharon Daniels

Lara Wolf is a multi-talented, multilingual actress and writer with an international edge and a wealth of unique life experience. Born in Tehran and raised in Zurich, Lara studied psychology while working simultaneously as a television host and fitness model before relocating to the US to follow her dreams of starring on the big screen. Successful in her pursuits, Lara now lives in Brooklyn and will grace households across the nation this Thursday during the premiere of the highly anticipated Peacock Original Those About to Die, in which Lara plays Queen Berenice opposite Sir Anthony Hopkins.  

Directed by Roland Emmerich, Those About to Die is an epic “sword-and-scandal” drama series that explores the dark side of the ancient Roman Gladiator Games. Uniquely, the series exposes the bloody business of entertaining masses, drawing parallels between the ancient gladiators and modern forms of entertainment. 

In addition to her major role as Queen Berenice, Lara has appeared in various hit TV series such as ABC’s Quantico, Amazon’s You Are Wanted, and Blue Bloods, as well as films including The Performance, Hot Air, and These 3 Waters, which she both wrote and starred in. Talk about a BELLA Boss! 

A classically trained actress, Lara’s ability to transition seamlessly between styles and genres has helped build a lengthy resume of diverse roles that keep her constantly moving. In addition to her impressive career in the entertainment industry, Lara is a mental health advocate with a passion for overall wellness who strives to support others in their pursuit of health. 

Lara shared some of her favorite wellness tips, as well as insight into her fruitful career and upcoming role in Those About to Die with BELLA. 

Photo by Sharon Daniels

How is Those About To Die different from other projects you’ve worked on in the past? 

Those About To Die is different in many ways. It's the first time for me to be cast in this genre and to be portraying a historical character, which required me to research by digging through history books that I could find reflected in statues and tales. I loved the ratio between historical facts on Berenice and my interpretation of her as an actor. It was also the biggest project I had ever been part of. Being part of an experience with Sir Anthony Hopkins (one of my favorite actors of all time) and the incredible visionary Roland Emmerich would have sounded like a distant dream to me three years ago; in fact, it still does. Having the wonderful Marco Kreuzpaintner as co-director and having the pleasure of working with two notable directors on the same project was also a new experience. Something else that made this series very special was shooting in the city where the story we were telling unfolded 2000 years ago - Rome. There, you can't escape history even if you try, which, in our case, served as the ideal backdrop. 

Is there a certain aspect of the series that you’re most excited for fans to experience?  

YES! When I first heard Roland Emmerich, the master of big explosion disaster films, was directing this ancient story, I was trying to wrap my mind around how he would apply his expertise to this genre. And chapeau. What he created is beyond anything I could have imagined, and I cannot wait for the world to see it! 

With such a busy schedule, it’s admirable that you find time to prioritize fitness. Do you have any health/wellness tips for others who are constantly on the go? 

Do you mean as I'm taking a bite of this delicious almond croissant sitting in front of me? I consider a treat here and there to be very healthy. I don't always succeed in carving out time to work out, but I aim to work out daily, even if it's just 20 minutes. This can be a quick run, push/sit-ups, anything that gets me sweating, really. Be open to committing to 20 minutes, even if your workout usually takes 45 minutes. I travel with a yoga mat and make sure I stretch daily. Aside from movement, I prioritize my protein intake, drink enough water, and get enough sleep, especially when my schedule is hectic. 

You’ve played such a wide variety of characters, a detective, a mistress, a mobster’s assistant, and now Queen Berenice just to name a few! Do you have a favorite type of character to portray?

Playing Queen is pretty cool, I'm not going to lie. It might have been a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity (who knows), so I'm cherishing the experience. If the stars align, I'll get to play Princess Soraya and Cleopatra at some point (hint-hint). But of course, there are a variety of characters and archetypes I would like to explore, and I can see myself in an action film as well as in a psychologically complex role. It's very odd that as a little girl, my daydreams always revolved around saving the world, and maybe that's a role still waiting to come my way.

In addition to physical wellness, you’re also vocal about the importance of mental health. Does playing certain characters ever take a toll on your mental health? If so, how do you escape this cycle to find a healthy work-life balance? 

It can take a toll, and for me, it's essential to have time to decompress and not feel any productivity pressure like I usually do. If I don't do that, sometimes it can feel like I overwhelm my system and suddenly, I’m in a bad mood. I always have to remind myself that it's ok to slow down and allow time to recover energetically. I've trained myself to catch negative thoughts when they arise, or trace a bad feeling or mood to its source. I don't want to be a slave to my moods. We soak up energy all day, especially those of us who are sensitive. When I speak to someone whose energy doesn't feel right and is trying to invade mine, I mentally block them. I imagine a protective shield around me. Realizing what caused a certain feeling can sometimes defy it altogether. Other times, it's a little trickier. Characters, for instance, can linger around. Queen Berenice certainly did, for days sometimes, and it wasn't very queenly. Once I realized nothing was wrong with me, but I just needed to let the character go, I was fine. The best way for me to do that is to move my body, go dancing, go for a long walk, run, etc.

To follow along on Lara’s journey, follow her on Instagram at @laradwolf, and be sure to tune into Those About to Die exclusively on Peacock this Thursday, July 18th.