'GLOW' star Britt Baron reveals Justine finds humor in the glitz of Las Vegas, but she isn't drawn to it
Netflix's 'GLOW' is a story about women by women, and among those women that we fell in love with over the last two seasons, is the young Justine, who joined the gorgeous ladies of wrestling to get closer to her estranged father. Despite his brief and far between moments of tenderness Marc Maron’s Sam is anything but paternal, and it was a shocking revelation for most fans to learn that he is her father.
However, the showrunners and Britt Baron, who plays Justine, always knew what direction she is headed in. "Before we started shooting season one I had a meeting with our showrunners Liz Flahive and Carly Mensch where they disclosed why Justine was there. I think it was imperative I be privy to that information because it really did inform and shape my performance for all of season one. It made Justine’s entire reason for being there make sense because she makes it clear early on that she has no interest in fame or wrestling," Baron tells MEA World Wide (MEAWW), adding that the creators had asked her not to reveal this spoiler to any of the cast members, including Marc. "For the majority of shooting season one I had to hold onto this massive secret. But ultimately it was really helpful because it mirrored what Justine was going through which I think helped color my on-screen performance."
Justine's journey has indeed been such a joyful thing to watch, especially since she goes from a seemingly apathetic teen to a caring friend, while still not losing her cool in a span of two seasons, and while Baron is not privy to share too much about her journey in season 3, we have been informed that she will find "humor and intrigue in all of the glitz of Las Vegas," but she has no interest in being a part of it.
"We briefly get to see Justine in Vegas and in a way it does feel like watching a fish out of water because it is an environment that is out of her comfort zone on so many levels, however, she takes it all in stride. Justine really has grown and matured and found a new sense of confidence and ease within her own body that we did not get to see in the first two seasons, and that definitely bleeds into her experience in Vegas," she elaborates, adding that the addition of Geena Davis has also been great for the show, especially in its Vegas leg.
However, Justine will be away from the wrestling action while they are in Vegas, which is a bummer for Baron, and truth be told, us fans. "I trained with the girls for the first two seasons and initially was intimidated and unsure about wrestling as a whole. But I quickly fell in love with how absolutely empowering it is. It’s this incredible sport that merges athleticism and theatrics. So after three years I really would love to get into the ring," she says, adding, "I also think it would be such a defining moment for someone like Justine who is very guarded, because in the ring there is nowhere to hide, it’s so vulnerable, and as a wrestler it’s all about performing for the back row which I think could really transform Justine into someone who is comfortable in her own skin and maybe find a new sense of confidence."
Working with the women on 'GLOW' certainly seems to be working well for Baron, who appreciates the chemistry she has built with her castmates on and off the screen. "We really do love and support each other, we have a group chat that goes off every day and going to work feels like going to camp in a way. We are constantly singing and dancing and running in and out of each other’s trailers, making each other laugh. This set is filled with so much joy and love and support and I think that is in a big way to us knowing how rare and special this experience is," she says, adding, "Women really do rule our set in front of and behind the camera and that inherently creates a safe and incredibly fun place to work. Here’s to hoping that becomes more of the norm!"
Don't forget to tune in for all the estrogen-filled awesomeness when Season 3 of 'GLOW' premieres on August 9, 2019 via Netflix.