In Apple TV+ and Skydance Animation's Luck, Eva Noblezada voices Sam Greenfield — who endures an abundance of bad luck in her life. From missing out on a forever family to losing the lucky penny she finds, Sam's misfortune takes a toll on her self-confidence, but she learns to persevere through meeting a black cat named Bob (Simon Pegg) and visiting the Land of Luck, where good and bad luck are manufactured to be dispersed among humans. Motivated by her love for her friend Hazel, a young girl also let down by the foster care system, Sam embarks on a journey that teaches her the true meaning of luck.
Luck is directed by Peggy Holmes and additionally stars Jane Fonda, Whoopi Goldberg, and Flula Borg. Noblezada starred in the 2019 film Yellow Rose and has appeared in an episode of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit season 22. She will feature in director Jay Chandrasekhar's comedy Easter Sunday.
Screen Rant spoke with Noblezada about Sam's story in Luck and her own takeaways from the film.
Screen Rant: Luck is your first animated feature film. What drew you to this project?
Eva Noblezada: I loved the breakdown of Sam's character. I thought it was really interesting to have a character that is "unlucky" and you follow her story. I had never heard about that before, so that really drew me in. Also, the team that has created this film, they're all legends and you want to work with people who you admire, so that really drew me in. I wanted to be part of the movie because of those two things.
Did you have any experience in voice acting prior to this or was it entirely new for you?
Eva Noblezada: Completely new for me, but I am an actor and I use my voice, so it couldn't be that different. It definitely was a learning experience, but I'm grateful that I had my background give me a lot of support.
Your character Sam experiences a ton of bad luck throughout the movie. In your mind, what allows her to keep persevering in spite of her doubts?
Eva Noblezada: I think that it's just a special part of her. She knows that bad things are gonna happen or unlucky things are gonna happen and they do, one after the other. So, I think in order to make it in life and to just get the job done, and get the day done, she has to have the mindset of, "That's annoying. OK, let's keep going." She also, I feel like, is putting on that facade a lot to keep strong because she also is so generous and giving to the other people in her life. There has to be an overflow of optimism so that she can give to people like Hazel and then give to people like Bob.
The film touches on Sam and her younger friend Hazel’s experience in the foster care system. What’s the importance of including something like this, that's a reality for so many people?
Eva Noblezada: I was gonna say, yeah, it's important for people to see real life when they're watching movies. That's what makes people feel seen. A lot of the times, you see the main character that comes from a great upbringing or they have a family, they have a mom and dad. A lot of people grow up and they don't have parents or they have one parent, or they have a difficult childhood. We have to be aware and have empathy for people who don't have the same experiences as we had — if we had good ones.
We just have to realize that everyone is so different from each other, but it doesn't mean that there should be distance between that. We should really do our best to have empathy for everybody. But yeah, it was sad to see that list of all the houses and homes that Sam had been moving from and I hope that by seeing that, people think of the harsh reality that there are a lot of children in America that are part of a broken foster care system and maybe they feel inspired to do something about that.
For you what’s the significance of having the bond between Sam and Hazel as one of the film’s central story points?
Eva Noblezada: As an older sister for two beautiful younger siblings, there's that lioness quality of seeing someone you love so much and wanting to do everything you can to not only protect them, but be there for them, and support them, and love them. I think we all have that person in our life that we are like that with and we're like that to somebody else. My mom is like that with me. So, it's important. It goes back to the forever family kind of theme of wanting to have people in your life, whether that be your actual family or people that you place in your life that love you and you love them. That's such a special and essential bond for humans. We have to have those people in our life.
I also love Sam’s dynamic with Bob. What does he bring out of her and what lessons does he teach her?
Eva Noblezada: I think he teaches her — that's such a good question because it almost feels like she teaches him so much in the movie. I think they teach each other that they need more than they think they do. That's the relationship.
Would you live in a world without bad luck if you could?
Eva Noblezada: No, because then, you wouldn't have good luck. You can't have good without the bad and the bad without the good, and if all good things happen all the time, honestly, that would be a boring life. You can't have hope for something if you have everything or if you feel everything that's good. So, I'd want to live in a world where there's no mean — that's not true. There has to be some mean people so that you can like — I don't know, I think I like the world that I'm living in even though it's really stressful [laughs].
Which other character resonated with you most?
Eva Noblezada: Oh lord. Jeff. I love Jeff. I think he's so funny. Bob is very me if I'm hungry, like very hangry. That's not even a good description of Bob, but I see a lot of myself in Bob, as well. He's not honest with what he actually feels. I think it's a front to protect himself and we all do that sometimes.
This film teaches so many valuable lessons about life. What’s your main takeaway from the film as a whole or Sam’s journey in particular?
Eva Noblezada: Great question. That communities are very important. It's important to be seen, and heard, and loved, and accepted. I think it's also a good reminder just to love the people in your life a little bit more maybe, if that's what calls to you. Also, people make mistakes and people have bad things happen to them but it doesn't mean that you're a bad person.
Luck Synopsis
From Apple Original Films and Skydance Animation comes the story of Sam Greenfield, the unluckiest person in the world! Suddenly finding herself in the never-before-seen Land of Luck, she must unite with the magical creatures there to turn her luck around.
Catch our other interview with Luck stars Simon Pegg, Whoopi Goldberg, Flula Borg, and Jane Fonda, as well as director Peggy Holmes.
Next: Everything We Know About Law & Order: SVU Season 24
Luck releases on Friday, August 5 on Apple TV+.