JACINDA BARRETT THINKS SHE IS AN IMMIGRANT

Jacinda Barrett stars in The Namesake as Gogol’s bohemian Upper East Side American girlfriend who welcomes him into her family unaware that he has disowned his own Indian heritage.

Jacinda who is a native of Australia says the story deals with issues of identity, culture clash and a sense of belonging which she can relate to having left her family for the states.

“The immigrant experience and family. I mean everyone can relate to dealing with your parents and growing both close to them and away from them as you grow up. So I think for everyone it’s different. For me I’m basically an immigrant because I’m Australian and I’ve been in the states for ten years so I immediately related to that part of the story and the longing for your homeland and yet when you’ve been away long enough you don’t fully belong there. You don’t fully belong here. It’s this sort of conflicted state that is rich and an amazing to live but is really complicated too. I just think the story is told with such grace. It’s just a beautiful story.”

The Namesake opens Friday in theaters.