'La La Land' Actress Sonoya Mizuno Interview 2016

(Image credit: Naj Jamai)

The actress, who plays Caitlin in this month's La La Land, credits her love of food to her international upbringing—here, she talks everything eats.

AGE 28.

LIVES IN L.A.

YOU KNOW HER FROM Ex Machina (2015); Frank Ocean's "Nikes" music video (2016).

HOBBY Cooking.

FAMILY MATTERS I grew up in Somerset in southwest England. We owned a shitload of chickens, so we had fresh eggs. All the vegetables were delivered from a farm. And the meat we ate was always free-range. My mom's cooking was all about comfort, flavor, and plenty of butter. It was so hearty. In fact, growing up, I used to worry when I went to a friend's house to eat that the portions would be too small.

MASTERCHEF JUNIOR When I was like 10, I cooked a three-course meal for my family. (Did I mention I have six siblings?) I made our secret recipe for spaghetti Bolognese.

CAN'T STOP WON'T STOP I had allergy tests a few years ago, and they told me I was intolerant to dairy. I tried cutting it out and then was like, Ugh, life is too short.

ON THE MENU I was born in Tokyo and lived in Japan for a couple of years and am obsessed with soba and natto (fermented soybean). I could eat that with raw egg, rice, and soy sauce every single day.

CALIFORNIA LOVE People don't really cook very much in L.A.—they eat out. I'm so into this place in Echo Park called Guisados. The first time I had the soft, yummy pork carnitas tacos, I couldn't stop smelling my hands after!

GUESS WHO'S COMING TO DINNER If I could throw a dinner party for anyone, I'd invite Lena Dunham, Dave Chappelle, and Gena Rowlands. She's such an amazing actress, would have great stories—she's just so fucking cool.

FOLLOW HER @sonoya.

FASHION EDITOR: BRITTANY KOZERSKI

This article appears in the December issue of Marie Claire, on newsstands November 15.