• last month
"Sweetpea" star Ella Purnell takes Vanity Fair's infamous lie detector test. Has Ella stalked someone on social media? Has she posted a picture just to get someone's attention? Would she really do anything for Margot Robbie? Would Ella ever isolate herself in the wilderness for a role?

Director: Funmi Sunmonu
Director of Photography: Matt Kreuger
Editor: Louis Lalire
Talent: Ella Purnell
Expert: Stephanie Jackson (lie detector operator)
Producer: Emebeit Beyene
Talent Booker: Lauren Mendoza
Camera Operator: Osiris Nascimento
Audio Engineer: Justin Fox
Production Assistant: Lauren Boucher
Set Designer: Leah Water-Katz
Post Production Supervisor: Christian Olguin
Post Production Coordinator: Ian Bryant
Supervising Editor: Doug Larsen
Assistant Editor: Billy Ward
Transcript
00:00Is it stalking? Is it just research?
00:02They're never gonna let me live this down.
00:05The machine is detecting some deception.
00:08I don't think they should be murdered, but like, suffer at the hands of karma.
00:13The lie detector said so.
00:17It's so quiet in here.
00:18Ella, we've brought you here today to take a lie detector test.
00:22You will be hooked up to the machine and asked questions.
00:25Are you ready?
00:26Yes.
00:31Can I put the tie on top?
00:35Okay.
00:37I'm so hot. I'm sweating.
00:41I'm gonna start by asking you a few questions to get a baseline for the machine.
00:45Okay.
00:46Please answer honestly.
00:47Sorry.
00:49I'm ready.
00:50Is your name Ella Summer Reed Purnell?
00:53Yes.
00:54Are you from Whitechapel, London, England?
00:56Yes.
00:58Are you ready to take this lie detector test?
01:00Yes.
01:01Are you nervous?
01:02Yes.
01:04The machine has been calibrated.
01:05Okie dokie. Let's start with your life.
01:09Okay.
01:09Is it true you once gifted a friend a personalized video from this person?
01:14Ah, yes, I did. Yes.
01:17Do you feel like you now owe Kyle McLaughlin a favor?
01:21Yes, probably.
01:23Have you solicited other things from your famous connections?
01:27Probably.
01:29Uh, more videos.
01:32Birthday videos.
01:34Shoutouts on Instagram.
01:35Money.
01:37For, like, funding for a short film.
01:39Not just, like, money in my pocket.
01:41Though I've probably done that too.
01:43Have you ever had an assistant buy gifts on your behalf?
01:47Yes.
01:48Did you feel bad about that?
01:51No, because I picked the gift.
01:54I pick all the gifts. I love giving presents.
01:56I just had her, like, actually do the buying of the gift.
02:01With my money. I didn't ask her to buy the gift.
02:05This is why, this is... I get nervous now.
02:10You must get a lot of swag at events.
02:12Have you ever re-gifted one of the freebies?
02:15Absolutely.
02:17Yeah.
02:18I can't have it all.
02:21Did you pretend you had bought it yourself?
02:24Yes.
02:26I just let them think.
02:28I didn't ever specify that I didn't buy it.
02:32So I guess that is lying, yeah.
02:35She's being truthful.
02:37You've said that only one out of your three brothers was actually impressed that you booked Fallout.
02:42Do you think your other two brothers were just trying to play it cool?
02:46No.
02:47I don't think they really knew what it was.
02:50Do you often do things to impress them?
02:54No.
02:57The machine is detecting some deception.
03:00They're never going to let me live this down.
03:03Fine. Sometimes I try to impress my brothers.
03:05Because they bully me!
03:07So sometimes I try to earn back some respect.
03:09But it never works.
03:11Okay.
03:12You're the oldest. Would you say you're the favourite?
03:16No.
03:17Leon's the favourite.
03:19Everyone knows that.
03:20He's the youngest and he's really cute, so...
03:23It's fine.
03:25She's being truthful.
03:27He is the favourite.
03:28You said your brothers bully you.
03:30But as the oldest, do you torture them?
03:32No.
03:34I would never.
03:37Inconclusive.
03:43I don't.
03:45It's subjective.
03:47What is torture? You know?
03:54Phew!
03:56The next category is pop culture.
03:58Okay.
03:59You have over 20 tattoos.
04:01Is it fair to say you are obsessed with them?
04:04Yeah.
04:05Are you an obsessive person?
04:07Yes.
04:08Have you ever stalked someone?
04:11No.
04:12Not even on social media?
04:16Yeah, on social media.
04:17I mean, everyone has!
04:19Who hasn't?
04:20Is it stalking? Is it just research?
04:22You know, it's all about how you frame it.
04:26Have you ever known something about someone
04:28and pretended you didn't know it when they told you about it?
04:31Yes.
04:33Do you check your phone frequently
04:34to see if someone finally texts you back?
04:37Yes.
04:38Have you ever posted a picture
04:40just to get someone's attention?
04:42Yes.
04:43Did it work?
04:44Oh yeah, it did!
04:49Good for you.
04:52That was a proud moment.
04:56Ella, you've once said that you would do anything for this person.
05:00Aww.
05:02Do you still stand by that statement?
05:04Yes.
05:05Look at her.
05:07Of course.
05:08Would you commit identity theft if she asked you to?
05:11Identity theft?
05:14No.
05:15What if you wouldn't get caught?
05:18But identity theft is bad.
05:19I don't like breaking rules.
05:21I don't like getting in trouble.
05:23No, I think I'd be too scared.
05:25How about eating fish if she made it for you?
05:28No, sorry, Margot.
05:29I hate fish.
05:34Since you're a huge fan,
05:35I'm sure you're aware that she's working on a series
05:37that's going to be a big hit.
05:39Yes.
05:40Since you're a huge fan,
05:41I'm sure you're aware that she's working on a Sims movie.
05:44You've already done several series based on video games.
05:48Does that make you a perfect fit for this movie?
05:54Yes.
05:58Truthful.
06:00Now they have to hire me.
06:02The lie detector said so.
06:05You said you were starstruck when you met this person.
06:09Yeah.
06:10On the set of Miss Peregrine.
06:12Was she as great in person as you hoped she'd be?
06:15Yes.
06:17Has someone ever not been great in person?
06:20Yes.
06:22Want to tell us who?
06:23No.
06:26Have you ever been mistaken for someone else?
06:29Yes, I have.
06:31So many times.
06:32Did you go along with it?
06:33No.
06:34I don't like getting in trouble.
06:36What if they caught me?
06:37I couldn't.
06:39Next category is your career.
06:42You got a tattoo based on the one your Sweet Bitter character has.
06:46Does that make you a method actor?
06:48No.
06:50Do you think method actors take themselves too seriously?
06:54No.
06:56Did you waitress at a real restaurant to prepare for the role?
07:00No.
07:02Do you think that's doing too much?
07:04No.
07:06Would you ever stop showering for a role?
07:09Um...
07:13Yeah.
07:14If I had to.
07:15Do it for like a week.
07:17For the people around me, I probably wouldn't want to cap it at two weeks.
07:22She's being truthful.
07:24Would you ever isolate yourself in the wilderness for a role?
07:27No.
07:29What about get body piercings?
07:31Yeah.
07:33You starred in the show Sweet Bitter.
07:35And now you're in the show Sweet P.
07:37Do you have an obsession with being considered sweet?
07:42Uh...
07:44No.
07:47Do I?
07:48The machine is picking up some deception.
07:50Oh no.
07:51Um, yes.
07:53Looks like you're being a little more truthful now.
07:57Would you say all actors are obsessed with being liked?
08:00Um, probably.
08:02I feel like most people...
08:03Not obsessed.
08:04Hang on, I'm making it too complicated.
08:06I'm an over-thinker. This is a terrible...
08:07This is a terrible game for me.
08:09I'm gonna say no.
08:11No. No.
08:12I don't think actors are obsessed with being sweet.
08:14Or liked.
08:15Do you want to be liked?
08:16Yeah, I think everybody wants to be liked.
08:18But equally I'm okay with not being liked.
08:21You're being truthful.
08:22Okay, good.
08:24In your new sweet series, Sweet P,
08:27you play a serial killer who murders people that annoy you.
08:30Do you relate to this character trait?
08:33No.
08:34I don't murder people.
08:40Imagine that's how everyone found out I actually just kill people.
08:42No.
08:45So you think annoying people should die?
08:49I don't think they should be murdered, but like...
08:53Suffer at the hands of karma.
08:55Sure.
08:56Do you think people who ask a lot of questions are annoying?
09:00Yes.
09:02Should I be worried?
09:03No.
09:05Are loud eaters annoying?
09:08Yeah.
09:09What about people who talk during movies?
09:11Yes, definitely.
09:13Those are the worst people.
09:14They should stop talking.
09:18Your character is committing crimes she'd obviously like to keep hidden.
09:22Do you think your character could be stopped by this person?
09:28No.
09:30No.
09:31He's not very good.
09:33What about this person?
09:38No.
09:40He's a man.
09:41How about this person?
09:44No, because he's a cartoon.
09:47You play Jinx, Powder and Arcane,
09:50which is based on the video game League of Legends.
09:53You said in the past you never played the game.
09:55Have you now?
09:56No.
09:57Do you feel like you didn't need to play because it's a voiceover role?
10:01No, I would have liked to have played, but they told me not to.
10:05But did I feel like I don't need to play?
10:09No.
10:10I feel like I probably should have played.
10:13I didn't.
10:15She's being truthful.
10:17Okay.
10:18Final question.
10:20Did you lie at any point during this lie detector test and we didn't catch you?
10:24No.
10:26No, I didn't. I promise.
10:29That is the truth.
10:30Too scared of getting caught?