Isabella Blake-Thomas is a young actress with an impressive resumé. Most recently featured in the upcoming Disney program, “Secret Society of Second-Born Royals”, Isabella plays the Princess January. “Secret Society of Second-Born Royals” premieres September 25th on Disney+.
Cliché- Isabella, how does it feel to be so heavily involved in the entertainment industry at such a young age?
Isabella Blake-Thomas: I feel incredibly blessed. It’s an industry that I love and so to be in-front and behind the camera on all levels is very unique. Being able to experience all aspects allows me to be a better and more considerate actress. I really enjoy the writing and the pre-production of projects. It’s incredible to have an idea and then see it fully blossom into a finished project. Running a production company with my Mom and her team means that I can also learn from the ground up and so I can help and mentor others who want to be involved from a young age.
Cliché- Does it ever feel hard to balance music, acting, producing, writing, and activism while also maintaining a life outside of these things?
Isabella Blake-Thomas: They all flow very well into each other. I enjoy writing, this can be scripts or for my music. I find a subject matter that can make a difference and so I create a role that I can play which is related to a cause I’m passionate about. The music is necessary for the film and is a good outlet to be able to make even more noise around an important issue. The project becomes my life. The rest of the time I get to read, write create and just be. Giving me the space to then get ready for the next project. It’s true what they say that if you do what you love then you don’t work a day in your life.
Cliché- As a young woman with a voice in the media, which you have used to speak about about mental health recently, what would you say drives you to use that voice for good? Do you have any inspirations that make you passionate about particular causes?
Isabella Blake-Thomas: I am the ambassador for suicide awareness with an incredible non-profit called Awareness ties. Mental health is such an important thing to talk about because so many people struggle with it. I have had 5 people close to me in the past few years who have taken their own life so I am very passionate about helping people who are struggling, to see that it’s okay to not be okay.
Cliché- Is working with Disney something you are excited about? If so, was there anything in particular that was exciting to you about the process?
Isabella Blake-Thomas: Disney is an iconic family and one that everyone, whether you’re in the film industry or not, wants to be a part of. We all grew up with Disney movies and so to suddenly be in one is quite literally, a dream come true. One of the things that excited me were the costumes. Disney princesses are known for their gorgeous wardrobes so when I got to try on incredible clothes and handmade gowns, I felt like I was living in a fairytale.
Cliché- What was it like working on a Disney set? What was your favorite part of filming?
Isabella Blake-Thomas: It was magical. We filmed in Toronto for two months so the cast and crew all became like family. We would hang out after work and on the weekends and we made so many great memories. My favorite part of filming would be the stunts. We all went through training to make sure we were prepared for any stunts we had to do. We did have stunt doubles for some of the major things but a lot of the free running stunts and the ones where we had close ups, was all us.
Cliché- You play Princess January in Secret Society of Second-Born Royals, did you find it easy to step into this role? Do you have anything in common with your character? What qualities, if any, do you see in yourself and in her?
Isabella Blake-Thomas: It was easy to become January because I essentially got to create her from scratch. I was able to create a backstory, mannerisms, reactions and little things that made her really come to life. One of my favorite things to do was create a family tree for her so in my mind, I had full awareness of who she was and where she came from . January and I share lots of things. First of all, we look identical… *wink wink* second of all, we are both extroverted. January and I were both home-schooled and we love being happy and smiling, in fact we are known for it.
Cliché- Your previous work includes a diverse list of television productions, including Shameless and Doctor Who. Is there anything different about working in a production more geared towards a younger audience?
Isabella Blake-Thomas: Definitely. The way people work is different. If the subject matter is for an older audience then as a young actress, the producers really protect you. Often there’s someone on set to make sure the actors are comfortable with the scenes they are doing, regardless of their age. However, if you’re part of a project that anyone could watch then you get to see all aspects. Also your acting styles are different. For a younger audience it’s slightly bigger and there’s more movement because it’s what attracts a child to watch. When you’re acting for adults, your movement is smaller and less noticeable because adults like not being distracted from the story. I was lucky with Secret Society because it was a combination of both. I was able to have the comical moments and beats but I was equally able to stay real and honest to my character and her journey.
Cliché- As a rising star, what do you hope to do in the future? Do you have any dream roles that you aspire to play, or upcoming projects that you are excited about?
Isabella Blake-Thomas: I’m always excited about the future. I have some wonderful projects that I’m working on including a children’s TV show called “Captain Jemma and The Space Pirates.” I love working and so I’m always thinking about my next roles. A superhero would be brilliant, I also enjoy playing iconic characters from History. I would love to be directed by Steven Spielberg or Quentin Tarantino.
Cliché- You are part of a production company, Mother & Daughter Entertainment, that focuses on making “content that matters”. What are some of the responsibilities that come with being a founding member of a production company with so many outlets, such as a podcast, music, and publishing?
Isabella Blake-Thomas:I oversee a lot of our projects “from script to screen” as they say. I’m also responsible for creating new projects and I’m heavily involved in the ideas. We want them to be something that can make a difference in the world. It’s important that all our voices are heard and we take that as a huge responsibility. I’m very proud to be part of such a forward thinking female led company.
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Makeup and Hair Credits to Andrew Toma
Styling Credits to Lisa Cera & Tyler McDaniel
Crosby Carter Mgmt
Image Credits to Dean Foreman
