Cliché: You started out as a dancer! How does dancing compare to acting and what made you decide to make the shift to acting?
Dance and acting are actually very similar. They both involve beats, musicality, and rhythm. My favorite part of dance, ballet specifically, was always the storytelling. In that way, the transition to acting felt pretty organic. When I am learning the blocking of a scene, I learn it in my body the same way I learned choreography as a dancer.
If you weren’t an actress, what would you want to be?
I’m low-key and obsessed with sharks. Actually, not even low-key. Just obsessed. I thought for a long time I may go into marine biology or animal behavior psychology. I’m just waiting for my chance to play a marine biologist in a film so that I can have the best of both worlds.
You’ve had some pretty memorable roles so far in some enviable shows, including Atlanta and Stranger Things! What were those experiences like for you?
I feel so lucky that Atlanta was my tv debut. Working with Zazie Beetz, Donald Glover, and Hiro Murai on my first ever tv set was a pretty charmed experience. Everyone was so welcoming and so much fun to work with. I especially loved working with Zazie. She was so down to earth and smart and GOOD in our scene…I loved watching her work. Seeing her career blow up since Atlanta debuted has been so much fun.
Stranger Things is the first show I ever booked that I was already a fan of. When you’re filming, you have to take your fan hat off and really focus on the work…but there were definite moments of feeling overwhelmed by the experience. I think it really hit me the first time I saw my hair and makeup. Sarah Hindsgaul and Amy Forsythe transformed me.
Talk about your new show, Outer Banks, and your character, Rose.
I can’t say much about Outer Banks, because I don’t want to give anything away! I can tell you that it is a real life, high stakes treasure hunt…and the show is visually stunning. We had so much fun making it!
Rose is a young stepmom, married to one of the most powerful men in town. She didn’t grow up in wealth, and now that she is surrounded with it, she isn’t going to let it go. She also has the most fabulous wardrobe of any character I’ve ever played!
Rose has a ruthlessness to her! How do you channel that side of yourself into your performance?
When I’m playing Rose, I don’t think in adjectives. She may seem ruthless on the page, but my job is to get in her head and justify each of her actions. I’ve spent a lot of time thinking through why she makes some of the decisions she does, and over the course of the season, I actually got really protective and defensive of her decisions!
Can you relate to Rose at all?
I relate to Rose’s drive and determination…and we both love clothes! Although, her heels are a little higher than mine.
Tell us about your upcoming movie, Like A Boss.
Like A Boss is a story about female friendship and entrepreneurship. My favorite thing about the film is that none of the story lines revolve around a man or a romantic relationship. The conflict has everything to do with their friendship and business.
Was it fun starring alongside Tiffany Haddish and Rose Byrne?
Of course! It was my first time doing extensive comedy improv on a film set…so to be doing it with Tiffany and Rose was wild. You have to stay so focused and connected with one another and be really know the script to be able to riff like that…and then you have to be able to recreate the magic each time they move the cameras. Our director, Miguel Arteta, gave us a lot of great structure and ideas to get us started, and then just let us play. It was rewarding to see so much of our improv make the final cut. I’m also glad there weren’t any close ups of me chopping any vegetables…no one would have believed a professional chef would chop that poorly.
You’re very passionate about supporting Planned Parenthood. Why do you think it’s so important right now to be a visible advocate for the services Planned Parenthood provides?
#IStandwithPP because they are allies to women and the LGBTQ community. I am a firm believer in women’s reproductive rights and PP provides sexual and reproductive healthcare to many women and teens that wouldn’t have access otherwise. 1 in 5 women will rely on PP in their life. They also offer support groups for LGBTQ teens. For me, supporting PP is a huge no brainer.
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Image provided by Matt Sayles
