Violett Beane is a star on the rise, a name you may not know, but you will. As Taylor in The Leftovers or Bethany in Flay, Beane lights up every screen she is on. At just 20 years old, she has worked alongside some of the best actors and actresses in the business. Now, she stars in The CW’s The Flash as Jesse Quick, the daughter of Harrison Wells, and we can’t wait to see what superpowers are in store for her.
Cliché: What was the first role you auditioned for and what did it teach you?
Violett Beane: My first theatre audition was for High School Musical when I was in middle school. I wanted to be Gabriella, of course, but I ended up getting the role of Martha Cox. At first, I was bummed, but it actually put a lot of things in perspective for me and I learned to go into situations clear of expectations. I ended up having a lot of fun!
Who inspires you?
In this business, the heart and soul of actors such as Brie Larson, Tatiana Maslany, and Mark Ruffalo have always stood out to me. I love that they work extremely hard and all believe in something. It’s really easy to forget yourself and forget that you’ve become a role model whether you wanted to or not. Not to mention they all have taken on amazingly tough roles and done them such justice.
And in life, my mom is definitely an inspiration to me. She has worked hard raising my brother and I alone and she has never let it break her. She also lives life the way she wants to, which I have mad respect for. She travels whenever she wants and tries to find the most in whatever she’s doing.
Why do you love acting?
I love acting because it allows me such a beautiful, creative outlet. I love bringing myself to a role while also discovering things about myself through those roles. There’s no denying that the industry can be tough at times. I can’t tell you how many scenes I’ve seen of myself where I knew I had done a better take, or one that showed the character more, and it wasn’t chosen. Instead of getting caught up in those instances, I just find other outlets where I can express creativity. Sometimes I make videos with friends or cook/bake!
You play the daughter of Harrison Wells and soon to be Jesse Quick. What do you love most about your character and why?
I really love that Jesse is a just a real girl! She’s strong and funny and extremely smart, just like all the girls I know! I love that I’m able to play someone who is actually a real depiction of a girl, not just some cookie-cutter version of what the world expects her to be. I think The Flash and The CW in general do a really good job of creating those real characters.
Who are you favorite superheroes? Which superheroes would you jump at the chance to play?
I didn’t really grow up reading comics… I did read all of the Captain Underpants books though, and I thought they were hilarious. More recently I got very into the Avatar: The Last Airbender series, and it would be pretty cool to play Katara, or Aang for that matter! I know they made a real life version, but they should REMAKE IT! And I would be happy to help them out.
What was it like for you coming onto an already successful series? Were you nervous? Were you a fan of the show previously?
I had seen a couple episodes of the show before my audition and really liked it. I’ve never been more nervous than I was the first day on set for The Flash. It was the biggest thing I had done so far and I was in a different country, surrounded by unfamiliar faces, doing a scene with Tom Cavanagh, who’s amazing! It was all a lot to handle, but Tom was really sweet and helped so much. I think he could tell I was nervous—must’ve been pretty obvious since I couldn’t remember a single line—and I think he sort of pretended to forget his lines, too… I’ll never forget that!
What do you love most about the DC universe?
I like that the DC universe has so many smart female characters. I feel like they’re ahead of their time in that way. Whether it’s Caitlin Snow, Lois Lane, or Felicity Smoak! They’ve all got so much to offer and aren’t just there to look pretty.
What is your dream role?
That is a hard question… I have a few parts I would love to play! Although it’s too late for me now, I would love to play Lolita from the Vladimir Nabokov novel. I feel like I had a lot in common with her at a younger age and it would help me to understand myself if I could fully understand her. Another project that would be extremely cool to be a part of is the TV version of the Gone series, written by Michael Grant. It’s about a town where in one moment all of the citizens over 15 years old vanish and many of the kids left behind begin to develop powers. I’ve always been a fan of dystopian novels and read those in high school. It’d be awesome to be a part of it!
If you weren’t an actress, what would you be doing and why?
I would like to think I’d work at a cute bakery somewhere. I’m really into baking; there’s something soothing about it. I’d still like to open up a bakery at some point in my life. Something delicious with healthier, allergy-friendly options!
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Violett Beane Talks Her Role as Jesse Quick in ‘The Flash: Photographed by Ryan West
