What is your background and how did you become involved in the entertainment industry?
After taking years of ballet from ages 5–12 and doing musical theater throughout elementary school, I started acting classes at age 10, which eventually led to getting an agent and manager. After that, I began the initial process of auditioning for as many projects as possible. For a couple of years, I was going to lots and lots of auditions without booking much. You really need to have the passion and determination to keep going in the beginning. You feel all of your hard work pays off when you do book a role.
You currently star as Stacey McGill on The Baby-Sitters Club. What can you tell us about your character and her involvement in the story?
Stacey McGill is a super chic, incredibly smart, and sophisticated girl who is formerly from the Upper West Side of New York City. Stacey gets invited into The Baby-Sitters Club by her best friend, Claudia Kishi. She’s terrific at math, so she easily becomes the club’s treasurer. Stacey holds a secret that is at first misunderstood by the other girls in the club and ignites suspicion and lack of trust. The club quickly finds out what her secret is and, through the process, they realize how important their friendship is.
What makes this show unique and how did you know it was the right fit for you?
Netflix made casting choices for the show that differ from the book and reflect more diverse representation. I hope that the diversity in our show allows all kids to feel represented. I knew The Baby-Sitters Club was the right fit for me as soon as I read my audition scene. Stacey values her friendships with the other girls, and that’s something that I find true for myself.
I knew The Baby-Sitters Club was the right fit for me as soon as I read my audition scene. Stacey values her friendships with the other girls, and that’s something that I find true for myself.
What was the audition process like and how did you react when you got the role?
The audition process was just like any other and came during a busy time when I was auditioning for a lot of TV shows. The second I read the script, I knew this was a special project. I end up reading so many scripts, and you just get this certain feeling inside when it’s super special and something that you know is meant to be. I had that sparkly feeling with this role. Once I met the other girls at the screen test, we ALL felt that something incredible was happening. It was while we were in the screen-test room together when we found out we got the roles. We started freaking out and hugging, and I started crying out of happiness. It was truly a magical moment, which I will always hold close to my heart.
Were you aware of the original show The Baby-Sitters Club? Was there any extra pressure in portraying your role knowing the impact the first one had?
I purposely didn’t watch any of the other actresses’ work from the series or movie before auditioning since I didn’t want to put any ideas into my head of how they portrayed Stacey. I did read as many books as I could get my hands on to get a full picture of who Stacey is and especially to understand her diabetes. I didn’t feel any pressure to portray Stacey in a certain way since this is an updated version of the books, which left a lot of new opportunities for Stacey to grow as a character. It also left me a lot of creative liberty to bring my own personality into her.
What was your favorite scene to film and why?
The camp episodes were super fun to film! One of the scenes is between Stacey and her former best friend from NYC, Laine. I was able to work with a stunt coordinator and an amazing special effects team for a few of the pivotal scenes. It was also just so fun since we were all together for the weeks that we were filming those episodes, so in some way, it felt like real summer camp!
What are some movies/shows that made you fall in love with acting?
I’m constantly falling more in love with films and acting with each movie and TV show that I watch. When I was about 8 years old, I remember watching the movie Coraline and the feeling of being swept away in my imagination. I think that was one of the moments when I realized the power of film and great storytelling and how I wanted to be a part of it all.
Who are some artists you would love to collaborate with?
My current obsession is with films by Wes Anderson, like The Grand Budapest Hotel and Moonrise Kingdom. I also absolutely adore Greta Gerwig’s filmmaking style, and I’d love to be in a film or TV show directed by her. It would be a dream to work with Zendaya, Elle Fanning, and Saoirse Ronan.
What do you love most about your job?
I love the freedom of being able to express my own emotions through a character and to bring parts of myself into a scene.I’m the happiest when I get to be creative, whether that’s writing poetry or painting. I feel so lucky to have found acting and to be able to have a career doing something that I truly love!
I’m the happiest when I get to be creative, whether that’s writing poetry or painting. I feel so lucky to have found acting and to be able to have a career doing something that I truly love!
What are some things you hope to cross off your bucket list?
I love bucket lists! Ever since I was little, I’ve always wanted to go to London, and it would be even more incredible if I could go there for an acting job! I’ve also always wanted to be in an A24 film, so maybe that’s something I can cross off of my list.
What are some causes that are dear to your heart?
I’ve been a vegetarian for a few years, and I absolutely love animals, so ASPCA was automatically something that came to my attention as an important organization. They provide help for the prevention of cruelty to animals all across the United States. I have a cat, Lava, who I got from a high-kill animal shelter. When I’m older and living on my own, I hope to be able to rescue more animals. The Trevor Project is the leading national organization providing crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to LGBTQ youth. I have many friends that are part of the LGBTQ community, and I know some of the struggles that they face. I hope that by introducing this organization to some of my followers and to people in general, it can bring more light to the importance of helping them and making sure they’re okay.
What do you hope to achieve through your art?
Being an artist, whether it’s through my painting, music, or my acting, is like walking into a blank canvas every day. Making art is sometimes incredibly hard since it’s up to me to be the one who creates. Sometimes there are rules, but for the most part, I’m on my own. I think I really like that complete sense of freedom, even though it may be scary to have little to no rules at first. I’m cautious about putting a stamp on the exact things that I want to achieve since the universe is always listening.