This month, we're catching up with one of our faves Alysia Reiner (who graced our cover back in 2017 for our JUN ISSUE #18). She has been in a number of shows that we have enjoyed from Netflix's Orange is the New Black, HBO's The Deuce and ABC's How to Get Away with Murder. Her commitment to her roles and how she peels back the layers of her character like an onion is what makes us excited to see what she will do next. As a storyteller, Alysia is an actress and a producer who is compelled to find stories that explore themes that are at the forefront of what we're navigating as a society. We caught up with Alysia in late May days before the launch of Disney+'s Ms. Marvel. We talked about how we navigated the pandemic, the power of storytelling, how she approaches her projects, her work in front of and behind the camera, what we can see her in next, the importance of representation and women's ownership of their bodies and how she advocates for these issues. ALYSIA REINER: How are you, how was your pandemic? Congratulations for keeping the magazine afloat! ATHLEISURE MAG: Wow obviously we went through it and we had to make a lot of decisions. The fact that we were able to keep it going was amazing! I can only imagine as for you during the pandemic, you were working! AR: It’s funny because when it all shut down, I started getting offers for work as early as that first summer. I turned down a lot of things because I just didn’t feel safe enough, just the way you were talking about. It was before vaccinations and it was just like, no this is not worth risking my life for and risking my family's lives for. In those early days, you just didn’t know! Different people took it very differently and took it more seriously! I mean, we took it very very very seriously from thebeginning and it wasn't until Ms. Marvel
came that I felt that they had the money quite frankly to keep it really safe. They were testing everyday! When the deal closed, within an hour, they had someone come to my house to test me – within an hour! AM: Ok, they were like, “we’re going to start right!” That’s amazing! It’s so fun to be able to catch up with you as the last time we were with you it was for our cover for your June cover shoot 5 years ago - in person of course. At that time Orange is the New Black was about to release it’s 5th season, Better Things had it’s 1st season that was already out there and you were dropping your clothing line. So being able to catch up as you have such a presence and I always love hearing from you – it’s good to see what you’ve been up to! I have always thought that you should be a super hero and/or in the Marvel universe so it was no surprise to me to hear that which is so exciting. You’ve been in a number of shows that I have loved seeing you in How to Get Away with Murder, The Deuce – which I loved your character in that. I was like, “that girl can rock some sunglasses!” AR: I mean on a fashion level, that was so freaking fun right? The 1970’s style, I can live in! It’s so fun! AM: It’s fun to see you in STARZ's Shining Vale and you’re going to be in Ms. Marvel, what do you love about being a storyteller and a creator? AR: I think my favorite part is telling stories that help evolve humanity you know? I have been really lucky to have been part of some seminal art in that way like Orange is the New Black which really changed the way people saw incarcerated people, particularly incarcerated women. The amount of women that have been incarcerated has increased by 731%. 731% in the past 30 years and it’s not because women are being more illegal. It’s about this system of slavery that
