Rival Magazine Issue One Feb 2020 by rivalmagazinela

Letter from The Editor Rival Magazine was created on the basis that representation matters! We ‘Rival’ against the normal, battle the industry standards and strive to showcase talents from all walks of life. Rival Magazine is excited to bring you exclusive photo series, interviews and behind the scenes from your favorite celebrities in the entertainment industry. We thank you for supporting our debut issue and hope you enjoy all the hard work we’ve been up to this year! Make sure to check out all the fun exclusives at www. rivalmagazinela.com for our autographed Polaroid raffle, Behind the Scenes blogs and more! Editor in Chief Heather Koepp

Debut Contributors Editor: Heather Koepp Graphic Designer/Layout Designer: Raquel M Parrish Renee Loiz: MUA for Dara Renee Juel Bergtsrom : MUA / Hair for Gwen Hollander, Hair for Dara Renee and Grooming at Christian Oliver and Mitchell Edwards Alannah Jones: Wardrobe Gwen Hollander Denise Perez: Hairstylist for Madison Davenport Branden Ruiz: Wardrobe Stylist for Lyric Ross, Christian Oliver and Madison Davenport Randy Stodghill: Hair for Lyric Ross Hendra Nasril : Mua for Lyric Ross and Madison Davenport Toye Adedipe: Stylist for Mitchell Edwards Amia Serrano: Stylist for Zane Hotlz Rolando Aqui: Stylist for Zane Holtz Marissa Motley: Stylist for Dara Renee Otheehzy Created It: Stylist for Neeandra Kit Connelly : Mitchell Edwards, and Neeandra q&a Jay Encina: Madison Davenport Q&A Jaqueline Naranjo: Lyric Ross, Zane Holtz, Christian Oliver and Dara Reene Q&A Adinah Bolden : Gwen Hollander Q&A

Letter to the Editor Zane Hotlz Neeandra Dara Rae Lyric Ross Mitchell Edwards Christian Oliver

TABLE OF CONTENTS

02 04 13 14 22 42 54 64 74 88 90

Gwen Hollander Madison Davenport Polaroid Raffle Team Members

ZANE H

Q&A with the newest member of the Archi The Archie Comics universe is growing with the addition of Zane Holtz and the rest of the Katy Keene cast. The Canadian actor stars as K.O. Kelly, a personal trainer with big goals of his own, in the highly anticipated CW’s Riverdale spinoff “Katy Keene.” The show centers around Katy Keene, played by Lucy Hale, an inspiring fashion designer living and navigating her way around New York City. In our exclusive interview with Holtz, he reveals what inspired him to become an actor, his love for NY, details of his role in Katy Keene, and so much more.

HOLTZ

ie Universe!

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“

My personal style is pretty basic and practical but I wasn’t going to turn down that pink suit.

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Q&A

1. Hi Zane! Tell me a little about yourself, what inspired you to start acting? Hey Rival! I had my first experience on set when i was a kid in Vancouver, Canada. I moved to San Diego in 1999 and continued to work a little bit. Initially, acting was just a hobby and a means to help out my family financially. It wasn’t something I thought I would do forever. I dropped out of college after one year and didn’t really know what I wanted to do. In 2007, I went back to theater school and decided to really pursue acting as a career. I found a new love for performing and was lucky enough to start working steadily.

2. You are starring in one of the most anticipated shows of 2020, Katy Keene. What made you interested in the project? It’s pretty crazy actually. I was in New York promoting a movie in the fall of 2018. I loved the pace of the city and could see myself spending some time living here. I just needed a job for it to make sense. The very first pilot that came to me a few months later was Katy Keene. Shooting in New York. I feel like I kind of wished this one into existence. I read the script and thought it was so uplifting and positive. I really connected to the character of KO Kelly and after a few auditions i got the part. Sometimes these things work out exactly the way you hope.

3. Katy Keene is a spin-off of Riverdale, were you a fan of the show or the comics before you got the part? I was definitely aware of the success of Riverdale. It’s kind of hard not to have heard of something that huge in pop culture. I was a big Archie reader when I was a kid. My Dad still has a massive box of the comics somewhere. We have a few hundred for sure. I watched the first season of Riverdale and was really impressed. It felt like Twin Peaks meets American Graffiti.

Follow up - Did you read the comics as research for your role?

I found what I could of the Katy Keene comics online. I wasnt as aware of Katy Keene as a title but there is a lot out there and a lot of history. A good friend of mine is a huge comic collector and was kind enough to send me original art featuring K.O. Kelly hand drawn by the

creator Bill Woggins. I think its dated 1955. Amazing gift.

4. Can you tell me more about your character K.O. Kelly, what can fans expect? K.O. is Katy Keene’s longtime boyfriend. They

have been dating since high school and have been through a lot together. We find them in the pilot at a pivotal moment in their relationship and they have to make a big choice about their lives together. K.O. is very supportive of Katy’s dreams but also has aspirations of his own. Right now he works construction and is a bouncer at a bar but hopes to make it as a professional boxer. Follow up - Are you like him in real life? I always try and connect with the parts of my character that overlap with who I am offscreen. I aim to be as supportive of my family and friends as K.O. is. I have also boxed and studied martial arts since I was a kid so that physicality carries over to K.O. as well.

5. You play Lucy Hale’s love interest in the show, how was it working with her? Lucy has been great and really easy to work with. For the first few episodes I work with her almost exclusively and we get to bring a lot of Katy/K.O. scenes to life. I think she is perfectly cast in this part.

6. The show focuses on Keene’s love for fashion, is fashion something you are into? I like fashion in the sense that I enjoy doing

shoots like these. I usually have a strong opinion on wardrobe choices for my characters and I feel like fashion shoots have a similar vibe. it’s nice when it feels like a collaborative effort. It’s fun to pick up clothes that I can try on and take some pictures for without having to commit to them in real life! My personal style is pretty basic and practical but I wasn’t going to turn down that pink suit.

Follow up - If so, what brands do you like to wear? Like I said pretty basic. Levi’s,Vans, Converse. I have recently discovered RRL and that’s turned into an expensive habit.

7. Do you have any other upcoming projects you can tell us about?

by:

Jacqueline Naranjo I have just been focusing on Katy Keene this last year but am looking forward to what’s ahead. I always love working in action and horror so hopefully I can line up something cool in that space.

8. You been in a few great productions from The Perks of Being a Wallflower to From Dusk till Dawn: The Series, what do you look for when choosing a new project? There are a lot of factors. I’m always looking for interesting characters and cool talented directors. I’ve been lucky in that sense. With From Dusk till Dawn I got to work with Robert Rodriguez and play a really challenging part. I try not to repeat myself so if a role or project comes along that I felt like I have done before I really try and find an angle to elevate it or come at it from a new direction. I’m not really interested otherwise. TV is interesting because you are required to play the same character for years at a time but hopefully the character is constantly evolving and growing. I feel like I got to do that on From Dusk till Dawn and have been really lucky so far on Katy Keene. K.O. grows a lot this first season and I look forward to where we can take him in the future.

9. Are their any actors you look up to and why? Viggo Mortensen. What a badass. Such a variety in his performances from Eastern Promises to Captain Fantastic.

10. What is the best advice anyone has given you? To focus on the things in your life that you can affect or improve. Dont dwell on the things you can’t.

11. When you are not working, what do you like to do in your free time? I have a young family so I spend as much time with them as possible. I also have a Jiu Jitsu addiction. I started training in 2004 and was promoted to Black belt last year. Like acting it is a lifelong pursuit and something I will do as long as my body will allow!

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NEEANDRA

To start with, a big congratulations on your single Chang-ALang! Can you tell us a little bit about the recording experience? N: It was so much fun! My team and I really buckled down and I let it all out. I was so shocked at the final product, I couldn’t believe that it was me!

How did it feel to do choreography to your own song, versus someone else’s? It’s got to be a whole different approach. N: Extremely fulfilling and a little scary. With my own song, I really connect more with the track. It’s cool to be dancing to my music, it’s really MINE. It’s exciting because now I’m in the forefront, not the background.

How old were you when you started dancing? N: Age 4 or 5. When I was younger I’d dance around the house, watching music videos, I would emulate the choreography I saw. Then I moved onto classes and the pro level.

Was music always in the back of your mind, or did that develop over the course of your career? N: Always. I was always writing poetry, singing to myself, or in some school play. I knew I would embark on music at some time in my career. I always wanted to be an entertainer.

Can we look forward to a music video at some point? How about more singles? N: Yes you can, I can’t wait to shoot my visual. And of course, I’m in the studio constantly working on music. I have my follow up track coming soon!

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Back in 2006, High School Musical was one of the biggest Back in 2006, High School Musical was one of the biggest phenomena’s in the world. phenomena’s the world. isworld introducing a new set of Now Disney + is in introducing a newNow set of Disney alumni to+the with High School Music High School Musical: The with Musical: The Series. of theHigh breakout roles of the series alumni to the world High SchoolOne Music School Musical: is Baltimore-raised DaraOne Reneé, infectious charisma to life the The Musical: Theactress Series. ofwho’s the breakout roles brings of the series of Kourtney — Nini’s best friend and a self-proclaimed feminist, who works in the is role Brooklyn-raised actress Dara Reneé, who’s infectious charisma costuming department of the musical. In our exclusive interview, Reneé opens up brings to life the role of Kourtney — Nini’s best friend and a selfabout being super-fan of the series, behind the scenes tidbits, and more. proclaimed who works in the costuming department of by: Jacquelinefeminist, Naranjo the musical. In our exclusive interview, Reneé opens up about 14

Dara Renee

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1. Hi Dara, High School Musical: The Musical: The Series was one of the most anticipated shows of 2019 for Disney+. How did you hear about the project and how was the casting process like?

5. It was announced that the series was picked up for another season, what would you like to see happen in season 2?

L: First off, I’m beyond grateful that fans watching can truly relate to this show in some way!! I actually went to the High School Musical 4 open call in 2015, I even made it down to the last 20, which is crazy considering there were thousands of super talented people there. Sadly, nothing happened with that project, but some amazing people at Disney remembered me and called me back for “High School Musical: The Musical: The Series “. I then proceeded to go in for every character except my own, eventually they wanted me to go in for Kourtney who was originally supposed to only be in one episode however, they liked my performance so much

to know the reasons behind her actions.

that they made me a series regular!!

2. High School Music is considered one of the biggest franchises ever made, were you a fan of it growing up? Follow up: Who was your favorite character from the original and why?

L: I would love to dive more into Kourtney’s independent life, I want the world

6. In the last episode, Miss Jenn teases the spring musical. Not including the High School Musical series, which musical would you like to see the cast do and why? L: I WOULD LOVVVVEE IT IF WE DID CHEETAH GIRLS THE MUSICAL!! The music and

Their advice was greatly appreciated!!

9. How did you get your start? What inspired you to start acting and singing? L: My mom has a performing arts school in Baltimore so I grew up around the arts which was super fun!! The reason I act and sing is because it helps me cope with stressful situations that I often times can’t control. Acting and singing has been such a needed outlet and I’m so grateful that I can make a career out of it!!

10. When you aren’t working what do you like to do in your free time?

dancing would be so much fun to do!!

L: I love to write short stories and songs. I also love to take dance classes to meet

7. Lucas Grabeel and KayCee Stroh from the original franchise make appearances in the season. How was it meeting them? Did they give any advice to you guys?

new people!!

L: They both said to enjoy the moment and never forget where you came from.

11. Do you have any other upcoming projects that fans should keep an eye out for? L: I’m actually starting to work on new music and a new makeup channel which I’m SUPER EXCITED ABOUT!!

L: I was literally a SUPER FAN!! I had the board games, the dolls, the t-shirts, I even took the time to learn every single dance number in the show!! My favorite character would have to be Taylor. She showed me that it was cool to be smart and love science, while also looking fabulous. I truly appreciated that growing up.

3. Tell us about High School Musical: The Musical: The Series and your character Kourtney. Are you like her in real life? L: I’d say for the most part we are very similar!! I’m not as outspoken as her but I LOVE MAKEUP, FASHION AND THEATER!!

4. The cast seems to be very close, do you have fun behind the scenes tidbits that you can tell us about? L: We would always play this game called spicy Uno!! It’s almost identical to Uno but WAYY more competitive, a lot of friendships were tested lol just kidding.

by:

Jacqueline Naranjo

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LYRIC ROSS At the age of 16, Lyric Ross is one of the biggest breakout stars in television. The actress currently stars as Deja in the critically acclaimed drama “This Is Us” on NBC. Ross first appeared during season two playing Randall (Sterling K. Brown) and Beth ( Susan Kelechi Watson) Pearson’s foster daughter —who comes from a tragic past and eventually becomes an integral part of the family. Deja’s story life is slowly revealing itself as the show just finished airing the fourth season, and is already renewed for a fifth and sixth. In our exclusive Q&A interview, the actress reveals details on her character, favorite scenes to film and so much more.

by: Jacqueline Naranjo

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Q&A by:

1. You were recently nominated for the 51st 2020 NAACP Image Awards, congratulations! How does it feel to be a part of an acclaimed show like This is Us?

Thank you! It still feels unreal. I am a part of a show that is the #1 drama series…that’s insane! In the best way haha. I feel so so blessed and grateful.

Jacqueline Naranjo

4. Deja’s foster care upbringing seems very relatable. What kind of response have you gotten from viewers? The love that I have gotten from fans is crazy. I've heard people say they love what I’m doing with Deja. Even people who have gone through the same things Deja went through have told me I was doing a great job portraying this complex yet beautiful character. It’s always humbling to hear that.

2. You started acting at a very young age, what inspired you to 5. You’ve had some memorable become an actor? scenes through the years. Have any stuck out as your favorite? I watched a lot of movies when I was little. I just remember being fascinated by how these characters were brought to life and helped form a different world on screen. I’ve always wanted to be a part of that.

3. Your character in This Is Us started off as a recurring character and eventually became a series regular. Can you tell us about Deja. What attracted you to the role and how has she evolved through the seasons?

I would probably say the scene where Deja took a bat to Randall’s car. That was most definitely a lot of fun haha.

acter. But once everything started coming together, I got super excited.

better actor?

8. If you could trade places with any character from the show who would it be and why? I’d have to say Beth. She is a strong, confident, successful black woman that knows her worth and never forgets where she came from and is raising her kids to do the same. I would love to play someone like Beth. She also has a nice truck! Haha

9. What shows are you are currently binging?

6. Your character now has a love I haven’t been watching many shows, but I’ve been into “The Outsider” on HBO. Me and my interest. Were you excited when mom usually watch it together. you found out that was happening? 10. You grew up in Illinois, what do you like most about your I was very intrigued. At first, I didn’t know hometown? what they were going to do with that char-

It is a very complex character to try and por7. You’re working with amaztray, and I like challenges. Deja has so many sides to her, some that haven’t even been seen ing actors including Sterling K. yet. Playing someone like her really stretched Brown and Susan Kelechi Watme as an actress. This character has gone through so many different obstacles in her son. How is that experience like? journey on “This Is Us”. Have they helped you become a

You can learn so much from them just by watching. They are both what you call an "actor’s actor”. Being in a scene with Sterling and Susan is such a masterclass. And they have always been open to helping me with anything I needed work on. I really appreciate that about them.

Almost everybody knows everybody back home. It’s sort of a small town (Homewood). What I love most about it is, it’s the place I grew up. The place I feel most comfortable.

11. Last question, any other project you are excited about? I do have a couple projects coming up that I’m very much excited about. But I have to keep them on the DL for now.

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Mitchell Edwards is a versatile talent starring in both film and television, most notably “The First Purge”, “The Fix”, “Roxanne Roxanne,” and Nefflix’s “Spinning Out.The actor is now adding one more to the list and expanding his talent into the world of music, read our exclusive interview to find out more!

mitchell edwards

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1. To start, would you mind telling us a little bit about your current character, Marcus Holmes, in Spinning Out? Do you feel connected to him in any way? Marcus is the manager of the Pinecrest Lodge bar and restaurant where Kat works. He’s also a very talented skier with dreams to go pro. Just like all the other characters, Marcus has some tough decisions to make, both in romance and about his future. Romantically, he’s into Kat but has a hard time reading her mixed signals, which makes it tough for him to choose to pursue her further or to start something with Alana, a girl who seems to really like him. As far as his future goes, as I said he has dreams of being a pro skier at the Olympic level, but he’s also enrolled in medical school, so he has to choose between his lofty dream and his seemingly stable plan B. Over the season you see how quickly things spin out of control for him and how he has to step up in order to get his mind back on track. As a dream chaser I certainly connected to Marcus, it’s definitely a risk to go after your dreams, and I just like Marcus had to close the book on my plan B and fully “commit” to the dream, just as Marcus mother advised him to do.

2. You post a lot on your social media about the cold weather in Toronto, how has it been, adjusting? Haha you noticed that? Well there’s no secret Toronto is a different kind of cold. But I grew up in Philly, so I know about chilling weather. But the added element definitely had an impact on everyone while working, long hours in the cold. Sometimes it was brutal, but I think it made us sharper. We didn’t have time to mess around because it was too cold, so in that way I adjusted to it by focusing in, getting the take, and getting back to my warm trailer!

3. How has the physical training for all of the skiing been? Any chance of starting a new hobby? Speaking of physical, how was it working on All American?

by: Kit Connelly

QA I learned the basics, how to stand and position myself to maintain my balance on skis and most importantly how to brake when in motion, but I didn’t actually ski down any hills. I look forward to doing that one day on my own with much more training under my belt. As for All American, that’s family and it’s a great show to work on. I grew up playing football, so I felt more in my element from day 1. However, I underestimated how years away from a sport like football has an impact when you throw those cleats back on, but with the help of the training staff and the pros playing background, it was easier to adjust and get it

genre that you’re interested in pursuing going forward, or are you a jack of all trades?

right.

8. How exciting to be creating original music! Who are some of the musical influences that have shaped your own personal sound?

4. I noticed during our photoshoot how amazing your singing voice is. Do you have an interest in starting a musical career in addition to your acting career? Aye! Thank you. Yes! I’ve been recording music since getting back to LA after the show and it’s been going really well. The plan is to release music this year so keep your ears open for that. Got some R&B vibes for you. As for sports, I’m still interested! I often find myself still dreaming of playing in the NFL, but those days have passed. I get my fix by playing athletes and immersing myself in the sports world artistically.

5. Take us back a little bit. How have your more recent roles differed in comparison to working on The First Purge back in 2018?

Ha! What a time that was. Honestly, I’ve been fortunate so far to play roles that vary. From a street kid in The First Purge, to a med student who skis in “Spinning Out”, with some cool characters in between. Mostly my characters have varied in the culture they represent. My character in “All American” for instance, is a representation of the underprivileged community in South Crenshaw LA whereas my character in ABC’s “The Fix” was an affluent rich kid of a superstar, living in the hills. So again, each character has differed culturally.

7.Your body of work is really vast! Starting in horror, and moving to drama. Is there any particular

I love it all! If given the chance I swing at every genre. Being adaptable has always been an interest of mine which is why I studied acting in school before moving to LA. I’ve always wanted to dabble in all forms of storytelling. I can check off horror and drama and now look ahead to comedy and action roles!

I grew up listening to all types of music, so I have a wide range of influences from Stevie Wonder to Ed Sheeran. I love how those two among others use their voices as additional instruments to add texture to music, whether it be through background vocals or harmonies, they create a full sonic experience. As for influencers of my particular sound those would include: Usher, Miguel, Maxwell and the late Whitney Houston among others.

9. Speaking of your sound, would you say you fit into one style of music or would you say your music is more eclectic and takes inspiration from all sorts of genres? Definitely the latter, I grew up listening to different genres so naturally I’d like to create in those spaces as well. With that said, it is important for me to craft a specific sound for myself so right now I’m focused more on the R&B wave and will grow from there.

10. To wrap things up, do you have any other projects on the horizon in 2020? Yes! Like I mentioned, working on music and planning to release songs soon, also “All American” season 3 is on the way and I have a visual poetry project I’m producing as well. So, plenty of cool stuff to look out for.

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CHR O

While Christian Oliver may not be a name many of you are familiar with it is one you will soon recognize when you catch the actor starring in one of the most talked about shows of the season, Amazon Primes‘ “Hunters’” produced by Jordan Peele. Inspired by true events, “Hunters’” stars Al Pacino and his team of Nazi Hunters in a bloody war of vengeance. Make sure to catch Christian Oliver as, “The Wolf” in the series airing now!

RISTIAN OLIVER 55

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Q 62

Follow up: What do you like most about it? What kinds of roles do you look for? I love that you get to portray so many different characters and that you really can get lost in these roles. And I love being on a set with directors and other actors that inspire and challenge you. Same goes for roles. I love characters that scare me a little when I first read the script, because I don’t know what to do with them right away. But then you dig deeper and find them somewhere inside you and bring them out. I really like roles that give you no other than chance than to leave your comfort zone.

2.The show is officially out on Amazon prime! As you mentioned previously, the show was very top-secret was it hard keeping your role a secret from others? It was. Especially since everyone obviously wants to know what it’s like to work with Al Pacino and I knew that my answer would give away a lot. I am still not telling people much about my character “The Wolf”, because the show is way more fun to watch if you don’t know anything. All I can tell you is, that they didn’t even tell me much about The Wolf. I learned about this character from episode to episode and was kinda shocked when I got the script for the very last episode of the first season. Lots of twists and turns....

3. Apart from starring in Hunters, do you have any other projects coming up that you are excited about?

Jacqueline Naranjo

I started acting in school when I was a kid but it was just a hobby. Then I moved to NY right after I finished school to work for a huge advertisement company. It was a great opportunity but something didnt quite feel right. So I started taking acting classes and loved it so much, that I quit my job after a couple months and moved to LA. Have been here ever since.

by:

1. What inspired you to start acting?

I have a movie that is in limited theaters right now called “I am Fear”. I play a CIA agent opposite William Forsythe. I am also executive producing the reboot of “The Wrong Turn - The Foundation” that will come out soon . Otherwise I have a whole lot of projects that I am trying to get off the ground...

4. Not only is Jordan Peele an executive producer of Hunters, but he’s currently one of the most talked about in the industry. Were you a fan of his movies or shows before you got the role? How was it working with him? Huge fan! I loved “Get Out” and “Us”. Jordan Peele is so very talented, but also such a nice guy. It was a pleasure meeting him and working with him. I am obviously hoping to work with him again in the future

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GWEN HOLLA We brought funny girl Gwen Hollander back to her stage roots by setting up an exclusive photo series and interview at Hollywood’s Skiptown Playhouse. The intimate black box theater was the perfect setting to create with the Showtime ‘”Kidding”’ actress, who stars alongside Jim Carrey and his team of puppets. You can catch Season Two airing now on Sundays on Showtime.

Photography by: Heather Koepp Photography Wardrobe: Jumpsuit: Candies WARDROBE: Alannah Jones HAIR/ MAKEUP: Juel Bergstrom

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Photography by: Heather Koepp Photography Wardrobe: Pink Dress: Sandra Daccache WARDROBE: Alannah Jones HAIR/ MAKEUP: Juel Bergstrom

Photography by: Heather Koepp Photography Wardrobe: Velvet Dress: Lin Art Project WARDROBE: Alannah Jones HAIR/ MAKEUP: Juel Bergstrom

Photography by: Heather Koepp Photography Wardrobe: Pink Dress: Sandra Daccache WARDROBE: Alannah Jones HAIR/ MAKEUP: Juel Bergstrom

Photography by: Heather Koepp Photography Wardrobe: White Dress: OTT WARDROBE: Alannah Jones HAIR/ MAKEUP: Juel Bergstrom

Photography by: Heather Koepp Photography Wardrobe: Floral Dress: OTT WARDROBE: Alannah Jones HAIR/ MAKEUP: Juel Bergstrom

Photography by: Heather Koepp Photography Wardrobe: Velvet Dress: Lin Art Project WARDROBE: Alannah Jones HAIR/ MAKEUP: Juel Bergstrom

by: Adinah Bolden 1. You play the role of Sheryl A.K.A. Astron-Otter in Showtimes’s Kidding. Astron-Otter tends to speak in her own language that only Mr. Pickles (Jim Carrey) can decipher. You have a very expressive voice! Did you come up with this gibberish yourself and what inspirations did you draw from when deciphering the tone of Astron-Otter. When I auditioned, they sent a little audio file with a sample of the kind of voice they were thinking of for Astronotter, and I kinda ran with it from there! It definitely evolved the more I got to do it, and the suit really helped me to figure it out, because so much of it is tied into the physicality. At first I was just making general beep-boop sounds, but it soon turned into beep-boop versions of the actual words she would be saying. (“Beep-Boop” is a very sophisticated technical linguistic term. I’m sure Tolkien referred to “beepboop sounds” when he was creating Elvish, right?). I didn’t really realize it until now, but I guess my subconscious inspiration was Beaker from The Muppets! (Maybe it was the creators’ inspiration, too…?)

2. Mr. Rogers, whom Carrey’s character is based, was always a step ahead in educating children on the social issues of the time. One of the funniest moments revolving around your character is the confrontation between Mr. Pickles (Jim Carrey) and Seb (Frank Langella) when Mr. Pickles unexpectedly begins referring to Astron-Otter with female pronouns after the character had been “male” in the past. How do you think both Mr. Pickles and Seb reflect our ever-evolving social climate? That really is such a fun moment. I think it really underlines how generational these things are… Gender identity is such a huge one right now. It’s so new to our social conversation, and I understand how its newness makes it harder to process for a person like Seb, who’s lived for so long without anything like that on his radar. I see how it can be hard to change your way of seeing something later in the game, once you’ve already made up your mind about how the world works. (In Seb’s case, there’s also the issue of merchandising, and a “toy for boys” vs a “toy for girls”). And yeah, Mr.

Pickles is doing what Mr. Rogers did so beautifully, and what Sesame Street is still doing: talking to kids about the things people are scared to talk to kids about, and not talking down to them in the process. What if there’s a little boy out there who wants to play with a “girl” toy? Or vice versa? Or what if there’s a kid dealing with gender dysphoria, and watching Mr. Pickles’ Puppet Time helps them to process those feelings that they may not understand, and to feel less scared and less alone? It’s so powerful. And Sesame Street has gotten backlash for exploring some complicated issues that many people find inappropriate for children’s’ programming, and this moment on Kidding seems to really mirror those conversations.

3. What can fans of Kidding look forward to in Season 2? So much amazing stuff. There’s even more music, more puppets, and more incredible guest stars (including Ariana Grande!). Season 2 picks up right where season 1 left off. Mr. Pickles’ Puppet Time is off the air for the first time in 30 years, and Jeff is trying to figure out a way to reach his fans who still need him. The solution he comes up with is very controversial and there’s a lot of fallout from that.

4. I had to ask, How has it been acting alongside Jim, Frank, and everyone else in this amazing cast? The most accurate word I can think of is “surreal.” And amazing. And I was so lucky to have had this very unique perspective as Astronotter, because I’m just standing there, inches away from Jim or Frank or Catherine Keener, totally hidden inside my huge otter head and looking at them through the mesh of my otter nose, just watching them do what they do. I’ve been saying that that’ll be the title of one chapter of my memoir: “Through The Mesh Of My Nose: The Kidding Years.” But seriously, every one of them is just as brilliant and hilarious and wonderful as you would hope.

5. You’ve portrayed Amy in Broadway’s Little Women as well as Bev in a musical version of Steven King’s It. What did you bring to each role that differed from past iterations?

As Amy, I don’t know if it was ultimately any different, but I was very aware of just approaching her with love and compassion. It can be hard to play a character that does hateful things to the heroine (like throwing Jo’s story in the fireplace), and so often people frame her as the villain of the story… I just hoped audiences would understand her and feel for her the way I did. Bev was more of a departure because the show was a parody (and a musical), so not only was it a little broader, but she was also the one to point out and comment on some Stephen King tropes (specifically the way he writes his female characters). But there is no shade intended there! I’ve read a lot of Stephen King and I LOVE him. (Also, musical Bev sang and danced and carried around a huge box of tampons for the majority of the show. So… there’s that!)

6. Any hot takes on the recent film revivals of these classic novels? I haven’t seen Little Women yet, but I know I’ll love

it. I just know I’m gonna cry a lot, so I’ve been trying to coordinate going to see it with my friend who played Meg in our production (for emotional support!). And I really enjoyed both IT movies! I mean, I’m a ravenous reader and I always get so excited to see the film adaptations of the books I love (which is bizarre because I’m inevitably disappointed… not because they’re bad, but mostly just because there’s so much you have to leave out! IT is almost 1200 pages long, so even with 2 films, you’re just never gonna be able to get everything in there. And that’s ok! But I loved spending 1200 pages with those characters (which was a couple of months for me, because I only read before bed and I kept getting scared and having to put it down); after all that time, you really get attached to every detail and every nuance and you can’t imagine the story without every single morsel. But I do love to see how the movie adaptations compare to what I was imagining as I was reading. And the casting for IT was devastatingly spot on, for both the kids and the adults.

7. Dream role? I feel really lucky to have played so many of my childhood dream roles in theatre (like Belle in Beauty and the Beast and Eponine in Les Miserables), so now I think my dream role is something that’s yet to be written! I love sci-fi and would be thrilled to do something in that genre, and I’d love to do anything musical, and I love to do comedy… so I guess a sci-fi musical comedy…? I might be waiting awhile… or I might have to write it myself!

8. I’ve checked out your Youtube channel. Can we be expecting more sketch comedy from you soon? I hope so! I love sketch comedy, and I have a bunch of stuff that I’ve already written and would like to film…. I’m just always looking to collaborate with people because I get very overwhelmed by the production end of things. It’s gotten a little easier each time I do it, though, so hopefully I can continue to move past that fear.

9. Last but not least, did you set a New Years Resolution?

I didn’t! I’ve never really done resolutions; I feel like they just set me up to fail at something. This year I rang in the New Year with a few friends and we all made lists of things that don’t serve us and then burned the papers to “let them go,” and I kinda liked that. Not promising to do something, but to consciously try to release some things that might be holding you back. My list was very long. It’s a journey and a process, right?

Photography by: Heather Koepp Photography Wardrobe: Velvet Dress: Lin Art Project WARDROBE: Alannah Jones HAIR/ MAKEUP: Juel Bergstrom

MADISO DAVENP With an impressive 15-year career in the industry, Madison is on a nonstop track to becoming a household name. You may recognize Madison Davenport from shows like Shameless, From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series, Sharp Objects, Black Mirror and Reprisal; or perhaps you recognize her from the big screen starring Tina Fey in Sisters. Davenport is just getting started and sharing the career stories with us in this exclusive interview.

ON PORT

Photography by: Heather Koepp Photography Wardrobe: Izayla WARDROBE: Branden Ruiz HAIR: Denise Perez MAKEUP: Hendra Nasril

Photography by: Heather Koepp Photography Wardrobe: Madisonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Own WARDROBE: Branden Ruiz HAIR: Denise Perez MAKEUP: Hendra Nasril

Photography by: Heather Koepp Photography Wardrobe: Mila Sullivan WARDROBE: Branden Ruiz HAIR: Denise Perez MAKEUP: Hendra Nasril

Photography by: Heather Koepp Photography Wardrobe: Madisonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Own WARDROBE: Branden Ruiz HAIR: Denise Perez MAKEUP: Hendra Nasril

Photography by: Heather Koepp Photography Wardrobe: Izayla WARDROBE: Branden Ruiz HAIR: Denise Perez MAKEUP: Hendra Nasril

Photography by: Heather Koepp Photography Wardrobe: Madisonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Own WARDROBE: Branden Ruiz HAIR: Denise Perez MAKEUP: Hendra Nasril

Photography by: Heather Koepp Photography Wardrobe: Izayla WARDROBE: Branden Ruiz HAIR: Denise Perez MAKEUP: Hendra Nasril

Q& A by: Jay Encina

1. You started your career when you were a kid, how did you get into acting? I started in ballet and gymnastics and was just not meant for any of those things. I was very dramatic and loved to perform (and take a million water breaks), so my mom’s friend suggested for me to take Broadway classes; from there I ended up doing community theater, and the rest is history.

2. You have done some voice acting for both animated films and video games, what do you think is the difference and similarities between the two kind of acting? For animated acting, I love that you are not held back by how you look. You can be whoever or whatever you want. With in-person acting, it’s about your looks and your personality to create a character.

3. You have worked on both movies and television, which of the two mediums do you prefer working in?

I love them both for different reasons. Movies, you know where your character begins and ends. On a show, you grow with your character. For example, on From Dusk Till Dawn, I started at age 16 and ended at age 20. I grew up alongside her. I love both mediums because I like knowing what happens to my character, and I also love growing with them.

4. You have played a wide variety of roles in your career so far. How do you channel your own personal experiences and personality into the characters that you play? I think it depends on the type of character I’m playing what experiences from my own life and what bits of my personality that I put into them. Growing as a person and gaining life experience in real life always helps you create a more well-rounded character.

5. Speaking of characters, among all the characters you have played, which one do you think is closest to Madison Davenport the person?

None of them are similar to me. I bring little pieces of myself to each character. I think the fun of it is playing someone who is not myself. Fun fact: I called the showrunner of Reprisal “dollface” and they ended up writing it into the script.

6. How do you prepare for an emotionally taxing role? Do you have a specific routine to get into the groove of being in character?

It’s situational and depends on the type of emotions. I really like to create my character from the ground up. Everyone is so different in emotional situations, and I try to think of how the character would react. I try to get into the mindset of the character and how they would feel in the moment. I listen to my character’s music and think about what they feel.

7.You are currently on a show Reprisal, walk us through what the show is about for those who have not checked it out.

Reprisal is a femme fatale revenge story about a woman who got murdered by her brother but ends up not being dead. She goes on a mission to get the revenge that her brother deserves.

8. Can you give us an overview of what Meredith Harlow is and how different or similar she is to other characters you have played before?

Meredith Harlow is unlike any character that I have played before. She is in a league of her own. On the surface, she is confident and sexy, but underneath she is scared. She is that little girl that never got loved by her father, and she is scared of the unknown. She is a badass, but she is also flawed in many ways; but I think that’s what’s fun about playing her.

9. Do you have any specific actors or directors that you want work with? Who is/are they?

Meryl Streep! Amy Adams, I worked with her once, and I would do it 100 million times. Cate Blanchett, Sandra Bullock, Steven Spielberg, Leonardo DiCaprio and Greta Gerwig. Goodness gracious, there’s just too many to choose; too many amazing women that I would love to work with.

Photography by: Heather Koepp Photography Wardrobe: Izayla WARDROBE: Branden Ruiz HAIR: Denise Perez MAKEUP: Hendra Nasril

Nostalgia is a polaroid picture and we here at feature artists! We have each artist sign every P accumulated quite the collection! Therefore we with ALL proceeds going tow

To find out more go to our website at http

t Rival love our original polaroid images from our Polaroid we take and as you can imagine we have are raffling off autographed, one-of-a-kind Polaroids wards that artists charity of choice.

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Rival Magazine Issue One Feb 2020

Articles inside

Rival Magazine Issue One Feb 2020