NKD Mag - Issue #94 (April 2019) by NKD Mag

ISSUE #94 - APRIL 2019

by Catherine Powell

GREY DAMON

APRIL 2019 16 JEANINE MASON

04 ALI SKOVBYE

on her linear career + feeling prepared for roswell, new mexico

06 LUKE BAINES

on her character on the passage + her new project, dollface

12 GREY

on joing the orville + her life-changing role on gossip girl

on her new film, breakthrough + her dreams of playing a princess

on the end of shadowhunters + what’s next for him

on “the middle” being nominated for grammys + their future plans

32 GREY DAMON

22 BRIANNE HOWEY

on station 19 + his approach to taking on new roles

24 JESSICA SZOHR

on in the dark + her approach to acting

30 ALEX KINSEY

on the second season of the son + his new movie, ride

42 PERRY MATTFELD 46 SHANE GRAHAM

on his new single, “simple” + pursuing a solo career

CATHERINE POWELL

publisher, editor, photographer, designer, writer

SAMANTHA BAMBINO

HILLARY MAGLIN writer

VANESSA SALLES

writer

OLEVA BERARD

NICOLE MOOREFIELD

LEXI SHANNON

writer

LOUIS OPRISA

OLIVIA SINGH

writer

IAN HAYS writer

writer

ali skovbye Words by VANESSA SALLES Photos by CATHERINE POWELL

If Ali Skovbye isn’t already on your radar, it’s time to change that. Hailing from Vancouver B.C., the 16-yearold actress discovered her passion for the craft at an early age. “I’ve been acting since I was 5-years-old,” she says. “I don’t think there was a specific moment that inspired me to pursue it; my older sister had started acting and since I was the younger sister, I wanted to do everything that she was doing. When I was 12, I landed a role on a movie called One Christmas Eve; I had one of the most amazing times of my life on that shoot and I think that experience really showed me how much I love and care for the craft. I was inspired to keep going!” Set to star in the upcoming feature Breakthrough, alongside Chrissy Metz and Marcel Ruiz, Ali stars as Emma, a loyal and loving friend. “Breakthrough is a true story based off a Joyce Smith’s book,” she explains. “The story is about a 14-year-old boy named John Smith who falls through a frozen lake in Missouri. He’s presumed dead for over an hour but then a miracle happens. The story follows his amazing recovery and his mother’s prayers that bring him back to life. I play Emma, who is one of John’s best friends. While John is in the hospital, Emma helps start fundraisers and make Facebook pages to raise awareness about her friend’s condition.” Guaranteed to make you feel all the feels, Breakthrough

is the must-watch film of the season. Though she loves spending her time on set, the young star always makes sure to find time to live like a regular teenager. “When I’m not busy on a set, I like to hang out with my friends,” she says. “I don’t have days off very often so I like to make the most of them. My friends are my favorite people in the world and no matter how I’m feeling, they can turn any day into a good one. I also love playing volleyball and I love being able to travel. Whenever I have time off, I always try to go somewhere new and explore a different part of the world.” When it comes to her career bucket list, the actress hopes to be able to portray a Disney princess one day. “That’s definitely my ultimate dream role,” she gushes. “Growing up, I loved watching all of the princess movies and my favorites were, and still are, Belle and Ariel. I think it would be the coolest thing ever to get to portray such an important and iconic figure to so many. Playing a princess is definitely high on my list of things I want to accomplish.” Recalling her memorable moments with fans, Ali admits there’s one that stands out the most to her. “One experience I’ve had that I will never forget was when I was at a fan meet up for a TV show that I’m on, When Calls The Heart,” she says. “At the end of every season, we do a meet and greet, which we call ‘The Hearties Family Reunion.’ My character

on the show, Becky, was in a wheelchair for four episodes and a girl came up to me and said that she was in a similar situation at the time and that Becky was able to really help her have the strength and motivation to get better. That was hands down the best I’ve ever heard; I couldn’t even comprehend it. That experience was just so meaningful to me.” An advocate and lover of animals, the starlet hopes to encourage other to show the same compassion. “I absolutely adore all animals,” she says. “I rescued my dog from a shelter in L.A. in September and I love him more than anything. My sister also adopted a dog in L.A. and I think that there are so many dogs and animals in shelters just needing to find a home. If you’re looking to get a dog, go to a shelter. They have a much harder life there than they would at pet shops. The more dogs off the streets and out of shelters, the better!” As for what’s up next for the young star, Ali recently wrapped on the upcoming film, The Corruption of Divine Providence. “The release date is still to be determined,” she reveals. “The movie is about a young 16-year-old, Jeanne Seraphim, who is stigmatic. She gets kidnapped, pregnant, and is left to deal with the harsh realities that her choices have in her small religious town. It was really interesting to bring that character to life so I’m excited for people to be able to watch it all come together.” NKD NKDMAG.COM

luke baines Words by OLIVIA SINGH Photos by CATHERINE POWELL

Shadowhunters star Luke Baines was born in Manchester, England and moved to Australia when he was 3-years-old. His father was offered a job working for Qantas, an Australian airline, which prompted the whole family to relocate. They were only supposed to be in Sydney for two years, but Luke’s parents loved being there, so they stayed. “From a really young age, I was heavily influenced by film, especially movies like, E.T. and Jurassic Park,” the 28-year-old says. “Like a lot of young men, Steven Spielberg had a really big part in shaping my life.” Luke, who describes himself as “the show pony amongst my family and my friends,” always had an interest in acting and would jump at any “opportunity to get the attention on me.” The actor lived in Australia until he was 19-years-old. After earning a Bachelor of Business, he lived in London for a few years, then visited Los Angeles to scope out the acting scene before moving there. The first role that Luke booked in LA was a 2014 horror movie called The Possession of Michael King. “I remember just being so excited about that, because I really felt that I could, for the first time in my life, call myself a proper actor because I booked a movie in America,” Luke says. He recalled memorizing pages of dialogue and “spewing horror cult jargon,” only for his scenes to be cut from the movie for the sake of time, which happened with his first three movies. “As a young actor, it was so disheartening, because you worked so hard to get these jobs and then you get cut from them,” he says. “And of course, even though I’m a tiny, tiny cog in a massive machine, I assumed it was about me, like, ‘Well, you’re a

terrible actor, they’ve cut you out, it is what it is.’” Luke went on to book a leading role in a crime drama called As the Night Comes, in which he got his “first taste of actually seeing myself on the big screen.” “That was such an incredible, surreal experience,” he says. Luke currently stars as Jonathan Morgenstern on Freeform’s Shadowhunters: The Mortal Instruments, which is based on Cassandra Clare’s Young Adult book series The Mortal Instruments. On the show, in its third and final season, Luke plays the older brother of Clary Fairchild, a fierce and headstrong protagonist portrayed by Katherine McNamara. Jonathan and Clary are the children of Valentine Morgenstern and Jocelyn Fairchild. Despite sharing the same parents, the two had vastly different upbringings. Prior to Jonathan’s birth, his father asked Lilith, the queen of a demon realm known as Edom, for demon blood. It was injected into Jocelyn’s womb as part of Valentine’s experiments that he later conducted on his son and Jonathan Herondale, aka Jace Herondale (Dominic Sherwood). Because of his demon blood, Jonathan Morgenstern grew up wicked and murdered multiple people. He was sent to Edom, where Lilith took on a motherly role. Then he was burned by her, escaped Edom, and took on the identity of a British Shadowhunter named Sebastian Verlac (Will Tudor). During the Season 3A, Jonathan was reborn by Lilith through human sacrifices and Clary’s life force. Luke finally appeared as the true form of Jonathan on the Season 3B premiere. When he originally heard about the role, it was shrouded in mystery – to the point where he didn’t know who

he was auditioning for. “They had disguised the role, so I didn’t know what it was,” Luke recalls. “I was going in there without context. I just had the breakdown of the character and it was really funny because it said something like ‘beneath his charm and undeniable sex appeal, lies a profound darkness and enigmatic past,’ and I was like, ‘Well, that’s not me.’” Luke wasn’t confident that he’d get the part. After one scene that showed the character’s dark side and another that showed his charm, he “didn’t think anything of it.” “It’s really rare to book a role off one audition because usually there’s a whole process that goes into it,” he says. He got a call a few days later, on Halloween 2017, saying that he got the role. Prior to filming, Luke researched his character, watched the entire show, and read the books. In playing the reborn version of Jonathan, Luke tried to strike a balance and mold the character based on the way he’s described in the books, but also building on Will’s portrayal. “I didn’t want to mimic Will, because I don’t think that would be fair to him or myself,” he says. “But at the same time, I didn’t want to throw away all the work he’s done. And I also wanted to make sure that it’s true to the character for the fans.” Being able to fully delve into the character also allowed Luke to understand their similarities. “I think that’s one of the first things that I do, is try and understand how I personally can connect and relate to this person,” Luke says. “I obviously don’t know what it’s like to murder people, but I do know what it’s like to feel like an outsider, or to feel like I don’t have the strongest relationships, or to be jealous of other people who NKDMAG.COM

have what I would consider to be the perfect life. And I think that’s really where I started on unpacking who he was.” Joining Shadowhunters was made a bit easier because it gave him the opportunity to work alongside Katherine and Dominic, both of whom he’s known for years. Luke met Dominic almost a decade ago in London, and the two would meet up sporadically to “go out” and “get absolutely drunk” whenever they found themselves in the same place. “It was really funny to be able to work with him because when he’s on set, he takes his work very seriously,” Luke says. “It’s almost like working with a different person because it’s not like the person I knew who was out at the club.” Luke met Katherine years ago at an audition for a movie that he starred in called The Girl in the Photographs. She wasn’t able to be part of the movie because of scheduling conflicts, but the two kept in touch over the years and became good friends. “The person that you see on social media or in interviews is very much the person she is,” Luke says. “She’s one of the most thoughtful people I’ve ever met in my life. She remembers things that you said three years ago and for your birthday will buy you something that you said you liked, or you’ll have a bad day and come home and they’ll be freshly baked cookies on my doorstep – which I legitimately don’t know how she does, because she works harder and does more hours than anybody I know. She’s lovely and that makes for a really great dynamic between us.” After Luke made his Shadowhunters debut on the 3B premiere, the actor was sent a plethora of positive feedback from fans on social media. “I genuinely was shocked by it, 10

because I didn’t expect people to latch on to the character as strongly as they have,” he says. “Episodes 17 and 18 really show more about who he is and his backstory, and I thought that was kind of the point where people would start to empathize or understand him, so it’s so lovely that they already have and they’re giving me a chance. I genuinely appreciate that and I really don’t take it for granted.” After filming 10 episodes in January 2018, the cast and crew were told that the show got canceled. The surprising move led fans to start a social media hashtag (#SaveShadowhunters), create online petitions, and fund billboards promoting the show in L.A. As someone who grew up being part of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer fandom when he was growing up, Luke understands the passion of the Shawdowhunters fanbase. “I love the escapism of it [Buffy], especially as someone who in high school wasn’t the most popular, still am not really,” he says. “You get picked on for various different things. And I love that I would have just one hour a week where I could go home and I could escape and not think about any of my problems and just throw myself into someone else’s world. I think that that’s why I understand the fans of the show, because I understand that [Shadowhunters] is a gateway for them.” “It’s sometimes a cathartic experience,” he adds. “And I was so excited to be a part of that for somebody else. I also understand the responsibility of it in terms of making sure that what I bring to this screen is reflective of what the fans want and need.” As the season progresses, fans will come to better understand the dynamic between Jonathan and Clary, including the matching runes that link

their lives. “Whatever happens to one happens to the other,” Luke says. “This gives him an opportunity to actually develop that relationship with Clary without her going anywhere. It’s such an important relationship to him and you find out later in the season why. It’s this opportunity for him and her to get to know each other, or at least that’s what he thinks.” Shadowhunters will conclude with an extra-long finale in May, and Luke warns that fans should be prepared to shed a few tears. “If anyone can make it through the rest of 3B without crying, I will give you a medal, because there are some really, really traumatic moments coming up, especially towards the end,” Luke says. “I can think of six or seven different things that made me cry just as viewer, so it should be interesting. Definitely brace yourself.” Aside from Shadowhunters, Luke will also appear alongside Andrew Garfield in Under the Silver Lake. “It’s a noir thriller set in Los Angeles and it’s about a guy who tracks down a missing girl and it’s done in a very, very fun, comedic way that I think makes it really interesting to watch,” he says. As Luke continues building his acting career, there aren’t specific kinds of roles, movies, or shows that he’s actively seeking out. “When I think about stuff that I want to do moving forward, it’s less about what the role is, and more about just working with people that I admire. As an actor, you really are only as good as the people that you’re opposite and the material that you’re given. And so I’m just really looking forward to working with people I admire and growing as an actor and finding new ways to challenge myself.” NKD

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grey Words by HILLARY MAGLIN Photos by CATHERINE POWELL

Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past year, you’ve probably heard country star Marren Morris’ voice beckoning, “Baby, why don’t you just meet me in the middle?” through your car speakers, at the supermarket, or even on TV commercials. The uber-catchy song titled “The Middle”, like so many pop anthems before it, was utterly inescapable for much of 2018. Not long before that, a synth-heavy track called “Starving”, featuring vocals by Hailee Steinfeld swept pop charts across the globe. But even if you haven’t been living under the proverbial rock, the name Grey may not sound extremely familiar to you. Don’t worry – by the end of 2019, it will. Grey, the duo of brothers responsible for the earworms featuring Maren and Hailee, haven’t been in the music industry long – but in just three years, the music producers, mixers, and songwriters have done more than many artists do in their entire careers. “Starving” quickly became a Top 10 single on the U.S. pop charts in 2016, while “The Middle” soared to No. 1 in multiple countries last year. Grey has writing and producing credits on both tracks. And with their latest single – a collaboration with indie songstress Leon called “Want You Back”, Kyle and

Michael Trewartha are taking the pop, alternative and electronic dance music worlds by storm. And it’s all happening without the brothers having picked up an instrument or sung a single note – though they personally believe that’s becoming less and less necessary for success. “I kind of think of it in the same way I think of band names, like Radiohead,” 23-year-old Michael says. “It’s not just the singer’s name. It’s not just Thom Yorke. They just call it Radiohead, and it’s the band. It’s everyone that’s a part of making the music.” “The other thing,” Kyle, 26, adds, “is that we are playing instruments. The computer is an instrument. Instead of just playing bass or whatever, we’re playing the bass and the drums and the synth and the guitar. Michael and I make up like, five members of a band. So [having our name on our songs] makes sense l think.” “Anyone involved in the process should be given that opportunity to be an artist,” Michael says. The siblings make a good point – over the last ten years, musicians like Calvin Harris, David Guetta and Zedd have become Top 40 artists and household names despite rarely, if ever, singing on their own tracks.

Rather than hopping across the stage guitar in hand, a new wave of entertainers perform their original music from behind DJ booths and computer screens. And people love it. But that’s not to say the Trewarthas don’t know a thing or two about traditional instruments. Both Kyle and Michael were a part of their California high school’s drumline, and Kyle also made a hobby out of playing the guitar as a teenager. “I feel like that was just the phase where we got addicted to music, which led us to eventually produce,” Kyle says. The brothers admit that while their initial interest was in rock and metal, it was electronic dance music’s rising popularity at the start of the decade that convinced them to trade in their drums and guitars for producing equipment. “We were going to raves and deadmau5 was just coming out, and Skrillex and stuff like that,” Michael explains. “It was a new thing and it was just enticing.” It was Kyle who first began experimenting with producing and sound mixing in 2013. Once Michael followed suit, it wasn’t long before the pair started receiving acapella demos, doctoring them up, and transforming into radio smashes. “We’re given the demos, and NKDMAG.COM

we decide basically if we want to keep the chords or write new chords or scrap everything and start again,” Kyle says, noting that part of being a good producer is simply knowing when something -- a song, a beat, a remix -- is right. “With [‘The Middle’ and ‘Starving’], we liked the chord progressions that were already in the songs, so we kept those. We put in new drums and tried to reimagine the songs the way you think it should go.” That musical hodgepodging clearly evoked something powerful in not only Grey’s fans, but in the Recording Academy as well. In late 2018, Kyle and Michael found out “The Middle” had been nominated for three Grammy Awards: Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance. The guys say it was the type of news that’s hard to immediately comprehend. “I was in bed at 3 a.m. and I was hysterically laughing,” Michael says of the moment he found out about the nominations. “I just couldn’t believe it and I couldn’t stop laughing.” “I just woke up to a bunch of texts,” Kyle chimes in. “I was definitely surprised, for sure. I just feel like when really crazy stuff like that happens, you need time to process it.” But with a hit as massive as “The Middle”, the Trewarthas couldn’t have been that surprised, could they? The smash was widely regarded as one of the top songs of 2018, after all. “Well, we were reading a bunch of things online that were saying it might happen,” Michael 14

confesses. “But when it actually did happen and there were three nominations, it was like, ‘What?’” Though Grey didn’t nab any of the Grammys they were up for, the duo has picked up too much momentum to let a loss slow them down. They also recently scored a pair of iHeart Radio Music nominations, signed with Island Records, and will spend the next few months promoting “Want You Back.” After that, Grey plans to release new music that features – get this – them singing. “We have like, 20 songs finished of just us singing, and a couple of duets of us and another artist,” Michael says, calling singing a new frontier for the band. “We’re just trying to figure out how to release it all and make some really cool music videos, and then go on a tour maybe.” While the Trewartha brothers won’t disclose which artists they’ve been collaborating with or when exactly it will be released, Michael says Grey’s goal is for as many people to hear their music as possible. Kyle adds that although that’s true, the duo hopes, even more so, that their music inspires all who listen to pursue their own passions. “I know it sounds cheesy, but you should just find the thing that excites you, and chances are, you could be really good at it if you practice really hard,” Kyle says. “Just try, and it might work out. It’s worth a chance.” Coming from a three-time Grammy nominee, we’d say that’s advice worth taking. NKD

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jeanine mason Words by SAMANTHA BAMBINO Photos by CATHERINE POWELL

If Jeanine Mason could choose one word to describe her career, it would be “linear”. In her quest to become a well-known actress, a journey that commenced at the age of 9, the Miami, Florida native didn’t enjoy overnight success. She paid her dues with never-picked-up pilots, handfuls of co-star gigs, and seemingly endless auditions. In retrospect, it was all worth it. Today, at 28, Jeanine is grateful for how things played out. With each rung of the Hollywood ladder diligently climbed, she honed her craft and made meaningful connections with industry professionals. Nothing was handed to Jeanine on a silver platter. It was all earned. This includes her current role as the daring Liz Ortecho on The CW’s Roswell, New Mexico. For Jeanine, having the chance to portray a fierce female lead in a network series is a dream come true. It’s something she’s envisioned since her first trip to the Big Apple, where she was captivated by The Phantom of the Opera and The Lion King. “I just always knew I wanted to be a performer,” she says. “I grew up on the East Coast, so my original aspirations were always Broadway-based. It was that elegance and that roundedness of being a singer, and an actor, and a dancer. They felt like superheroes to me when I was little. From then on, every time I flew into that city, I thought, ‘This is where I need to be. This is my journey.’” 18

Though Jeanine wanted to begin auditioning and acting immediately, her parents, who had three other children to take care of, had other plans. They would support their daughter’s dreams fully, as long as she waited until she was 18. In the meantime, Jeanine took vocal lessons and participated in community theater, gaining all the experience she could before making the transition to Los Angeles. “I don’t feel I’m a person who’s had a career where suddenly the job comes and you jump four paces, and I’m grateful for that. I feel prepared,” she says. “Anytime I take a step or arrive at a new level, I feel like I know I can do this. I know I can accomplish this because I accomplished the thing before.” In 2009, Jeanine advanced to a level she thought to be unreachable – winning Season 5 of So You Think You Can Dance. “I was going to be moving to L.A. and I auditioned for the show. I really was hesitant from the top. I had no connections in L.A., no in, no someone who knows someone who’s a junior agent of an agency. None of that,” she says. “It provided me with footing in the industry like I could’ve never hoped for being 18 and four days out of high school.” After being crowned “America’s Favorite Dancer”, Jeanine had the strength to take on L.A. with a fresh sense of confidence. “Winning that show, it gave

me so much. I feel like when I watch it back now, I’m pretty unfiltered. I’m just my goofy self. I didn’t know how to be, or what they expected me to be. And that’s the biggest gift it gave me because people connected to my work on that show,” she says. “That’s all it is – being brave enough to show yourself.” Jeanine took a massive risk in putting herself out there for all the world to see, but it paid off. No longer was she considered a “wannabe actor”. So You Think You Can Dance legitimized her among casting directors, who wanted to see what other talents she had up her sleeve. In the years that followed, in addition to graduating cum laude from UCLA with a degree in World Arts and Culture, Jeanine bulked up her filmography. Her schedule remained steadily jam-packed with auditions for co-star and, eventually, guest star roles on shows like Criminal Minds, CSI, and Big Time Rush. “Guest stars are such an interesting job to have because as a series regular, first of all, you’re comfy. You’re accustomed. As a guest star, you’re stepping in totally new to this place and all the people in it. And on top of that, you’re trying to do a job that’s generally very triggered. It’s CSI and you’re the traumatized widow. It’s such an acting challenge, but an amazing little window into different work environments,” she says. “I always knew this is just the pattern

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of my career. You’re learning things as you go, and every one of those projects taught me so much and brought people into my life that I now work with.” In 2017, Jeanine secured the role of Dr. Sam Bello on Grey’s Anatomy, which served as the final chapter before the pivotal turning point in her career. “It was a glorious year at Grey’s. It really set me up to get this job on Roswell. It was just amazing. I couldn’t have asked for a better transition,” she says. “It really prepared me to step into this No. 1 role, a female Latin lead of a network series.” In Roswell, New Mexico, Jeanine portrays Liz, who returns to her hometown to check on her father a decade after her sister’s untimely death. Down on her luck, Liz is a scientist whose project recently lost funding. “She’s just resenting the thought of having to be in that city again,” Jeanine says. While crossing state lines, she encounters high school crush Max Evans, played by Nathan Parsons. Ironically, he and Jeanine both appeared on Bunheads in 2013, though their characters never interacted. Quickly, Liz realizes that everything she thought she knew about Roswell is a lie. Not only are there suspicious circumstances surrounding her sister’s death, there are aliens inhabiting the town – including Max. “It’s an epic small-town love story, but there’s a heavy murder mystery side to it,” Jeanine says. “And I love that we have

this protagonist who won’t stop for anything. It feels to me like Liz is playing tug-of-war with whoever’s on the other end of it, and she’s just ripping that rope. She’s jaded. She’s a fast talker. She’s accustomed to being the smartest person in every room she’s in.” According to Jeanine, her character doesn’t mess around when it comes to family. “She’s an activist and is ignited about the stuff she cares about,” she says. “She’s such a protector of her father, her family and her sister, even though her sister’s been gone for 10 years. And that just breaks my heart and makes all the sense in the world to me.” Roswell premiered on Jan. 15, and so far, Jeanine says one of the biggest draws for viewers is the stunningly colorful scenery of Santa Fe, New Mexico, where the show was filmed. “You really get that sense of Friday Night Lights, Gilmore Girls, where you’re arriving at a place and you’re nostalgic for it. You want to spend time there with us,” she explains. Another attractive aspect, in Jeanine’s opinion, is the cultural component, which is something she can relate to. “She (Liz) is Mexican American, I’m Cuban American. That’s been so fun for me too because I love learning about Mexican culture and finding ways to honor it fully on our show. Already it’s been cool to have fans sending things, where they’re just enjoying hearing all the little Mexican idioms we’re including,”

Jeanine says. “I’m so proud of my Latina-ness, and I want it to be a part of what you love about this show.” As the rest of Roswell’s first season airs on The CW, Jeanine is watching each episode with a sense of gratitude. Liz served as an inspiration for the actress during her inaugural lead role experience, reminding her how to be strong in the face of new and nerve-wracking situations. “I get a lot from playing Liz. She is so rooted on her two feet, and she stands tall and speaks with her full voice. She gives her full self with every sentence. There’s no sense of, ‘I need to be coy,’” Jeanine says. “I love that full-self forwardness of her. It’s been such a blessing to inhabit a character like Liz for my first time leading a television series.” Currently, the cast is awaiting word on if Roswell will be picked up for a second season. Until that day (hopefully) comes, Jeanine is keeping busy. Later this year, the short film Made Public, in which Jeanine plays Sydney, is slated to be shown at a number of festivals. The piece was directed by Jeanine’s friend Foster Wilson, whom she worked with twice before. “Those kinds of relationships are always the ones I’m looking for in the industry – people who I love and who I want to continue to create with. And it excites me to be a part of the indie world,” she says. “I love working, so right now we’re trying to find the next film that excites us.” NKD NKDMAG.COM

brianne howey Words by OLIVIA SINGH Photos by CATHERINE POWELL

Brianne Howey’s acting journey started in Pasadena, California. In elementary school and junior high, Brianne tried her hand at sports like volleyball, basketball, and tennis, hoping to find her niche. None of them really panned out and it was “time-consuming,” but then she tried out for the improvisational comedy team at Sacred Heart, an all-girls Catholic high school. “I made the team and I kind of finally found something that was working for me,” she recalls. After joining, she heard that an all-boys school was casting for their production of Richard III, so she auditioned. Brianne got a part in the chorus, which consisted of her running down the aisle yelling “treason”, and that “set the ball rolling.” Growing up, Brianne was “blown away” by Julia Roberts’ Oscar-winning performance as the titular character in Erin Brokovich. “I think that was the first time that I kind of put together that acting can be a career,” Brianne says. “I don’t know if I had ever really known. No one in my family is necessarily in the industry, so it wasn’t something I really thought about.” She adds: “I was just very moved. I also had a single mom, so just watching her portray that, it really resonated with me and that movie has always stuck out to me.” After graduating from Sacred Heart, Brianne went to NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. “I knew all throughout high school I wanted to go to college in New York,” Brianne says. “My heart was set and I wasn’t necessarily sold on being an actor at that point. I just knew NYU had a really wonderful acting department. So the plan was sort of, ‘Let’s see if I could get in and then we’ll go from there.’ And then that’s exactly what happened.”

In her freshman year, Brianne started participating in student films (beginning with one titled Suckerpunch), which she describes as “a game-changer.” “You’re working with people your own age, everyone’s on set together, and you learn everything about what the reality of that looks like, like what being on set is like and how to work with other people – and I loved it.” After signing with a management team, Brianne went on her first TV show audition, for 90210. She originally auditioned for “girl in green”, but ended up getting a role as a character named Stacey on Season 3. Following appearances on shows like Revenge, Scream Queens, and The Exorcist, Brianne booked her latest part as Shauna Babcock on Fox’s The Passage. On the show, which premiered in January 2019 and is based on a book trilogy by Justin Cronin, Brianne plays a woman who was on death row for murdering her mother and stepfather. Rather than be executed, she and several other inmates were recruited by Project NOAH. In trying to create a cure for a flu that was killing thousands, the scientists turned Shauna and others into vampires – referred to as “Virals” – with glowing eyes and a thirst for blood. “One of the most interesting things to me about this show is it’s a tragedy that all started as a love story,” Brianne says. “It’s about this man who was just trying to save his wife. She has a terminal illness and that’s something that unfortunately, people can relate to. We all lose people at some point in time, and what lengths you would go to have them back or to save them?” “That’s really how this entire experiment started. And then with the repercussions along the way, the stakes couldn’t be any higher because now all of humanity’s fate is on the line.”

In the books, Brianne’s character is named Giles Babcock. The actress says that getting to play a role that was originally created as a male was “enticing.” She also says that Shauna and Giles possess similar characteristics. “I think they’re both really reactive,” Brianne explains. “I think they were both abused, unfortunately, in their own ways, which kind of led them to have some of the same self-defense mechanisms and surviving throughout their lives to make it where they were. And their relationship with their parents is very similar.” “You get to see Shauna become far more independent than she’s ever been,” Brianne says of her character’s arc on Season 1. “She starts to realize the full extent of what she’s capable of. She starts to realize what she wants, and she takes her agency back because as we see from the flashbacks, with her relationship with her parents, she didn’t have any control. Everything was totally out of her control. She couldn’t trust anybody.” Brianne adds: “Because now these characters can live forever, you play with the immortality a little bit and that is fun. She gets to choose how she wants to spend the rest of her life.” Next, Brianne will be taking on a lighter role on an upcoming Hulu comedy called Dollface, which stars Kat Dennings and Esther Povitsky. “Between Exorcist and this, my last two years have been jam-packed of some really dark, heavy stuff,” Brianne says. “I’m really excited. This is completely different visually and story wise, really mixing it up.” Brianne’s only goal beyond that is to “just keep working.” “So far, everything that has come my way has taught me so much, and if I could just keep doing this forever, that’d be pretty amazing,” she says. NKD NKDMAG.COM

JESSICA SZOHR Words by NICOLE MOOREFIELD Photos by CATHERINE POWELL

Before her meteoric rise to fame as reluctant Upper East Sider Vanessa Abrams on Gossip Girl, Jessica Szohr was just a normal girl from Wisconsin. Born in Milwaukee to a single mother, Jessica spent the first chapter of her life in her grandparents’ house. “When my mom got on her feet, we moved out,” she explains. While those early memories are blurry, Jessica’s grandparents “have a lot to do with my upbringing,” she shares. “My mom got married when I was about 4,” Jessica reveals, and her siblings from that marriage are “my everything.” As the oldest of 18 grandchildren all living in a suburb outside Milwaukee, “everything was very family-oriented,” she explains. They all gathered together for every birthday and holiday. Jessica’s grandmother shared her recipes with the kids, and their artistic mother filled the house with crafts and music as well as games and sports. “I had a great childhood,” she reminisces. Growing up, Jessica looked to her family for inspiration and encouragement. Her mother was and continues to be “such a great role model,” she shares. “She always worked very hard, went after what she wanted, and was also so involved.” Sometimes Jessica would forget her mother went to work every day because she was always available to help with homework. “My mom also did a lot of charity [work],” Jessica adds, and instilled the same values in her children. “She didn’t tell us to do it, she showed us,” Jessica recalls. It was Jessica’s mother who 26

inadvertently launched her daughter into the entertainment industry. Around fifth grade, a scout stopped Jessica’s mom, thus beginning Jessica’s modeling career. “At 10-years-old, I did not think [that] at 18 I was going to move to L.A. and leave my family and not go to college and try to be an actor — because that even now sounds absurd,” Jessica remarks. Until sophomore year, Jessica had no plans to pursue acting professionally — she had been in commercials but wasn’t in theater — but everything changed when an agent suggested that 15-year-old Jessica move to Los Angeles. Although it was impossible at the time, the seed was planted. Her first day of senior year, Jessica decided to graduate early. She asked to take all her graduation requirements first semester, much to her guidance counselor’s dismay, as Jessica had been playing soccer in the spring her entire life. It was a big risk, but one Jessica needed to take. She got her parents’ blessing and in five months was living in L.A. She planned to test out the industry, then return to her friends and boyfriend in Wisconsin and attend Columbia College in Chicago in the fall. About three months in, Jessica was filming an episode of My Wife and Kids. From the makeup chair next to her, Marlon Wayans asked if she was new to L.A. Jessica explained that she was going home in two months, which surprised him. “You’re coming out here to see how this

works, but yet you have an end date?” Jessica remembers him wondering. He suggested sticking it out a little longer, and his words hit home. After graduation, she returned to L.A. for good. The next few years were an emotional rollercoaster for Jessica. “I grew up in a household of people coming and going and constantly together,” she explains, with “dinners and games and breakfast in the morning.” When Jessica first moved out, her mom could only stay with her for a few weeks. “I remember dropping her off at LAX and getting on the 405, and I rolled the windows down and I was jamming out to music,” Jessica recalls. “And then literally that night I was bawling.” Every time she considered giving up, there were “very inspirational, wonderful people [who] talked me out of it.” When things got hard, Jessica called her mom for support. “You can always come home,” she would say. “Try to get through this. This is something you want to do.” Knowing that her family was only a flight away helped Jessica push through the homesickness. Her new life in Los Angeles was an endless flow of auditioning, testing, and filming. “I wasn’t in school and I wasn’t old enough to go out,” she remembers, which could get very lonely. Each week was spent on a new set with people she would never see again. “I was going to bed at 8 o’clock with no friends” while her childhood peers enjoyed college.

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After about three years in L.A., Jessica’s luck finally changed: she was invited to a barbecue. As it turned out, the creator of Gossip Girl was there. “[There have] been a lot of puzzle pieces to my career and my life,” Jessica notes. “For a minute you’d think that piece doesn’t actually fit there, and then all of a sudden it’s like, come with me to a barbecue.” Playing Vanessa Abrams altered the trajectory of Jessica’s career forever. When she first auditioned, Vanessa was only going to be in a few episodes. “When they asked me to stay to be a series regular, it was scary,” Jessica reveals. It meant moving to New York City, which was exciting and frightening all at once. She had only just become familiar with Los Angeles, and now she was being uprooted once again. Despite her fears, Jessica made the leap of faith, and “that show and New York changed my life.” She played Vanessa for five years before jumping back into the world of auditions. While no career is completely predictable, the entertainment industry is especially volatile. Sometimes actors get close to booking a role and it falls through, and other times they book a role they don’t love. “Even when you sign a contract for five years, the show might not go five years,” Jessica adds. And sometimes, she shares, your favorite role is one you never anticipated. Jessica’s newest role is certainly unexpected — she plays Lieutenant Talla Keyali on Fox’s “space dramedy” The Orville. A

newcomer to the crew, Talla took over for Alara Kitan as the Chief of Security midway through season 2. Joining an established cast as a new character has happened with some regularity in Jessica’s career, including Gossip Girl, Kingdom, Shameless, and What About Brian. “I didn’t really realize that until recently,” she says. With each experience, “everyone’s been awesome.” The cast of The Orville was especially quick to welcome Jessica into the fold. “They’re wonderful people. They’re so professional, they’re all so dedicated to the show and work so hard, and I couldn’t be happier to be a part of it,” she declares. Like Jessica, Talla is “the new kid… on the ship,” and the similarities don’t end there. “We both have a little fire in us, but for the most part want everyone around us to be happy,” Jessica notes. Additionally, both Talla and Jessica “take care of people around us but also want to be heard and do the right thing.” Unlike Talla, who has elevated strength from her home planet’s gravity, Jessica does not have superpowers — however, she does get to perform “crazy stunts” for her character. Talla is very intelligent, which shows in both her problem-solving and quick wit. “She’s low-key kind of funny,” Jessica notes, which is fun to portray. Additionally, a unique aspect of the role is the intricate prosthetics Jessica must sit through every morning to achieve Talla’s pointed ears and forehead ridges. Jessica loves working with Seth MacFarlane, the show’s star and creator, because of the way

he inserts current issues into the script. Using “space lingo” allows the show to delve deeper into topics like religion and politics than most programs. “[There are] so many telling stories and lessons that you can learn,” Jessica shares, and every episode has a different message. “I hope it helps people grow and open their mind.” In Jessica’s experience, fans appreciate that “it’s so much more than just a sci-fi show.” Though Jessica doesn’t have one favorite episode, she particularly enjoyed the Valentine’s Day episode with the Moclans. She also loved working with former Gossip Girl compatriot Leighton Meester, who gueststarred as Laura Huggins. As to whether there is an official Gossip Girl reunion in the works, “I don’t think so,” Jessica reveals. While she would be interested to see what the characters have been up to in the last seven years, “we’re all working on different projects right now and all over the place.” Jessica’s life has been defined by change. Even now, she is constantly bouncing between Atlanta, New Orleans, and Los Angeles for work and making trips home to visit her siblings’ kids. In a career where your future is uncertain, you have to truly love what you’re doing, Jessica explains. “When you have a passion for something, you just [have] to push through,” she remarks. “Adding that to the mix of emotion and moving and family and growing, it adds … more sprinkles to the whole mix of my cupcake.” NKD NKDMAG.COM

ALEX KINSEY Words by LEXI SHANNON Photos by CATHERINE POWELL

“People are really digging authenticity lately.” For Alex Kinsey, authenticity is a key to being successful and happy as an artist. The singer, formerly known as one half of the X Factor winning duo Alex & Sierra, has taken the plunge in releasing his own music under his last name Kinsey. With his debut single “Simple” having been released at the end of February, the music video has amassed over half of a million views in the past month. After the end of the duo, Alex took off on his own, eventually coming to the name “Kinsey” as his new artist name - a name he hopes to differentiate himself from his prior musical ventures. “This is a new chapter and my last band had my first name in it, so I was just thinking that maybe this would be a good way to differentiate. If no one else, than for me. Growing up, all my friends called me Kinsey. I like when people call me [Kinsey], it’s familiar,” he says. Now an entirely independent artist, Alex has complete control over his own music – a feat he says is “the best way to be authentic.” “It’s a really good time for indie artists. I’m in what I feel like is a really good position right now. With the way that things are going, and labels are sort of dying out a little bit. I just think it’s a great time to be in control over your

music,” he says. Though currently representing himself, Alex says he’s not opposed to anything with a label if the “situation is right”. “They’re [the label] the people that represent you, they’re the ones that help keep the authenticity. However, I’m very happy doing my own thing right now and seeing where that takes me too you know. It’s a great way to reap the most reward when you own your own stuff,” he says. Alex finds himself most authentic on stage performing. He is no stranger to the stage. Prior to his X Factor days in 2013, he spent nights and weekends performing at bars and restaurants around his home state of Florida. Before the release of “Simple”, he played shows around his new hometown of Los Angeles, saying “you’ve got to play the songs for people to see how they resonate.” It’s no doubt that “Simple” resonated well with audiences. “It’s kind of nice [being on stage alone]. If I mess up, I can cover it up. I don’t have to rely on other people catching on,” he says. Though this is the first time Alex has released music on his own, he’s always known that it was in his future to be a solo artist. “I’ve always wanted to do something solo. You know, back in the day it wasn’t my main priority, but it was always something I thought.

As soon as that was an option, I immediately started working on it and really started trying to get my stuff together,” he says. “It’s been a few years, but you know, I wanted to make sure that everything was right. That’s why it’s taken a little while for anything to come out. I’ve always known that solo music was in my future, I just didn’t know how or when.” With the plan to release a Kinsey EP in the coming months, fans can hope to expect more tunes like the sultry and edgy “Simple”. Right now, Alex is working hard writing and recording to gather the best songs possible for his debut solo EP. Though hoping his music reaches audiences worldwide, Kinsey emphasizes that he’s writing music for himself right now. “If Alex & Sierra fans want to jump on board with [my new music], I’m so grateful that they would stick around. That’s amazing. It’s such a validation for me knowing that people care about the music that’s still happening even though I didn’t expect this as my own entity back when they became a fan,” he says, “I’d love to get new people, I’d love to keep old people; I’d love to invent a new species of people and have them become my fans. I want to make music for me and have people resonate with it. think that’s a goal I’ve always had.” NKD NKDMAG.COM

GREY DAMON Words by LOUIS OPRISA Photos by CATHERINE POWELL

After significant roles on acclaimed projects like Aquarius and Friday Night Lights, actor Grey Damon has played an instrumental role in the ABC firefighter drama series, Station 19. When he’s not saving lives as Jack Gibson on camera, he spends his time sculpting and cartooning. A series lead since the launch of the show in 2018, he’s all but locked in to devoting his time to the award-winning series. NKD: Tell me a bit about where you grew up. Who did you live with as a kid and teenager? GD: I actually grew up in Colorado and Indiana. I was born in Indiana and that’s where I lived with my dad from age 14 to graduation but my adolescence was in Boulder and Nederland, Colorado mostly. And yeah, that was from ages 1 to 12 with my mother. NKD: Did you gravitate towards acting on your own when you were younger? Was it a family/ mentor influence? GD: It was actually my mother who turned me on to acting. She put me in these little workshops and then when I was 12, I was in the DCTC (Denver Center Theater Company), where I was Peter Cratchit, a sled boy and a horse boy, in A Christmas Carol. It was a beautiful production. The ghosts and sets were astonishing, and I was really fortunate to be a part of such a high-grade production

at that age. NKD: You’ve had quite the varied and accomplished career on screen thus far. Prior to Station 19, what would you say was your favorite role to step into? What sticks out about that experience from your other roles? GD: My favorite role was Brian Shafe in Aquarius alongside David Duchovny, Claire Holt, Emma Dumont, Gethin Anthony and Jason Ralph. Working with such an incredible cast is already enough to make it a favorite, but really it was the writing, the crew, our producers and directors. Everyone was just top notch at their craft. It really was a special show and with the backdrop of the ‘60s and the Manson murders. It was just something unique and really well done. I think all of us will always keep a piece of that show with us. NKD: Are there major differences between acting for film and acting for a TV show? Is it a difficult adjustment process for you? What’s that process like? Do you have a preference for what you’d rather be involved with in the future? GD: I find for some reason that the audition process is really the most challenging part for a film or TV show. I’m not sure why, but they just seem to NKDMAG.COM

be treated differently. But I’m sure that’s just me projecting. I think the only thing that’s difficult is the job itself and the challenges it brings with it. NKD: Do you have a preference for the style or genre of the projects you work in? GD: I think my preference is just good writing. Usually that’s a good barometer. It always starts with good writing. If you don’t have that, then it’s going to be pretty hard to make something good out of it. And obviously, the people you work with make a difference. If you’re working with Fincher or Bigelow or Scorsese, it’s a safe bet it’s going to be something good. NKD: How do you go about preparing to portray a character? Do you like to draw on your own personal experiences, or do you rather find it useful to dissociate from yourself to become someone else? How do you approach this? GD: Little bit of both. I don’t really dissociate myself. Instead, I find ways that I’m similar to the character. It can be really helpful. It’s only when you realize that you yourself, in another life, could be a dictator or a murderer or someone terrible, when you realize that things aren’t all black and white, that we all have the potential to be some36

thing amazing or something awful, that’s when you find that character’s humanity and that’s when you can do your best work, I think. I’ve found that learning how not to judge is key in doing your best work. NKD: What was the most challenging role you’ve taken, whether physically or mentally? What made it challenging? Was it ultimately rewarding in the end? GD: I’d say it’s a tie between Brian Schafe on Aquarius and Jack Gibson on Station 19. One was so mentally exhausting because as Brian Schafe, I played a war veteran/drug addict/undercover cop so there was a lot to wrap my head around but also at times, it was very physically exhausting. Jack Gibson, I would say, has his own challenges as a character because he’s dealing with PTSD and trying to navigate the job as a lieutenant, especially with the new blood coming in and calling the shots. That’s hard for him to acclimate to. Also, Station 19 is just an insanely physically demanding job, especially if we’re in our turnouts, which is just a fancy word for fire gear. Between sweating excessively and carrying 60 pounds, it can be challenging, but damn, does it build character. It really helps you appreciate what firefighters go through on a daily basis just trying to save our lives and homes.

NKD: When it comes to Station 19 what interested you about a role on the show? GD: Well, I’ve been playing assholes for a while so it was nice to see somebody noble like Jack, but also somebody complex and complicated with layers. Also, who doesn’t want to play a firefighter? I mean, can you think of a more noble job off the top your head? The fact that we’re just pretending, while they’re out there living it, is very humbling. I can’t tell you how much I respect what these folks do. NKD: I read in an interview you did with Media Village last year that you wanted to do a ride-along with firefighters at some point. Have you gotten around to doing that? Are there other operational aspects within the role you’re playing that you feel are really interesting that you want to learn more about? GD: Unfortunately, and embarrassingly, I regret that I haven’t been on a ride along yet. I really should get on that. Lately, we’ve been dealing with the paramedic side of being a firefighter. I don’t think a lot of people realize it is generally firefighters that are first on the scene as they are medically trained to save lives so I’m very curious to learn more about that aspect of the job as it’s such a big part of it and so important.

NKD: Tell me about Dare to Doubt. Were you involved in helping set it up with Alice? How much of a personal investment do you have in the mission of it? GD: Dare to Doubt is a resource site for people detaching from harmful belief systems. For example, someone who has left their religion might be going through a really rough time and could use the help of a therapist, or an aid group if they need safety. Alice did it all on her own. She’s pretty amazing that way. I think we both feel strongly about religious abuse but even if I didn’t, I would support her anyway cause she’s amazing and I know where her heart is. NKD: What other endeavors do you spend time on away from your regular work on set? GD: I’d say I’m a bit of a Renaissance man. I like to dabble in various arts. Sculpting and cartooning and a lame attempt at writing music. As long as I’m being creative, I’m pretty sound. NKD: What are some new and exciting projects on the horizon for you that your fans can look forward to in 2019 and beyond? GD: Currently Station 19, and I hope it pleases. I know everyone works really hard on the show. NKD 40

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Glam Credits: URBAN DECAY COSMETICS, MARC JACOBS BEAUTY, ORIBE HAIRCARE + LOVE AMIKA STYLING TOOLS

perry mattfeld Words by IAN HAYS Photos by CATHERINE POWELL Glam by EMILY DAWN

The arts are precarious. The goal is to showcase a unique perspective that elevates and levels the playing field, encouraging connections that can seem disparate. For an actor, your art is built upon the idea your character is an individual but still finds universal truths inescapable. For Perry Mattfeld, this began in childhood with her natural inclinations of observation. While a mature endeavor, it did take some practice. “As a kid, I was so awkward and lanky and tall. My mom remembers me going up to tables at restaurants as a kid and just standing there and observing; watching them eat, watching them interact,” she recalls. But the only way to begin to understand is to listen. This set precedent for her breakout role in the new CW series, In the Dark. As a child, Perry danced ballet. This led to expanding her repertoire, igniting a passion for acting, leading to prime spot as a classic American Girl doll. “At 13, I auditioned for the Los Angeles tour of the American Girl Revue. I performed 169 shows over

the course of two years. That was the first time I realized that this was something I could do as more than for fun,” she says. While early childhood meant spending weekends at Bolsa Chica beach, her teen years were lived on the 405 freeway between auditions and gigs. But, even with the challenges of finding that work-life balance, skipping school was never an option. Academics were important. As she landed guest spots on Nickelodeon and Disney Channel shows, she had the discipline to keep her grades up. “I was taking six AP classes my senior year and got into USC – which was always a dream for me,” Perry says. Perry then took a clean break from the industry. She wanted that full college experience. She wanted to ride a bike through the quad and be a cheerleader. She was the only one in her family involved with the industry, so it wasn’t difficult to take that break. Acting was something she got enjoyment out of doing, not a predetermined career. “I kind of fell into it. It was fun to

me. I was goofy and comedy always came easy to me, maybe stemming from me being five-nine at 15-years-old,” she says, “I remember being at acting school and wondering why I was the only one studying for the SAT. Most of my classmates thought that going to college was taking a step back. If you were making money as a kid, why would you slow that momentum? For me, I don’t who I’d be without a degree.” She let her management and representation go. She studied acting in school, graduating with a BFA and was a member of the USC Song Girls. Her education in being an actor, an artist, didn’t stop when she stepped back from the camera. For Perry, her most important lesson was her emotional growth in living an everyday life. This foundation is built on exposure to people she never would have met had she skipped school. Those childhood observations manifested in an adult Perry who became familiar with the intricacies of people- not from an acting standpoint, but a human one. “It’s part of why when I read the script for In the Dark, I saw this NKDMAG.COM

character with not only a crazy emotional journey, but both mental and physical journeys,” she says. She plays Murphy, a blind drunkard experiencing an ever-present existential crisis. Her only friends are her roommate, Jess, and Tyson, a 15-year-old black boy who deals drugs; this friendship blossomed when he saved her life during a mugging. When walking her guide dog one night, she claims to find his body, but when police arrive, not a trace of evidence. With the world doubting her, she seeks the truth and to bring justice for a child the world writes off and easily ignores. The show is tagged as a comedy-drama with Ben Stiller and Michael Showalter attached, two giants of comedy. But this clash of genre and subject matter is crucial to In the Dark. Life isn’t singular. Comedy is often a reactionary protection to inescapable darkness. When reading the script, Perry recalls crying one moment then full on belly laughing by the next scene. Perry aims to bring that realness to cynical Murphy who has always cared more than she lets on. “It was so different than other scripts I was reading. The smart humor and little glimpses of different worlds and pace of emotion, it really resonated with me. Life is never one note. In Murphy’s relationship with Tyson, that’s when you see her free and most happy. For Murphy, skin color is irrelevant. As the show goes on, you see the differences of their worlds, but they are also the most in sync with each other,” Perry says. This was an opportunity for her put her character study education to the test. She did her own research 44

and was in awe of what she learned; she wanted to bring that realness to the screen. This was supplemented by an on set blind consultant who is also the inspiration for the show. This exposure to basic education on what it is to be blind allowed the cast and crew to break open the diversities and complexities needed to accurately tell this story. “Murphy uses her humor to suppress. And she uses this humor until it reaches a point its not funny anymore,” she says, “So, you see these avoidance mechanisms that lead to the heavier moments, where a joke won’t resolve the situation.” The writer’s room is majority women, many LGBTQ+ people, and many of whom are blind. A diverse staff allows for accurate perspectives and new dialogues to be presented to viewers. For Perry, this is what allows the story to be successful and allows her as an actor to keep growing and paying respect to these intricate characters and journey those characters are on. “I love that you have an anti-hero at the forefront, but there’s no stereotypical characters here. None of them are perfect. I love how raw the show is. There’s a character for everyone to relate to. The writers did an incredible job capturing this and I don’t think there’s anything else like this on TV,” she says. With In the Dark, social commentary and characters aren’t tools, but a depiction of life when told by the ones who understand it best because they’ve lived it. The show is asking you to do what Perry has done her whole life – to approach, however awkwardly, those around you and listen. What you do with that information is all in your hands. NKD

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shane graham Words by OLEVA BERARD Photos by CATHERINE POWELL

A solid work ethic is one of the many requirements it takes to make it as a professional actor. That trait is something that Shane Graham takes with him to every project that he sets foot on. The Texas native stars as Charles McCullough, AMC’s western drama, The Son, a role that has not only allowed but encouraged him to pull from his previous experiences. Growing up in Bryan, Texas, Shane would ride horses and perform in rodeos. Luckily, the skills he gained from those experiences transitioned well into his role on The Son. “I didn’t know that I would end up using those skills in a television show or a movie one day,“ says Shane. “I just grew up on a farm with my dad who put me on horseback when I was very young.” The actor got his start by landing roles in commercials, traveling to Austin for auditions before moving to New York City for school where he studied acting techniques. Eventually, he made it over to the West Coast, where he now lives in Los Angeles with his wife. Funnily enough, the actor would return to Texas to work on The Son. Being on the set of The Son, Shane has been able to grow into his own as an actor while developing more self-assurance behind his performances. “To have presence in a scene, you just have to step

into it and own that space,” Shane explains. “Being on The Son has kind of brought me into that new level where I can control the room better.” Much of his newfound confidence comes from being able to witness seasoned actors work, the multi-generational family saga sees Shane star alongside Pierce Brosnan. Though the series comes to an end this spring, Shane feels pleased with the story’s conclusion. “I found that this season was on another level compared to the last season,” Shane says. “The writing was tighter, the acting that we brought had higher stakes. We really brought our A-game and where they went with it is so great that I’m not even sure that if there was another season that it could be better than that.” With the conclusion of one project, Shane was able to dedicate his energy into new jobs that further expand his range as an actor. Ride, a biopic where Shane depicts BMX legend, John Buultjens, will be hitting theaters later this year. Shane was able to work directly with the subject matter he was portraying, an experience he found to be one of the most rewarding of his career. “Having the real person there with me and him look at me and say ‘I really loved what you did. You did it exactly like I imagined,’ was so fulfilling and inspiring that I’d say that was

my most proudmoment.” Being able to learn from every set that he works on is what brings Shane the most gratifying aspect of his career. “To me, acting is about experiencing something that you might not otherwise get to. Regardless of the kind of character that I’m playing, I’m still me.” Shane explains, “I’m still getting to experience someone saying something cruel or kind. I’m still getting to experience a situation that I might not ever be in. It’s just so freeing— I love the creativity and the artistry that comes with that moment.” While he appreciates the experiences that come with the job, his hard work off the set is representative of his dedication to the craft. “I rehearse until it’s so ingrained in the back of my head that when I walk on set I don’t even have to think. But in the moment, all those choices you might have rehearsed go away.” Though he has gained some impressive roles to include on his resume, Shane is always dedicated to keep improving with every new experience. His advice for anyone considering acting as a profession is simple: do the work. “I think hard work is going to beat out talent regardless of who you are.” Shane says, “Stay committed. Don’t ever stop and think ‘I’m good where I’m at.’ You can always get better and you get rusty no matter what.” NKD NKDMAG.COM

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