Star Power Vol.27 by NYOTA Magazine

[NYOTA Magazine ]

star power

Alexa Nisenson Volume 27

from the editor

HELLO THERE, READER! In this Star Power issue, we got to chat with actress Alexa Nisenson who can be seen in the hit show, Fear the Walking Dead. Nisenson talked to NYOTA about how the show helped her grow as an actress and taking time to focus on her other passion, writing. We also have a quick chat with up-and-coming actress Mariah Bozeman who acts alongside Amy Adams

and

Anthony

Mackie

the

highly

anticipated film The Woman in the Window. As usual, I hope you enjoy reading the issue and that it inspires you to go after your dreams.

YOURS TRULY, Carol Wright EDITOR IN CHIEF @_CAROL_WRIGHT

contents 1. Editor's Letter 3. Get to Know Alexa

4. Alexa's Playlist

5. Star Power: Alexa Nisenson

12. Alexa's Top Picks

13. Quick Chat: Mariah Bozeman

#StarPower

My phone case is Monica’s purple door from Friends.

If I had to live somewhere other than LA, it would be NYC.

I’m fiercely competitive when it comes to board games.

I am terrified of spiders.

My favorite food is sushi.

#NyotaMusic

Alexa's PlaylisT Madison Beer // Blue Justin Beiber // Ghost Tate McRae // Slower Ashe & Finneas // Till Forever Falls Apart Dua Lipa & DaBaby // Levitating Megan Thee Stallion & DaBaby // Cry Baby Taylor Swift // Cardigan Shania Twain // Any Man of Mine Miley Cyrus // Angels Like You Fletcher // Bitter

#StarPower

Alexa Nisenson Interview by Carol Wright | Photographer: Ben Cope | Hair: Ryan Richman Stylist: Lo VonRumpf | Make-Up: Anton Khachaturian

Alexa Nisenson started working on Fear the Walking Dead at the age of eleven and since then has been in movies like Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life and Fist Fight. Nisenson talked to NYOTA about having to do a psych eval to secure her role as Charlie on Fear and her goal to create a book series in the future. Take us to the beginning. What initially sparked your interest in acting? I love that you asked me that! It’s a question I have been asked before but my answer has definitely changed recently so I love that I get to share my new perspective with you! I think in the past I used to try to pinpoint this moment in time, this event that somehow made me realize that I wanted to pursue acting! I mean, of course, I have these memories of me watching certain TV shows or movies and being inspired by a performance or dancing in recitals and loving the feeling of being on stage! I used to create these one-woman shows and would perform them for literally anyone who would watch and that includes strangers. But to be honest, the real answer is....it's in my blood. It’s how I am wired and I truly believe it’s my destiny! Acting is my comfort. It’s my happy place. When I am creating in that way I feel the most comfortable in my own skin and feel the most at peace. I can’t picture what life would look like if I weren’t acting or being creative and artistic. For me, I think it was simply innate and so all things led me down that path!

Fear the Walking Dead is a prequel to the hit series The Walking Dead. How does it feel to be a part of that legacy? It’s a very special and totally wild universe to be part of and I am truly grateful I have gotten to experience it and be part of it. The Walking Dead universe has one of the most passionate fandoms that exists. Fear of course is different in a lot of ways from the original show and now the new show, World Beyond. It definitely has its own tone and direction but of course, it all ties into the original in many ways too especially now that some of the characters from TWD have crossed over onto Fear. But honestly, it’s a great honor to be part of this legacy and it’s been one of the most challenging but also rewarding experiences of my life playing such a complicated character within this universe.

#StarPower

When you started on Fear the Walking Dead you were very young and had to put yourself in the mental and emotional position of surviving a zombie apocalypse alone. Do you feel as though you grew as an actor, specifically while shooting that first season? So, yeah...I was eleven years old when I shot my first episode of Fear. People might not know this but I actually had to do a psychiatric evaluation with a child psychologist before I went to work on the show to make sure I was able to handle the material and experience and that it wouldn’t give me nightmares or traumatize me. I actually at the time didn’t even know what was in store for the character but I remember thinking it was going to be a wild ride if they were having me do that. As an actor, it's my job to fully detach from the character and the emotions when the workday is done. That’s not always an easy thing to do though for some people, but I have always been able to shut off the emotions and drama of the material when we wrap. Our hair and makeup trailer keep my skincare products in the trailer and they have these hot towels for us so at the end of the day it's like this therapeutic process to get cleaned up and that’s when I kind of say goodbye to the day and all that went with it. I definitely did grow as an actor and as a person for sure and still am growing. That first season for me was transformative in so many ways.

Your character Charlie has to be cunning and at times make immoral choices, if you will. Is it a thrill for you to step into Charlie’s shoes each episode? I’d be lying if I said that playing a controversial character like Charlie wasn’t very stressful along with thrilling. There are two sides to this answer actually. As an actor, it’s totally thrilling to play a character who is complex and the total opposite of who you are as a person. That’s the joy of acting. To be able to bring life to these characters is an honor and privilege that I never take for granted. The other side of that is when you play a character that upsets and angers fans of the show you are in, you feel every part of that professionally and personally. The truth of the matter is, Charlie did take a life and it happened to be a beloved character on the show. But since that incident, Charlie has only tried to redeem herself and protect this group that took her in and has actually proved to be useful and smart and in my opinion kind of a badass since that time. But there are some fans who will never see beyond Charlie killing Nick and will never come around. I struggle with that every day but I saw a quote once by Shakespeare and it said, “Love me or hate me, both are in my favor. If you love me, I’ll always be in your heart. If you hate me, I’ll always be in your mind” and I think that has absolutely been my mantra lately when it comes to Charlie.

#StarPower

Your other passion is writing. Have you always used writing as a way to express yourself or put into words how you’re feeling? For as long as I can remember! Writing has always played such a huge part in my life. From the time I learned how to write, I remember writing poems and stories and journaling. As I got older and into music, I started writing songs. I have always used writing as a form of therapy I guess you could say. My songs and my writing definitely reflect what I am going through at the moment and how I am feeling, for sure. It’s always been the easiest form of expressing myself especially if I have to write about something difficult or painful. But also nothing makes me happier than writing a fun and heartfelt and unexpected letter or note to someone I love! Lately, writing has taken me into this world that I never knew existed and I am exploring writing all kinds of different things.

Could you ever see yourself writing scripts for movies or television? I would absolutely love to one day! I will admit, I haven’t even taken a stab at it yet. It intimidates me a little but I do dream of writing one or even adapting one from a book into a screenplay. When you write music or stories you can focus on that one story you are telling but with scripts you have multiple stories going on at once and also writing in stage directions and the narrative which is a lot to do at one time. I will tackle it one day for sure. It’s on my list! I think it would be amazing to see something I created brought to life on screen.

Tell us a bit about the books you’re writing for young girls. What positive messages will you have in the books? My idea is to create either one book or a series of books and I am really excited about the possibilities. The idea came from wanting to normalize things that young girls go through like anxiety and friend troubles and confidence and all the things I as a young girl went through. I am an only child so I didn’t have any older siblings to help me and give me advice but I did have my mom and she is amazing but all her advice is always from the perspective of an adult woman. But I thought it would be really amazing if I could somehow create a book or set of books written from a teen girl perspective but made for younger kids that tells the story of our main character “Lucy” in a light hearted way but an honest way that might help someone feel less alone! It’s something I wish I would have had as a young girl because I think there is still (even though we have made a ton of progress) a stigma around mental health and when you struggle with anxiety as a young kid it can feel very isolating. I am really passionate about the importance of kids understanding that anxiety is normal and they aren’t alone if they are dealing with it.

I understand that supporting charities focused on cancer research is important to you. What are some organizations you support and how could our readers get involved? My dad is a kidney cancer survivor so for as long as I can remember I have supported the Kidney Cancer Association and will be joining them in trying to find ways to raise support and awareness! I also love the organization called DoSomething.org. They are amazing at empowering anyone looking to make a difference in their communities. I have always loved and supported St. Jude's Children’s Hospital and Ronald McDonald House as well. It’s actually really easy to get involved in supporting a charity like the ones I’ve mentioned or any that are close to your heart. All of them have websites and sections on how to get involved and help. They always list contact information on their sites so if you have any questions or want to find ways to be even more involved they are all so kind in responding and working with you and also most of them have social media as well. If you find one you care about follow them on insta. Share their content. DM them and ask how you can get involved. That is definitely a great way to start! What advice do you have for aspiring actors? This will probably sound a little cliche but the best advice someone gave me that I now give to people is...trust the process. I know that might not sound helpful but even just starting out and finding an agent or self submitting on auditions trust that what is for you - is for you and what is not - let it go! Trust the process in every way! Don’t give up on a dream no matter how far off it might seem to you. You have no idea how many stories I hear of actors almost quitting the business right before their major big break. Just keep dreaming and keep going! Try not to focus on someone else’s journey unless it’s to support and lift up a fellow actor. Otherwise, just know that being committed to it and staying committed is a major part of the journey and hard work does pay off!

Now that you have worked on Fear the Walking Dead you probably have been better equipped to handle this pandemic we’ve all been living through. How have you been keeping yourself sane and creatively motivated? I am not sure anything could have truly prepared us for what we have all been through this past year but I definitely think working on a zombie apocalypse show for a few years does give you a leg up lol! I mean, fighting zombies is quite different but I do think the feelings of isolation and the idea of social distancing and staying home and out of harm's way didn’t feel so foreign to me, if that makes sense? The truth is, I’d be a goner in a real apocalypse! My survival skills are nowhere near the ones of the character I play but overall yeah, I think we all felt that being on this type of show definitely helped in some ways! I did a ton of writing. Like a lot of people, I think I tried every TikTok trend out there from tie dying to baking banana bread and whipped coffee and cloud bread and baked feta pasta! I just tried every day to do something that made me feel like I was creating something. I got very into my own fitness routine and started working out at home and biking at home and that was amazing in helping me stay sane! And my friends and family were always only a phone call away during times when it wasn’t safe to see them in person! Returning back to work to finish the season of Fear in October was also amazing. Felt incredible to be safely back at work and finishing the season for the fans! I spend more time with the cast than I do with my own family sometimes so it felt very comforting to be back with my second family!

#StarPower

Alexa's Top Picks

Fashion Trend: Simple Blazers

TV Show: Friends

Book: Literally the entire James Patterson library, of course!

Movie: The Blind Side

#QuickChat

Mariah Bozeman Interview by Carol Wright | Photographer: Liz Calhoun

#QuickChat

You’re young and have already started in your career. Has performing always been a passion of yours? When I was two years old, my cousin Marcus Martin, who was in film school used to say that I was going to be an actress. He passed when I was 5 years old and I stopped thinking about acting. When I was 8 years old, I went for a random audition for a director’s website and got it. I was hooked. I loved everything about the process. I was lucky to have been connected to my agency by a family friend and I have been working ever since. This is what I want to do. I love many things, but I know that this is my gift.

A key component of acting is perseverance and outside of acting you’re a champion all star cheerleader. Do you think the discipline and drive you gained through your sport helps you in your tv/film career? Cheer has definitely taught me life lessons. Discipline and commitment are the top lessons. I am lucky to train at a Technique GEMS, a gym that focuses on your mind and your body. Before I was on the team, my mom made me do tumbling lessons for a year to make sure I was committed. I started modeling and acting partially to make additional money because all-star cheer is expensive. I have had to balance my schedule for cheer, school and acting. That is a lot! It has shown me how much I love acting and cheer. I have pushed through injuries, done conditioning and stretching at night when I got off of set, to stay on top of my skills. I know that people are counting on me to be prepared for my cheer performances as much as my acting performances.

You can be seen in the web-series “CHInanigans.” Tell us a bit about the series and how this project has differed from your commercial and film roles? “Chi-nanigans” is a series based on the book series, “Shenanigans” by Jil Ross. She is also the writer and the director of the web series. The series focuses on Foster and Marie who are siblings, but it also tells really diverse stories about other kids' experiences. The series is published with an ASL interpreter so that the deaf community can enjoy our adventures. I am really proud of being a part of a series that cares about telling stories from different perspectives. The series was fun for me because it was the first time I really got to act with other kids. I had worked mostly with adults prior to that. The format is also a lot looser on set and makes it even more fun to film. We also have a series of episodes, so it is like a reunion every time we are on set to film a new episode.

What drew you to the film The Woman in the Window? At first, I was a little nervous to audition for The Woman in the Window. I had to curse in the audition scene at my parents. That is not something I could relate to and even though my parents told me it was ok, I struggled to say the word. I really liked the script and the mystery in the story so I pushed through that. I did a great job saying it in the selftape but felt a little shy when I met the director. Ultimately, they took the curse word out. I am so grateful that I got to be a part of this cast.

Through The Woman in the Window you act alongside Amy Adams and Anthony Mackie. What did you learn from working with them? They are both incredible actors. Anthony Mackie was good at voice acting. I could feel his emotion without having to look at him. In one of the scenes, Amy’s performance was so powerful that it made me emotional and helped me perform even better. It was like getting paid to be in a master class for acting. The director, Joe Wright, always made me feel like we were all on the same level, which encouraged me to be my best, every time I stepped on set.

What advice do you have for aspiring actors? If you are an aspiring actor, make sure acting is what you want to do and then commit to it. This is not an easy business. There are last minute auditions and you have to give your best to every opportunity because you never know what it could lead to. Make sure you are always training. My coach, Jossie Harris, makes sure that I stay ready so that I don’t have to get ready. The biggest thing that I would say is to believe in yourself and keep working on your dream. What is meant for you is meant for you.

NYOTA Magazine STAR POWER TEAM EDITOR IN CHIEF GRAPHIC DESIGNER

CAROL WRIGHT

WWW.ISSUU.COM/NYOTAMAGAZINE

CAROL WRIGHT

HTTP://NYOTAMAGAZINE.COM

COVER ACTRESS

PUBLISHING

Alexa Nisenson

CONTRIBUTORS PHOTOGRAPHER

Ben Cope

PHOTOGRAPHER

Liz Calhoun

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