GN: You’ve played some very different characters in The Midnight Club, Full Circle, and now Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother. What do you enjoy most about stepping into someone else’s life and seeing the world from their point of view?

A: Acting asks you to practice some serious empathy, if you really want to get into it. So while there may be similarities between the characters I've play in previous projects, they all have qualities that challenge me. I may read a specific scene about a character and think, 'wow, this is so outside of the realm of anything I would do as myself' and in those moments I know I have to call forth empathy, understand why a person responds in a way that they do. And for me, that's a real joy.  

GN: Your characters often have more going on beneath the surface than we initially realize. As an actress, how do you find those hidden parts of a character and make them feel real? 

A: Listen, observe, read and reread. And I'm not reading arbitrarily to just learn my lines, I read as if I'm reading a book - I want to understand the story, the context clues. That's where I start to glean the undertones of the character.  

GN: Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother explores family, survival, and some difficult choices. What first connected you to the story and your character?

A: Fatiha's lovely intricacies are what initially drew me to the project. I was a little concerned that there were so many moving parts to her as a person that it raised some doubts in myself: was I capable of telling the story of such a complex teenager? Would it read as truthful since I'm 10 years her senior? All those questions and just getting to know her personality really enticed me. I love a good challenge.

GN: What did playing this role teach you about family and the choices people make when they’re trying to protect the people they love?

A: Things are nuanced. People are nuanced. And where one has the capacity to give grace, how does that affect and change the dynamics of those situations? Giving grace is not easy but pain and trauma do not live in a vacuum if this project has taught me anything. So, especially in regards to family, I work to give grace where appropriate. At the same time, offering myself grace was also affirmed in the making of this film.

GN: You’re also a certified birth and postpartum doula. What inspired you to become involved in that work, and what has the experience taught you about people and human connection?

A: I witnessed the birth of my cousin at a birth center. It was the first birth I had ever seen and the way in which community showed up for this little baby captured my heart. In a world where connection and community are being reshaped, it is important for me to hold compassionate space for others who are bringing life into our world. Birthing should not be seen as a solitary process. To birth and raise a child means to have and need the support of others: family, friends, doctors, doulas, lactation specialists, other parents, etc. And at the crux of that care and support, there needs to be compassion.

GN: Has your work as a doula influenced you as an actress or changed the way you approach certain characters and stories?

A: It has definitely given me more perspective on life. Because I come into contact with many different people, sometimes I see certain qualities reflected in the characters I might be auditioning for so there's a relation, a familiarity to the essence of the character. I also feel like the doula work has given me confidence to speak with specificity and remember what really matters in life. Birth work keeps me grounded.

GN: You’ve used your platform to bring attention to issues you care about, including America’s water crisis and the work of the Moses West Foundation. Why is it important to you to use your voice for causes outside of acting?

A: There's a whole world outside of acting. Acting is a small pocket of life in comparison to the grand scheme of things and I'm grateful I can use my voice to amplify issues like the water crisis through my artistry. In my own city of Washington, DC, the nation's capital, there are certain neighborhoods that are disproportionately at risk of having contaminated water in their homes. Water is life! No one should ever be concerned that the very thing that makes up approximately 60% of their body could make them gravely ill or worse, kill them. It is up to legislators, congress members to determine whether clean water is a pressing enough cause for remediation which is unacceptable. And it's our job to hold them accountable to the needs of the community.

GN: Looking back at The Midnight Club and everything you’ve done since, how do you feel you’ve grown as an actress?

A: I love the way my artistry continues to evolve and grow in ways I never expected. I used to hate watching old auditions back but now I love to look at them as a reminder of where I once was and where I am now. The fire and the determination are the same but there's growth in how I show that fire and that's a beautiful thing! 

GN: What kinds of characters or stories would you love to explore next that audiences might not expect from you 

A: It would be really cool to explore very odd or specific characters. Like a Wednesday Addams or The Countess from AHS Hotel. I love how polarizing they are. They exist in their own world in their own right. I love watching the two of those actresses get completely enmeshed with the character and release their full creativity. And honestly, any story that explores the human experience boldly and unabashedly is my kind of jam.

GN: When you’re not working, what does your perfect night look like?

A: Hot cup of hibiscus tea or hot chocolate, listen to a few records or read a few pages of a book, snuggle with my cat and my dog, and then lights out. 

GN: After a long or busy day, what helps you quiet your mind and transition into nighttime?

A: A full body scan, looking for points of tension, muscles that are being unknowingly held. I take a deep breath in and with each exhalation I release my toes, my feet, my ankles, all the way up to my scalp. By the time I get to the top of my head, I'm usually very much at peace and it makes for better rest.

GN: Do you have a nightly routine or something you always try to do before going to sleep?\

A: I try to be as diligent as I can about taking magnesium before bedtime. Brush my teeth for sure. Put on my bonnet. Light a candle for my ancestors and anyone else who may need some extra prayers or light.

GN: What is usually the last thing you do before you put your phone down for the night?

A: Probably call my mom or my best friend. We all tend to be night owls. Sometimes I'll also set an alarm. 

GN: Are you someone who remembers your dreams? If so, is there one that has stayed with you?

A: I definitely remember my dreams in vivid detail. But since my dreams tend to be so specific I'll share this: they usually center around a city. Either Paris (and I've never been) or NYC funnily enough. Not sure why so many of my dreams take place there considering I'm not a huge city girl.  

GN: And finally, when you say “goodnight,” what does that word mean to you?

A: May your rest be productive and rejuvenative.