You have Hollywood pedigree, being the granddaughter of Joseph Bernard, who was one of the founders of the Lee Strasberg Institute in Hollywood. Was it always in the plans for you, to be an actress?
Absolutely. My grandfather was my best friend. I learned how to read by his attending classes, actually. I remember when I was very young telling my grandfather, that there is nothing else I’d rather do. He was in complete support of it, and to this day, is my inspiration.
Which actors inspired you to follow your dream and pursue your career as an actress, and which of them would you want to work with, if given the opportunity?
I have many actor-inspirations. When I was at Yale, struggling to be my own person in the fray of all of the expectations I had for myself, New York actresses like Marin Ireland and Brooke Bloom really inspired me. They are both so unconventional and true to who they are. For me, there is nothing better than an uncompromising performance. I love Tony Hale. He is one of my favorite performers. Judith Light is an absolute legend and someone I look up to tremendously. She is precise, bold and again—her own person. It’s truly stunning.
You’re on the new season of TV Land’s Younger. How were you first introduced to the show?
Yes, I’ve been on Younger from the start. I play Lauren Heller, a feisty fashion publicist. Lauren is Kelsey (Hilary Duff’s) best friend. They have a sweet and fun friendship and also live together with Lauren’s parents, the hysterical Kathy Najimi and Josh Paiis.
On the series, you play the role of Lauren Heller. What can you tell us about Lauren’s personality?
Lauren is such a fun character to play. She loves herself unconditionally and emboldens me to pursue that same kind of ferocity in my own life.
How does Lauren mesh with the other ladies on the show?
She is always coming up with creative and whacky ways to solve everyone’s problems. She’s never without an answer and is very sure, her solutions will work. She is a supportive friend and is very much about girl power. Lauren is pansexual and for a time, is in a lesbian relationship with Maggie, played by Debi Mazar. Lauren is thrilled to be dating her “OWL” — Older Wise Lesbian. They have a ton of fun together, love each other, and have very compatible world views.
We love the experience of character development. Now that you’ve been in her shoes, so to speak, what do you enjoy about bringing Lauren’s character to life?
I love her bravery and boldness! She will never say no to anything. It’s tremendously fun as a neurotic person to bring that quality of ferocity, in my life.
What can viewers and fans of the show expect to see from Lauren and the rest of the gang on this new season?
So much! There are so many plot twists and turns this season, it is not to miss! For my part, I will say Lauren finds herself in a very surprising situation—especially for her.
If you didn’t decide to immerse yourself into acting, what career path do you think you would have now?
I love what I do— a lot. But, I often dream of being a badass civil rights attorney.
When it comes to fashion, which designers would we see in your personal closet and fit your sense of style?
Diane Keaton in Annie Hall is a favorite style icon of mine. I love designers like Chloe and Bottega Venetta.I love classic, clean lines. Elegance and quirkiness are my go-to. By default, I often dress like a chic French toddler, or so I think. Or so, I dream.
We look forward to seeing how things end up on TV Land’s Younger. What other projects do you have coming up?
Thank you! I’m so excited. It’s been a big, busy year for me! I am currently in the Clint Eastwood movie Sully, playing opposite Tom Hanks. I am also in this season (Season 3) of Transparent, playing Shelly Pfefferman in the flashbacks. What a joy! Playing a young Judith Light is an incredible honor and was a delight to prepare for and bring to life on set. I also pop up in HBO’s first season of the former Vimeo show, High Maintenance.
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Photos: Courtesy of TV Land