U Omakase

5 things J. August Richards is currently INLOVE with

1. Downtime 2. Self-care 3. Mango passionfruit frozen yogurt 4. Coming up with outside-the-box ideas regarding my career because

I dislike self-tape auditions 5. Joshua Gbor. He’s not a thing, but

I’m certainly INLOVE with him

Absolutely MARVELous, J. August Richards

Photographer: Ben Cope Stylist Mickey: Freeman Grooming: Antonio Bey

Sari: What dream role, dream project, or dream collaboration would you love to do in the future?

J. August Richards: When asked what my dream role is, my mantra is always the same — “The next one!” I believe it is my job to figure out why the role I am tasked with is my dream role. Victor is a dream role for the reasons I stated earlier. Whatever you see me in next, know that I have figured out for myself why it is my dream role.

Sari: Let’s talk love since we are INLOVE Magazine. We love seeing you so in love. What are some things we can all learn from you when it comes to having a happy and healthy relationship?

J. August Richards: Thank you! Yes, we are very happy! We had only been dating for two months when I got the role in “Vampire Academy,” which required me to move to Spain for seven months. He put his life on hold and moved to Spain with me while I shot. I’d say the willingness to sacrifice is important.

Sari: You’ve talked about teaching on Instagram before. What would a class with you look like?

J. August Richards: [Laughs] Yes, I’d love to teach. A class with me might look like it’s about acting, but it’s really about artistry — being an artist. What I would teach, I hope, could be applied to any art form.

Sari: What advice would you offer new actors, or anyone, really, when it comes to advocating for yourself?

J. August Richards: Actors are groomed to show a lot of deference and “just be happy to be there,” but if you don’t advocate for yourself in a healthy way, it can literally lead to abuse. Don’t be afraid to ask questions, and most importantly, if you’re not sure, find a colleague whose career you respect and get their take on the situation. Don’t be afraid to ask for help.

Sari: What is a fun fact about any one of the shows you’ve been on that would surprise fans?

J. August Richards: I auditioned to play Lafayette on “True Blood.” Obviously, the role went to the late, great Nelsan Ellis, who I was lucky enough to call a friend.

Some Like It Hot

Rafael Cebrián

Season 2 of “Acapulco” debuted on Apple TV+ in October, which means Rafael Cebrián (also known for “Narcos,” “Borgia,” “Greenhouse Academy,” and most recently - “The Calling”) is back as Hector.

“In season 2, we are going to see Hector’s hopeless romantic side in full display,” the actor tells INLOVE. “He’s looking for love, words are his weapon, and you’ll see how that affects him throughout the 10-episode storyline. Coming from season 1, I think our audience will be surprised with Hector this time around. Sometimes we are quick to judge someone based on the decisions they make, but I believe we need to know who that person really is to fully understand why they make those decisions. That’s why I was excited to jump back into Hector’s shoes for a second time. I get to show the man living behind the hairspray and the short shorts.” Sari: Season 2 picks up where season 1 left off. What can fans expect from the show this season without giving too much away?

Rafael Cebrián: Season 2 is better, bigger, stronger, and more pink! Season 1 was all about setting the stage and creating the world of “Acapulco.” Now, in season 2, we get to play, explore, and have fun in that world. The ensemble in the show really comes to light this time around. The writers did an amazing job giving every single character an arc of their own this season. Audiences are going to know more about the background of the workers at Las Colinas. I know they will be surprised by where the story will take them in season 2. Expect the unexpected.

Sari: Is there anything you learned about playing a poolside attendant that you didn’t know before you started this project?

Rafael Cebrián: I always thought I didn’t need to wear sunscreen. Playing Hector has proved me wrong. I need sunscreen in my life.

Sari: The first season of “Acapulco” was shot during the pandemic. How was it shooting this time around?

Rafael Cebrián: One of the many beautiful things you get from filming abroad, on location, is the fact that you get to fully immerse yourself in the culture of the country you’re working. I love walking around local neighborhoods and restaurants and going to concerts in local bars. Unfortunately, during the first season, we didn’t get to that at all because we were all in a bubble due to the pandemic. Season 2 was a little different. We had the chance to leave the hotel and explore the city a little more. Not as much as we would’ve liked to, but enough to understand the cultural background of where we were filming. It’s beautiful down there. I really hope we get to go back for a third time around. Mexico always feels like a second home to me. The “joie de vivre” is unlike anywhere else I’ve ever been.

Sari: Last time we caught up, we talked about how you played “Jump” by Van Halen before you started every scene. Did you keep that tradition for season 2, or did you choose a new theme song this season?

Rafael Cebrián: It was all about “Higher Love” by Steve Winwood this time around.

Sari: Critics and fans alike have raved about “Acapulco.” What’s been the most thrilling part of this journey for you so far?

Rafael Cebrián: As a storyteller, I’ve always dreamed of telling stories that would resonate in people’s hearts. “Acapulco” is one of those stories, and I am so grateful for having the chance to be a small part of it. It’s also exciting to be part of a series showcasing the Latinx/Hispanic experience to its fullest. Latinos/Hispanics come in many shapes and forms. We are Mexicans, Colombians, Argentineans, Venezuelans, Dominicans, Spaniards - but we all connect through our language. We all share the same culture. There’s an immense amount of value in telling it as it is and showing it as it looks. “Acapulco” does that, and it does it through comedy. To me, that’s exciting.

Some Like It Hot, Rafael Rafael Cebrián

Photographer: Storm Santos Stylist: Angela Rose Grooming: The Artist Red

Sari: You recently switched gears from comedy to drama for David E. Kelley’s new Peacock crime drama, “The Calling.” What can you tell us about Brad Holt?

Rafael Cebrián: I’ve never played a character like Brad Holt before, and I was up for the challenge. It was also my return to drama after a couple of years in the comedy world, and I was thrilled about that. I started work on “The Calling” a week after I wrapped on “Acapulco,” so it took some adjusting on my end at first.

Sari: What kind of show will we get from “The Calling?” What do you think it is about the story viewers will enjoy the most?

Rafael Cebrián: “The Calling” follows Detective Avraham, played by the amazing Jeff Wilbusch, as one particularly dark and twisty case upends everything he thought he knew. The show toes the line between earnest investigation and wry commentary. It is not your typical detective series, which grabbed me from the jump.

Sari: You really had an all-star team at the helm. David E. Kelley and Barry Levinson as EPs, and Hans Zimmer serves as co-composer. What was it like being in a collaborative effort with those forces?

Rafael Cebrián: David E. Kelley and Barry Levinson are television maestros who deeply understand rich and multilayered characters. Their specific imagination, combined with the overall brilliance of the whole cast and crew I got to work with, made it a joy to come to set every day. I was lucky to have had the chance to contribute to the world they created and learn from such talented people.

Sari: You once told me that your approach to acting is very musical. Can you tell me more about that?

Rafael Cebrián: To me, acting is music in the sense that, just like in a tune, there are beats, cadences, silences, and harmonies in a scene. That’s why I believe that every actor is a musician but not every musician is an actor.

Sari: Are there any music projects in your future?

Rafael Cebrián: I’m surrounded by musicians daily, and I’m always writing, coming up with melodies and lyrics. Lately, I’ve rekindled my relationship with drumming. I’m focused on my career as an actor and writer right now, but who knows what can happen one day? Maybe I’ll step back into music.

Sari: Are you working on anything else right now?

Rafael Cebrián: I’m developing a TV series based on a fascinating IP I recently acquired. I’m very excited about it. It’s a fascinating story that’s very close to my heart, unlike anything I’ve ever seen on TV before. I can’t tell you more at the moment, but you’ll hear more about it soon.

Sari: What are you most INLOVE with right now?

Rafael Cebrián: The 1975’s new album Being Funny in a Foreign Language and Celeste Ng’s new book “Our Missing Hearts.”

Sari: Any words of wisdom or a bit of advice you’ve learned that you’d like to pass on to readers?

Rafael Cebrián: I’m not one to give advice. I’m always looking for advice myself! I guess - lead with your gut, and your truth will follow.

Arriving At

Greatness Netta Walker

Netta Walker comes from a family full of artists. “We just never had the money or the resources to pursue the things we loved the way wealthier people had, so I watched my family make their art just because they loved it,” the “All American: Homecoming” star tells INLOVE.

“My mom is an incredible seamstress and designer and was a model in Japan when she was younger. All three of my older brothers are incredibly artistic people as well. I’ve been lucky enough to grow up watching all of their processes. It’s been pretty easy to be inspired.”

That inspiration led Walker to pursue a career as an actress, model, writer, director, and producer. She’s also an activist. Walker used her voice to bring light to the sexist, sexual, physical, and racist abuse she and many other students faced while pursuing theatrical degrees at Roosevelt University. That, in turn, allowed hundreds of others to speak out about their experiences as well.

Sari: When did you know you wanted to use your voice as an environmentalist and a social justice advocate?

Netta Walker: When you’re born a Black and Asian woman, there’s not really a choice in whether or not you’re going to be a social justice advocate. My parents taught me that right before I started elementary school, around when I was four years old. In terms of environmentalism, it would’ve been around that same time. I really wanted to be an astronomer after my dad showed me the movie “Contact” for the first time. He got me my first telescope and every book on space he could find, and I’d ask him so many questions. Do other planets have life? Are we alone in the universe? Which made me really scared. I think I was a bit too young to handle that. But I really didn’t want our planet to become like the ones I was learning about.

Sari: As someone who uses their platform to change the world for the better, how do you hope to continue to do that, and how would you encourage others to do the same?

Netta Walker: I’d hope to inspire others to want to do the same, to care about people, and to care about the planet that gives us life. I plan to continue to follow my intuition and speak up when I feel compelled to. Everyone has a voice, and I think it’s very important to use it to stand up for what’s right, so I’d encourage others to remember that.

Sari: The second season of “All American: Homecoming” debuted in October. What will we see from your character this season, and how have you used your real-life experiences to create Keisha McCalla?

Netta Walker: You’ll see Keisha learn what it really means to be in a conservatory program this season. If you’ve been in that setting, you know it’s a histrionic experience. I studied musical theater voice in a conservatory program at university, so her story hits really close to home. I low-key carried a lot of trauma from those three years in school, so much so that I didn’t even finish and get my degree. I quit singing and dancing almost entirely when I dropped out because I was so used to being told I wasn’t good enough and would never be. Conservatory programs have long histories, many of which carry very dated teaching processes that often create a lot of mental, physical, and emotional turmoil in students. So that storyline has been a wild journey to re-explore.

Sari: What are three traits you admire about the character of Keisha McCalla?

Netta Walker: I admire her honesty, her willingness to work on herself and that she’s not afraid to share that vulnerability with the people she loves, and how she values her relationships. She loves very deeply and sincerely.

Sari: What’s your favorite thing about playing her?

Netta Walker: Sometimes it feels like cheating getting to play her. She’s so similar to who I was my first few years in college. In a way, it feels like I get to cosplay as my younger self and work out some traumas I wasn’t capable of understanding at the time.

Sari: I know one of your teachers significantly impacted you and directed you toward the theater. How did that influence you and how has your theatrical work has changed your life?

Netta Walker: Without Shirley Kirby, I wouldn’t have gotten through high school. She gave me theater, which gave me a chance at living. She gave me a good group of theater kid friends, who kept me on the straight and narrow and showed me that show tunes couldn’t hurt anyone. She taught me not to be afraid of shining or doing things differently because my uniqueness was beautiful. She got me to travel to New York City to see productions and do thespian festivals so I could see that there was work outside of my hometown bubble and that there were artists who were living and breathing Shakespeare, Shaw, and Sondheim. Shirley gave me something to be passionate about. Theater became the light at the end of the tunnel. I’m forever indebted to her.

Sari: This CW show marks your first major role. Regarding acting, what do you hope to see out of your career?

Netta Walker: I just hope I have a long and fulfilling career and that I’m happy. And I’m just crossing my fingers for season three. Otherwise, I’m excited to venture into independent film.

Arriving At Greatness, Netta Walker

Photographer: Irvin Rivera Styling: Donald Hair: Arianna Blean Makeup: Amber Amos for The Only Agency using Milk Makeup Future Fluid.

Sari: What kind of stories do you hope to tell as a writer/director/producer?

Netta Walker: Stories that show real people from all walks of life with honesty and complexity. I love complicated stories. I’ve still got so much to learn, though. I really want to shoot something in Jacksonville. I want to shoot something about my family and our little slice of life in my hometown. That would be insane.

Sari: What do you love most about modeling?

Netta Walker: The play and trial and error of it all, it’s like I get to act out what the outfit feels. It’s also kind of like I get to jump into an alter ego and just play around. My brother Anthony and my mom used to make me model all of the pageant dresses my mom used to design when I was really little, so doing it now makes me kind of feel like that kid again.

Sari: What do you see for your future, and what kind of impact do you hope to have on others?

Netta Walker: I hope to have a career that gratifies me artistically and that I can help folks feel seen in some way. But mainly, I hope my work as an actor can allow me to become the philanthropist, I wish I saw more of. I want to be able to open doors for people who wouldn’t have had the access before and to open doors to conversations people may be nervous about having.

Sari: Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

Netta Walker: Hopefully happy, whatever that looks like at that point in my life.

Sari: Is there something that means a lot to you that you’d like to share with readers?

Netta Walker: Over 80 percent of Jackson, Mississippi’s 150,000 residents are Black, and about a quarter of the population lives in poverty. The neglect of the water system showcases the systemic issues poor Black folks in this country continue to face. We’re still seeing it in Flint, Michigan - it’s been eight years. With the current acceleration of climate change, more and more people of color will face this issue across the world. Environmental racism has historically been a problem and will continue to be one if we don’t fight against it. If you’re capable, please donate to the Mississippi Rapid Response Coalition to help those folks get clean water. And please stay up to date on the climate happenings of the world with ClimateRealityProject.org.

5 interesting facts: with Netta Walker

l I own almost every version of

Pokemon up until the Nintendo DS because of my big brother Eric.

l This same brother taught me my name was spelled “Moon” because he said my head was as round and big as the moon, so when I started elementary school, that’s how I wrote my name.

l The scar on my face came from me pulling my mom’s sewing machine off a table and busting my cheek open with it when I was almost two years old.

l Until I was eight or nine, my mom put me in the pageant dresses she’d make and forced me to sing “The

Greatest Love of All” every Christmas for karaoke in front of the entire family.

l “Trigun” is my all-time favorite anime!

My brother Eric and I used to VCR tape it on Toonami so we could watch it together when he’d get home from football practice.

5 things Netta Walker is currently in love with

Alone time Family time Boundaries Creating with friends Self-care

ENTERTAINMENT

Lead With Paige Spara Love

5 things Paige Spara is currently INLOVE with

Sally, my dog and number one booster-upper Colleen Hoover books

A Court of Thorns and Roses book series

Learning to fall in love with the journey of loving myself Sitting across from people I love and talking with them “Ifell in love with acting when I created a theater space at my high school senior year in order to play Corie Bratter in ‘Barefoot in the Park,’” says Paige Spara. “I loved the community it provided, the creative journey it took us all on to make the stage and props. That was the first time I performed for that long on the stage. I never wanted it to end.”

Doing theater in New York prepared Spara for her breakout television role as Lea Dilallo in “The Good Doctor.” “It really strengthened my ability to think on the spot and to allow myself to be present in the casting rooms in order to be as natural as possible,” the actress tells INLOVE. Spara now stars opposite Freddie Highmore on the ABC drama, having been a fan favorite and series regular since season 2. “I love exploring how she loves and receives love,” the actress says is her favorite part about playing this character.

Sari: Looking back, can you describe that moment when you first found out you were going from a recurring role to series regular in season 2?

Paige Spara: I was in my manager, Genevieve Penn’s, office after a long day of casting meetings. I had to discuss which opportunity I could potentially sign on to be a part of moving forward, as being on “The Good Doctor” the first season really launched interest for future jobs. As Genevieve and I were discussing some of the options, she got a phone call from Sony offering me the series regular job. Needless to say, we celebrated as soon as she hung up the phone. We screamed and ate our faces off that night. It was glorious.

Sari: What has Shaun Murphy and Lea’s love taught you about love in real life?

Paige Spara: Their love taught me the importance of accepting and valuing your partner’s own journey in life and how important it is to hold space for one another - to have the hard conversations together. Through that kind of love, you not only get to explore and evolve into the best person you can be, but you also get to reap the benefits of partnership through that level of security you’ve built. You now have all of this brain space to live life fully - together.

Sari: What has working with Freddie Highmore taught you in real life?

Paige Spara: Freddie has reminded me over and over again how capable I am of doing this job. The confidence and selflove this man instills in me have always checked me to never settle for less. He reminds me that I am loveable and capable and deserving of living my dreams and falling in love with the right partner.

Sari: What has been the most thrilling part about being a part of “The Good Doctor?”

Paige Spara: Every time I look around on set while we are setting up the shot and I feel everyone on the crew coming together to collaborate on the vision that day - all hands on deck - all happy to be there doing what we love - there’s just no greater feeling.