GRUMPY MAGAZINE #13 - Danielle Rose Russell

On the cover About Grumpy Magazine is an international quarterly digital/print publication curated by Jasmine Perrier. Self-published from Paris since 2016, we aim at covering the cultural landscape across the world and sharing a genuine vision of life that get you out of your grumpy mood. More than just a magazine, we are interested in aesthetically pleasing a modern take on traditional staples and thus offering a unique book capturing thoughtful stories and stimulating sceneries.

Connect Website grumpymagazine.com Facebook Grumpy Magazine Twitter @grumpymagazine Instagram grumpymagazine YouTube Grumpy Magazine Email info@grumpymagazine.com Danielle Rose Russell by Valheria Rocha

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The Chainsmokers (ft. 5 Seconds of Summer) Not Like Me Laura Marano Moonlight Jasmine Cephas Jones

dear readers I t

was about time that GRUMPY MAGAZINE enters 2019! The past few months have been full of challenges, crisis and restless nights. To be honest, I wasn’t even sure that this issue would eventually see the light of day. I am a few weeks away from 21, and it is constantly tough for me to admit that I am only at the beginning of my journey, and it is fine if you hit a road block when life can get a little overwhelming at times. Mistakes are okay, required even, to be successful. I remember a scene from the Meet the Illustration by Eléa Weibel Robinsons movie, which modeled a memorable growth mindset by saying, ‘‘From failure, you learn. From success not so much.’’ It is a lesson I am trying to learn every single day. That is why I stepped back a bit and took time out for myself to be back in the game with a healthy mind. We forget too often how much self-care is so important to keep moving forward and handle the stresses that come our way.

Meanwhile, life is also full of wonderful opportunities, and you can reach your career or life goals if you seize the ones around you that you may not have noticed. Speaking of life-changing opportunities, our cover stars Danielle Rose Russell, Gavin Leatherwood and Emeraude Toubia are three promising faces who are living proof that when you add passion to your dreams, the universe will not keep you from achieving them. In conversation with them, they reflected on their accomplishments over the last couple years as they took the TV show world by storm with their breakthrough roles on some of the most popular series. New year also means new rising stars to watch across the cultural landscape, who are eager to be an accomplished generation using their craft and voice to bring positive change in society.

Finally stepping into 2019 with this 13th issue, I am looking forward to seeing what will come up next. As I am moving into another transformative stage of my life, I try to remind myself over and over again that my final destination hasn’t been reached yet, and that bigger and better things will happen in the future. I hope this new edition will inspire you to never give up on what you love, despite the obstacles that may come your way.

From Paris with love

Jasmine Perrier Founding editor-in-chief @jazzieperrier

Contents I S S U E N O . 1 3 FASHION 110

COWBOY TAKE ME AWAY

116

CIRQUE DES COULEURS

Editorial by Regan Norton

A look into Celia Kritharioti Spring/Summer 2019 Couture show in Paris

FEATURES 122

BAHARI

The female electronic-pop duo of tomorrow 128

KEVIN GARRETT

A singer-songwriter who masters the art of capturing souls 134

KIRA KOSARIN

On tapping into the music that she loved growing up for her debut album 140

LUKE BAINES

146

GRACE VAN DIEN

152

TOMMY MARTINEZ

158

JEANINE MASON

164

ROME FLYNN

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KIMIKO GLENN

On challenging himself and finding projects that fulfill him creatively

From her writing aspirations to her acting career

A rising actor eager to make some change

A natural leader ready to seize her moments

All talents lead to Rome

On her wide-ranging experience in award-winning productions

COVER STORIES 176

DANIELLE ROSE RUSSELL

188

GAVIN LEATHERWOOD

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A young screen queen to coronate

A new star for a generation

EMERAUDE TOUBIA

On her life-changing leading role on Shadowhunters

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Cowboy

take me away

Photos by Regan Norton

Styling by Audree Kate

Featuring Rhylan Clarke (FORD/Robert Black Agency) Assisted by Paola Felipe, Joe Everest Anderson and Gwynn Neal

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Cirque des couleurs Celia Kritharioti Spring/Summer 2019

Photos by Jasmine Perrier

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RUBY Leopard slip Meshki Dress Meshki Corset belt LPA Rings GhostLine NATALIA Jacket L&J STUDIOS Shirt ARE YOU AM I Bottoms ARE YOU AM I Earrings GhostLine

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Bahari Words by Jasmine Perrier

Photos by Larissa Raquel

Styling by Jaclyn Fleurant for TheOnly.Agency Makeup by Barbara Lamelza

Hair by Saisha Beecham

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et to know Bahari, the female electronic-pop duo composed of Ruby Carr and Nashville-born Natalia Panzarella, who will delight your ears with their sophisticated harmonies and intriguing lyrics which tend to reflect a global perspective of their emotions, whether it is sad or happier. Describing their style as vocal-based and lyrical heavy, Ruby and Natalia are deeply involved in the writing process of their songs. Earlier this year, they teamed up with American DJ and producer Illenium to release their track ‘‘Crashing’’, offering a sweet pop sound on which Bahari is the centerpiece. ‘‘We wrote the song about a year ago, and it was one of our favorites. We were waiting to give it the right track before we put it out. He did such an amazing job with it, because the song meant so much to us on an emotional level.

He really kept the lyrics with the emotion. He is so talented.’’

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‘‘ Selena Gomez taught us a lot about what it means being an artist. At the same time, she really supported us’’

NATALIA - Feather jacket Yumi Kim - Top Vintage RUBY - Leather jacket Ksubi - Top AFRM

Ruby and Natalia met at Rock Mafia’s studio in Santa Monica about four years ago, driven by their common passion for music. ‘‘For me, I never really saw it as a viable career option because I grew up in Kenya. But I fell in love with music when I started playing it in boarding school, and I just really decided that’s the only thing I wanted to do,’’ Ruby remembers. ‘‘I moved to LA a bit earlier, I was trying to act but I always knew that singing was my first passion. So when I met Ruby at the studio and figured out a way to make music as a career option, we both were so excited,’’ Natalia adds. ‘‘We became really good friends. We were so young. Then we wrote our first song ‘Wild Ones’ and we put it out pretty quickly.’’ As soon as they realized staying a band was a possibility, they kept joining their forces to take the world by storm. ‘‘We both didn’t really think that would be an option for us until we have decided to do it together.’’

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While the band was born under the California sun, the meaning of ‘‘Bahari’’ also evokes a little piece of paradise as it refers to ‘‘ocean’’ in Kiswahili, which is Ruby’s native African language. ‘‘We were like, that’s a cool band name,’’ Natalia laughs. They assume that being in Los Angeles surrounded by fellow artists had an influence on their path. ‘‘Because our studio is in LA, that’s where we create everything and all of our music,’’ Natalia starts. ‘‘I decided to move here because I knew this was the first place to be. All of our friends are doing music, acting or something along those lines so it’s really inspirational to be around all those people who want to do the same thing as we do,’’ Ruby mentions.

Shortly after their first steps as a music band, their harmonies caught the attention of label Interscope Records that signed them in 2014. Then the first song

RUBY Dress ei8thdreams Shoes Via Spiga Earrings GhostLine NATALIA Dress ei8thdreams Shoes Alias Mae Bracelet GhostLine

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NATALIA Suit jacket ei8thdreams Pants ei8thdreams Shoes Alias Mae Necklace Luv Aj RUBY Top Kookai Bottoms Kookai Shoes Giuseppe Zanotti Bracelet GhostLine

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‘‘ We want to see female artists being more empowered and feeling more confident to do what they want’’

they wrote together, titled ‘‘Wild Ones’’, was released as their debut single and quickly gained popularity online. ‘‘Through all of our sounds, there is a lot of things that people can relate to,’’ they say. While most people reach their early 20s trying to plant their feet in the real world, Natalia and Ruby were delighted to join Selena Gomez and Birdy on the road as tour openers for Selena Gomez’ ‘‘Revival Tour’’ in 2016. ‘‘There is a lot of people that we look up to. Selena Gomez really taught us a lot about what it means being an artist. At the same time, she really supported us which is amazing at such a young age,’’ Natalia outlines. ‘‘It was insane.

It all happened so quickly. We’ve learnt to be ourselves on stage and just have fun and connect to the audience. It’s a very specific feeling,’’ Natalia adds.

When recalling the journey they lived during that summer, they report they were terrified for their first show. ‘‘When you are on stage, you don’t really see how many people there are because of the light in your face. Right before we went to look at the venue and we were like, wow,’’ Ruby says to describe their transition from playing small shows in Los Angeles to playing arenas, which was a special experience for both of them. ‘‘Seeing people’s reactions and seeing people singing along is something that makes all the hard work really worth it,’’ she goes on. ‘‘After the first couple of shows, we were just excited. We wanted to see them out there because they showed up early. Even whether it’s a good or a bad reaction, honestly it’s so helpful because we write everything we produce,’’ Natalia articulates.

As they felt the need to tie down to what they wanted to do, they decided to leave Interscope to start releasing music independently and have full creative

control on their music. ‘’It was a personal choice,’’ Ruby starts. ‘‘Everything happens for a reason and it was hard at first going independent because suddenly we have to do everything. It was definitely scary at first but it ended up being a really good thing.

Actually we like to do everything,’’ Natalia adds. After starting off with a pop sound, they are now embracing a more honest side of their artistry, that they feel real with themselves. ‘‘When we left we actually put a song called ‘Fucked Up’ out, to kind of show our whole story,’’ Natalia says.

From now on, they look forward to exploring more deeply the niche they are experimenting and sharing the new music they have been working on. ‘‘It’s more personal to us. We definitely have some happy songs, but I think now we are not hiding that feelings like pain exist,’’ Natalia claims. ‘‘When we started we were very young. A lot can happen to a woman and a girl between the ages of 16 and 21. You grow up a lot, you experience a lot of different things, you go through heartbreaks, you go through falling in love. We got to experience all those things together because at the same time we were in a band, but we were also best friends so we got to write about those experiences,’’ Ruby affirms.

‘‘We want to see female artists being more empowered and feeling more confident to do what they want,’’ they say on the evolution they would like to see in the music industry, as they notice ‘‘90% of people who work in the music are male.’’ Moving forward, Natalia and Ruby are interested in going out and playing more shows as Bahari. ‘‘Coming to Europe is definitely one of our goals,’’ they tell. ‘‘It has been a long journey, but we are really excited to put out something that means so much to us.’’

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Kevin Garrett Words by Vicenté Styling by Scott Free

Photos by Sarah Partain

Grooming by Kelsey Zahn

Location Andaz West Hollywood

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ith an upcoming debut album set to be released on March 22, Kevin Garrett kicks off 2019 brilliantly. The three songs already available for listening set the tone of Garrett’s first LP titled ‘‘Hoax’’. Expect melancholic and acoustic melodies, all mixed up with the soulful and hypnotic voice of Kevin Garrett who is anything but a beginner.

The 27 years of age Pittsburg native already blessed our ears with the release of two EPs (Mellow Drama, 2015 and False Hope, 2017) and is now ready for his new project. ‘‘This album is the thing I’m the most proud of now. It’s the best thing I’ve ever done,’’ Kevin comments. Accomplished musician, he started playing piano and violin at nearly 4 and was, at the time, only motivated by receiving a bunch of jelly beans as a reward. It fairly differs from what he has today, because his work is henceforth acknowledged by the Recording Academy. Kevin Garrett is indeed a Grammy award-nominated artist thanks to his collaboration with icon Beyoncé on the song ‘‘Pray You Catch Me’’ from her record-breaking album Lemonade. ‘‘It’s crazy. That whole experience... I feel very lucky to be in the conversation,’’ says Kevin on his involvement in such a record.

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However Kevin’s highly anticipated new album could easily turn into such a record. What is mind-blowing about Garrett’s music is its relatability. From moving on from an ending relationship to clarifying a new one, the themes tackled can appeal to every single one of us. Kevin’s goal, when it comes to put music out, is, ‘‘to make it something that people can listen and react to on a personal level.’’ He then went further by adding that his music is indeed storytelling but, ‘‘it feels like it’s something that could have happened to you yesterday or tomorrow.’’

While being busy promoting his previous EPs on several tours, Kevin still took time to work on his new album Hoax.

This new music piece is the culmination of a long creative process whose content has been kept in the corner of Kevin’s head for a long period of time. ‘‘I had the idea and the concept of the album before the EPs came out. A lot of the songs of the record have been with me before.’’ The song ‘‘Telescopes’’ for instance, was written by his 14-year-old self, which tends to reveal the timelessness side of Kevin’s music.

If some artists feel the need to share their personal experiences from which they drew their inspiration, Kevin prefers to let his music speak for itself, and it works. The lyricism of his music added to the intense smoothness of his voice creates this powerfully deep connection to the listeners; even to the ones who would have ended up listening to him randomly.

‘‘ I took my merch, my

But there was nothing random about the crowds who attended his shows when Kevin was touring, whether as a headliner or as a supportive act. His touring experience appears to be such an original one when you know that at some point of his rising career, he toured all by himself. ‘‘I basically took my merch, my guitar, my keyboard and my suitcase in the back of a Toyota Highlander and drove across the States and Canada [...] driving along at night through the middle of winter with no service on my cellphone, not knowing where the next gas station was.’’ It was no big deal though because according to him, it was the only way to go on tour to meet his supporters. ‘‘It’s what you do to meet people,’’ he says before admitting that it was an experience that had proven very helpful.

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guitar, my keyboard and my suitcase in the back of a Toyota across the States and Canada, through the middle of winter with no service on my cellphone, not knowing where the next gas station was’’

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Putting old sounds and songs together and reproducing them has been a major part of this new album’s conception.

For Kevin, it was all about assigning a lasting dimension to his past feelings. ‘‘Make everything feel brand new again,’’ as he comments, seems to have been the motto of the album’s creation. Delicate vocals, meaningful lyrics and a strong determination to do whatever it takes to pursue his musical journey in the best way possible: Kevin Garrett has it all. Even though he would probably never admit it.

Humility is indeed the main keyword which best describes him. ‘‘I don’t feel like I really had one yet,’’ he bashfully answers when asking about his breakthrough moment. He remains humble and particularly grateful while remembering the cheering audiences who attended his shows. ‘‘Those people that I met on those first tours tend to keep coming back to my shows,’’ he says. A strong connection has thus been established between Kevin and his fans, which explains his will to hit the road and to capture their souls again with his unique way of singing melancholy. Well Kevin, we can’t wait either.

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Kira Kosarin Words by Jasmine Perrier Makeup by Courtney Hart

Photos by Krissy Saleh Hair by Lucy Gedjeyan

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or five years, Kira Kosarin has graced our screens as Phoebe Thunderman on Nickelodeon’s The Thundermans. The show aired its fourth and final season last year, and that marked the end of an era for Kira’s career. ‘‘Now that that chapter is over, I can finally put out music,’’ she says regarding her music debut. In addition to that, her years of success at Nickelodeon has allowed the 21-year-old artist to have a strong platform on social media and become a role model to young people all over the world. Her 4 million followers on Instagram are only one of the achievements she has under her belt.

Originally from New Jersey, Kira grew up surrounded by music, acting, dancing, and performing because both of her parents were Broadway performers. ‘‘I kind of grew up backstage. I was focused

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Styling by Luca Kingston Location The Urban Jungle Studio

on both [music and acting] when I was younger,’’ she recalls. At some point, she took acting lessons online over Skype, and once surprised her dad when she had to do a scene where she had to be yelling at somebody. ‘‘How dare you talk to an adult like that? You’re being so rude,’’ her dad told her after her performance. ‘‘Oh alright, that was convincing. You could probably do this,’’ he replied after Kira informed him she was acting. ‘‘I ended up meeting a great acting teacher who brought me out to LA and got me in the whole world of kids television.’’

When she first moved out to LA, Kira’s biggest goal was to end up on a Nickelodeon or a Disney show. Some will say she was born under a lucky star. ‘‘It was incredible when it actually happened,’’ she tells. Spending most of her teenage years working on The Thundermans, Kira

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‘‘ The music starts to give me an opportunity to reveal more about me as a person and as an artist’’

took away from this journey ‘‘a really wonderful experience.’’

After it ended, she was auditioning a lot, trying to find her next job in acting but she quickly realized that music was what she was most passionate about. ‘‘I do enjoy acting, but music will probably be the thing that excites me the most,’’ she states. ‘‘I wanted to devote all of my time to either creating or consuming.

Once that sort of clicked, I started working on this album.

Everything changed and the past year has just been a lot of growth and a lot of change in my life. It has been really great.’’

Committed to accomplishing more of her dreams, Kira started her year 2019 with the release of her solo debut single ‘‘Vinyl’’ that beautifully showcased her brilliant pop/R&B and soul vocals. ‘‘The music industry is definitely very different in every way to the acting industry. There is a learning curve at first, just figuring out the different dynamics and politics with the music industry. But the coolest part of it is that, there is so much collaboration with other great artists and writers who I really admire. So getting to be in this side of the world where I get to work with people who inspire me is definitely one of my favorite parts of the music industry.’’

As challenging as that was to figure out the lexicon to articulate what’s in her head and make it happen in real life when working with producers, Kira kept moving forward to find herself sonically and lyrically. ‘‘When I first started out, I felt myself really frustrated. I could hear clearly what I wanted it to sound like in my head, but I couldn’t communicate that,’’ she says. ‘‘Now that I’ve been doing it for a while, I’ve spent a lot of time on the production side of things, it’s a lot easier to get out of my head exactly what I want something to sound like. That has been a big part of me, and I still have lots of music showing all those different sides.’’

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‘‘ Listen to the lyrics, listen to the stories and just know that this is just me revealing what has been hidden for a few years’’

As she spent time in the studio with different people, getting different sorts of inspiration, Kira believes she is now more honest with her music. ‘‘It kind of led me to where I am now,’’ she remarks. ‘‘I know that a lot of people know me for a character that I’ve played, and not for myself. I feel like the music starts to give me an opportunity to reveal a little bit more about me as a person and as an artist.’’ Kira kept surprising and pleasing her fans with the multiple singles she has put out since the beginning of the year, like ‘‘Love Me Like You Hate Me’’, ‘‘47 Hours’’ and ‘‘Take This Outside’’ she will reveal on March 29th. We can only be eager for her debut album Off Brand, which is set for April 10th. ‘‘It’s definitely very honest. It’s stories about my real life and definitely very empowering. It’s kind of dark, moody, and sexy, and viby. It pulls a lot of inspiration from the music that I loved growing up, like a lot of early 2000s R&B inspiration, next to 2019 trap elements, mixed in with my guitar that I grew up playing, and many vocal harmonies because that’s my favorite thing in the world. I just pulled together all of my favorite elements of music and infused them into this sound for this album.’’

Inspired by the music that has impacted her the most to help her gain confidence and feel empowered, Kira hopes her sound will do the same for people listening to her, especially girls. ‘‘I want people to feel amazing or amazed when they listen to it or sing along to it. I want people

car, at full volume, and just feel like nobody can touch them and nothing can stop them,’’ she says. With this new stimulating era of her career, Kira is on her way to reach the constellations. ‘‘It’s something that I’ve dreamt of and imagined for so many years.

It’s the beginning of this ‘Off Brand’ era itself, it’s the beginning of this whole next adventure of music.’’

After her first album, Kira plans on focusing more on acoustic material, to reveal the emotional music that she has written over the past few years. ‘‘I also want to dive a lot more into the production side of things, so that I can maybe eventually create a whole project just by myself,’’ she adds. On the acting side, she mentions she is interested in doing a romantic comedy and exploring the film world. ‘‘There is a lot of different things in this industry that I love and that inspire me and that I want to try to tackle in the next few years. I’m definitely never bored,’’ she laughs. ‘‘I guess some message I’d like to put out is, to just thank people who have been supporting me for a few years, but also at that day approach this body of work and this piece of music as its own entity, and as something that is very different than the image that a lot of people know me as. Listen to the lyrics, listen to the stories and just know that this is just me revealing what has been hidden for a few years. And I hope people can feel like they can relate to it.’’

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Luke Baines Words by Jasmine Perrier Styling by Lucy Warren

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uke Baines’ assurance and kindness are some of the first things you notice when speaking to him. He is downto-earth, laid-back and easy to talk to.

Born in the United Kingdom, brought up in Australia, and now living in the United States, Luke is related to a crossroad of cultures. According to him, his exploration of the world helps him learn a different set of skills that he expresses through the few notable roles he has embodied beautifully until this point. ‘‘Sometimes the job can be very challenging, but I love to use my imagination and get to jump into another character’s skin.’’ Last February 25, Luke made his entrance into the Shadow World on Freefrom’s Shadowhunters, to reveal the true face of Jonathan Morgenstern after he was resurrected. If you are not familiar with Luke Baines, it’s time you get to know him!

The Australian actor got into acting at a really young age. He remembers telling his mom, ‘‘I want to do that,’’ when he was just 5. ‘‘She took me acting lessons, and I just loved it. I love playing and exploring that part of my imagination. I’ve always been drawn to it, and whether it’s acting or some other kind of performance,’’ he shares. However, it wasn’t until he was 15 that he decided to take it more seriously. ‘‘I went to Performing Arts School in Australia, and I studied drama, music and dance. And I did that for three years, and that’s really

Photos by Harvy Moon Grooming by KC Fee where I started looking at it as a career. I’ve been fortunate enough over the past few years to really make that a reality.’’

‘‘When you move countries, it’s a really overwhelming experience because everything you know is different. Whether it’s something small like the store that you go to to buy milk, or your support system around you, that pushes yourself out of your comfort zone. It really helps you as an artist to be able to create different people and different characters,’’ he says on experiencing different cultures. From production movies to TV shows, Luke got to play numerous breakthrough and complex roles so far in his career, including portraying a serial killer in Wes Craven’s The Girl With the Photographs. ‘‘With every life event that has happened to me, I have changed, I think in terms of an evolution.

I think the older I get, the more I live, the more rich my acting gets,’’ he articulates.

Over the course of his journey, Luke has aimed to stay honest with himself and the audience. ‘‘As long as you’re putting forward something honest and truthful, then it’s gonna have the most impact.’’

Being a huge fan of dark fantasy growing up, Luke was excited to take on the role of Jonathan Morgenstern in Freeform’s hit show Shadowhunters, and explore his story that has a lot going on. ‘‘I used to

‘‘ Shadowhunters is probably the toughest challenge I’ve ever had as an actor. But at the same time, I loved being out of my comfort zone’’

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love Buffy, it was one of my favorite shows growing up. Harry Potter is still one of my favorite books,’’ he tells. ‘‘It was always a dream to work on a show like this to be honest.’’ Somehow part angel, part demon, Jonathan Morgenstern is a character that has many levels to reveal to the audience. ‘‘I think that a lot of people have a very specific idea of who Jonathan is, because of the things that he does, and how he presents himself. But there is so much more there.

And I was so interested to be able to unpick that, and look at what makes someone do the things that he does.’’

Luke joined Shadowhunters when it was time for his character to show his true form in season 3B, after he previously hid behind another identity and then was reborn at the end of the spring finale.

Working on a project and a character that already had a huge background was extremely overwhelming for the multiskilled actor, but he was in awe of the wealth of material he was able to use to put himself in Jonathan’s shoes. ‘‘You have the books, you already have this idea of who he is, from the fans who are so loyal and passionate. It’s probably the toughest

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challenge I’ve ever had as an actor, because there was so much pressure there. But at the same time, I loved that. I loved being out of my comfort zone, and I loved trying new things. And thankfully I was surrounded by the showrunners, who really supported me, and the cast, Dom, Kat, who really helped me find my feet.’’

‘‘There was definitely something magical about the show, and about how everything came together,’’ Luke adds on his experience alongside the Shadowhunters family. In addition to being warmly welcome by the cast, crew and fandom, Luke enjoyed filming the show in Paris, one of his all time favorite places. ‘‘At some point in my life I want to move to Paris. I love it so much, and I love French people, I love the food, everything about it,’’ he states. ‘‘Honestly it was a dream come true. We shot there in May, last year. We shot at 5 in some of the most incredible locations, and it was honestly so overwhelming because it was so wonderful.

I remember that we were shooting a scene on a bridge outside of Notre Dame and it’s just so magnificent. It looks like a painting.

And I had to remember: you have a job to do, you have to finish this scene.’’

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‘‘ I love to be able to push myself and even surprise myself with the things that I can do’’

Trench coat Vivienne Westwood

As Shadowhunters’ final season is currently airing, Luke is excited for the fans to see Jonathan’s back story, which he really tried to explore as much as possible. ‘‘I think over the next twelve episodes, people are gonna be able to understand Jonathan a lot more. You may not like him still, you may hate him which is understandable because of the things that he has done and the things he does do,’’ Luke says. ‘‘But I do think that at the end of the series, you’ll be able to understand him more, and if people can do that, then I’ll be really happy, I’ll be pleased with the work I did.’’ In terms of what he wants to do next, Luke outlines that keeping doing work that challenges him and gets him out of his comfort zone is the direction he aspires to follow. ‘‘I love to be able to push myself and even surprise myself with the things that I can do. It’s really about challenging myself, finding something that fulfills me creatively — maybe try a character that I haven’t done before, perhaps someone who is not evil,’’ he concludes, laughing.

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Grace Van Dien

Top Joostricot - Jeans Sezane - Rings Luisa Alexander

Words by Jasmine Perrier Styling by Emily Sanchez

Photos by Tyler Nevitt

Makeup by Gianpaolo Ceciliato using NARS / TraceyMattingly.com

Hair by Marco Santini for Ion Studio / TraceyMattingly.com

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Location VillageOne

‘‘ I hate setting goals because if I don’t get them, I beat myself up too much. I just hope that I’m happier every year’’

W

hen Grace Van Dien is not working on a production across the country, or on the other side of the world, she does what any big sister would do for her family, like taking care of her siblings. She was just back in Los Angeles when we talked to her, after she flew from New York the day before, where she wrapped shooting her new TV show The Village that premiered on March 19 on NBC. ‘‘I have always loved to live in New York, but I was waiting for a job opportunity to take me there. So when I got cast in The Village and I had to move there, it was just a dream come true,’’ she says.

From her parents to her greatgrandfather, acting has been in Grace’s family for a long time. Through the years, her interests may have changed but her love for the arts always stood strong. ‘‘I didn’t really want to act at first, I had no interest in it. I wanted to be a writer, I wanted to write young adult novels,’’ she reveals. ‘‘But my dad (Casper Van Dien) is an actor. He asked me to do a movie with him, and after that I just fell in love and I completely dropped writing unfortunately.’’

From then on, Grace started acting full time and it became her number one passion very quickly, as she enjoyed creating new roles

and new characters. ‘‘You’re trying so many different roles all the time, that’s what I like about that. I like just playing different people than myself.’’

Starting out her career in 2005 alongside her dad with a small voice over role for a video game of Starship Troopers, it was only a matter of time until she realizes acting was her true calling. ‘‘Because I was born into the kind of acting world, and being on set growing up, I didn’t really know anything else. So I guess there was never an adjustment period when I turned acting as a career,’’ she mentions. ‘‘My favorite part of it is everyone in this industry is so quirky. Because it’s not a consistent job, it’s nothing the same every day. You’re meeting someone new every single day, and once you are done with a project you move on to another one and you meet all new people.

In a way, that feels great,’’ she laughs. ‘‘I’m not the biggest socializer so having the opportunity to do it through work, meet different people all the time, is my favorite part.’’

Thriving in her dream career, Grace took over the role of Brooke Osmond in the first two seasons of Netflix’s Greenhouse

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‘‘ A lot of the time on T V, teenagers are portrayed as being way over dramatic and angsty which is in my opinion unrealistic’’ Jumpsuit Sezane - Scarf Sezane

Academy which she shot in Israel. After that, it was announced that Grace exited for a series regular role in NBC’s The Village, which was picked up to series for a midseason premiere. The Village introduces residents of an apartment building in Brooklyn where ‘‘the people who reside in the building have built a bonded family of friends and neighbors.’’

Grace stars as Katie, a teenager who finds out she is pregnant just like her mother, Sarah (Michaela McManus), was when she was her age. ‘‘When I first read the script for The Village, I thought that my character was way too cool for me. I didn’t think that they would ever see me as this type of person,’’ Grace laughs. ‘‘She is a huge activist which I am and she is super artistic. I like creating but I’m not very good.

So there are a lot similarities between my character and I, she is just a thousand times cooler,’’ she adds. ‘‘I had to find out what separated her from me and make sure that I’m making her distinguished.’’

Right from the pilot series, we noticed a deep connection between Katie and her mom. ‘‘With Michaela, it was a mother-daughter bond right off the bat. She has two little boys and she is just the most

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amazing mother I’ve ever met. I wish she was my mom. The only difference between our relationship, and Sarah and Katie’s relationship, is they fight a little bit more,’’ Grace elaborates. ‘‘Michaela and I don’t really argue. What is great about Sarah and Katie’s relationship is they both look to each other for advice, they lean on each other. It’s a sisterhood friendship, mother-daughter thing. I call her (Michaela) sometimes for help, we text each other, we meet up, and we get advice from each other all the time: the perfect cast mate!’’

One of the differences Grace notices between Katie and other roles she has played is, she has never lived with a character as long as she has lived with Katie. ‘‘I got to explore her more than I have ever been able to do with a character. It felt less like a character I was playing, and more like a friend that knows more about me than I know about myself. She finds ways to resolve every problem in her life.

She handles things in a way I try to,’’ Grace laughs. ‘‘It’s a learning lesson for me.’’ What Graces likes about her character, is the maturity they brought to her that she never really saw before in the way teenagers are portrayed on television. ‘‘She is very smart for a teenager. A lot of the time on TV,

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teenagers are portrayed as being way over dramatic and angsty which is in my opinion unrealistic. I like being able to bring that because I think teenagers now are showing how more mature they are than adults.’’

Dealing with real-world issues, The Village teaches us a lot about hope, and people coming together, creating a bond and looking out for each other. ‘‘I hope that when people watch the show, they just see one big family and I hope that they want to be a part of it, and want to create that community,’’ Grace states. In addition to being a grounded show, we can easily relate to the characters and their stories which is one of the strengths of the show. ‘‘Every problem on the show is a problem that you could face in life, or you could hear about a friend facing that problem in life. I think the main takeaway is showing how everyone on the show helps each other get through

those problems, so no-one is alone.’’ Grace admits finding herself inspired by the show, its writing, and its characters who are always showing kindness to each other and putting each other first. ‘‘They made me want to focus on how I can make that a part of my personal life more, how I can always focus on being there for everyone in my life.’’

Along with her career goals, Grace reveals she is currently writing a screenplay. ‘‘I don’t know if that will ever see the light of day, or ever have anyone read it, but I’m working on one,’’ she laughs. Full of hopes and dreams, she aspires to keep playing meaningful parts in projects. ‘‘I don’t want to ever feel like I’m doing a project just to do it and just to work. I really enjoy finding reasons for why I’m taking a part,’’ she outlines. ‘‘I hate setting goals because if I don’t get them, I beat myself up too much. I just hope that I’m happier every year.’’

‘‘ I don’t want to ever feel like I’m doing a project just to do it and just to work. I really enjoy finding reasons for why I’m taking a part’’ Dress See by Chloé

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Tommy Martinez Words by Thilda Riou

Photos by Emily Sandifer

Styling by Lucy Warren for TheOnly.Agency

Grooming by Jayme Kavanaugh

‘‘ People are constantly growing, and that’s how I am’’

I f you’re looking for someone who

is eager to make some change, Tommy Martinez is your guy. Putting so much of himself into his work, the 27-year-old actor is fueled by passion. Today, he is known for his lead role as Gael on Freeform’s Good Trouble. He caught up with us over the phone to tell us everything about the steps he took to get where he is and the important matters that tackles his character.

Growing up in South Florida, Tommy didn’t know what path to follow and felt left out, surrounded by friends who had their own aspirations. ‘‘Once I got to college, I was taking some classes that weren’t really getting me anywhere. I kind of had a quarter life crisis, I was failing my classes and I didn’t know what I wanted to do,’’ he recalls.

Everything started to fall into place when the actor met someone at his university, willing to talk about a script that he wrote. ‘‘He asked me if I ever considered acting and I said no.’’ After meeting up and running a couple of lines, he agreed to be a part of the short film. ‘‘It was that hidden love that I had finally found, I was so happy.

This was a pivotal moment in my life. I was depressed and not excited about the future, and after we started shooting I had ambition,’’ he explains.

At this point in his life, Tommy dropped out of college and drove back home. ‘‘I didn’t find a place for myself in this school, I wasn’t growing. I just felt the need to get out.’’ After a while, he decided to try modeling, pushed by his friends. ‘‘That was also something that I didn’t think would be possible for me. But I met up with agencies and got booked by Wilhelmina Models in Miami.’’ As he still wanted to pursue an acting career, he moved to Los Angeles at the end of 2015.

After two years of modeling, his acting career began. ‘‘It created financial security for that time, and I was really grateful for that because it allowed me to get into acting classes,’’ he says. In 2017, he went for his first audition for the show Shameless, and then booked his part on Riverdale, as Malachai. ‘‘I started getting a little bit of attention through that.’’

Since January 2019, the actor has been known for his outbreaking role on Good Trouble, the spin-off series of The Fosters. ‘‘During the audition process I was just watching every single episode of The Fosters and all seasons. I finished just before we started shooting,’’ he tells. ‘‘I love that show and I felt like a fly on the wall watching the family grow up. It was really great!’’

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‘‘ Even at the point that I’m at right now, I still feel like I just started in the industry and I’m no guru at it.

I’m still figuring out things as I go’’

Tommy portrays Gael, a resident of the Coterie, a communal living space where Callie (Maia Mitchell) and Mariana (Cierra Ramirez) are also staying. ‘‘I had never resonated so well with a character before, it just felt like it was me, and I felt so comfortable in it,’’ he mentions. ‘‘I try to put my own feet into Gael’s shoes and they just fit perfectly.’’

While Gael is a new character, Callie and Mariana are already known and loved by the audience. ‘‘Maia and Cierra have been playing their characters for 5 years, so they know them very well,’’ Tommy explains. ‘‘But they are such open and accepting people, about everybody who came on to the show. They really made everybody relaxed and be able to explore themselves and their character.’’

In the first episode, we see Gael and Callie having an instant connection. However at the end of the same episode, we also discover the bisexuality of Tommy’s character, a matter close to the actor’s heart. ‘‘In my hometown, bisexuality wasn’t ever talked about. It was either you are straight or you are gay.

And that’s all that we were exposed to,’’ he says. ‘‘So, whenever I came to Los Angeles, I was exposed to it and I accepted it with opening arms.’’ When Tommy met Michael Galante, who portrays Bryan, Gael’s love interest in the show as well, both actors talked and became great friends. ‘‘Obviously it was new to us, and we were kind of nervous, but it was completely normal,’’ he recalls from their first love scene together. ‘‘It’s just two human beings acting. And even in real life, I see it as two humans who care for each other. So it was really enjoyable, we had a great time!’’ Throughout the episodes, his character develops a love triangle with Callie and Bryan. ‘‘That’s what young adult lives are, I’ve experienced it myself. I have created some mess trying to figure out what I want.’’ In the show, Gael is confused and tries to make sense out of his strong emotions for two people. ‘‘I think the point of all of that was to show the realness of situations like that. And I stand by it,’’ Tommy states.

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To put it in a nutshell, Good Trouble is, without any doubt, continuing on the path of The Fosters, tackling a lot of different social issues. ‘‘I didn’t think that one of the first big things that I would get would be a story that is diving into creating some change and really talking about the stuff that is happening in the real world,’’ Tommy expresses. ‘‘It’s still hitting me now, and I am beyond grateful for this opportunity.’’

Looking towards the future, the actor has several goals that he would like to achieve. Besides wanting to try theater eventually, he would love to portray someone who is alive, or was alive at some

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point. ‘‘I think that it is something huge.

You have all this weight on your shoulders,’’ he explains. ‘‘You really have to study that person and see what it is that you can create from that.’’

To conclude our chat, Tommy shares with us his current state of mind. ‘‘Even at the point that I’m at right now, I still feel like I just started in the industry and I’m no guru at it. I’m still figuring out things as I go and I might say things that are wrong, but that may seem right in my head,’’ he says. ‘‘People are constantly growing, and that’s how I am.’’

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‘‘ I didn’t think that one of the

first big things that I would get would be a story that is diving into creating some change’’

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Jeanine Mason Words by Jasmine Perrier Styling by Emma Trask

Photos by Derrick Freske Makeup by Shannon Pezzeta

Location Paramount Academy of Music

Set design Laurie Shapiro Hair by Creighton Bowman

Special thanks Mia Orozco

J

eanine Mason is proof that hard work pays off. We talked over the phone with the Miami-born actress in support of the launch of her latest show, Roswell, New Mexico, whose first episode aired last January 15th, the day before Jeanine’s 28th birthday. ‘‘It was actually a really beautiful gift from universe, my birthday and the premiere lined up,’’ she says. Speaking in a very soft voice, she shared with us her own origin story and the extent to which portraying Liz Ortecho in the new CW series is meaningful to her. ‘‘When you have a creative endeavor, and you’re putting so much love and tenderness into it, and then it seems to be resonating with people, it’s just the greatest gift.’’

‘‘I’ve been an artist my whole life,’’ Jeanine starts.

At 7 years old, she was already asking her mom to find her a manager, after hearing people on Disney mentioning they had one. ‘‘I didn’t even know what it meant at the time,’’ she notes. ‘‘I had this unfiltered desire to be involved in this world, to get to create and make funny voices, be silly.’’ Growing up, Jeanine loved comedy and she thinks that’s really where she fell in love with acting and performance. ‘‘I took my first trip to New York and I saw Broadway shows. My favorite performances were always full of showmen, they danced, they acted, they sang, they played an instrument. They physically were so engaged in their artistry, they were using all of their talents, all of their ability to bring characters to life. That only seemed like the most exciting challenge to me and adventure.’’

‘‘ My team and I had a few things that we were considering at the time. Roswell was on the top of the list without question’’

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Gown Miri Couture

When she was eighteen, Jeanine won the fifth season of the dance competition show So You Think You Can Dance, becoming the youngest winner in the history of the program. ‘‘Until this day I still consider myself as a dancer, even though I work primarily with acting. Dance is a part of every character and every job I do,’’ she says. The transition from dance to acting came with its challenges, starting with Nickelodeon guest-star roles on Big Time Rush and The Fresh Beat Band, but overall Jeanine is very grateful in her career that nothing has come easy. ‘‘Nothing has been presented to me and felt like a walk in the park,’’ she laughs.

Proud of her ‘‘little baby successes’’ achieved along the way, Jeanine’s career offered her a whole and unique experience when she booked her recurring role as Dr. Sam Bello on ABC’s hit show Grey’s Anatomy. ‘‘That job was such a blessing. I got to work with Krista Vernoff who is a friend that I’ve worked with years ago. She is the showrunner on Grey’s Anatomy. And to get to watch her work, Shonda Rhimes and Ellen Pompeo work, just all of the women who are behind one of the most successful shows on television right now, it felt to me like grad school,’’ Jeanine recalls. ‘‘I was lucky to be a small piece of that huge part of television history.’’

Working on a show as big as Grey’s Anatomy led Jeanine to step in to a role with more confidence. ‘‘I couldn’t have asked for

such a wonderful learning ground, prior to this big step,’’ she remarks. She was still shooting the medical drama series when she heard about Roswell, New Mexico. ‘‘My team and I had a few things that we were considering at the time. Roswell was on the top of the list without question,’’ she explains. As soon as she read the script, Jeanine felt a connection with the lead character Liz and wanted to learn from her. ‘‘I fell in love with her energy and how much of an activist she is, how deeply she cares, how intelligent she is. It all excited me,’’ Jeanine states. ‘‘She was a character that I’ve never gotten to play with. And I felt an immense responsibility right off the top to do right by her, and to portray her fully. I didn’t want anyone else to get her. I thought it was my job to bring her to life,’’ she laughs. ‘‘When it worked out, we were all so thrilled.

It was just an ideal situation. Now that it’s out, and it’s doing well, it’s really a dream.’’

From show creator Carina Adly MacKenzie, Roswell, New Mexico is a reboot of the 2000’s show and the second television adaptation of the Roswell High book series

by Melinda Metz. Jeanine’s character, Liz Ortecho, is a jaded biomedical researcher and daughter of undocumented immigrants who returns to her native town Roswell, 10 years after her older sister’s death. However when she reunites with her teenage crush, Max Evans (Nathan Parsons), she doesn’t expect him to be an alien with otherworldly abilities. ‘‘I have always been a fan of mystery. Murder mysteries were always my

‘‘ Roswell is produced by Emblin which is Steven Spielberg’s company and they have just been so wonderful to me, so I’d gladly work with them the rest of my career’’

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‘‘ Very few actors have that experience and I’m grateful I get the chance to have the gorgeous responsibility of being a leader’’

my favorite book series growing up,’’ Jeanine says.

With her warm, bubbly and caring personality, Jeanine was destined to lead the series. ‘‘Very few actors have that experience, it’s just a particular little club and I’m grateful I get the chance to experience what that feels like on your body, on your spirit, to have that much material to work on every day, and to also have the gorgeous responsibility of being a leader. By the time we got about halfway to the season, I started to have moments like, ‘oh my gosh, I’m at the top of this call sheet.’ I really do like being a leader. It surprised me how much a lot of this felt natural to me,’’ she explains. ‘‘Liz has this amazing capacity for empathy in her heart, she rises above every time. That challenge of not listening to my instinct, but honoring instead what Liz would do, has been such a learning curve for me and so rewarding.’’

During the first episodes, viewers watched the relationship between Liz and Max becoming more powerful as they come back to each other. ‘‘It was so well written for me. The desire to be with each other is so strong, and it feels like it’s so strong it could potentially make them disregard all of the obstacles,’’ Jeanine indicates. ‘‘It was one of the best days of work of my entire career getting to work on the episode where Liz and Max are finally able to line up.’’

The show also tackles contemporary topics such as immigration and racism,

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and Jeanine is proud that Roswell presents a Latina who is a warrior and protector of her family. ‘‘I take it very seriously — presenting this undocumented experience authentically, and I hope that people will love her and her community, just like Crashdown Cafe that her family owns. It’s a network of latin speakers, colors, tastes, and sounds, so I hope people will fall in love with her and that will eventually lead to more interest in our community and different kinds of stories that are yet to be explored.’’

Enjoying the ride, Jeanine hopes Roswell will be picked up for a second season and she will get the chance to keep exploring the heroic character that Liz is. ‘‘There is something about her, I know I’ll never get bored. I’m having such a good time trying to keep up with her, and her energy,’’ she says. ‘‘I’m also going to be an aunt this year. I’m hoping to step into that role and to just be a good tia and role model for my niece.’’ As far as Jeanine’s goals are concerned, she would love to work with more artists that she admires, and check some more of those people off her dream list. ‘‘I have some weird specific goals like doing a Christmas movie or holiday movie. I’d love to work with Guillermo del Toro, I love him so much and I’m fascinated by the world he creates. Roswell is produced by Emblin which is Steven Spielberg’s company and they have just been so wonderful to me, so I’d gladly work with them the rest of my career.’’

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Rome Flynn Words by Vicenté Styling by Winnie Stackz

Photos by Heather Koepp

Grooming by Anna Bernabe for Exclusive Artists using Oribe Haircare and Glossier

Lighting by Ethan Ingram

Location Skiptown Playhouse

Suit Grayscale - Top ASOS

All talents lead to Rome. You might

know him from the critically acclaimed drama How to Get Away with Murder in which he plays the intriguing Gabriel Maddox, but Rome Flynn wears several other hats. The 27-year-old rising star also knows how to run a basketball court. Maybe even more surprising, but not that much for his 264 000 Instagram followers, he can hit some notes while playing guitar! Rome Flynn is therefore a triple threat.

now. ‘‘I think that’s what set me apart from different actors. People always will respect someone who is original and someone who is himself. I always try to be that.

Sometimes it might not work in my favor, but most of the time it does,’’ Rome says.

Indeed, it seems like it particularly worked.

Not only is Rome currently involved in one of the most talked-about TV shows, but he also was apart of the ultimate movie of the Madea franchise which came out in theaters on March 1st.

Born in Chicago and raised in Springfield, Illinois, he then moved to Los Angeles in order to pursue his acting career.

Struck by the cultural diversity which characterizes the city, Rome quotes, ‘‘Los Angeles is a lot more diverse. There’s a lot of creative people. You can be yourself here.’’

And remaining true to himself has been Rome’s main focus ever since he got into this business. He thus strongly believes that this goal is what led him to where he is

Working on this film was the opportunity for Rome to be directed by a man that he looks up to, namely the multitalented Tyler Perry who has portrayed the hilarious character of Madea for almost twenty years. But Rome’s professional path led him to work daily with another major figure in American cinema, multi-award winning actress Viola Davis who plays the complex role of Annalise Keating in the legal

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‘‘ I’m ready for whatever God will bring me next.

At a certain point, I want to follow a career like the ones of Viola Davis or Tyler Perry’’

drama series How to Get Away with Murder.

Working around such people surely has an impact on Rome’s acting as he states that he feels like a better actor. Talking about the show, Rome proudly praises the diversity promoted by its creator Peter Nowalk and executive producer American TV Empress Shonda Rhimes. ‘‘I think it’s great. People like Shonda Rhimes and Peter Nowalk kind of shaped the image of what the industry is right now. She’s at the forefront with shows like Grey’s Anatomy or Scandal. They’ve done great things and I’m happy to be apart of such a diverse cast.’’

However, because his character was introduced to the show during the fourth season finale, it must have been challenging to jump on the bandwagon.

When questioned on the subject, Rome doesn’t deny a certain feeling of squeeze as he states, ‘‘There was a level of pressure to fit in. I knew the role would be important to the storyline but you know, it’s all great! The cast is great, it makes it easier to integrate myself.’’ And he did it brilliantly.

Before joining How to Get Away with Murder though, Rome’s breakthrough role was Zende Forrester Dominguez on CBS’s soap opera The Bold and the Beautiful, that he has embodied for more than two years.

His portrayal of Zende even earned him the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Younger Actor in a Drama Series in 2018.

Rome remains grateful for this experience which shaped the actor he is today. ‘‘It taught me a lot. I learnt to accept my flaws and to analyze myself on a different way because the show aired everyday. It almost felt like I had a chance, everyday, to do it again. I had to really stay grounded,’’ he

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responds while being asked about The Bold and The Beautiful.

To get back to his multiple interests mentioned above, Rome is one to watch musically speaking. But it is too soon to expect anything concrete because he’s committed to focusing on one thing at a time. ‘‘It’s a struggle because I enjoy all those things. I still play basketball, I still sing, I still play guitar. To me, it’s important to focus on one thing and be good at that one thing before moving on to something else.’’ Nevertheless for those who enjoyed his cover of ‘‘Someone Like You’’ posted on his Instagram account, don’t despair! He still wishes to focus more on music, and not just covers. ‘‘I write my own songs, my own music. I’ve been doing music as long as I’ve been doing acting,’’ Rome tells before unexpectedly revealing that when he first put a foot in LA, he was about to appear on The Voice.

Fully aware of the instability that a career in acting involves, Rome is already set for the next step. ‘‘I’m ready for whatever God will bring me next,’’ he tells. When tackling his vision of his career’s future, Rome explains his ambitious will to share untold stories while following the footsteps of his inspirations previously mentioned. ‘‘At a certain point, I want to follow a career like the ones of Viola Davis or Tyler Perry.

Telling stories that I feel like are important to tell that reflect the world around me, that’s what I’m working forward to do. When I’m working on a show or a movie, I have that in mind because I know that if I work hard enough, I can be in this position to tell stories that won’t be told.’’ Rome makes it his responsibility and intends to make this vision a reality.

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Kimiko Glenn

Words by Jasmine Perrier Styling by Jenn Rosado Hair by Li Murillo

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Photos by Tyler Nevitt

Makeup by Gianpaolo Ceciliato Location Cara Vision Studio

(left) Top Joie Jacket Off-White Tights ASOS Shoes Stuart Weitzman (right) Top Equipment Jacket Off-White Tights ASOS Shoes Stuart Weitzman

F

rom her Broadway debut in Sara Bareilles’ musical Waitress to her breakout role on Netflix’s award-winning Orange Is the New Black, Kimiko Glenn has a few tricks up her sleeve.

Over the last few years, the 29-year-old actress from Phoenix, Arizona, has worked on some of stage and screen’s most notable productions. Some of Kimiko’s latest accomplishments include YouTube Premium’s Liza On Demand, which won best comedy at the Streamy Awards, and animated superhero film Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse which dominated this year’s awards season, earning the prize for Best Animated Film at the Oscars, Golden Globes, and Baftas, just to name a few. ‘‘It’s really cool and honestly, not surprising. It’s surprising in a way, but at the same time not. Because when you watch it, it’s such a great movie,’’ Kimiko Glenn reports on the successful animated extension of the Spider-Man franchise.

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‘‘ My evolution has been more of a personal evolution. I’m growing as a person and all my experiences from then until now have led up to the person I am now’’

‘‘When I was a kid, I had a lot of extra energy. I really loved imitating people, and especially singers. It was mainly Celine Dion that got me into it because I was imitating her accent,’’ Kimiko recalls, laughing. After her dad suggested to put this energy into the artistic field, she auditioned for a musical in a children’s theater. When it came time to apply for colleges, Kimiko felt she was destined to be a performer. ‘‘It was one of those things where I got in and I didn’t think twice about it. I kept doing it and kept auditioning for the next show, and the next show, and the next show, because I was having so much fun,’’ she adds. ‘‘On stage I was able to step into someone else’s shoes, and do stuff that I thought I’d never do. It allowed me to express myself in that way. I found that really helpful, and I gained a lot of confidence. I think my evolution has been more of a personal evolution. I’m growing as a person and all my experiences from then until now have led up to the person I am now.’’

Initially, Kimiko admits she didn’t expect to do TV and film. ‘‘I thought that some TV actors were separate from theater actors,’’ she mentions. Nevertheless the actress who is now based in New York City has become a familiar face of the industry through her multiple on-screen roles leading her to explore a wide range of worlds. ‘‘They all have been life-changing in some ways because I take away something from every experience. And every experience has its own challenges, and its own amazing moments in it,’’ she assumes. ‘‘Artistically, I really took away a lot from this show that I did back in 2012 called Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots. The storyline was this girl

Yoshimi finding out she has cancer. In sequences you see her fighting the cancer physically. It was such a beautiful show and a beautiful message. When I walked away every night doing that show, I felt like I had moved someone. I thought that was pretty life-changing.’’

Along with her projects in front of the camera and on stage, Kimiko is renowned for her voice work, lending her voice to Netflix’s BoJack Horseman, DuckTales, and Voltron: Legendary Defender, among others. ‘‘I always knew that I had a unique voice, so I’m so glad I have this little thing going with the voice industry because I feel like it’s everything I would want to do,’’ she says. Nevertheless, Kimiko reveals that voicing Peni Parker in the highly critically acclaimed Spider-Man: Into The Spiderverse was a new experience for her. ‘‘It was a bit different than some of the other projects I’ve worked on for animation. We did a lot of improv in the booth. A lot of the time you have to stick to the script, and I really felt that they loved when I’d kind of veer from the script which was very playful.’’

Shortly after the movie release, viewers were curious to know more about Kimiko’s high-spirited character Peni Parker and her high-tech robot companion, SP//dr, and we can only hope to have more stories with them. Represented in a manga style, Kimiko didn’t know how her character would turn out until she saw the end product at the premiere in Los Angeles. ‘‘The whole time, my boyfriend and I were sitting next to each other, and we were like: ‘Oh my gosh, this is amazing, this is everything I’ve ever wanted in a movie.’ The whole thing

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‘‘ When I was a kid I didn’t have many role models. The person I looked up to mainly was probably Lea Salonga’’

as an experience, it goes by so quick,’’ she outlines. Introducing a plethora of diverse characters and thoughtful messages, Sony’s film changed the game at a time when the lack of diversity in Hollywood is pointed out. ‘‘More than anything, what I’m most proud of with this film is how it preached something without preaching. It was saying something, but it wasn’t trying to be political and extra diverse in any way. It was a beautiful message and it left you feeling empowered, and excited, and inspired, like you could do anything. I think that was the coolest take away from this film.’’

Born to a Japanese mother and a dad of German-Scottish-Irish descent, Kimiko praises the recent approaches to Asian-American representation on film as a major step forward for the industry, hoping that younger Asian girls will see they don’t have to go by standard to follow their hearts and dreams. ‘‘When I was a kid I didn’t have many role models. The person I looked up to mainly was probably Lea Salonga who is this beautiful Broadway star who starred in Miss Saigon as the lead role,’’ Kimiko states. She considers the success of Crazy Rich Asians and Netflix’s To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before as a positive turn toward representation onscreen for Asian-American stories. ‘‘It’s funny because the people I’m starting to admire in the business are maybe younger

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than me. I loved Awkwafina, I feel like if I’d have watched her as a kid, I’d be freaking out. And then the fact that Lana Condor starred in To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before, that felt so groundbreaking to me because I had never experienced a romantic comedy from the perspective of a young Asian girl. These things would have been super valuable for me as a kid and as an adult, I obviously look up to them for the fact that they were able to break those boundaries, and change some history. ’’ ‘‘My end goal is to just live probably in a remote place, in a nice big house with a lot of animals,’’ she replies when asking where she envisions herself in the future.

As far as the industry goes, Kimiko is eager to continue doing what she loves, including more indie movies. ‘‘I have done some already and I love the freedom, I love the playfulness on indie sets. Sometimes when you don’t have like a gigantic budget, your boundaries become your freedom in a way and creativity comes out of your limitation in a way,’’ she tells. Next up for Kimiko is Elise Duran’s Can You Keep A Secret?, a romantic comedy based on Sophie Kinsella’s novel, and an animation she says she has been working on for years. ‘‘I think it’s gonna be really funny, just based off of what I’ve been doing in the booth.’’

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Danielle

Rose Russell Words by Jasmine Perrier Photos by Valheria Rocha Assisted by Nikka Duarte Styling by Brandon Johnson Makeup by Chandler West Hair by Jordy Pope Special thanks McKenzie Mann

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t just 19 years old, Danielle Rose Russell has a resume that rivals those twice her age in the industry. Hailing from New Jersey, she started her acting career in film, playing alongside notable Hollywood figures such as Liam Neeson, Rachel McAdams or Julia Roberts, which gave her a solid base to tackle the next steps of her journey in the industry. Starring as Hope Mikaelson on The CW’s fantasy drama series The Originals and its spin-off Legacies, which she considers as one of the most incredible highlights of her career, Danielle has become a name people quickly began to recognize.

‘‘ I’m very fortunate to say that I’ve been through a lot of challenges, just by being in this industry’’

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‘‘ Everything in the last two years has really happened because of happy accidents’’

The actress whose both parents are performers found her passion for performing pretty early, and it was clear for her that it was what she was born to do. ‘‘My dad was a singer and my mom was a dancer, so neither of them were really actors. But it was really amazing having parents that were in the business simply because they were able to navigate me,’’ she says.

Feeling fortunate to have been exposed to the arts at a very young age, Danielle started out in prints and commercials. ‘‘I’ve trained for two or four years actually. I auditioned for film and TV projects, and I really fell in love with it. I fell in love with getting to do actual material, like promoting a new toy or something,’’ she laughs. ‘‘But when I booked my first film, when I was fifteen, which was called A Walk Among the Tombstones, something inside of me just knew this is what I want to do for the rest of my life. I just fell more and more in love with it ever since that job, and every single day I do this.’’

Whereas Danielle’s career was mainly focused on films, landing the role of Hope Mikaelson on The Originals and Legacies was a brand new adventure for her.

Since both series have The Vampire Diaries

as their parent show, it is not surprising to notice that fans kept following the supernatural adventures taking place in the fantasy world led by executive producer Julie Plec. Being suddenly exposed to this massive fandom was overwhelming for Danielle though. ‘‘When I first got this role, I did not know what I was getting myself into,’’ she tells. ‘‘It took me a couple years to really feel comfortable, but I learnt a little while ago that people are gonna love you and people are gonna hate you. And that’s just how the public eye works.’’ Apart from being a vampire-werewolf hybrid and direct descendant of the Original vampire family, The Mikaelsons, Danielle’s character is also a witch and therefore the world’s first tribrid. ‘‘I fell in love with the character.’’

When The Originals aired its final season last year, Danielle was announced to reprise her role as Hope Mikaelson in the latest spin-off in the popular CW franchise, Legacies, introducing the story of the next generation of supernatural beings at The Salvatore Boarding School for the Young and Gifted, aiming at teaching and nurturing young vampires, werewolves and witches. ‘‘Everything in the last two years has really happened because of happy accidents, in my opinion,’’ she says.

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‘‘ I’m learning so much about the industry, and about myself through this experience. I’ve gotten to do things that no one my age has gotten to do, and only a handful of people ever will’’

Between The Originals and Legacies, Danielle got to explore Hope’s new script and enjoys getting the chance to work for several years with her unpredictable character who never ceases to surprise her. ‘‘I get to create memories of this character every single day, and I’m constantly learning more about her. So being able to be in her shoes for several years really allows me to do justice to the character. I don’t think that every single character needs to have several years of exploration, but a character like this one definitely does.’’

In addition to that, Danielle appreciates getting to represent a strong female protagonist in the series. During the first season of Legacies, viewers were able to catch a glimpse of Hope’s personal growth, seeing her dealing with her grief and getting her own love story, which was rewarding for Danielle to play. ‘‘I think we have done a really good job at exploring a lot of different things this last season, and even on The Originals. We displayed her pain, we displayed her struggle with herself, we displayed a little bit of her romantic side, and even her badass wonder woman side,’’ she articulates.

While Legacies earned a second season, Danielle explains she would like to keep exploring Hope’s journey of finding herself and finding happiness in the world that she is living in. ‘‘I’d love to see Hope in more normal circumstances. I’d love to see her happy for a minute, because as hilarious as that sounds, I’d love to continue to play

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romantic Hope and continue to watch her grow into a young woman, because she is seventeen, making mistakes and learning a lot about life and about herself.’’

Close to her castmates as well, she feels fortunate enough to work with people she describes as a wonderful cast. ‘‘I’m very happy here with this group of people, and very lucky. I think that developing relationships outside of work is important.

We have a group of people who are very talented and who really care about what they do.’’

There is no doubt that the last two years have changed Danielle’s life who feels grateful for her journey of growth. ‘‘I’ve got a lot busier, and I get to do what I love. I’m learning so much about the industry, and about myself through this experience. I’ve gotten to do things that no one my age has gotten to do, and only a handful of people ever will. I don’t take that lightly,’’ she says, before adding, ‘‘But I don’t think it has changed my life personally. I’m fortunate enough to have a good group of people who are supportive and loving, and I think that’s super important. And I don’t even live in LA, I try to stay very disconnected from industry, industry, industry, and even in my social media, I’m pretty private. I’m trying to stay as cautious and wary as I can.’’

Outside of her acting career, Danielle hopes to spend more time traveling. ‘‘I wanna be able to travel personally, and with friends, family, and just enjoy that.’’

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Apart from being excited for her fans to see what she has got in store for them with Legacies, Danielle would like to focus on circling back to her roots and get back into film work, after she is done with the series. ‘‘I’d love to do another TV show down the road. I love this one that I’m in right now, and it has been super fun, but I definitely want to explore the other side with my career that I started in. But I would eventually love to do theater as well, and explore that side.’’

‘‘ It took me a couple years to really feel comfortable, but I learnt a little while ago that people are gonna love you and people are gonna hate you. And that’s just how the public eye works’’

Looking forward at the rest of 2019, Danielle is committed to using her voice and platform a lot more for the greater good, maintaining she is very passionate about inspiring young people. ‘‘I feel like I’ve done a really good job at keeping my privacy and keeping my personal life super private from the public eye, and I definitely still work to continue that,’’ she says. ‘‘But I do want my followers to get to know me a little bit more. I’m very fortunate to have young people following me from all over the world and that’s why I want to use that platform. I’m very excited to pursue this year and accomplish some very important goals!’’

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‘‘ I really want to

focus on circling back to my roots and I really want to get back into film work, after I’m done with the series’’

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Gavin Leatherwood Words by Thilda Riou Photos by Raul Romo Styling by Wilford Lenov Grooming by Marley Gonzales Location Courtesy of Fay Ftouni at Klik Studio

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‘‘A year ago, I was just a guy who wanted to be an actor and had no idea how to really get there’’

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f you have already binge-watched Netflix’s Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, you may recognize Gavin Leatherwood for his recurring role as Nicholas Scratch. At 24 years old, the actor is working his way up into the acting industry and has definitely a brilliant journey ahead of him. With genuine kindness and passion, he shared some thoughts with us over the phone.

Diving into imaginative worlds is something that Gavin has enjoyed doing since he was little. At that time, the simple joy of playing different characters with his best friend during recess at school had already sparked something in him. ‘‘It was just so fun to get lost in that imagination,’’ he mentions. Growing up around theater, his first professional play was at only 6 years old. ‘‘The opportunity to kind of start was a fairly easy transition, since my family was involved in it all.’’

Being a part of that first play was really exciting for him. ‘‘I remember having that same joy that I had on the playground during recess, except it was with adults,’’ he says. ‘‘They were playing in this same imaginary world, just like me, and they believed in it as much as I did.’’ When he got older and realized that he could be an actor for the rest of his life, he knew that this was what he wanted to do.

Gavin couldn’t be more grateful for what theater taught him. ‘‘You rehearse for weeks and then you perform live in front of people. But when you are doing television, you get multiple takes out of certain scenes,’’ he explains on how the process differs. He also shares with us a great piece of advice that he was once told: ‘‘First time, every time.’’ It meant that every time you perform something, you have to do it as if it is the first time.

Back in October 2018, the actor took the industry by storm with his role in Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. Even though the series is based on the Archie comic book and the original series Sabrina the teenage witch, this production is much darker. ‘‘I remember seeing Sabrina the teenage witch on television when I was younger, but I really became aware of this universe when I auditioned,’’ he recalls.

At first, he went for the role of Harvey Kinkle (Ross Lynch), but was booked later for the part of Nicholas Scratch. ‘‘I did some research when I was auditioning and I noticed that the series was very dark and that it was not Sabrina the teenage witch,’’ Gavin says. ‘‘I think that they did a really good job landing the comic book version with some of the past series comedic elements, and merging the two.’’

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In the show, Nicholas Scratch is a warlock and a student at the witch academy that Sabrina Spellman (Kiernan Shipka) attends. However, Nicholas is a new character specifically created for the Netflix series, which impacts the way the actor portrays him. ‘‘It creates a great sense of liberty,’’ he explains. ‘‘I looked him up and I think that he existed in a comic book series with the Fantastic Four, as this sort of evil character. I thought that this was really interesting and I try to include some of those elements. It’s a lot of fun trying to figure out where Nick exists in this universe!’’

Nicholas Scratch is for sure a multilayer character, and Gavin gives us probably the most accurate description of him: ‘‘A dark, edgy badass with a really big, sensitive, soft heart.’’ The actor definitely enjoys portraying those both sides. ‘‘It’s really fun to play with all these different elements and to find moments where he let those layers shine through.’’

‘‘They are partners in crime,’’ he mentions while talking about Nicholas’ relationship with Sabrina. According to him, Nicholas sees a lot of potential in Sabrina and helps her get familiar with the witch world. ‘‘I love that they are this dynamic duo.’’ As for how their bond will evolve, Gavin invites us to wait and see.

The atmosphere on set seems to be great as well. Being all good friends, the cast is always hanging out and having great discussions. ‘‘Typically, the day starts with smiles and ends up with smiles, just maybe a little bit more exhausted,’’ Gavin laughs. ‘‘It’s such a good energy on set. And I think that who you work with really makes the job what it is.’’

Chilling Adventures of Sabrina will return on April 5 and has already been

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renewed for parts 3 and 4. The actor has learned a lot by being a part of this project so far, including how to take care of himself. ‘‘It’s valuing sleep and eating properly, keeping the body in shape. It’s all really important.’’ In addition to that, he feels extremely lucky to be working on the show. ‘‘Continuing playing in this universe is such a beautiful blessing,’’ he expresses.

Moving forward, Gavin has a head full of dreams. ‘‘I would love to direct and write, that’s something that has been on my mind.’’ The actor also shares with us his recurring dream of working with Ryan Gosling. ‘‘I don’t know why,’’ he laughs. ‘‘But I keep having dreams of running lines and seating in a tent with him. That would be pretty damn cool to work with him one day, I’ve always been a big fan of his work.’’

As far as the biggest challenge he had to face throughout his career is concerned, he mentions his experience of starting out as an actor. ‘‘I was on the verge of getting another job because I was a struggling artist,’’ he recalls. ‘‘The beginning part is probably the hardest part.’’ Therefore, reading books, surrounding himself with people who inspire him and having a great sense of where he comes from has helped him stay motivated.

When asking about his ultimate goal in life, Gavin instantly answers: ‘‘Just to spread love and joy, truly.’’ Among other things, he tries to achieve that by posting recurring videos on Instagram where he reflects on different subjects. ‘‘I just felt that the platform was calling for something that was a bit more connected to the audience, and maybe more personal,’’ he says. ‘‘So I had this idea to start sharing my own thoughts, my own philosophy and how I got to this place in life.’’

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As it is something that he would have loved to see on social media when he was younger, the actor is driven by the idea to inspire his fans to follow their dreams. ‘‘I care about how people are receiving what I’m putting out and I really want to make an impact in some way,’’ he tells. In addition to that, Gavin shares with us a piece of life advice that he loves. ‘‘Remain curious! I really think that’s an important part of life that we should never lose sight of.’’

‘‘A year ago, I was just a guy who wanted to be an actor and had no idea how to really get there,’’ he expresses as our chat is coming to an end. ‘‘Now I’m able to live my dream because I kept believing in it. I think it is so important that if you have a dream, you have to honor that and chase it. Anything is possible. I just want people to know that.’’

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‘‘ Now I’m able to live my dream because I kept believing in it. If you have a dream, you have to honor that and chase it. Anything is possible. I just want people to know that’’

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‘‘ I care about how people are

receiving what I’m putting out and I really want to make an impact in some way’’

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Emeraude

Toubia Words by Jasmine Perrier

Photos by Allegra Messina

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hen Emeraude Toubia decided to make the move to Los Angeles to pursue her artistic dreams, she would certainly have never thought that her life would radically change shortly after. With her breakout role as the bold demon hunters Isabelle Lightwood on Freeform’s Shadowhunters, the 30-year-old actress has left her mark on Hollywood and won the heart of the audience with her passion and kindness. Three seasons and more than fifty episodes later, Emeraude closed the ‘‘Shadowhunters’’ chapter while taking away a loyal family and happy memories from it. Moving on to the next stage of her career, Emeraude is interested in showing everyone that she is versatile and can do different things.

‘‘ It’s like a dream come true. I guess I was pretty lucky but it was a lot of hard work and I’m very focused’’

Born in Canada to a Mexican mother and a Lebanese father, Emeraude was raised in Texas with a multicultural heritage which taught her a sense of acceptance. ‘‘I feel pretty lucky to have the Middle Eastern and Mexican culture in my veins. It has just opened my eyes, to accept everyone as they are, and appreciate them as they are,’’ she says. Emeraude actually discovered acting when she competed in a beauty reality show. ‘‘It was like America’s Next Top Model, but for Spanish-speaking people in the US. I got cast in it and I made first runner-up. They would give us acting classes, and I just fell in love with acting,’’ she reveals.

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‘‘ I have a big platform now, where I feel I have to be a positive influence for everyone that looks up to me. I think that is really important and I’m fortunate enough to have that’’

Becoming a well-known face amongst the Latin community, she did a couple of Spanish soap operas in Miami before figuring she would try the City of Angels to break into the English market.

Three months later, she was announced to star in the television adaption of The Mortal Instruments book series by Cassandra Clare, Shadowhunters. ‘‘It was like a dream come true. It takes years for some people here. I guess I was pretty lucky but it was a lot of hard work and I’m very focused. I’m always training.’’

When she auditioned for Shadowhunters, Emeraude explains she was not at a level she could choose what project she wanted to pick. When her agents sent her the script, she just went in, hoping that the producers would see her as the right person for the role. ‘‘It was a long process,’’ she recalls. At the time, she was not aware of Cassandra Clare’s book series and therefore she wasn’t familiar with the Shadow World either. ‘‘I tend to not search so much before I audition because I don’t want to get too emotionally involved,’’ she specifies. It wasn’t until she was a trending topic worldwide after they announced she got cast, that Emeraude realized how massive the fanbase was. ‘‘I booked my first show and I was one of the lead characters.

Now having the show and the massive fanbase, I couldn’t ask for anything else.’’

From day one, Shadowhunters received a warm welcome and got an incredible start. Fans of the show immediately responded to the character of Isabelle from her first appearance. ‘‘I truly

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feel so blessed and the show wouldn’t be what it is without the fans,’’ she outlines.

In addition to highlighting empowered and independent female roles on television, the series promoted diverse characters who all have their own stories.

While Isabelle wasn’t initially written for a Latina, Emeraude felt a responsibility towards the girls looking up to her, to portray her character and send out a good and positive image to whoever follows her. ‘‘I think it’s a huge moment, right now in Hollywood. We are not only playing these stereotypical types. It’s great because I’m basically playing like a Latina superhero. It’s okay to play certain characters but not just those characters. We can do so much more,’’ she states. ‘‘I have a big platform now, where I feel I have to be a positive influence for everyone that looks up to me. I think that is really important and I’m fortunate enough to have that.’’

More than once throughout the series, Emeraude proved that she was as daring and determined as her character.

To shoot Shadowhunters, Emeraude had to move temporarily to Toronto, which led her to be constantly challenged. ‘‘The first challenge was being away from my family, and not feeling their warmth,’’ she indicates. ‘‘Secondly, shooting in Toronto in freezing weather, that’s an obstacle. Sometimes you’re not wearing too much clothes and you have to work. We sometimes shoot 16-hours days. It’s long, but you have to look impeccable on camera, you have to deliver what the scene is asking.’’

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Thankfully, Emeraude could rely on her co-workers who became some of her closest friends. ‘‘Most of us were pretty new, that was really nice — learning from each and everyone of them. They are all so great on camera. We would have our dinners during the weekend. It was very nice to have all these different types of ethnic background, and culture, to see how we are all so different but yet got along so well. Harry once brought his mom, she cooked Chinese food for us.’’

Over the seasons, we saw Isabelle being a passionate warrior fighting demons in high heels with a lot of confidence, who is also willing to risk her life to save her brother Alec (Matthew Daddario) and the people she loves. ‘‘I love Isabelle so much. She shows so much strength, and she is selfless. Having Isabelle Lightwood be selfless is one of the things I love most about her,’’ Emeraude notes. ‘‘That’s something I want to learn from her. Girls in general can be a little vain. We care about how our makeup looks, how our body looks, how our skin looks and sometimes there is so much more than just that. It’s about being kind, being grateful.

There is other things in life that we need to worry about, and be compassionate about.’’

When thinking about the greatest thing she took away from her journey in Shadowhunters, Emeraude first mentions the fans. ‘‘Thanks to the show and thanks to them, I’ve been able to travel and I’ve been able to meet them, in Paris, in Italy, Brazil, and Argentina... I feel so accessible with Twitter, Instagram, and now with these conventions. It’s so amazing that they can meet their favorite characters,’’ she says. ‘‘It’s crazy the family they made amongst themselves because of the show, and the way they speak out, and fight for what they believe in. That shows the country is moving forward, we all have a voice and we have the right to use our voice.’’ Secondly, she is grateful for her character’s friends. ‘‘That’s something I’m always gonna take with me. I think everyone should have the friends that Isabelle has: Clary and Simon, Alec, Magnus, and Luke. That’s one of the things that I’m gonna cherish.’’

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As for Emeraude’s best part about Shadowhunters’ final episodes, ‘‘This answer is Sizzy,’’ she says immediately to no one’s surprise. Fans have indeed always showed their interest in seeing a romantic storyline between Simon (Alberto Rosende) and Isabelle, which is the only one that hasn’t been official on the show, despite the two characters’ deep bond that got stronger. At the same time with the show coming to an end, Emeraude feels a lot more pressure on her now. ‘‘You don’t know what you are going to do next week, you are constantly living day by day.’’ Anyhow, Emeraude’s next goal would be to play in a film. ‘‘I’d love to star next to Leonardo DiCaprio, Ryan Gosling,’’ she laughs. ‘‘I just want to make sure that the roles that I take on are significant, and have an impact on people’s life.’’

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‘‘ There is a lot more

pressure on me now that the show is coming to an end’’

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