Rival Magazine Issue 4 Sept 2020

Letter from the Editor Here we are Rival Family, dropping Issue 4 during the craziest year of our lives, who’d have guessed eh?!

First off, I must shout my Rival Team’s greatness from the rooftops and beyond. As you look through every page of Rival, you are looking at a piece of our hearts. Every issue is crafted by the TOP talents in Hollywood and each artist pours 110% into every shoot we do.

Secondly, I need to thank this incredible family we are building here. I say it time and time again, Rival has the best fans on the planet and I’m so grateful that you all are here.

Thank you for supporting our art, our mission to bring representation to Hollywood, our charity raffles- in which we have raised over $1800.00 this year due to your help! Thank you for participating in our challenges, giveaways, and for following our social media accounts.

Kindness is a ripple effect and we are so proud to be causing waves in Hollywood.

Let’s drench this town in soul, color and culture!

XoXo Heather Koepp Graphic Designer Liat Halmos Cinthya Carmona

Logan Riley

Reed Horstmann

Molly Evensen

Ashley Romans

Eloise Mumford

Rachel Mason

Adam Irigoyen

Interview: Ashley Dawson Photographer: Heather Koepp Wardrobe: Enrique Melendez Make Up Artist: Nicquel Hair Stylist: Juel Bergholm Location: Old Hollywood Rustic

Interview: Sandy Aziz Photographer: Heather Koepp Wardrobe: Jazmine Duncan Make Up Artist: Juel Bergholm Hair Stylist: Juel Bergholm Location: The Urban Jungle Studios

Interview: Ashley Dawson Photographer: Heather Koepp Wardrobe: Nikko Panti Make Up Artist: Stirling Gill Hair Stylist: Suzy Balderas Location: The Chromacabana

Interview: Kimber London Photographer: Heather Koepp Wardrobe: Kylee Jackson Make Up Artist: Teresa Ammons Hair Stylist: Teresa Ammons Location: Old Hollywood Rustic

Interview: Adinah Bolden Photographer: Heather Koepp Wardrobe: Alannah Jones Make Up Artist: Juel Bergholm Hair Stylist: Juel Bergholm Location: The Urban Jungle Studios

Interview: Sandy Aziz Photographer: Heather Koepp Wardrobe: Heather Koepp Grooming: Suzy Balderas

Interview: Sandy Aziz Photographer: Heather Koepp Wardrobe: Courtney Welch Grooming: Juel Bergholm

Interview: Sandy Aziz Photographer: Heather Koepp Wardrobe: Gabriela Tena Make Up Artist: Natalie Malchev Hair Stylist: Susy Balderas

TABLE OF CONTENTS

02...........Letter from the Editor 04...........Logan Riley 20...........Ashley Romans 32...........Cinthya Carmona 48...........Reed Horstmann 62...........Eloise Mumford 76...........Rachel Mason 90............Molly Evensen 104.........Adam Irigoyen

LOGAN RILEY

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Dress: Retrofete Shoes: Stylist’s own Earrings: Stylist’s own

“I’ll meditate on kindness until I become it, effortless and true. I’ll practice love, until I know nothing but giving it. Until I leak it without ever noticing.”

From Childhood Dreams to Movie Screens

By Kimber London “I’ll meditate on kindness until I become it, effortless and true. I’ll practice love, until I know nothing but giving it. Until I leak it without ever noticing.” That’s Logan Riley’s favorite quote and one that describes the young star perfectly.

Professional dancer turned actor, Logan Riley has shows like Modern Family, Fuller House, The Prom and more on her resume and shares with RIVAL her experience on those sets, growing up in the industry, and challenges she overcame along the way.

Logan’s career began at a young age when she started dancing professionally, which nurtured her love for the performing arts. Her childhood dream was to be on stage or in front of the camera. “I first got into acting around 11 years old and fell in love with it immediately,” Logan reminisces. “I was already dancing professionally in the industry so getting started in acting just happened naturally. I’ve always known I wanted to perform and acting opened up even more opportunities for me to do so.”

And from the beginning, Logan was already booking major productions.

“Modern Family was incredible!” she recalls,

“it was also my first acting job and I couldn’t have asked for a better experience. It solidified how much I knew I wanted more of that exact feeling I had while on set.”

Logan has roots in Iowa where she grew up and her love for acting evolved. “I am so grateful to have had such a grounded beginning there. I still remember in grade school our Character Counts and Pillars of Community programs.

I took them very seriously! That has absolutely influenced me as a person today to try to do and be my best every day.”

Despite Logan’s early successes she didn’t always have it easy growing up.

“A challenge I’ve faced and still do today is mental health.

I have always been one to pretend like everything is ok. I have pushed concerns to the side before as if they weren’t important or I wasn’t allowed to feel those things. But by doing this, it caused a build-up of depression and anxiety. How I feel I have overcome it so far is by practicing self-love and asking for help if I need it. Being aware and in touch with my emotions has made me a stronger person. It is a different experience for everyone but I think it’s important to know that experiencing mental

Top: Alice + Olivia Skirt: Cinq A Sept Shoes: Stylist’s own Earrings: Stylist’s own

Dress: Topshop Shoes: Stylist’s own Earrings: Stylist’s own health issues is normal and you shouldn’t be afraid to put yourself first or ask for help.”

Logan says it was her mom who inspired and supported her throughout. “Without question I could not have done this without my mom,” she gushes. “She believed in me from the very beginning and knew I was meant for this path. If I would question myself or career, she would always remind me that I’m right where I am supposed to be. As well as my manager, Meghan Schumacher. My agents at Coast to Coast. And acting coach, Tate Hanyok. They have all been a part of my journey since I was 12 and I wouldn’t be here without them.”

Logan feels lucky to be living her dream now having starred in blockbuster titles such as Netflix’s continuation of ABC’s Full House, Fuller House.

“Fuller House was filled with so much love and fun every week. It was a similar experience [to Modern Family] in the way that both casts have been in the industry for so long. There was always so much to learn from them. Both shows also have such a close family energy. As soon as you get on set they welcomed you and made you feel so comfortable.”

Logan’s latest film The Prom, a Ryan Murphy adaptation of the 2018 broadway production, is set to premiere on Netflix over the holidays. It hasn’t been the easiest year for film crews and The Prom production was no exception. Logan mentions that the cast were nearly in post production when the quarantines started. “Unfortunately The Prom was affected as many sets were. We only had two days

of filming left before production was shut down” she explains. “The unknown of what was going to happen was the hardest part but fortunately we were able to get back and finish the movie safely. I do think there are going to be many changes in the future but I look forward to working again and will be happy to adapt to the new protocols.”

However, she managed to have an unforgettable experience despite the setbacks. “This experience was beyond what I could have imagined. Until I went through this process I had no idea how many layers of love for this industry I would gain. My love for working with this entire cast and crew was so special. It was also an opportunity to use so many of my talents in one project.”

When we asked about her favorite experience on set Logan went into detail about the musical numbers on The Prom. “The energy and excitement from everyone was such a surreal feeling. As well as all of our moments off set or in between takes with the cast. Keegan-Michael Key gave us like a full acting class and a ton of advice just on life and our careers. I had to write it all down so I wouldn’t forget! The message of acceptance in the film is something this movie demonstrates in such a great way. Honestly, Ryan Murphy was someone I always wanted to work with and want to continue to work with. I love the diversity of all of his projects and the worlds he creates on screen are so beautiful and recognizable in the best way possible. He really trusts his cast and crew which creates a bond I appreciate and hope to get that experience again. He really brought together such a wonderful energy from this cast that I can’t wait for fans to see!”

“I have always been typecast as the ‘popular mean girl.’ As much fun as it is to play, I couldn’t be further from it as I was homeschooled in high school and am actually somewhat shy and quiet. I am excited to show my depth in different roles in the future so that ‘type’ can just be one of the roles I played and not something I’m defined by.”

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Logan’s career is red hot and given the opportunity she reveals what she would love to do next. “My dream role would be either to play a Disney princess or a superhero. Very different, I know! But those were the roles and women I looked up to when I was younger. I loved how both those type of roles have this sense of magic behind them and make you feel empowered like you can do anything.”

However, she finds herself getting cast in a particular role.

“I have always been typecast as the ‘popular mean girl.’ As much fun as it is to play, I couldn’t be further from it as I was homeschooled in high school and am actually somewhat shy and quiet. I am excited to show my depth in different roles in the future so that ‘type’ can just be one of the roles I played and not something I’m defined by.”

When it comes to future career goals, Logan has big dreams. “I have so many goals and marks I would like to make in my career. I would love to be a part of the Marvel Universe one day as well as be part of an indie film that goes on to win an Oscar. My goal overall is just to do projects that are challenging and make me happy. I am just at the beginning but I plan to keep moving forward with this career as it is everything I love to do.”

Logan encourages others to follow their heart when it comes to chasing big dreams.

“I think like everybody else who has a dream you have moments where you feel challenged.

You also have moments where you feel like all the stars are aligned. But at the end of the day during those challenging moments I have never wanted to give up on this dream. It’s those moments where I dig deep inside myself for inspiration to keep my head and heart focused.”

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Skirt: ALC Socks: & Other Stories Bra: Stylist’s own Shoes: Stylist’s own Earrings: Stylist’s own

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“My goal overall is just to do projects that are challenging and make me happy. I am just at the beginning but I plan to keep moving forward with this career as it is everything I love to do.�

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Jumpsuit: MTSZ Earrings: Mystic Cutie

ASHLEY

ROMANS

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Dress: Sophia Nubes Earrings: Forever 21

Dress: Sophia Nubes Earrings: Forever 21

Ashley Romans

by Adinah Bolden

A budding star in young Hollywood with countless credits under her belt, Ashley Romans is making a name for herself and discussing her illustrious and groundbreaking roles with Adinah Bolden from RivalMag. Whether portraying the iconic Hermoine Granger or a detective for the supernatural, Ashley is a perfect embodiment of Black Girl Magic.

You portrayed the renowned character Hermonie Granger in the web series Hermoine Granger and the Quarter Life Crisis. What was it like reimagining this character for the show?

AR: Super special and teaching experience. We were blessed with such a fun cast and crew that worked hard and really long shoot days. I value that experience because it was the first time I was asked and expected to show up as the #1 on the call sheet and I finally have some semblance of the level of responsibility that comes with that position. My favorite memory is this one shoot weekend we had where the episode happened entirely at night, so we shot overnight and left early the next morning. Moral was high the entire time.

Emma Watson brought Hermoine to life on the big screen, but talk of a “Black Hermoine” buzzed through the Internet after

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decisions in London theaters and decade’s worth of stunning fan art. Was the decision to make Hermoine Black deliberate or was the casting color blind for the webseries? How do you feel being a part of this elite group of Black Hermoines?

AR: Yup, Hollywood fed us the default of three cute white kids as the story’s hero trio and as a collective we never questioned it. We so accepted the default whiteness that anything that veers from that default is considered inherently groundbreaking, which it is.

Yes, the decision to center a Black Hermione in the series was intentional and deliberate. The show runner/ creator Eliyannah Yisrael grew up an avid reader and fan of the Harry Potter books just as I did. When she originally read the books, before the first film had come out, she envisioned Hermione to look somewhat like herself. Understanding so, because Hermione Granger is described as having frizzy,

untamable dark hair, brown eyes, and protruding teeth, but more often is defined by her intellect and devotion to her friends. She is also outspoken and questions authority. That sounds like a good amount of Black girls I knew in grade school, myself included. I recall in the fourth book; Hermione attends the school ball and she straightens her hair and everyone marvels at her beauty.

I’m sure a lot of black girls/ curly haired girls have had that experience. The racism Hermione suffers throughout the series also made me think she was some kind of brown.

Her enemies refer to her as “mudblood” which is the Wizarding world’s equivalent of a racial slur. Hermione leads the protest in the abolition of House elves and slavery. This could all be Black Girl Magic.

I feel honored to have had the chance to play Hermione but it truly makes me sad that in a franchise like Harry Potter, cast in the diverse city of London and the UK, there were not more opportunities for young children of color to see themselves represented as more than supporting characters. I’m glad the media is moving toward centering stories around historically marginalized people and that brilliant content creators such as Michaela Coel, Ramy Youssef, Issa Rae and Eliyannah Yisrael exist to teach and entertain us.

Congrats on the renewal of NOS4A2 and your promotion to series regular! How has the fan response been for the latest season so far—

including the shocking revelation of an infamous character in the season finale?

AR: Thank you! NOS4A2 has been an awesome ride. Our fans are a devoted and mighty bunch and strong creatives in their own sense. I feel lucky to originate a literary character such as Tabitha Hutter who is so nobel and badass. We get a lot of fan art which is really cool. The season finale just aired so I’m not going to share any spoilers just in case someone hasn’t seen it but check it out!

Your IMDB lists many short films. What’s your favorite part about working on shorts? How do they differ from featurefilms and television series?

AR: A few of the shorts I did were student and independent films which I loved working on because I get to learn alongside of a bunch of other people who are also learning and growing. There’s less fear of messing up or pressure to be perfect because that’s not what the environment is demanding. Short film environments mostly require patience, curiosity, and willingness to explore.

A feature film or network television set is different because the expectation is that you are already a professional. Professionals on these sets have been working for season after season on the same show and the whole thing runs like this well-oiled machine. Inevitably, overtime the novelty of it all lets out and it

can feel like “doing a job.”

All the same I try to bring my best self to every opportunity. l want to keep the curiosity and humility of a student film and discipline and efficiency of a high budget feature. Across the board, film professionals’ value and trust consistency, integrity, and quality of work.

How’ve you been staying sane during the quarantine?

AR: TV Shows! Podcasts!

Journaling! Exercise! Therapy!

Not necessarily in this order. Follow the joy wherever it is.

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Jumpsuit: MTSZ Earrings: Mystic Cutie

Blazer: Sophia Nunes White Shirt: ASOS Pants: Fashion NOVA

I know you play the keyboard in a jazz band! How does performing music with the band differ from (or compare to) performing on a stage or onscreen?

AR: I would say playing jazz in a band is like acting on stage. The listening, teamwork, riffing, and necessary presence are remarkably similar. I would say a stage performance requires more stamina, but nonetheless live performance as a whole requires similar energies. In any live performance when the other person talking or playing their instrument, you have to be on your toes ready to hop in, listening, assisting anyway you can.

However, acting onscreen feels quite different. On a day shoot, I could be sitting in my trailer waiting to be called to shoot my scene while my costar is giving the performance of her life on

the soundstage across the lot. Onscreen acting can be a very lonely and isolating craft. But the magic and craftsmanship happen when one can find connection in a very distracting environment, or a sense of privacy on a very populated film set.

Any future projects on the horizon that you’re excited about?

AR: I sure do have some exciting stuff coming up!

Keep your eyes and ears peeled.

You can keep up with Ashley by following her on instagram and Twitter. Be sure to binge the latest season of NOS4A2 on the shudder app or amc. com. And keep an eye out for this rising star whose future projects will surely leave us charmed.

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Cinthya Carmona

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Dress: Ezgi Cinar Earrings: Misahara Ring: German Kabirski Shoes: Chinese Laundry

“I have such an incredible feeling of gratitude. We all worked so hard on this movie and to know that people really felt it was such a gift. To anyone reading this who watched our movie - thank you!�

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Dress: Zhivago Shoes: TwelveAM Co Earrings: German Kabirski

Cinthya Carmona Powerhouse on the Rise

by Ashley Dawson

Cinthya Carmona is a powerhouse of talent, ambition, courage, and passion that is matched only by her drive to see the biggest screens in Hollywood filled with iconic LatinX actors and performers. The Colombian and Venezuelan, Miami-raised actress has starred in globally recognized projects like Netflix’s The Greenhouse Academy and this year’s breakout summer film, The Tax Collector starring Shia LaBeouf, and has no intention of stopping in 2021. Rival editors had the chance to sit down with Cinthya over tacos this summer to discuss her career and her plans for the rest of 2020, and the actress, of course, did not disappoint.

Carmona was, of course, a natural actress at heart right from the beginning. She says that she was always a performer as a kid, “whether it was dancing, singing, or putting on plays in the garage for the neighborhood.” The actress was always expressing herself artistically as a child, and at the age of seventeen she took an acting workshop, which is when it hit her; this was going to be her career. “Two years later I was on my way to Los Angeles,” she says.” This major move would lead her to a life of entertainment and starring in some of the biggest roles with the biggest names that the industry has to offer.

Granted, that trip to LA didn’t come without hardships. Carmona comes from a religious family and experienced an upbringing that looked at artistic careers as “out of the question.” “It was always like, ‘there’s Cinthya being crazy again,’” she says, “so, when I told my family I was going to pursue acting professionally, they focused on fear and doubt and how dangerous it was.” Cinthya says that her family didn’t want her to go on auditions because they didn’t want her to get any “ideas,” and that following a life in the entertainment industry was a struggle. “I was really fortunate to have Godparents, Mariela and Carlos Bornacelli, who believed in me from day one and pushed me

to follow my dreams,” she says, “and after a while my parents realized that I was going to do what I wanted anyway, and now they’re my biggest cheerleaders.” It’s a stark contrast from their original outlook of fear and doubt; now Carmona’s parents watch all of her work and give her feedback on her roles. “It’s amazing,” Carmona states, “I have a very tight, close-knit group of friends and family, and they are really solid people that keep me grounded. I feel like they all knew I would do this before I even realized it myself.”

Now, a lot of the passion and dedication to her craft and hard work comes from a spark within Carmona that can never be diminished. “I’m such a proud immigrant and proud daughter of immigrants,” the actress tells us, “and I watched my mother and father work their assess off to give us a great life and a solid education.” She says she’ll never forget her parents working two jobs while knowing little to no English when her family first moved to Miami. “No matter what, no matter how tired or scared they were, they always instilled hard work in us kids,” Cinthya states, “and my mother always said ‘You have to work really hard and be the best at whatever you do.’” So, when Carmona attacks her career and her life, she keeps that voice and example in her head at all times:

“That’s the immigrant mentality, and I want to take this time to really acknowledge the incredible contributions that immigrants have made to this nation. I’m so grateful to my parents for their brave choice to leave everything behind and make it in America.”

That brave choice lead to a life in an industry that Cinthya had always dreamed of, and that immigrant mentality is what pushes her forward every day to do and be her best. “If you know me personally, you know I represent where I’m from hard,” the actress says of her Colombian

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and Venezuelan heritage. “I’m in love with my people, the culture, the music, the food, the passion, the warmth, the fierceness,” she says warmly, “and I carry it in my blood. It’s who I am, so everything I do is influenced by my heritage and ancestors.”

as he runs the streets of Los Angeles. Carmona’s role as his wife, Alexis Cuevas, holds down the fort at home and tends to get involved in the dangerous antics of her husband’s career. “The film takes place over two days in the Cuevas’ life,” Cinthya says, “but you can see moments of Alexis just taking care of things and the people she loves, With all of this history and heritage driving because that’s what she does. She holds it down.” her forward, Cinthya managed to make acting Carmona says that she and her character are very and entertainment her full time job and career similar in many ways and completely different in after years of hard work and training. “I remember others – loyalty, Familia, strength, courage, and watching J. Lo as a little girl in Selena,” she says, heart tie them together. “and that’s when I knew I wanted to do exactly that.” That movie rocked her soul as a child, and

And as for her famous costars and as an adult she’s gone on to star in major shows their time together on set? Cinthya says that the and films like Netflix’s The Greenhouse Academy entire cast bonded on set and was very close, and and 2020’s breakout film The Tax Collector. When that Shia LaBeouf really took the time to champion asked how she landed her lead role in the latter, each and every one of them: Carmona goes into a history of the audition “I’ll never forget the things I learned from process and what lead up to filming. “Originally, I him.

One time, when I asked him how actors was going to work with our director David Ayer on another project that was just as cool,” she says, handle the blues they get after a project is over, “but it fell through. He said he wanted to work on he read me the Dr. Seuss poem called, “Oh the something else together, and one day I thought places you’ll go.” I cried, like, ugly sobbed, and I was meeting him for lunch at his office, but he I’m sure that freaked him out – but it was such surprised me with some of the cast instead.” This a beautiful moment.” surprise meeting lead to her getting the role in the film, and working with huge stars like Shia Of course, something that is strikingly LaBeouf, George Lopez, and Lana Parilla. obvious about the cast itself is how representative of the LatinX community it is, and how diverse its

The film, which has gotten critical range of talent onscreen is. A mission that’s close acclaim since its release on August seventh, to Cinthya’s heart is assuring centers around a gang tax collector and his family

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that Hollywood and the film industry continues to broaden its range of talent and shows more and more diverse roles and people of color in their projects. Representation matters, and for Carmona, the LatinX community is at the heart and center of the industry. “LatinX lead films and shows are the move,” the actress states, “and we can carry projects – and audiences respond positively to it. So tell me why LatinX only holds four to six percent representation in front of and behind the camera?” Cinthya says that diversity is “being able to see many different faces and colors on screen telling human stories,” and that we need to do away with the stereotypes that we are all too familiar with.

“The industry needs to be hiring more people of color and be open to telling the stories that fall outside of the box that we have been put in for years.”

As a final note to the iconic film and its success, Carmona tells Rival editors about the drive-in release experience the cast had due to COVID-19. “Normally we would have had a very intimate premier with press and a fancy red carpet,” she says, “but we didn’t get that and

honestly, I’m grateful for it.” She says that the cast had the chance to have a huge drive-in premier in a theater in LA with thousands of people, friends, and family gathering to watch the movie for the first time safely; she says the cast couldn’t have asked for a better experience. Within days the film was rated the number one movie in the country, and Carmona had this to say to the fans:

“I have such an incredible feeling of gratitude. We all worked so hard on this movie and to know that people really felt it was such a gift.

To anyone reading this who watched our movie thank you!”

In addition to The Tax Collector, Carmona is also widely known for her recurring role, Sophia Cardona, in Netflix’s original series The Greenhouse Academy. When asked about the show and her character, Cinthya gushes her gratitude for the entire GHA family, and in particular their showrunner Giora Chamizer. “We got to reach so many incredible fans from all over the world,” she says, “and gratitude doesn’t even begin to cover it.” She says that her character, Sophia, is a multifaceted and strong teenage girl that she’s been incredibly happy to play.

“Sophie is the captain of the Eagles, she’s an aspiring journalist, the cheerleading captain, and one of the most ambitious people you’ll meet at only seventeen years old,” Cinthya says.

“She’s Colombian American, and throughout the four seasons we really get to see her evolve into this fully dimensional, strong, flawed and layered human being. She’s got a heart of gold; god I loved playing her so much!”

lifestyle.” She says that she gained a little bit of weight, watched too much TV, and didn’t work out like she normally does, but that when she looks back on her summer she was happy. “This is not an easy time for anyone so we need to be gentler with ourselves; I speak to my therapist every week, and am doing a ton of meditation and yoga,” she says. Carmona also says she hasn’t been able to film during the pandemic, but has been focusing on some really creative social media work and distance shoots that she is excited to bring to life.

As for the rest of 2020 and 2021? Cinthya has some big projects lined up that she can’t reveal too much information about, but does mention For our last question for Cinthya, we wanted her work on a beautiful film highlighting the life of to take it deep into the important social movement Colombian graffiti artist Israel Reefa Hernandez that is Black Lives Matter, and the wave of outrage called Reefa. over racial injustice that swept the country over the summer. Cinthya is very vocal online about Of course, no conversation is complete the movement and has posted ways to stay active these days without touching on the global and vigilant on her social media – so when asked elephant in the room; the COVID-19 pandemic. if she had any closing statements for readers she Rival editors asked Cinthya to tell us more about offered us this: how she’s been coping with the pandemic, working, and staying healthy during this time of “Opal said it best: ‘The Black Lives quarantine and heightened social tension. “I have Matter movement is a testament that courage is to be one hundred percent honest,” the actress contagious.’ With that being said: ARREST THE says, “the first few months in quarantine were COPS THAT KILLED BREONNA TAYLOR.” strange because I live such a fast-paced and active

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“Opal said it best: ‘The Black Lives Matter movement is a testament that courage is contagious.’ With that being said: ARREST THE COPS THAT KILLED BREONNA TAYLOR.”

What is your favorite role you’ve ever played?

Alexis Cuevas in The Tax Collector Who is your favorite actor/actress?

Too many to name but if I had to pick two: Robert De Niro and Juliette Lewis What is your favorite color?

Emerald Green What is your favorite brand of clothing?

BLANKA the Label What is your favorite food?

Thai What is your current favorite Netflix show to binge?

Even though it’s an AMC show, I just binged all of Breaking Bad on Netflix.

What is your favorite movie?

Girl, Interrupted

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Reed Horstmann

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Shirt: Raga Man (IG @theragaman) Pants: Vintage Shoes: Vintage Sunglasses: Ray-Ban (IG @rayban)

Shirt: Raga Man (IG @theragaman) Pants: Vintage Shoes: Vintage Sunglasses: Ray-Ban (IG @rayban)

“The more hours of practice you put in, the better you will be down the line.”

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Rival’s Reed Feed Your Guide to all Things Reed Horstmann

by Sandy Aziz “Hello ladies” – Reed Horstmann is here.

next to them and ask about the car [because] I love learning about them, watching races, and From giving us the details on his character, I’ve [even] tried getting some experience tuning Stick, in The Expanding Universe of Ashley up cars.” Hop in, as we learn more about Reed’s Garcia to talking about his love of film, cars, and favorites. rock music: this is your guide to all things Reed Horstmann.

The actor loves music and, specifically, rock music. “I was raised on the bands of the past A Denver-native, Reed considers Colorado that my parents grew up on,” starts Reed. “Now, to be home. LA, however, is Reed’s second home I’m constantly on the search for new bands for the and where he spends a lot of his time filming. The next generation… guys like Greta Van Fleet and actor’s passion for acting and film also translates The Black Keyes are the groups with sounds that I off-screen. “To me, film is the end all be all of where dig so much,” Reed continues. It is fitting then that I want to be,” says Reed.

Reed is also passionate about the guitar. “There are times playing can be a stressful process, but When Reed isn’t acting and wants to wind it’s all in the long game,” says Reed. In fact, the down, he turns to his trusty companion: video actor’s own guitar mantra is “the more hours of games. “Sometimes I’ll call my manager, feeling practice you put in, the better you will be down pressure from work, and he’ll say, ‘dude go play the line.” some video games and take your mind off of it, you do your best work when you’re relaxed’ - works Even among many passions, and probably every time,” laughs Reed. Amongst his video game in similar manner to rest of us, Reed tells Rival roaster, you will find cult-classics: Mortal Kombat that a recent challenge has been self-isolation and Street Fighter. And that isn’t all. Something during the pandemic lockdown. “At first it was fans may not know about Reed? He is a huge car difficult because of schooling at home, but now I fanatic, with a genuine love of old, classic cars. His miss it because then I had something to do,” Reed family even owns a 1929 Ford Model A that they chuckles. “At this point, the challenge is finding recently fine-tuned. “Things like that make you ways to stay entertained and ways I can grow as a appreciate the machine,” shares Reed. “Anytime person at this time.”

I’m driving, and I see a cool car, I always pull up

Thankfully, we have an entire new season of The Expanding Universe of Ashley Garcia to watch that just came out called Ashley Garcia: Genius in Love. Initially, Reed got involved in the show through a standard self-tape home audition.

Once it was time to visit Netflix HQ, Reed says, “it was a super scary experience - not only because this was my first time at the Netflix HQ, but it was also one of my first ever screen tests.” That feeling didn’t last long, however according to Reed. “While there, I met the people that would eventually become my castmates for the show. I thought that if I book this, these are the people I want to work with. Fortunately, that came to fruition.”

of roles Reed hopes to pursue, he tells Rival, “I’ve always had hopes to be in a western-style project.

Also, the inner nerd in me is saying [I would love to be part of] X-men or something like that.” Either one sounds like something Stick fans would fully support and definitely something worth watching.

Meanwhile, despite COVID halting a lot of work lately, Reed is still keeping busy. “I’m always studying acting and practicing at home to get better,” Reed explains. “I’ve been working on my musicianship and songwriting [too] with a group of guys that I am working on starting a band with.

Plus, I’ve been preparing for my senior year of high school.”

Reed’s character on both parts of the show, Stick, happens to be the favorite of many fans. But what does Reed think of Stick? “It’s funny, at first, I didn’t really relate to Stick,” says Reed. “However, I liked his wit and his self-deprecating humor.”

Exactly the reasons many fans find Stick to be charming in all his own devices! “As Stick began to evolve as a character,” continues Reed, “I began to relate to him so much more. He’s got so much going on beneath the surface and we see that through his arc on the show.” We couldn’t agree more. And Reed describes Stick in a few words perfectly, “[Stick is] ever-growing, loyal, a true friend, and awkward in all the best ways.”

Speaking of The Expanding Universe of Ashley Garcia and Ashley Garcia: Genius in Love, Reed says, “[the cast is] extremely talented, caring, and just downright awesome people.” All of which translates onscreen. Though Reed’s first acting role was a background character in a Robert Reford movie on Netflix, the actor has come a long way to his first major project in The Expanding Universe of Ashley Garcia. “This is my first major project and working with [this cast] just made it easy,” explains Reed. “We all connected so much, it was a blessing that it went so well, and everyone was always willing to help me when I had questions.” In asking for more details about what happened behind the scenes, Reed even shares a funny memory with Rival. “One day my co-star Bella decided that she and I were going to play darts instead of doing school [and] she almost hit me a few times by accident but that’s what made it fun,” Reed reminisces.

As far as what is to come for Reed, the actor would love to work with Keanu Reeves and would also be happy to continue to gain any and all experience in the industry. In terms of the types

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Currently binge-watching: “All Umbrella Academy all the time. I started it like a year ago but got caught up in work. During quarantine, I fell back into it, and my brother and I watch it every day.

I’m a bit of a comic book guy too, so it appeals to my tastes.”

Favorite food: “French fries. Nuff said.”

Favorite movie: “It’s hard to say since I love so many. The two that come to mind immediately, though, are Scott Pilgrim vs. The World and Speed Racer.”

Favorite place to visit in the world (so far): “So far, I would say Kauai. I’ve been a few times, and each trip gets better and better. It’s such a pretty place that appeals to the little adventure junkie in me. I tried surfing there for the first time...absolutely mindblowing.”

Favorite quotable quote from a role you have had: “I’d say the famous Stick line ‘hello ladies’ would be my favorite. The reason why is people will recognize me or my friends will see me and that’s how they greet me now. It’s like a running joke. They like to personalize it though, whether that’s with a tip of the hat or bow as they say the line. Everyone does it differently, it’s really funny to see.”

Follow Reed @Reedhorstmaan.

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“I’ve always had hopes to be in a western-style project. Also, the inner nerd in me is saying [I would love to be part of] X-men or something like that.”

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Eloise Mumford

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“I want to play women who are complex and full of juxtapositions, who reflect the reality of what it is to be a woman in this world. Fierce and vulnerable, broken and grounded, smart and lost.�

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Eloise Mumford

Rival confirms Eloise Mumford is passionate about all the right stuff in life

by Sandy Aziz “I want to play women who are complex and full of juxtapositions, who reflect the reality of what it is to be a woman in this world. Fierce and vulnerable, smart and lost, broken and grounded.”

We have been thinking the exact same thing, but it was Eloise Mumford who unpacked this so perfectly when we were at a loss for the perfect words.

You’ve certainly heard of Eloise Mumford.

The talented actress played the best friend, Kate, in the notorious Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy. But it is extremely evident that Mumford didn’t take her role as the best friend lightly because she actually passionately believes the role was a “love letter to female friendships.” And, more generally, she believes firsthand in the importance of the power of these friendships. “I can’t tell you how much I have leaned on my female friends in my life: they are my longest relationships by far, other than my family, and will continue to be the bedrock of my life forever,” Mumford elaborates. If this is what it means, quick, someone cast us as the best friend in this film called life! Further, even beyond female friendships, Mumford tells Rival, “I want to be surrounded by people who challenge me, who push me further, and who inspire me with their art and humanity.” Again, we couldn’t have said it better ourselves.

The actress grew up in Olympia, Washington until moving to New York City to attend university. After graduation, Mumford reveals she relocated to LA, though she is constantly moving around, and she loves the nomadic lifestyle that accompanies being an actress. “Getting to set up camp wherever the job is, and through that, learn[ing] that part of the world more intimately?

It is one of my favorite things about being union.” Is it too early to nominate a candidate for an actress,” says Mumford. “A big part of the 2024? In any case, Mumford leaves us all with this [nomadic life] is making wherever you are ‘home.’” public service announcement: “Please make sure that you’re registered to vote and have a voting In our efforts to become Mumford’s best plan! You can google it, but an easy place to check friend, she reveals nuances about herself such is iwillvote.com.” as the fact that she doesn’t eat citrus and that she has been binge-watching “I May Destroy You” lately (and highly recommends it!). Recently, Mumford has fallen in love with pottery. “I found a pottery studio where I have spent so much of my free time (not recently because of the pandemic, but as soon as I can be back in there I will!). It’s so incredible to get your hands messy, and to see how practice makes better (definitely not perfect yet!) with time and energy spent,” Mumford shares. Even revealing all these things, something fans may not know about Mumford? She once considered becoming a doctor. “I’m really glad I ended up where I am now, but there’s always a part of my brain that wonders what life would have been if I had become a doctor,” says Mumford.

Especially given the current pandemic, Mumford continues, “these days, I wish I was a scientist: watching the race to find a vaccine for COVID-19 has me wishing I was one of those scientists, working day and night to figure it out.”

But we believe that even without being a doctor or scientist, Mumford is doing her part to give back to the community in other ways. “We are all facing the greatest collective challenge of our lives right now, with both the pandemic and the long overdue, incredibly important surge towards a more socially just world with the BLM movement,” shares Mumford. It is fitting then that one of her many passions and ways to give back to the community is through voting. “I know it can feel like you’re only one person, so how much of a difference can one vote make, but that is how the future is created - one vote at a time. We are all just one vote, and collectively that is how every decision is made,” explains Mumford. Her passion speaks volumes, and she sheds an important awareness on the power of voting. “It’s so empowering to educate yourself about the candidates and issues ahead of time - and you get to keep that knowledge and empowerment long after you cast your vote.”

Even more admirable? Mumford plans to pass these things to the future generation. “I don’t have kids yet, but I want to – and I want to do everything I can now to help create a future for this country that I would be proud to pass on to them: clean air, clean water, equal rights, good education, and a continued, constant quest towards a more perfect

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Rival confirms that Mumford (EM) is already passionate about all the right stuff in life, but we also wanted all the good stuff on her latest role in “THE RIGHT STUFF” in her own words: You will be playing the female lead in “THE RIGHT STUFF”. How exciting! How did you get involved in the show?

EM: I auditioned for Trudy wearing my grandmother’s dress - I was incredibly nervous because after reading the script I realized how special this project was, and I fell in love with Trudy so deeply. I just wanted to do her justice. The dress was old and silk and I tore the armpits of it out somehow during the audition. I don’t even know how- but it was worth it! When I got the call that I got the part, I was at a restaurant and burst out in tears. I just felt so grateful to get to go on this journey.

Your character is Trudy Cooper. How are you similar and different to Trudy in real life?

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EM: I spent the whole-time during filming just trying to live up to Trudy. In so many ways, she was born before her time: she was an incredible pilot but lived during a time where her opportunities were severely limited in that field because she was a woman. And yet, if it weren’t for women like her, pushing boundaries of what was accepted and allowed at the time, fiercely fighting for a better future with more opportunities for her daughters and the next generation, we would never have made the progress we have made as a society towards gender equality. We still have a long way to go, but we stand on the shoulders of women like Trudy Cooper who were determined to fly higher. I hope that I can be as brave in my own life as Trudy was in standing up to discrimination and fighting for a better future.

More specifically, how would you describe Trudy in just three words?

EM: Fierce, pilot, mother.

In this show, you are starring alongside Patrick J. Adams, Jake McDorman, James Lafferty and more. Did you know any of them before the show and what was it like working with them?

EM: I only knew of them, and how lucky I am to have gotten to work with them and now call them my friends! We hit the jackpot with this cast - from the first week of work, it was clear this was a group of people madly in love with this project, deeply committed to doing the story justice, and just plain wonderful humans on top of all of that. It’s a pretty special thing to feel like you’re surrounded by people who push you to do your best work, by the very nature of how good they are, and then to also want to hang out with them after work too. I think how much we all loved each other shows up on screen too: we were all in it together, in the best way.

We understand Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Davisson are the show’s executive producers.

What was it like working with them and working on this important, historically charged period drama?

EM: It feels like a dream come true to get to work for Appian way and Leo and Jennifer. I’ve long loved what they produce, so I just keep pinching myself. And on top of that, THE RIGHT STUFF is in itself an institution of American culture. It’s a joy to feel their passion for getting this right - down to every single detail.

We simply cannot wait to see Mumford bring the Trudy Cooper role to life in the show. Until then, we wanted to know who else in the industry Mumford would like to work with in the future. “Reed Morano, Michaela Coel, Ava DuVernay, Phoebe Waller-Bridge,” lists Mumford, “[and] there are so many fierce women making spectacular art right now…and getting to be where the magic is happening is exactly where I want to be.” Once again, Mumford says and believes in all the right stuff!

For more on Eloise Mumford, follow her @eloise.mumford and be sure to look out for her in “THE RIGHT STUFF” premiering on Disney+ in early October.

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“We are all facing the greatest collective challenge of our lives right now, with both the pandemic and the long overdue, incredibly important surge towards a more socially just world with the BLM movement�

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RACHEL MASON

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Rachel Mason’s Grand Circus How one artist and director is paying homage to her parent’s sex shop legacy

by Ashley Dawson Very rarely in this life do we come across artists so powerful, unique, and prolific that they change our entire outlook on the norms of our existence. We live on a single plane, stuck in our individual point of view, and tunnel vision our way through our days as we check to-do’s and tasks off our lists in a familiar pattern. But here, in the safe space of the Rival pages, exists an artist who has the power to challenge all of that. Rachel Mason, the writer and director behind the new Netflix original documentary, Circus of Books, brings to life the magic of her parent’s gay bookstore in the streets of LA in the 1980’s. In a time when being a member of the LGBTQ community was looked down upon, and there was certainly no open access to gay reading or pornographic materials, the little sex shop on the corner challenged society in a way that would become legend.

As a child, Rachel tells us that she was fairly sheltered from the store. “I was brought up like almost any other middle class Jewish kid might be,” the artist says, “with high achieving aspirations from my mom. I only got little glimpses of the store, but I was always completely fascinated by the cadre of beautiful men going in and out.” Those beautiful men were the patrons of LA’s notorious Circus of Books bookstore, owned

by Rachel’s parents, Karen and Barry Mason. The

store, which was originally expected to be a quick sideline from their careers, eventually led to them becoming the largest distributors of gay porn in the US in the 1980’s. With this reputation came a full immersion into the LGBTQ community, and as Rachel grew older and into her own identity, she became more and more aware of the store’s impact.

“I hung out with punky kids who were into all things gay, queer, cult film, iconoclastic atypical, and sexual,” she says, “so, naturally, we would end up at the store – and the fact that my parents owned it was super cool.”

She and her brothers moved into the film sector as adults, and Rachel eventually began to realize she had more than just a story in her bones to write; she had a film to make. “I always knew I needed to make this film, but I wasn’t setting out to become a mainstream director,” Rachel says. She had settled into a comfortable career as an artist, and wasn’t looking to go viral, but to simply do things her own way. But, after a few collaborative efforts, her brainchild swiftly started to pull itself together, and Circus of Books was born. “Cynthia Childs joined me first to

produce and co-direct,” Rachel tells Rival editors, “and halfway through us working together I ended up taking over the completion of the film and post production with my powerhouse editor, Kathryn Robson.” The team wound up producing a gorgeous documentary about the life and legacy of her parent’s store, and its importance to the gay community of that decade; it went on to open up the renowned Outfest Film Festival in 2019, and is now a frontrunner for this year’s Oscars.

store’s history, seeing as many young gay men used the store and its products as a means to escape the dangers of the world they existed in.

“That time is such a painful horror and what I most wanted to do was capture the moment through the images of young, gay adult models who died,” Rachel says. She obtained the images from a preeminent gay porn reviewer, Mickey Skee, who provided the photos of men that he knew who had passed. These individuals were villainized by a society that did not accept who they were, and “I love that you just called it an Oscar’s the store became a safe haven for those looking to frontrunner,” Rachel says, “because these practice sexual freedom without the threat of the awards are all so mystifying to me. I never AIDs crisis:

pursued the idea of being considered for them, but for a film about the porn industry to be a frontrunner is really so astonishing.” Circus of Books was also nominated for an Emmy, and Rachel says that her first reaction to getting the news from her rep at Netflix was, “huh?”

She wasn’t aware that the announcements were coming out, and was caught off guard because she didn’t have clarity on what that fully meant. “The gravity hit me as I started to get a flood of messages about it on social media,” the director says, “but the first person I officially told was my grandmother, because I was on the phone with her when I saw the text come in. It was so rewarding to tell her, because she was really scared about me making a film about my parent’s store.”

Rachel says that the film had to be made, though. Her parents were always working in obscurity as the unsung heroes of the adult industry, specifically for the gay community, and that it was important to her to immortalize that because they existed in such a precarious space:

“They existed at a time when there were so few people willing to stick their necks out for the LGBTQ community, when the community was at most need. I do think this film coming out at the time of COVID-19 is just so coincidental, because the film is set during the height of the AIDs crisis, which was the Coronavirus for the gays, but worse, because society vilified the people who got sick.”

The AIDs crisis that the nation went through in the 1980’s is a focal point in the film, and in the

“I was told that gay porn was a lifeline for many during the AIDs epidemic. These were young guys that wanted to experience sex, and they turned to porn as a substitute, in some cases for unsafe sex. But, in a more general sense, our culture denied all forms of gay erotica to people. So, just the most basic visualization of homosexual love, hardcore sex notwithstanding, was completely not a thing.

So porn was vital, and it gave many people a sense that they simply were not alone in their desires, which were vilified at the time.”

Of course, this denial of erotica and sexual freedom is not limited to the LGBTQ community alone.

There is a clear grey line between the separation of church and state that our country was founded on, and sex workers in all fields and walks of life are denied basic rights every day due to their chosen, legal profession. “People who work in the sex industry are discriminated against to this day,” Rachel says, “and in fact the COVID relief payout specifically denied people who work in this area to be granted access to government funds.”

These tax paying, American citizens are not being treated equally under the law, simply because of the legal job they perform in our society. “And if that isn’t discrimination, I don’t know what is,” the artist says.

Rachel continues on to say that people need to look at sex workers like they’d look at any other type of work. It’s a job, and it’s a job that not many people could do or want to do. “They are adults over the age of eighteen, which is a basic requirement that is adhered to strictly,” she says, “and the reason they are being discriminated against is because we have a religious underpinning to our society, and we need to be reminded that church and state were designed separate for a reason.”

Indeed, Rachel believes that the religious bias against sex deserves to be reexamined, and that many religions have been actively changing their feelings about LGBTQ people and sex work, and should continue to.

“Those friends, those public figures on social media, the artists, the writers, and also the things in the world like nature; the things that bring us joy are what we should focus on.”

You can visit the bookstore today in LA under new ownership, the infamous director and drag diva Chi Chi LaRue. LaRue opened the shop on Santa Monica Boulevard and kept the name Circus as homage to the landmark store Rachel’s parents once owned.

As for how far society has come today to be accepting and inclusive of the gay and queer community? Rachel acknowledges that society has clearly become more accepting, but that as a whole we have a long way to go. “There are still many, many hurdles, including in this country,” she states, “where we have laws that make discriminating against LGBTQ people possible in the workplace and in family life.” She says that LGBTQ people can still be killed in a handful of countries, and in many parts of the world it remains very difficult to be LGBTQ even if it’s not outright illegal.

Of course, the elephant in the room for this year is the global COVID-19 pandemic. Rachel says that during the pandemic and global shut down she’s been working from home on a number of projects in addition to the film. “I am actively brainstorming the upcoming interviews I need to do, and am thinking of all possible workarounds, including taking one of my projects from the realm of visual and developing it first as a podcast,” she says. Rachel also adds that during this time of fear and heightened political panic, it’s important for everyone to take care of themselves mentally and emotionally. “I think it’s very important to stay above some of the really toxic conversations on social media right now,” the artist says, “and because we are all extremely frayed at the moment, it seems like all forms of bullying are coming to the surface in ways that just feel particularly heightened.”

Rachel says she knows that environment we’re living in in America is unnerving in this moment in history, and that the polar extremes in the upcoming election adds to our tensions, but that it’s best to continue to focus on those people who Top & Pants: Laerke Valum Earrings: Kat Ong bring joy to our lives.

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Instead of favorites, Rachel offers us advice from the mouths of her parents: Barry Mason: Never trust anyone who says “trust me.”

Karen Mason: Always do what’s right for the business. When it comes to anything you’re working on, nothing should ever be personal; it should always be about the work, the project, the business.

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Molly Evensen

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Welcome to mollywood: from TV ads to debut movie features

by Sandy Aziz Green bean casserole, cheese enchiladas, soup, doughnuts, chips…and pickles. These are just a few of Molly Evensen’s favorite foods. “Not eaten in the same meal because that would be weird. I just like food if I’m being honest,” explains Evensen. Speaking of pickles, and in case you didn’t already know, actress Molly Evensen stars alongside the infamous Seth Rogan in HBO Max’s recently released and first original movie, An American Pickle. The comedy-drama is about a Jewish immigrant who falls into a vat of pickles and wakes up in modern-day New York City. In his attempt to fit in, he has a quirky intern, Clara, that helps him become a successful businessman. Rival got all the juicy details from Molly Evensen (ME), aka. Clara: How exciting! You star alongside Seth Rogen in An American Pickle. How did you get involved with this movie?

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ME: Thank you! I’m so excited! It still doesn’t feel real, but it is. Funny enough, I was actually booked out at the time the audition rolled around. I was taking time off for surgery for sinus issues. My agent at the time texted me asking how I was feeling and before I could answer, she sent another text saying I had an audition and that I really needed to go. So, I went to the audition a few days after surgery with big splints in my nose (no one could tell, but I knew they were there) and it went great! I called my parents as soon as I got in my car and said, “I’m going to be shocked if I don’t book this part.” I had never made that sort of statement after an audition before, but I just had a really good feeling. About a month later, I got a call saying I had booked it and the next thing I knew, I was on a flight to Pittsburgh the next day at 4am.

We understand this is your first big feature film. What did you learn and what would you do differently, if anything?

ME: I think the biggest thing I would take away from this experience is the confidence and reassurance I was given that I’m doing exactly what I’m supposed to be doing. I really don’t think there is anything I would do differently. Obviously, each set is different and you need to read the room to see how the team works and adjust accordingly, but overall, I’m very pleased with how that experience went.

Your character is Clara. How are you similar and different to Clara in real life?

ME: Clara is very driven and kind of a boss. I would like to think I’m a boss and that I’m fairly driven as well. On the opposite side of things, I think Clara is afraid of conflict and speaking up or at least has an aversion to it. There’s an instance in the film where if she had kindly corrected her boss and had a conversation explaining modern societal views, a very large conflict could have been avoided. Though, to be fair, I haven’t always differed from Clara in this. I think I’ve gained the confidence and learned how to approach these situations over time. I would like to think Clara just needs to work on this as well and eventually she too will be capable of having constructive conversations.

More specifically, how would you describe Clara in just three words?

ME: Enthusiastic, Driven, Naïve.

What is it like working with Seth Rogen? Any funny stories?

ME: Seth is great! He was very kind and a wonderful scene partner. As far as funny stories go, I like to work on scripts and prep in coffee shops. I set out to find one in Pittsburgh and came across one in a neighborhood called Polish Hill, which I found fitting since his character in the film is an immigrant from Poland. I’m also largely Polish. Upon arrival, I couldn’t tell if the clientele were dressed the way they were for Halloween or if they all just really enjoyed black leather and spikey things. I sat down to work and noticed the man at the table next to me had a baby doll dressed like a nun. He caught me staring so I quickly said, “I like your nun baby.” He answered, “Thanks, I always wanted to be a father.” He then turned the baby’s head to stare at me for the remainder of the time I was there.

I told Seth about this and he advised me to not go back there. Does that count as a funny story? I did get to meet his sweet dog, Zelda, and I recently learned that Zelda and I share a birthday, so that’s pretty cool. We exchanged birthday greetings this year.

Give us your favorite quotable quote from any of the roles you have had recently. Why is this your favorite?

ME: I don’t know if this technically counts as a quote, but one of my friends made a GIF out of my character in the pickle movie mouthing the words “I’m sorry” in the protestor crowd and now the GIF is being passed around. I find that entertaining. I also improvised that part and after doing it once, my director ran over and told me to do it every time.

Evenson’s fun energy is contagious, so of course we wanted to learn more about her beyond her recent role as Clara in this film. On the topic of energy, Evensen even told us that one time she was zapped by lightening through her phone and had to be taken to the ER! “After that, my Spanish teacher called me the girl who lived,” laughs Evensen.

The actress, born and raised in Littleton, Colorado, resides in LA and has been there for over six years now. “I’ll always consider Colorado my home because my family is still there, but I’m very happy in LA and consider it to be a home in a different sort of way,” explains Evensen.

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Evensen has been binge-watching “What We Do in the Shadows” lately. “I love the mocumentary style. Also, Yellowstone. I grew up on Westerns with my dad and I’m really enjoying this modern take on the genre. It’s very well done,” explains Evensen. To those that don’t know, Evensen actually stars in many impressive TV ads. “My first national spot was an ad for Let Go with the Village People. I saw they were listed on the call sheet, but didn’t really believe it would actually be them until I showed up to set and, low and behold, there they were dancing. That was pretty magical,” reminisces Evensen. She also starred in a Dr. Pepper commercial directed by Taika Waititi last year, which she calls a “thoroughly entertaining experience.” Her favorite TV ad appearance, however, was the Crocs campaign alongside John Cena. “[That ad] encourages people to celebrate their unique selves even in the face of adversity.

I wasn’t playing any sort of character, it was just me sharing a personal story and hopefully encouraging others that it’s a beautiful thing to be yourself,” explains Evensen.

That is not all folks! Aside from her TV-binging and impressive TV appearences, when Evensen isn’t working, she plays the piano and ukulele. “My dad and I built a [ukulele] during quarantine, which was a really fun project,” says Evensen. “I feel like [quarantine] is sort of a universal challenge… on a lighter note, I could also say learning the ukulele is a challenge.”

Alongside learning the ukulele, Evensen narrows down the types of acting roles she wants to pursue next to “something a little grittier.” More specifically, Evensen shares, “I love comedy, it’s definitely my forte and it brings me great joy, but I’d love to take on something heavier.” And she hopes to work with more creatives that wear more than one hat in the future. “I’d say Olivia Wilde, Issa Rae, Reese Witherspoon, and Dakota Johnson to name a few. I could also add Joaquin Phoenix, J.K. Simmons and Shia LaBeouf to my list,” declares Evensen.

“I’m currently very focused on a few writing projects and working to have those ready to shoot once it’s safe to open back up,” continues Evensen, “my time is mostly being consumed by a dark musical comedy feature about camping and run ins with backwoods cults. Totally normal stuff.” So, watch this space!

For more on Molly Evensen, follow her @mollyevensen.

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“I’ll always consider Colorado my home because my family is still there, but I’m very happy in LA and consider it to be a home in a different sort of way”

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IRIGOYEN

ADAM

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(Shake it) Up, up and away with Adam Irigoyen

by Sandy Aziz “Sometimes you just got to get out of your own way.” Interviewing Miami-native, Adam Irigoyen is nothing short of uplifting. The actor, singer, rapper, and dancer has been shaking up the entertainment industry since he was 11 years old while reminding us of the importance of never giving up despite the ups and downs.

Over a decade later, Irigoyen’s acting adventures are launching us above and beyond in Netflix’s newest, star-studded drama, “Away”.

To those of us that grew up watching “Shake It Up!”, we know and love Irigoyen from the days he played fan-favorite Deuce on the show alongside costars Zendaya, Bella Thorne, Roshan Fegan and more. Hard to believe the show ended six years ago this year. “It really was a blast,” shares Irigoyen on working with his costars. “We all got super close and I can assure you there was never a dull moment on set! We all have very different lives and schedules now, so we don’t keep in touch as much as I’d like, but I have nothing but love for every single one of them!” For those that don’t know, Deuce is notorious as the confident, resourceful best friend who always brought humor to every situation. Even Irigoyen reminisces of Deuce’s endless contagious energy. “Of all the parts I’ve played, I don’t think anyone has been more quotable than Deuce. All his endless monologues about a guy who knows a guy whose brother’s cousin knows a guy named Cletis,” laughs Irigoyen.

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Deuce wasn’t his first Disney role, however.

Irigoyen revealed his first acting job was a Disney interstitial. “It was back when Disney Channel was doing those “The Time I” stories and I played a kid who scored a soccer ball in the wrong goal during a game,” shares Irigoyen. That was enough to kick things off for the actor, and he even declares that if he wasn’t acting by the age of 11, somehow he still would have found his way to it. “My love for the art and craft [of acting] are so deep and I honestly can’t see myself doing anything else.”

elaborating on this, he told us, “I really got to dive deep into who he was, what was special to him, and what his motivations were throughout the season.” After taking us up, up and away in the details of his new stellar show, Adam Irigoyen (AI) told RIVAL more about his world: Tell us something your fans may not know about you.

AI: I love to cook. I honestly chef it up every single day. When I was really young, I used to watch Irigoyen’s “never give up” attitude is a breath Emeril Lagasse on the Food Network and have my of fresh air in what feels like a vacuum of strange Mom and Grandma teach me whatever they could occurrences this year. “No matter what you do in about the kitchen. One of my dreams has always life there’s always going to be ups and downs, so been to open up my own restaurant. the idea of never giving up and always pushing forward to reach your goals will always stand What do you like to do when you aren’t true,” Irigoyen says with conviction. And his “sky’s working? the limit” attitude is perfect for his latest role in AI: I try to be as adventurous as possible. Doing at the show “Away” which takes us sky high. Irigoyen least one new thing a week! August (my birthday explains, “the show centers around Hilary Swank’s month) was really good to me. I went skydiving character ‘Emma Green’ and a group of astronauts and camping both for the first time! from all over the world who go on the first manned mission to Mars.” The actor continues, What is your favorite place to visit in the world “as the season goes on the story focuses on the so far? relationships between the astronauts and those that they leave back home while on this three- AI: A few years ago, I went on a mission trip to year expedition.” His role in the show is Isaac and Peru and I spent a little over two weeks there and he describes him as “mysterious, protective, and ever since it’s always held a really special place in deliberate.” In fact, Irigoyen reveals his role as my heart.

Isaac has been his favorite role in his acting career so far because the role is “character-driven.” In

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What are you currently binge-watching?

AI: I’m finally getting around to watching “Umbrella Academy” season two! I’ve also been binge watching this new show on Netflix called “AWAY”.

Wink, wink.

Is there anything you want to say to the world right now?

AI: I would say that it’s a crazy time right now, and with everything going on we can’t forget to take care of ourselves. Prioritizing self-care and mental health are always things that should be important.

In times like these, it’s also just as important to educate yourself on the social issues that are affecting the world we live in. Injustice is something that we cannot stand for. Specifically, the murder of unarmed black lives by a system that is inherently broken must come to an abrupt halt.

More generally, is there someone in the industry that you really want to work with?

AI: There are so many talented people in this industry that I hope I get to work with one day.

Someone that comes to mind is Bryan Cranston.

He is one of my all-time favorite actors, and I would love to share the screen with him one day.

What types of roles would you like to see yourself pursing next and why?

AI: Preferably, I’d love for my next role to be something completely different from anything I’ve played before. I love the idea of new challenges and new experiences and doing something I’ve never done on screen before would definitely fall into that category. I never want to be bored with a part, and I always want to challenge myself to reach new heights.

Be sure to watch Adam Irigoyen as Isaac in the Netflix show “Away” and follow him @ adamirigoyen.

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CRAFTED IN HOLLYWOOD