NKD Mag - Issue #94 (April 2019) by NKD Mag

ISSUE #94 - APRIL 2019

by Catherine Powell

GREY DAMON

APRIL 2019 16 JEANINE MASON

04 ALI SKOVBYE

on her linear career + feeling prepared for roswell, new mexico

06 LUKE BAINES

on her character on the passage + her new project, dollface

12 GREY

on joing the orville + her life-changing role on gossip girl

on her new film, breakthrough + her dreams of playing a princess

on the end of shadowhunters + what’s next for him

on “the middle” being nominated for grammys + their future plans

32 GREY DAMON

22 BRIANNE HOWEY

on station 19 + his approach to taking on new roles

24 JESSICA SZOHR

on in the dark + her approach to acting

30 ALEX KINSEY

on the second season of the son + his new movie, ride

42 PERRY MATTFELD 46 SHANE GRAHAM

on his new single, “simple” + pursuing a solo career

CATHERINE POWELL

publisher, editor, photographer, designer, writer

SAMANTHA BAMBINO

HILLARY MAGLIN writer

VANESSA SALLES

writer

OLEVA BERARD

NICOLE MOOREFIELD

LEXI SHANNON

writer

LOUIS OPRISA

OLIVIA SINGH

writer

IAN HAYS writer

writer

ali skovbye Words by VANESSA SALLES Photos by CATHERINE POWELL

If Ali Skovbye isn’t already on your radar, it’s time to change that. Hailing from Vancouver B.C., the 16-yearold actress discovered her passion for the craft at an early age. “I’ve been acting since I was 5-years-old,” she says. “I don’t think there was a specific moment that inspired me to pursue it; my older sister had started acting and since I was the younger sister, I wanted to do everything that she was doing. When I was 12, I landed a role on a movie called One Christmas Eve; I had one of the most amazing times of my life on that shoot and I think that experience really showed me how much I love and care for the craft. I was inspired to keep going!” Set to star in the upcoming feature Breakthrough, alongside Chrissy Metz and Marcel Ruiz, Ali stars as Emma, a loyal and loving friend. “Breakthrough is a true story based off a Joyce Smith’s book,” she explains. “The story is about a 14-year-old boy named John Smith who falls through a frozen lake in Missouri. He’s presumed dead for over an hour but then a miracle happens. The story follows his amazing recovery and his mother’s prayers that bring him back to life. I play Emma, who is one of John’s best friends. While John is in the hospital, Emma helps start fundraisers and make Facebook pages to raise awareness about her friend’s condition.” Guaranteed to make you feel all the feels, Breakthrough

is the must-watch film of the season. Though she loves spending her time on set, the young star always makes sure to find time to live like a regular teenager. “When I’m not busy on a set, I like to hang out with my friends,” she says. “I don’t have days off very often so I like to make the most of them. My friends are my favorite people in the world and no matter how I’m feeling, they can turn any day into a good one. I also love playing volleyball and I love being able to travel. Whenever I have time off, I always try to go somewhere new and explore a different part of the world.” When it comes to her career bucket list, the actress hopes to be able to portray a Disney princess one day. “That’s definitely my ultimate dream role,” she gushes. “Growing up, I loved watching all of the princess movies and my favorites were, and still are, Belle and Ariel. I think it would be the coolest thing ever to get to portray such an important and iconic figure to so many. Playing a princess is definitely high on my list of things I want to accomplish.” Recalling her memorable moments with fans, Ali admits there’s one that stands out the most to her. “One experience I’ve had that I will never forget was when I was at a fan meet up for a TV show that I’m on, When Calls The Heart,” she says. “At the end of every season, we do a meet and greet, which we call ‘The Hearties Family Reunion.’ My character

on the show, Becky, was in a wheelchair for four episodes and a girl came up to me and said that she was in a similar situation at the time and that Becky was able to really help her have the strength and motivation to get better. That was hands down the best I’ve ever heard; I couldn’t even comprehend it. That experience was just so meaningful to me.” An advocate and lover of animals, the starlet hopes to encourage other to show the same compassion. “I absolutely adore all animals,” she says. “I rescued my dog from a shelter in L.A. in September and I love him more than anything. My sister also adopted a dog in L.A. and I think that there are so many dogs and animals in shelters just needing to find a home. If you’re looking to get a dog, go to a shelter. They have a much harder life there than they would at pet shops. The more dogs off the streets and out of shelters, the better!” As for what’s up next for the young star, Ali recently wrapped on the upcoming film, The Corruption of Divine Providence. “The release date is still to be determined,” she reveals. “The movie is about a young 16-year-old, Jeanne Seraphim, who is stigmatic. She gets kidnapped, pregnant, and is left to deal with the harsh realities that her choices have in her small religious town. It was really interesting to bring that character to life so I’m excited for people to be able to watch it all come together.” NKD NKDMAG.COM

luke baines Words by OLIVIA SINGH Photos by CATHERINE POWELL

grey Words by HILLARY MAGLIN Photos by CATHERINE POWELL

Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past year, you’ve probably heard country star Marren Morris’ voice beckoning, “Baby, why don’t you just meet me in the middle?” through your car speakers, at the supermarket, or even on TV commercials. The uber-catchy song titled “The Middle”, like so many pop anthems before it, was utterly inescapable for much of 2018. Not long before that, a synth-heavy track called “Starving”, featuring vocals by Hailee Steinfeld swept pop charts across the globe. But even if you haven’t been living under the proverbial rock, the name Grey may not sound extremely familiar to you. Don’t worry – by the end of 2019, it will. Grey, the duo of brothers responsible for the earworms featuring Maren and Hailee, haven’t been in the music industry long – but in just three years, the music producers, mixers, and songwriters have done more than many artists do in their entire careers. “Starving” quickly became a Top 10 single on the U.S. pop charts in 2016, while “The Middle” soared to No. 1 in multiple countries last year. Grey has writing and producing credits on both tracks. And with their latest single – a collaboration with indie songstress Leon called “Want You Back”, Kyle and

Michael Trewartha are taking the pop, alternative and electronic dance music worlds by storm. And it’s all happening without the brothers having picked up an instrument or sung a single note – though they personally believe that’s becoming less and less necessary for success. “I kind of think of it in the same way I think of band names, like Radiohead,” 23-year-old Michael says. “It’s not just the singer’s name. It’s not just Thom Yorke. They just call it Radiohead, and it’s the band. It’s everyone that’s a part of making the music.” “The other thing,” Kyle, 26, adds, “is that we are playing instruments. The computer is an instrument. Instead of just playing bass or whatever, we’re playing the bass and the drums and the synth and the guitar. Michael and I make up like, five members of a band. So [having our name on our songs] makes sense l think.” “Anyone involved in the process should be given that opportunity to be an artist,” Michael says. The siblings make a good point – over the last ten years, musicians like Calvin Harris, David Guetta and Zedd have become Top 40 artists and household names despite rarely, if ever, singing on their own tracks.

Rather than hopping across the stage guitar in hand, a new wave of entertainers perform their original music from behind DJ booths and computer screens. And people love it. But that’s not to say the Trewarthas don’t know a thing or two about traditional instruments. Both Kyle and Michael were a part of their California high school’s drumline, and Kyle also made a hobby out of playing the guitar as a teenager. “I feel like that was just the phase where we got addicted to music, which led us to eventually produce,” Kyle says. The brothers admit that while their initial interest was in rock and metal, it was electronic dance music’s rising popularity at the start of the decade that convinced them to trade in their drums and guitars for producing equipment. “We were going to raves and deadmau5 was just coming out, and Skrillex and stuff like that,” Michael explains. “It was a new thing and it was just enticing.” It was Kyle who first began experimenting with producing and sound mixing in 2013. Once Michael followed suit, it wasn’t long before the pair started receiving acapella demos, doctoring them up, and transforming into radio smashes. “We’re given the demos, and NKDMAG.COM

jeanine mason Words by SAMANTHA BAMBINO Photos by CATHERINE POWELL

brianne howey Words by OLIVIA SINGH Photos by CATHERINE POWELL

Brianne Howey’s acting journey started in Pasadena, California. In elementary school and junior high, Brianne tried her hand at sports like volleyball, basketball, and tennis, hoping to find her niche. None of them really panned out and it was “time-consuming,” but then she tried out for the improvisational comedy team at Sacred Heart, an all-girls Catholic high school. “I made the team and I kind of finally found something that was working for me,” she recalls. After joining, she heard that an all-boys school was casting for their production of Richard III, so she auditioned. Brianne got a part in the chorus, which consisted of her running down the aisle yelling “treason”, and that “set the ball rolling.” Growing up, Brianne was “blown away” by Julia Roberts’ Oscar-winning performance as the titular character in Erin Brokovich. “I think that was the first time that I kind of put together that acting can be a career,” Brianne says. “I don’t know if I had ever really known. No one in my family is necessarily in the industry, so it wasn’t something I really thought about.” She adds: “I was just very moved. I also had a single mom, so just watching her portray that, it really resonated with me and that movie has always stuck out to me.” After graduating from Sacred Heart, Brianne went to NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. “I knew all throughout high school I wanted to go to college in New York,” Brianne says. “My heart was set and I wasn’t necessarily sold on being an actor at that point. I just knew NYU had a really wonderful acting department. So the plan was sort of, ‘Let’s see if I could get in and then we’ll go from there.’ And then that’s exactly what happened.”

In her freshman year, Brianne started participating in student films (beginning with one titled Suckerpunch), which she describes as “a game-changer.” “You’re working with people your own age, everyone’s on set together, and you learn everything about what the reality of that looks like, like what being on set is like and how to work with other people – and I loved it.” After signing with a management team, Brianne went on her first TV show audition, for 90210. She originally auditioned for “girl in green”, but ended up getting a role as a character named Stacey on Season 3. Following appearances on shows like Revenge, Scream Queens, and The Exorcist, Brianne booked her latest part as Shauna Babcock on Fox’s The Passage. On the show, which premiered in January 2019 and is based on a book trilogy by Justin Cronin, Brianne plays a woman who was on death row for murdering her mother and stepfather. Rather than be executed, she and several other inmates were recruited by Project NOAH. In trying to create a cure for a flu that was killing thousands, the scientists turned Shauna and others into vampires – referred to as “Virals” – with glowing eyes and a thirst for blood. “One of the most interesting things to me about this show is it’s a tragedy that all started as a love story,” Brianne says. “It’s about this man who was just trying to save his wife. She has a terminal illness and that’s something that unfortunately, people can relate to. We all lose people at some point in time, and what lengths you would go to have them back or to save them?” “That’s really how this entire experiment started. And then with the repercussions along the way, the stakes couldn’t be any higher because now all of humanity’s fate is on the line.”

In the books, Brianne’s character is named Giles Babcock. The actress says that getting to play a role that was originally created as a male was “enticing.” She also says that Shauna and Giles possess similar characteristics. “I think they’re both really reactive,” Brianne explains. “I think they were both abused, unfortunately, in their own ways, which kind of led them to have some of the same self-defense mechanisms and surviving throughout their lives to make it where they were. And their relationship with their parents is very similar.” “You get to see Shauna become far more independent than she’s ever been,” Brianne says of her character’s arc on Season 1. “She starts to realize the full extent of what she’s capable of. She starts to realize what she wants, and she takes her agency back because as we see from the flashbacks, with her relationship with her parents, she didn’t have any control. Everything was totally out of her control. She couldn’t trust anybody.” Brianne adds: “Because now these characters can live forever, you play with the immortality a little bit and that is fun. She gets to choose how she wants to spend the rest of her life.” Next, Brianne will be taking on a lighter role on an upcoming Hulu comedy called Dollface, which stars Kat Dennings and Esther Povitsky. “Between Exorcist and this, my last two years have been jam-packed of some really dark, heavy stuff,” Brianne says. “I’m really excited. This is completely different visually and story wise, really mixing it up.” Brianne’s only goal beyond that is to “just keep working.” “So far, everything that has come my way has taught me so much, and if I could just keep doing this forever, that’d be pretty amazing,” she says. NKD NKDMAG.COM

JESSICA SZOHR Words by NICOLE MOOREFIELD Photos by CATHERINE POWELL

ALEX KINSEY Words by LEXI SHANNON Photos by CATHERINE POWELL

“People are really digging authenticity lately.” For Alex Kinsey, authenticity is a key to being successful and happy as an artist. The singer, formerly known as one half of the X Factor winning duo Alex & Sierra, has taken the plunge in releasing his own music under his last name Kinsey. With his debut single “Simple” having been released at the end of February, the music video has amassed over half of a million views in the past month. After the end of the duo, Alex took off on his own, eventually coming to the name “Kinsey” as his new artist name - a name he hopes to differentiate himself from his prior musical ventures. “This is a new chapter and my last band had my first name in it, so I was just thinking that maybe this would be a good way to differentiate. If no one else, than for me. Growing up, all my friends called me Kinsey. I like when people call me [Kinsey], it’s familiar,” he says. Now an entirely independent artist, Alex has complete control over his own music – a feat he says is “the best way to be authentic.” “It’s a really good time for indie artists. I’m in what I feel like is a really good position right now. With the way that things are going, and labels are sort of dying out a little bit. I just think it’s a great time to be in control over your

music,” he says. Though currently representing himself, Alex says he’s not opposed to anything with a label if the “situation is right”. “They’re [the label] the people that represent you, they’re the ones that help keep the authenticity. However, I’m very happy doing my own thing right now and seeing where that takes me too you know. It’s a great way to reap the most reward when you own your own stuff,” he says. Alex finds himself most authentic on stage performing. He is no stranger to the stage. Prior to his X Factor days in 2013, he spent nights and weekends performing at bars and restaurants around his home state of Florida. Before the release of “Simple”, he played shows around his new hometown of Los Angeles, saying “you’ve got to play the songs for people to see how they resonate.” It’s no doubt that “Simple” resonated well with audiences. “It’s kind of nice [being on stage alone]. If I mess up, I can cover it up. I don’t have to rely on other people catching on,” he says. Though this is the first time Alex has released music on his own, he’s always known that it was in his future to be a solo artist. “I’ve always wanted to do something solo. You know, back in the day it wasn’t my main priority, but it was always something I thought.

As soon as that was an option, I immediately started working on it and really started trying to get my stuff together,” he says. “It’s been a few years, but you know, I wanted to make sure that everything was right. That’s why it’s taken a little while for anything to come out. I’ve always known that solo music was in my future, I just didn’t know how or when.” With the plan to release a Kinsey EP in the coming months, fans can hope to expect more tunes like the sultry and edgy “Simple”. Right now, Alex is working hard writing and recording to gather the best songs possible for his debut solo EP. Though hoping his music reaches audiences worldwide, Kinsey emphasizes that he’s writing music for himself right now. “If Alex & Sierra fans want to jump on board with [my new music], I’m so grateful that they would stick around. That’s amazing. It’s such a validation for me knowing that people care about the music that’s still happening even though I didn’t expect this as my own entity back when they became a fan,” he says, “I’d love to get new people, I’d love to keep old people; I’d love to invent a new species of people and have them become my fans. I want to make music for me and have people resonate with it. think that’s a goal I’ve always had.” NKD NKDMAG.COM

GREY DAMON Words by LOUIS OPRISA Photos by CATHERINE POWELL

Glam Credits: URBAN DECAY COSMETICS, MARC JACOBS BEAUTY, ORIBE HAIRCARE + LOVE AMIKA STYLING TOOLS

perry mattfeld Words by IAN HAYS Photos by CATHERINE POWELL Glam by EMILY DAWN

The arts are precarious. The goal is to showcase a unique perspective that elevates and levels the playing field, encouraging connections that can seem disparate. For an actor, your art is built upon the idea your character is an individual but still finds universal truths inescapable. For Perry Mattfeld, this began in childhood with her natural inclinations of observation. While a mature endeavor, it did take some practice. “As a kid, I was so awkward and lanky and tall. My mom remembers me going up to tables at restaurants as a kid and just standing there and observing; watching them eat, watching them interact,” she recalls. But the only way to begin to understand is to listen. This set precedent for her breakout role in the new CW series, In the Dark. As a child, Perry danced ballet. This led to expanding her repertoire, igniting a passion for acting, leading to prime spot as a classic American Girl doll. “At 13, I auditioned for the Los Angeles tour of the American Girl Revue. I performed 169 shows over

the course of two years. That was the first time I realized that this was something I could do as more than for fun,” she says. While early childhood meant spending weekends at Bolsa Chica beach, her teen years were lived on the 405 freeway between auditions and gigs. But, even with the challenges of finding that work-life balance, skipping school was never an option. Academics were important. As she landed guest spots on Nickelodeon and Disney Channel shows, she had the discipline to keep her grades up. “I was taking six AP classes my senior year and got into USC – which was always a dream for me,” Perry says. Perry then took a clean break from the industry. She wanted that full college experience. She wanted to ride a bike through the quad and be a cheerleader. She was the only one in her family involved with the industry, so it wasn’t difficult to take that break. Acting was something she got enjoyment out of doing, not a predetermined career. “I kind of fell into it. It was fun to

me. I was goofy and comedy always came easy to me, maybe stemming from me being five-nine at 15-years-old,” she says, “I remember being at acting school and wondering why I was the only one studying for the SAT. Most of my classmates thought that going to college was taking a step back. If you were making money as a kid, why would you slow that momentum? For me, I don’t who I’d be without a degree.” She let her management and representation go. She studied acting in school, graduating with a BFA and was a member of the USC Song Girls. Her education in being an actor, an artist, didn’t stop when she stepped back from the camera. For Perry, her most important lesson was her emotional growth in living an everyday life. This foundation is built on exposure to people she never would have met had she skipped school. Those childhood observations manifested in an adult Perry who became familiar with the intricacies of people- not from an acting standpoint, but a human one. “It’s part of why when I read the script for In the Dark, I saw this NKDMAG.COM

shane graham Words by OLEVA BERARD Photos by CATHERINE POWELL

A solid work ethic is one of the many requirements it takes to make it as a professional actor. That trait is something that Shane Graham takes with him to every project that he sets foot on. The Texas native stars as Charles McCullough, AMC’s western drama, The Son, a role that has not only allowed but encouraged him to pull from his previous experiences. Growing up in Bryan, Texas, Shane would ride horses and perform in rodeos. Luckily, the skills he gained from those experiences transitioned well into his role on The Son. “I didn’t know that I would end up using those skills in a television show or a movie one day,“ says Shane. “I just grew up on a farm with my dad who put me on horseback when I was very young.” The actor got his start by landing roles in commercials, traveling to Austin for auditions before moving to New York City for school where he studied acting techniques. Eventually, he made it over to the West Coast, where he now lives in Los Angeles with his wife. Funnily enough, the actor would return to Texas to work on The Son. Being on the set of The Son, Shane has been able to grow into his own as an actor while developing more self-assurance behind his performances. “To have presence in a scene, you just have to step

into it and own that space,” Shane explains. “Being on The Son has kind of brought me into that new level where I can control the room better.” Much of his newfound confidence comes from being able to witness seasoned actors work, the multi-generational family saga sees Shane star alongside Pierce Brosnan. Though the series comes to an end this spring, Shane feels pleased with the story’s conclusion. “I found that this season was on another level compared to the last season,” Shane says. “The writing was tighter, the acting that we brought had higher stakes. We really brought our A-game and where they went with it is so great that I’m not even sure that if there was another season that it could be better than that.” With the conclusion of one project, Shane was able to dedicate his energy into new jobs that further expand his range as an actor. Ride, a biopic where Shane depicts BMX legend, John Buultjens, will be hitting theaters later this year. Shane was able to work directly with the subject matter he was portraying, an experience he found to be one of the most rewarding of his career. “Having the real person there with me and him look at me and say ‘I really loved what you did. You did it exactly like I imagined,’ was so fulfilling and inspiring that I’d say that was

my most proudmoment.” Being able to learn from every set that he works on is what brings Shane the most gratifying aspect of his career. “To me, acting is about experiencing something that you might not otherwise get to. Regardless of the kind of character that I’m playing, I’m still me.” Shane explains, “I’m still getting to experience someone saying something cruel or kind. I’m still getting to experience a situation that I might not ever be in. It’s just so freeing— I love the creativity and the artistry that comes with that moment.” While he appreciates the experiences that come with the job, his hard work off the set is representative of his dedication to the craft. “I rehearse until it’s so ingrained in the back of my head that when I walk on set I don’t even have to think. But in the moment, all those choices you might have rehearsed go away.” Though he has gained some impressive roles to include on his resume, Shane is always dedicated to keep improving with every new experience. His advice for anyone considering acting as a profession is simple: do the work. “I think hard work is going to beat out talent regardless of who you are.” Shane says, “Stay committed. Don’t ever stop and think ‘I’m good where I’m at.’ You can always get better and you get rusty no matter what.” NKD NKDMAG.COM

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