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NOV. 2017 04 CHRISSIE FIT

18 NATHAN KRESS

38 HOLLAND RODEN

on the sisterhood of the pitch perfect franchise

on his life-changing role on icarly + stepping into directing

on growing with lydia on teen wolf + her latest project, lore

08 LAURA VANDERVOORT

24 JESSICA MEREZ

48 ANNE WINTERS

on wanting to play women with substance

on joining major crimes + how her mom influences the role

on joining the cast of 13 reasons why + her new film

10 NOAH SCHNAPP

28 IVANA BAQUESO

50 CASEY DEIDRICK

on the success of stranger things + working with winona ryder

on season 2 of the shannara chronicles

on always getting back on the board

16 MORGAN EVANS

30 LANDRY BENDER

54 NYCC CLASS OF 2017

on moving to nashville + his first single, “kiss somebody”

on joining the veteran cast of fuller house

feat. some of tv’s hottest stars, photographed on monochrome film

36 ERIS BAKER

on the impact of this is us + where we’ll see tess this season

CATHERINE POWELL

publisher, editor, photographer, designer, writer

SAMANTHA BAMBINO

AUTUMN HALLE

VANESSA SALLES

SHELBY CHARGIN

IAN HAYS

OLIVIA SINGH

ELIZABETH FORREST

BRITTANY LANDAU

RILEY STENEHJEM

writer writer writer

STACY MAGALLON writer

writer writer writer

chrissie fit Words by BRITTANY LANDAU Photos by CATHERINE POWELL

“It was a dark and rainy day in Miami,” Chrissie Fit jokes about her start, but it’s definitely no joke to say that the Pitch Perfect star has been taking the industry by storm in recent years. The Cuban-American actress grew up in a very musical family. “My grandfather played guitar in Cuba and my mom sings with her sisters and I wanted to do that with them. I thought that sounded and looked like fun,” she says. So when Chrissie was 5-years-old, she began singing with her mother and aunts at parties. However, her involvement with the entertainment industry certainly did not stop with music. In the fifth grade, Chrissie discovered acting as a means of winning over her crush. “The guy I liked was in sixth grade and they were putting on a show for the sixth graders. I thought if I was in the show and the guy saw me, he was going to fall in love,” she says. After asking her teacher if she can have a part in the show and being denied since

she wasn’t in the sixth grade yet, Chrissie read through the script. “I saw that there wasn’t a bad girl in the play, so I went to the teacher the next day and I was like, ‘Ms. Sanchez, I notice you don’t have a bad girl. Can I be the bad girl?’ I don’t know if she felt sorry for me or whatever, but she said sure,” Chrissie recalled. Decked out with huge hair, a polka dotted skirt, a red leotard, and tons of gold chains, Chrissie played the part of a gypsy. “The guy I liked was in the audience. He didn’t fall in love with me, but that’s how I fell in love with acting,” she laughs. Shortly after, she discovered a way to mix her passions together with musicals. Chrissie performed in shows around Miami and studied theater at Florida International University. After school, she wanted to give it a shot and had to decide between New York and Los Angeles. “Being from Miami, the cold winter deterred me completely. That’s why I moved to L.A., and the rest is history. Now I get to do

musicals like I always wanted to,” she says. Chrissie’s first acting gig in Los Angeles was on the Nickelodeon sitcom, Zoey 101. “I had one line. It was, ‘That kid has the last moon bar!’ I just screamed it and then we all went running for the moon bar,” she laughs. “I also remember from that shoot getting my hair and makeup done professionally for the first time and my eyes kept watering the whole time. Any time the makeup artist got close to my eye, I was like, ‘Oh no, I’m never going to make it in Hollywood because I can’t get eyeliner on’,” she jokes. In 2007, Chrissie became a recurring character in the medical drama, General Hospital. She first appeared on their spin off, General Hospital: Night Shift, as Lupe Rosales before joining the soap opera as Mercedes Juarez. “They were always very nice, but it always felt like I was coming in and out, which essentially is what I did. It felt like you were the new kid at school every time,” she says. Though ChrisNKDMAG.COM

There’s a lot of fantasy in Laura Vandervoort’s world, but when it comes to her reality, she’s all about being true to herself. The Canadian-born actress has had her share of ups-and-downs in the sometimes uncertain landscape of the entertainment industry. Laura started acting when she was only 13, inspired by the classic childhood film, My Girl, and the emotional arch Anna Chlumsky brought to the likeable yet morbid tomboy, Vada. It was the first time Laura remembers realizing she was passionate about something, and that something turned out to be acting. “I grew up a tomboy. I was in martial arts, I was very quiet and shy. Acting was a way for me to get my emotions and feelings out in a different facet,” she says of when she began to explore the art. Her parents were immediately supportive of the youngster, allowing her to start doing background work for Canadian television shows, and eventually letting her audition for roles. “Some of the first roles I ended up booking were on Goosebumps and Are You Afraid of the Dark?, both of which I was a fan of at the time, so it was really exciting,” Laura laughs. “From there, I booked a few small roles on Disney TV movies and popular Canadian television shows.” Even though she was booking roles here and there she found the down time between roles, and the quality of the roles she was being offered, did a number on her self-confidence. “I was a young girl and I didn’t want to just play the girlfriend or the girl next door, I wanted to play roles that were layered and would challenge me,” Laura reflects on her aspirations. “There were periods of time, especially when I was younger, where I wasn’t 08

working and I was really discouraged. But I found that’s really the test for this industry— if you’re willing to work past those insecurities you know you really love it.” Despite the obstacles, Laura persevered. She continued to take acting classes and hit the audition circuit even harder. Her dedication paid off in a big way when she landed the role of Supergirl on Smallville. “That was my first opportunity to be on a large American series in front of a huge audience. It was pretty amazing,” Laura says of the casting. For Laura, it was the beginning of an exciting time in her career. Playing Supergirl allowed her to move to the U.S. full time and opened up a whole new world of career opportunities. She wasted no time immersing herself in the sci-fi genre and booked recurring roles on ABC’s V and The CW’s Bitten. But the fall release of the horror film Jigsaw, the eighth installment of the Saw Franchise, finds Laura tackling one of her most emotionally taxing and psychologically challenging characters to date. “I’m a fan of horror films and psychological thrillers. Saw is definitely one of the larger franchises out there and to be apart of that was an honor,” Laura continues. “I was already such a huge fan of the directors, Michael and Peter Spierig, when they asked to meet with me. We hit it off and I knew I wanted to be part of whatever they were doing.” In Jigsaw, Laura plays the determined and mysterious Anna. Of her character, Laura explains, “She’s someone that’s very methodical and tries to work through the possible ways to escape. She brings everyone together and makes them work together to get out of the trap. But most importantly,

she doesn’t believe she deserves to be there.” Despite how physically and mentally exhausting filming was, Laura felt the hardest part was one distinct flaw in her character’s past. “It took me a while to wrap my head around what she’d done and whether or not I was comfortable playing that kind of character — playing someone who’d done such a horrible thing really took a lot out of me emotionally,” Laura says. Beyond just her professional aspirations, Laura wants to be a honest voice for young actresses that might be struggling to to stay true to themselves. Her recent article on BackStage.com, “Laura Vandervoort on Dealing With Actor FOMO + Why Wanting to Quit Is Normal” was an inspirational, yet boldly truthful message about the realities of the industry. “I know how tough it is, especially for women, and I wanted to be honest,” Laura explains of the article. “I honestly had moments where I wanted to take a step back and quit. I think the business is a little tougher on us because there are more things at stake in terms of pressure from society or even that we put on ourselves to look or act a certain way. I want women, young girls, to be free of that and go after what they want. It’s really about fighting for what you want and being comfortable with who you are.” For Laura, freeing herself from the pressure to be perfect and being vocal and decisive when it came to her career, allowed her the chance to play roles that truly inspired her. With an influx of exciting projects up ahead there’s one word of advice Laura will always go back to, “Don’t worry about pleasing other people, it’s more important to be proud of every decision you make,” Laura says. Spoken like a true superhero. NKD

laura vandervoort Words by AUTUMN HALLE Photos by CATHERINE POWELL

1 B Z D E F G H I Y K L M N O P Q R S T

noah schnapp Words by OLIVIA SINGH Photos by CATHERINE POWELL

1 B Z D E F G H I Y K L M N O P Q R S T

morgan evans Words by SAMANTHA BAMBINO Photos by CATHERINE POWELL

A little over a decade ago, Morgan Evans was rocking out in bars and pubs across Australia, jumping off risers to entertain some of the toughest crowds in the world. Now, it’s just him and his trusty loop pedal. As his first American single “Kiss Somebody” climbs the charts, the talented Aussie is putting the finishing touches on an album, which will chronicle everything from his gutsy move to Nashville to meeting the love of his life. Morgan was born into a family of loving parents, a brother and sister. For as long as he can remember, his mother was always providing him and his siblings with opportunities to give the performing arts a shot. At 5-yearsold, Morgan was already taking piano lessons, though it wasn’t until five years and countless hours later that he realized it wasn’t his thing. For the next year and a half, he was part of the school band playing the baritone horn, which is basically a miniature tuba. Still, no such luck. “I quickly realized chicks do not dig the baritone horn,” he laughs. It wasn’t until the age of 12 that he picked up a guitar and found his true musical calling. After playing an old acoustic for three months, his parents bought him an electric blue Ibanez. Morgan started jamming with friends after school, and a mere six months later, the band found themselves playing professional gigs across Australia. Still, he never dreamed music could be a viable career option. “I grew up in a real working class town, so the idea of being a professional musician is not really one of the boxes you tick,” he says. While his band gained a steady following, Morgan earned a communications degree and balanced a variety of jobs to build a “normal” career. But one trip changed his entire perspective. For four years in a row, Morgan competed

in Australia’s Country Music Channel (CMC) competition, never imagining the fourth time would be the charm. As the grand prize winner, he was flown to Nashville to record a single. Though the trip was 10 years ago, he still remembers his first stroll down Broadway like it was yesterday. “It’s like this wonderland,” he says. It was some time before Morgan went back to Nashville, but once he did, he couldn’t stay away. After realizing he had flown back and forth nine times in a single year, he knew that was no way to live. Paperwork was filled out, bags were packed and Morgan became an official Nashville resident. So far, the experience has been surreal for Morgan. Reflecting on his Australian roots, he explains how not many country artists make their way to America, except of course, Keith Urban. As a kid, Morgan’s mother “dragged” him to one of Keith’s shows where he played almost the entire Golden Road album. It was the best thing Morgan had ever seen, and knew he wanted to follow in Keith’s footsteps. “Anyone who plays country music anywhere in the world dreams of going to Nashville. And once you’re there you think, I have to make music here,” Morgan says. “There were some tough times where I thought, I’m not cut out for this, and I mean, I still have those times. But I think if you’re truly meant to be doing it, you just keep doing it.” With the success of his first single “Kiss Somebody,” it’s clear Morgan is right where he belongs. As far as the mindset behind choosing this song as his introduction, the reasoning is simple. “I want to sing a song with a smile on my face the first time I sing for people,” he says. Accurately reflecting his easy going personality, the light-hearted song tells the true story of a close friend in Nashville who was heartbroken after

breaking up with his longtime girlfriend. “I was like, ‘Dude, you need to kiss somebody’,” he recalls. The lyrics and melody for the track came together with ease, and was the first song to receive a unanimous “let’s do this” from Morgan and his team. “It felt right,” he says. Currently, Morgan and writers Chris DeStefano and Ashley Gorley are continuing to create new music, and will keep doing so until they have an entire album. While he doesn’t expect there to be one overarching theme, the album will reflect the changes of the past year and a half. While performing in Australia, it was always about big, loud noises and playing as fast as possible to get everybody rocking. His music was always based around that mindset, but when he moved to Nashville, his band stayed behind. “I was pretty lonely. I had just this one guitar and I got a loop pedal. And it was just me and that thing,” he says. “And that’s where this whole record sort of grew out of. So it was a totally different place for me.” In the midst of the craziness of building his American country music career, Morgan also met the love of his life last year. With his marriage to fellow country star Kelsea Ballerini right around the corner, several tracks, including “Dance With Me”, reflect his “smittenness”. As Morgan wraps up his first radio tour, which he says included lots of compliments on his accent and too many Southwest Airlines peanuts, he’s gearing up for several shows before the end of the year. During his opening slot, fans can expect an intimate but captivating performance, a stark contrast from jumping off risers during his Australian pub-playing days. “It’s me and a loop pedal,” he says. “I feel like my show is a conversation now. And I really feel like it’s a great way to introduce myself.” NKD NKDMAG.COM

NATHAN KRESS Words by RILEY STENEHJEM Photos by CATHERINE POWELL

MERAZ JESSICA Words by ELIZABETH FORREST Photos by CATHERINE POWELL

It’s never easy for an actor to jump straight into an established television show in the beginning of its sixth season - but that didn’t stop Jessica Meraz from doing it. A native of El Paso, Jessica was lucky enough to grow up with parents that cultivated her love of the arts, even though they both worked in the medical field. “At around age 7, my dad took us to a musical and there was someone just a couple of years older than me performing. I never thought it was ever possible until I saw that,” she explains. That experience and realization marked the moment she officially decided she wanted to be an actress. She told her father and by the next week she was enrolled in acting classes. What initially drew her to acting as a child was how fun it was and how much fun she and her family had while watching performances. It was always a family event; they even loved musicals and would sing songs together. But as an adult, Jessica’s draw to acting is a bit more complex and serious. “It’s nice to get out of your own head and into someone else’s for a bit,” she says. “I get to see the world through a different perspective and set of eyes and ears.” In essence, she loves having the chance to relate to a situation as a different person. On October 31st, Jessica debuted as Detective Camila Paige on Major Crimes. With the show’s huge success

during the first five seasons, Jessica admits that joining the cast so late was a little bit intimidating. She watched the show before meeting all of the other actors, so she was afraid they wouldn’t be relatable because they seemed so brilliant and serious onscreen. It wasn’t like that at all, though; on the first day, she walked on to set and her entire mindset changed. Any Hollywood stereotype about catty female relationships was immediately proven wrong to her. “I’m closest to Kearran Giovanni, who’s a woman similar in age and who could very easily have tried to intimidate me or made a situation difficult for me,” Jessica says. “She’s like a big sister to me and we each have the best time together.” She confirms that she gets along with all of the men in the cast, too. In addition to enjoying all of her time on set and behind the scenes, the role of Camila was absolutely perfect for her; she instantly reminded Jessica of her own mother. On the show, Camila lost her parents at a young age and had to raise her siblings in the same way that Jessica’s mom did in real life. “Camila has got that same grit, so to get to respect my mother and relate to her in this new way has been really lovely for me,” Jessica says. Taking on this role has even made Jessica feel closer to her mom, even though she hasn’t gotten to see her in a while. And when asked if she’s observed traits from her mother

and given life to them through her character, Jessica laughs and boldly states, “she’s going to be mostly my mother.” Playing Camila was a tremendous transition from characters Jessica has played in her previous roles. One of Jessica’s most notable past roles was as Natalie from the Freeform series Chasing Life. Whereas Natalie led with her sexuality, Camila leads with her intelligence. The dialogue for Camila felt like a completely different language from Natalie’s. “Everything changed in the way that I prepare for scenes and prepare for the day. Even how she gets dressed is very, very different,” Jessica says. In a way, it felt like growing up with the character, especially since she moved from Freeform to TNT, a network known for more adult drama. Even though it has been a transition, Jessica feels that Camila is the perfect role for her at the moment. Jessica really commits to her roles and gets excited about them; she would have said that Natalie was the perfect role for her when she was on Chasing Life as well. “Whatever I connect to and comes my way, I trust that whatever happens to me is as it should,” she explains. She becomes “obsessed” with the roles she fills, so at the moment she’s obsessed with Camila and excited to see what becomes of it. She’s had many special moments during the filming of the show. However, some NKDMAG.COM

ivana baquero Words by SHELBY CHARGIN Photos by CATHERINE POWELL

Ivana Baquero is one of the easiest going actresses in Hollywood. Her immense amount of success started at a young age and progressed into her career today. “I started in Spain and I started because of my English,” she recalls. Ivana, who went to an English speaking school in Spain was cast by a company looking for a Spanish actress between 8 and 10-years-old. “I never thought I wanted to act – it was so far from everything I knew. No one in my family has 28

anything to do with being an artist or is not related to the industry,” she says. Discovering her passion through the production, Ivana made acting her “own after school activity”. “Kids were like playing basketball or volleyball and I was doing acting,” she says. Eventually, this path led her to getting a manager and booking more projects – including the Oscar winning drama Pan’s Labyrinth in which she played the lead role of Ofelia. Humbly citing it as “the movie that

kind of changed my life”, Ivana saw just how much opportunity opened for her after landing that role, and came to Los Angeles to pursue more. Quickly jumping into a role in Kevin Costner’s The New Daughter, her career continued to build. “I spent a lot a time in the states and then booked [The Shannara Chronicles] a couple years ago, so that’s where I’m at right now,” she says. As a whole, Ivana recognizes quite a few differences between her and her

character, Eretria, but some things – like being tough – are pretty similar. “She’s known to be a bit of a badass, she’s got an attitude too. But in Season 1 she learns a lot about herself, she goes from being selfish to selfless. She meets Wil (Austin Butler) and Amberle (Poppy Drayton) and she kind of, she joins the good side because she starts out being a little bit naughty,” Ivana jokes, “But she joins the good side and helps Will and Amberle save the world from the demon invasion

and then in Season 2 it starts off a year later, and everything’s kind of gone crazy because they’ve been split.” As season two opens, we find out that Amberle has disappeared and Wil is off doing his own thing as new characters are brought it. But for Ivana, “it’s more about Eretria discovering who she really is, and really figuring out what everything that happened in Season 1 really meant for her.” The intense connection that Ivana has for Eretria comes from a place of caring for this character she so swiftly portrays. “It was a challenge at first because she starts off doing things that are easily judged. Her behaviors were a little bit, you know, rough. She didn’t trust Will so she would do strange things,” Ivana says. Eretria’s attitude comes from this being all she knew in her early life. “She grew up in a very tough, hostile atmosphere, she was abused as a kid so you really understand where she comes from,” Ivana says, It was this character development, and Ivana’s need to show Eretria’s vulnerability, that made it easier for Ivana to play her in Eretria’s notso-stellar moments. “I grew so fond of her, and it’s my first TV show so having the opportunity to play a character for so long versus the cinema or movies where you play a character for two or three months, I’ve now played Eretria for a good, solid year,” Ivan says, “I feel really connected to her. There’s so many things we have in common.” But the fans couldn’t be more shocked when they meet Ivana in real life. “I look so different from her, and I sound so different. People see me in person and they’re like ‘Oh my God! You’re Eretria! You look so sweet and little and cute! You don’t look like her at all you don’t act like her!’” Ivana laughs. As she moved from cinema to TV,

Ivana still sees a lot of similarities in the production of Shannara to her previous projects. “It’s very cinema like, but I do have to say, for me, what was different was the script,” she says. In cinema, you get one script for the project and you learn it inside out, but for TV, Ivana gets a new script every two weeks for each episode, “so the rhythm is for sure way faster, you have to adapt.” And although she’s worked alongside some incredible movie stars, she says it’s not very different than working on Shannara who has a few bigger names itself. “Shannara’s probably one of the biggest productions I’ve ever done,” citing co-stars like James Remar and Manu Bennett. Recognizing how incredible these actors are who are beside her in the show, Ivana hardly sees a difference. She felt it was on the same level. And as most 23-year-old young women, she does have a life outside her job. She spends her free time with her boyfriend from New Zealand and Netflix. Ivana confesses, “I live a quiet life. It’s not as glamorous as people think it is.” As most jobs, acting can be taxing especially on younger actors like Ivana. “Shooting is tough sometimes. You work really long hours, and you have to travel a lot to. So when I’m not working I like to have a quiet life to spend time with my family and with my friends,” she says. It’s a sound and solid answer from such a steadfast actress who seems to have the work ethic of the most successful people on Wall Street. Between Eretria on Shannara and her role in the upcoming Spanish movie Sister of Mine, Ivana has gotten to explore two of her favorite roles yet. While Ivana’s early career has already seen incredible success, she’s constantly learning and changing alongside the roles she takes. NKD NKDMAG.COM

LANDRY BENDER Words & Photos by CATHERINE POWELL

NKDMAG.COM

BAKER

Words by OLIVIA SINGH Photos by CATHERINE POWELL

ERIS

Eris Baker was 4-years-old when she decided that she was ready to commit to a career as an actress. Today, at 11-years-old, she’s living out her acting dreams as Tess Pearson on NBC’s hit dramedy, This Is Us. Eris grew up in California with her parents and three younger sisters. Like many children, she often found herself imitating the actors that she saw on TV. And while some may outgrow that to pursue other ventures later on, Eris felt motivated to continue in that path. With her commitment and her parents’ encouragement, Eris got an acting coach, agent and manager. That quickly led to auditions and a role on one of NBC’s most popular shows to date – This Is Us. “When I went to the audition, I really liked Tess’ character because she was so bold and I really liked how she was playing on a soccer team, but it was with all boys, so I thought that was really funny,” Eris says. “The whole cast of This Is Us was really nice when I met them in person for the first time. It’s like we’re all a real family in real life.” Eris learned that she landed the role on Christmas day, 2015, and considers it “the best Christmas gift” she could have asked for. Her excitement only increased when she saw the list of co-stars who would later become her extended family. When This Is Us aired in September 2016, over 10 million people tuned in to watch the intertwined stories of the main characters unfold. The show focuses on the lives of siblings Kate (Chrissy Metz), Kevin (Justin Hartley) and Randall Pearson (Sterling K. Brown), and alternates between past and present timelines. On This Is Us, Eris plays Tess, Randall and Beth’s (Susan Kelechi Watson) older daughter. “Tess is like a tomboy and she’s really edgy with her clothes, but some-

times she might put on a dress or two – but not really,” Eris says. “She’s really close to her family though, which I really admire, because I have three little sisters and her connection with faith is really, really special and I have that connection with my sisters, so I really connect with her with that.” Beyond that, Eris, like the millions of people who tune in to This Is Us each week, connects with the show on a personal level. “And also, how Tess’ grandpa died in the show, I recently had my grandparents die, so it’s really emotional. The show really connects with real people and real life,” she says. Since airing in late 2016, This Is Us has received numerous award nominations and wins, including wins at this year’s People’s Choice Awards for Favorite New TV Drama and the Television Critics Association Awards winner for Outstanding New Program. With the return of Season 2 and a third season already confirmed, This Is Us is likely to gain even more recognition and viewers. “It’s a huge deal because not many people get this opportunity and I was just really excited,” Eris says. “It’s a lot of work put into the show, and a lot of love.” Whether it’s on-camera or off-camera, the This Is Us cast is tight knit and supportive of each other. “Sometimes some of the kids might mess up on a word and we’re like, ‘Oh dang,’ but Sterling and Mandy [Moore] would always say, ‘It’s OK. It’s OK. Sometimes you just have to breathe and let it out because everyone makes mistakes in their life,’” Eris explains. “They always give us inspiration and they’re just so much fun to be around.” When This Is Us returned for Season 2 in September, over 12 million

people tuned in. Though many are trying to piece together the jigsaw puzzle regarding Jack Pearson’s mysterious death, Eris is looking forward to viewers getting to know the kids of the show a little better this season, especially since the young actors of This Is Us got promoted to series regulars. “I feel like you’re going to learn a lot more about Tess and Annie, and about their connection,” Eris says. “And Tess, more of her sports side and how Tess really had a strong connection with her grandpa who just died, because of chess.” At some point, Eris hopes that a few of her idols might make a guest appearance on This Is Us. Among her top picks are Yara Shahidi, Kerry Washington and Oprah. Her number one choice? Beyoncé. Looking ahead, Eris will appear in Drunk History and Netflix’s upcoming comedy series, Alexa and Katie. Aside from acting, she also hopes to pursue one of her other passions, like fashion. Ultimately, Eris wants to push herself even further as an actress. “In the future, I am praying that I will get a movie,” she says. “I really want to star in a role with an amazing cast and to have the opportunity to memorize a lot of lines. I would love to do that. I hope it’s really emotional and I want to be a hero. In the movie, I would love to be a hero.” Wherever Eris ends up next, she just wants to be her authentic self and let her light shine. “My mom has always told me when I was young, ‘Let your shine,’ meaning, ‘Let God’s spirit.’ When someone sees you, let them see God and how he’s just amazing. Be nice. Be kind. Be you for everyone. Technically, a career is just a normal job, and you go to work every single day. You have to be you at all times.” NKD NKDMAG.COM

HOLLAND RODEN Words by OLIVIA SINGH

Photos by CATHERINE POWELL Hair by MIA SANTIAGO

Make-Up by FAYE LAUREN Styling by LIZ ZAVOYSKIY

anne winters Words by VANESSA SALLES Photos by CATHERINE POWELL

If Anne Winters isn’t already on your radar, it’s time to change that. The rising actress, born and raised in Dallas, Texas, found her passion for the craft at a fairly young age. “I did a little bit of theater in middle school and really enjoyed it,” Anne reveals. “When I got to high school, I started pushing my parents to let me try acting professionally. I ended up meeting someone who had some great connections out in Los Angeles and that’s how I met my manger.” After getting signed and finding an agent, the then-teenager began sending out audition tapes. Though she was in pursuit of her dreams, missing out on the “typical” high school happenings started to take a toll. “It was definitely a struggle having to miss out on a lot of things,” she recalled. “At that age, missing a week of school meant missing out on all the inside jokes and all the outings with friends.” Wanting to reclaim some teenage normalcy, Anne took her junior year off from acting and steered her focus back on school. By the time college rolled around, the acting bug had struck again. This time, Anne dove headfirst. “I decided to defer from 48

college and move out to L.A.,” she says, “I told myself that if I didn’t land anything within a year, I’d go back to school. I made the move the month after I graduated high school and I’ve been working ever since. There hasn’t been a moment where I regretted moving; my time out here has just exceeded all my expectations.” With an already impressive resume that includes guest-spots on Freeform’s The Fosters, ABC’s Wicked City, and an award-winning role in indie feature The Tribe, the 23-year-old actress can next be seen in the second season of Netflix’s original series, 13 Reasons Why – her most breakout role to date. Anne will star as Chloe, a character described as the confident cool girl at school who just so happens to be in the midst of all the drama. “She has some things going on with Bryce and Jessica,” Anne reveals. “I think people might have their reservations about her at first but she’s a very fun and likeable character. The second season definitely explains a lot of unanswered questions from the last season and will actually give fans a lot more backstory about the different

characters. Most importantly, it’s still going to keep its core message about shining light on depression and suicide prevention.” Having joined a hit series with an already established cast and fan base, Anne reveals that she felt right at home on set. “Everyone there is there for a purpose and everyone is a family,” she says, “The cast is amazing and we all get along so well. I remember being so excited – and then so nervous – to start working there but it’s just been great; the 13 Reasons Why set is literally home for me.” When speaking of what initially drew her to the role, Anne praised the show for its courage to be real and raw. “I think it’s one of the only shows that’s not afraid to push the limits and break all the boundaries; I think that’s so important when it comes to telling a story. We can all choose to live in an ‘ignorance is bliss’ world, but it’s better to be aware and pay attention and know that the way our words and actions affect people are real.” This won’t be the first Netflix project that Anne’s a part of. The star also appeared as Holly in “#REALITYHIGH,” a film that followed high school students

and the rollercoaster that is social media. “I definitely think social media can be both good and bad,” Anne says, “I don’t think it’s going anywhere any time soon so the best thing to do is making sure you’re using it for positivity and making sure it’s a good platform for everyone. I’m very active online and I notice everyone’s sweet comments and it’s heartwarming to see all of that.” Back in September, Anne started production on her latest project, Night School. The Universal Pictures film also stars A-list actors Kevin Hart, Tiffany Haddish, and Rob Riggle. “I’m so excited for this movie,” Anne shares, “It’s definitely a different pace that what I’ve been doing and I’m excited to show

off a more comedic side to me. The cast is really incredible and I’ve been having so much fun filming this.” As for what Anne has going on for the rest of the year, the actress is happily booked until the new year. “When I finish filming Night School, I’m going back to Oakland to finish filming 13 Reasons Why. After that, I start work on Zac & Mia with Kian Lawley for AwesomenessTV; we’ll be filming until Christmas and then I’ll be headed home, [to Texas].” During her (rare) free time, Anne’s favorite pastime involves watching movies that star badass women. “I would love to star in an action/thriller movie,” she says, “I just recently watched Wonder Woman, Kidnapped, and Atomic Blonde and am just obsessed with how empowering and badass those women are in the films. I would love to do that. Honestly, I just want every new role to be different than the last one. I just want to keep going and growing; every project that I’ve been apart of has been really fun and challenging. I think if I just continue to do what I’m doing and keep an open mind about everything, my ‘dream role’ will just come to me.” NKD NKDMAG.COM

casey deidrick

Words by IAN HAYS Photos by CATHERINE POWELL

Casey Deidrick tackles everything head on. The actor was born in Hollister, California and that’s where his first love, skateboarding, came to fruition. Hollister was a small farming town with not much action happening. His mom lived outside of Denver. “One of the first things I think to really help me get through going between my parents’ houses was skateboarding,” Casey says, “A lot of people in high school have their sports or arts groups, mine was skateboarding.” It was a cornerstone of his childhood. He would skate to school. Then, after school, he and his friends would grab his dad’s camera and go shoot skate videos. His world revolved around skateboarding and pushing those limits. And he 50

got good. While many parents would be wary of supporting a serious pursuit of skateboarding, his parents were right by his side. He was eventually sponsored by Airo Skateboards and VANS Shoes. But, like many athletes in a sport that hits back hard and early, Casey eventually came to have to make a choice. “I was at a point where I was getting hurt a lot. It felt like every time I would go out and skate, I’d throw myself down stairs and just get hurt. I had to make that choice,” he says. He had been living with him mom for a period of time but decided to move back out to California to pursue acting. Ever since he was a kid, he was interested in movies. He would watch his favorite films upwards

of 50 times. One of his inspirations was Jim Carrey and he would walk around doing his best Jim Carrey character impersonations. While still in Denver, he caught wind of the AMTC (Actors, Models & Talent Competition) in Orlando. He described it as “like modeling but for actors.” “I was literally days away from swearing in the Marine Corps and my mom told me to go check out this acting thing before making my final decision,” he recalls. So, Casey went out to the massive convention. It’s held yearly and is filled with casting directors, agents and the like. You come out in groups and Casey received the most call backs out of anyone in his group. This was the sign that Casey had been waiting for. He

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NEW YORK COMIC CON class of 2017 Photographed on Monochrome Instax Film by CATHERINE POWELL Interviewed by STACY MAGALLON & CATHERINE POWELL

Allegra Acosta Marvel’s Runaways

Ariela Barer

Marvel’s Runaways

Samuel Barnett

“Molly’s strength is derived from her emotions. She’s very empathetic and passionate, and uses those abilities to protect her friends and everything she loves.”

“When you dive into these characters on a human level, you no longer see stereotypes, which is one of the greatest things about representation.”

“I thought it was going to be weird coming back after such a long break from filming, and it was like stepping into a pair of old shoes. Just so comfortable immediately.”

Dirk Gently

Camren Bicondova

Eden Brolin

Eliza Coupe

“I’ve just been focused on enjoying the journey that [Selina Kyle] is on. I feel like when you focus on the destination, you kind of forget to look out the window and enjoy the scenery.”

“We do pick up with Charlie at kind of a mysterious place. She’s on other things right now. She’s working for somebody else, she’s doing a different project. Nothing has to necessarily do with Holden.”

“There’s not one thing that I’m like, ‘No, we should tell them this.’ It’s like every single episode there’s 900 things I want everyone to see.”

Matthew Daddario

Fiona Dourif

Burkley Duffield

“There’s a conflict that arises as a result of what happened at the end of Season 2, between Alec and Clary. And the reason for that is that there is someone not giving full information.”

“Season 1 was about loneliness and about two people who are really isolated, finding each other and what that feels like. And Season 2 picks up like, two weeks later so fans know these characters.”

“Season 1 sort of ends on a nice, sort of settling moment in Holden’s life. At the beginning of Season 2, you see that normal life that he strives for really start to come to what he’s wanted.”

Gotham

Shadowhunters

Beyond

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Future Man

Beyond

Jade Eshete Dirk Gently

Rhenzy Feliz

Marvel’s Runaways

Virginia Gardner

“Farrah struggles with a lot. She comes down on herself and she’s insecure, even though she’s an insane bad ass. So for Season 2, there’s a lot of potential for growth.”

“Marvel is taking a huge step in how visual media is presented. Four of the six members are female and then four of us are people of color. It brings together so many different aspects of the world.”

“Karolina is so emotionally sensitive – she feels isolated and scared when she discovers who she is, then becomes stronger because of it. It’s a fun arc to act.”

Dilan Gwyn

André Holland

Josh Hutcherson

“Season 2 really starts off with Willa really starting to be willing to take a new step in her life and go in a new direction that she’s never really gone before, where not everything is life and death.”

“I know it can be annoying because people want to know right away. But I think there’s something fun about building a little bit of mystery around things.”

“When you have great writing, just act it. You just say what it is, and make it real for that moment. It was definitely fun to kind of do something very different.”

Beyond

Castle Rock

Marvel’s Runaways

Future Man

Mpho Koaho

Donal Logue

Jessica Lucas

“Y’all are going to love what happens with [Bart and Ken]. I really, really think it’ll be very neatly packaged. You’ll like the way it ends up. It’s not what you expect, but you’ll like it.”

“[Jim Gordon and Harvey Bullock] get into some pretty epic conflict this season. It’s been a blast and the most enjoyable thing in our arc to play.”

“I love Erin [Richards] and Camren [Bicondova] to death, and the more we can have strong women on screen that are in leadership positions the better.”

Melanie Lynskey

Hannah Marks

David Mazouz

“I’m kind of pathologically honest. So, you know, when I’m doing an interview I will answer honestly whatever someone asks me. You know? I’m just kind of like, ‘It is what it is’.”

“These are things that I never thought I’d get to do. I’ve never like, punched someone in the face in my life - why would I have done that? I don’t feel very tough as a human being.”

“There’s a lot of pressure that comes with playing Batman as opposed to Bruce Wayne. So it was scary, but it’s been fun. I know this character, I know what he’s capable of.”

Dirk Gently

Castle Rock

Gotham

Dirk Gently

Gotham

Ben McKenzie

Katherine McNamara

Isaiah Mustafa

“Without spoiling it too much, you will see [Gordon] take concrete steps up the hierarchy where he’s actually able to, you know, be in charge of people. That responsibility changes you.”

“There’s a lot that’s changed. Yes, Valentine is dead and yes, we’ve taken care of Sebastian as far as we know. It’s seemingly happy. The New York Institute are heroes of the Shadow World.”

“It’s all a learning experience. Every character has to go from A to Z, and who you become after you come out the other end is a result of going from A to Z.”

Lyrica Okano

Crystal Reed

Alexander Siddig

“Diversity should not be a new thing. This is how it should be. I speak Japanese to my parents when I’m calling them on set. Then Allegra’s in the corner speaking Spanish to her parents. It’s great.”

“Sofia is a chameleon. So anytime she’s around someone she’ll change to fit whatever is happening in that circumstance. So we’ll see her have a lot of fun with people.”

“I’m a huge supporter of anything that a whole family can watch that everybody is going to really enjoy, so that was a real motivator for me [to join the show].”

Gotham

Marvel’s Runaways

Shadowhunters

Gotham

Shadowhunters

Gotham

Bill Skarsgård Castle Rock

Gregg Sulkin

Marvel’s Runaways

Robin Lord Taylor

“I think people will sort of try to figure out if they should root for or not root for the people that they’re watching. I think there’s a lot of surprises to be had.”

“Apart from all the superhero stuff, there are some issues my character deals with, particularly with his family, and I’m pumped to bring awareness to those situations.”

“Penguin is very much in control. More than he’s ever been. But at the same time, every time you create a wall there’s always going to be someone who finds a way in.”

Alisha Wainwright

Derek Wilson

Elijah Wood

“You do your best to put in the work and enjoy the process and experience as an artist, and you see on social media that people actually do care about it, but to see the faces warms my heart.”

“Wolf is the demolitions expert. And you know, bad ass fighter. And I fit into this world - well, that’s the whole thing. We don’t actually fit in.”

“The thing that starts to become very apparent, very quickly is that things are happening in Bergsberg and many of our central characters are heading there unbeknown to each other.”

Shadowhunters

Future Man

Gotham

Dirk Gently

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