How are you able to distinguish which roles work best for the career you want to build?

I think when I am looking to be a part of a film or a TV show, I think the most important thing to me is that it tells a story that highlights a community that may not have a voice or may have a voice that isn't listened to. A lot of those roles or what I look for are stories that tell the stories of Black female protagonists. Growing up, there weren't a whole lot. There weren't a lot of stories that focused on that specific identity and being a young Black woman, I think that's something that's always been so important to me. Just like the way I felt when I started acting, after I saw Matilda with TV and film and things like that, I think what's really important to me is to is representation, and being that being a part of that representation,

Who are some actresses that you’re modeling your career after?

I think one of my favorite actresses is Lupita Nyong'o. I think she's incredible. She has such a diverse filmography. I mean, she’s done action, drama, and horror with her latest film, the Quiet place. So, I think things like that, and across every single film, every single genre that she's done, she's like I said, She's highlighted those characters and those identities in a way, so beautiful, so meaningful, so impactful, so definitely her.

You were trained under the Suzuki method I’ve read. What was it like training under that kind of rigorous program?

It was intense. I think, looking back on it, in hindsight, it's more intense, because when I started I was four, so it didn't really feel that intense to me, because I grew up learning in that method. The key factor of that method is that you really are trained by ear, and so what it helped me do is to be able to listen to music and identify notes and know what sounded right and what didn't. So I have a really trained ear because of it. I don't really play the cello anymore, but when I did it was some of the best times of my life, I made so many friends, and I learned so much, and it set me up for the rest of my career. That discipline is something I learned very early on, and it definitely helped me out.

I officially quit playing cello when I was 14, when I moved to LA so that was around the time that I stopped. I haven't been practicing and playing, but I’m still able to listen to music and identify certain things just because of how my ear was trained. When I listen to music, I like to analyze. It's so weird but when I'm first listening to a new song, I will listen to the song like three times. One just to listen to the back of the track, one to listen to the instrumentals, and one to listen to the vocals. So it's really interesting and that's just the way I've been taught.

Did you go to Solange’s Eldorado Ballroom ballroom in LA?

No, I was just telling my friend the other day. She was like, “Demi, what are you talking about?” I should have gone.

I’m hoping she does something in New York, because I need to witness that. I remember when she curated at BAM.

I definitely want to see that in person. I think she's such an incredible artist. I love her music. I love her vibe, and I think anything she’s done, even the little, slightest bit to do with is phenomenal.

I like the way that she's able to tap into all the realms of her creativity. That's something that Black women don't really get to do very often. When I'm lacking inspiration, I always listen to her albums.

I 1,000% agree with that. I think that everything that she's produced or been a part of is just so creative to the point, like you said, it makes you want to be creative too. It's like, I want to be like that. She's definitely an inspiration for me.

What are some of your favorite memories from being on stage as a Broadway actor?

I think one of my favorite things about being on stage on Broadway was being able to form in a way where you can genuinely connect with your audience and you can see what their reaction is. It's very different from TV, which I love. With screen acting, you don't know what the reaction is going to be until everything is released. You have those moments, months, years, or however, long of waiting. On stage, you see those reactions first. In The Lion King, getting to see people's reactions to the intricate and over-the-top costumes, the performances, getting to see people's faces light up, especially young children, was probably like the highlight of the whole experience. I got so close with the case, it really did become a family. It was for both shows, I was among the youngest. Getting to grow up with one another and lean on each other was such a beautiful thing, and I learned so much from the other adults. I got to learn from them on stage and see that firsthand. I feel like the best way to learn in this industry is by doing and I learned a lot during that period.

As your on-screen career continues to take off, do you see yourself ever making a comeback to the stage?

I feel like with the right project I'd definitely be willing to commit and be a part of something like that. I mean, like I said, being on Broadway was the beginning of my career, and taught me so much about what I needed, and about what it's like to be in the industry. While very different from on screen action, there's still some principal things like discipline and being on time, being professional. I think I learned that all at such a young age, at 9, 10, 11 years old. I really, really appreciated everything that I learned in that time of my life. It was so much fun. It's a different, very different kind of acting, and in many ways, a bit more freeing. So, I definitely would be willing to go back.

What's your dream role to play, whether it's on screen or off or on stage?

I get this question all the time, and I never know how to answer, because, one, it changes and two, I've never looked at a role and been like, “I need to play this. This needs to be mine.” I have genres that I would love to play, like, I haven't done an action film, and that's one of my favorite genres to watch. It's a lot of time and dedication and I'm up for that challenge. As for a particular specific character, growing up, I always wanted to play Princess Tiana. It's still my favorite Disney princess. I remember growing up, I was Tiana from the Princess and the Frog for Halloween, every year the first four or five years of my life.I absolutely love that princess. I think she's just so cool and to this day, I still believe that. So, if I had to choose one, I know this sounds kind of lame, but I would say, I would say Princess Tiana.

No, I love that! You’re a Gen Z actress, coming into this industry at an interesting shift. How are you showing up for yourself in the chaos of hollywood?

The best way that I've been able to stay grounded in this industry is really relying on the people that I love—my friends and family, especially the ones that have known me since the very beginning, before I was dancing, acting. Those are the people I definitely keep close, because a lot of them know me better than I know myself. So, staying in their presence keeps me calm, keeps me grounded, and it reminds me of who I am. The times where I'm feeling a little lost or feeling a little overwhelmed, being around them gives me the refueling that I need to keep going. And also, relaxing and doing things that make me happy, other than performing, like reading. I do a lot of that. It allows me to step outside of my own realm, my own world, and into somebody else's. And also running. I love to run. I know it sounds contradicting, but running, even when it hurts, gets my mind off of all the other things.

Outside of acting, you’re an avid reader. Your partnership with Fable for the Black girl covers book club seems to be going really well. What book was a pivotal read for you this year?

In my club, I read a book called The Girl with the Louding Voice by Abi Daré. Without giving away too much, the book is basically about a young girl who comes into her own and finds her quote, unquote loud voice, or her voice, her ability to speak up and advocate for herself. It's also a book that stresses the importance of education, especially for young girls. This book is absolutely heartbreaking, but it's als, at the same time, very motivating and inspiring. I loved that book for this year. I'm also in high school in my senior year and I'm taking this class called Political Plays, and one of the plays that we've read is called TopDog underdog by Suzan-Lori Parks. I took this class to challenge myself as a performer. I tend to not enjoy reading plays, only because the way that the play is intended to be seen or interpreted may not fully translate, because you're reading it and you're not seeing it on stage. So, for that reason, plays aren't always my favorite to read, but this play actually was really impactful. I think it did a good job of highlighting the struggles that Black American men face. It was such a great play so I really love that one.

As a Black actress, are you ever weary of roles that don’t fit into the narratives you want to tell?

When it comes to there being a specific narrative that I'm trying to follow, I'm not sure that I believe that there really is. I think that in the Black community, we always say Black people are not a monolith, and I truly believe that. When I think of a narrative, I think of different versions of a story. When I'm a part of a project, I don't want to just be telling a singular narrative, a singular version. I want to be in projects that portray all kinds of Black people and show the authentic versions of Black people, because a lot of the time, and I think the industry is getting much better and much more aware when it comes to this stuff, but I think a lot of the time when a Black person is portrayed on screen, it's it's done so in a way that's palatable for other audiences that may not be a part of Black community. I think what's really important to me is that no matter what kind of character I'm playing, good or bad, or old, young, whatever— it doesn't matter. I think what's really important is that it's authentic, that someone in the world can look at me and resonate with that character. There's so much history that our community has, and I would want to share all of it, because I think all the stories deserve to be told, even the ones that are harder to understand, harder to grasp, or harder to sit through. I think if I ever pass on a project, it's not necessarily because the narrative is bad. It'd be something a little bit more technical.

Get the full issue