Digital Cover: Riele Downs
Talent: Riele Downs
Photos: The Riker Brothers
Stylist: Jennifer Austin
MUA: Camille Ariane
Hair Stylist: Araxi Lindsey
Producer: Chrissy Wang
EIC + Words: Anthony Vu Cao
Special Thanks: Persona PR
Meet Riele Downs the ever talented actress from Nickelodeon television series Henry Danger from 2014 to 2020 and now she takes on the role of Darby Harper on the highly entertaining film Darby and the Dead, streaming on Hulu. Get to know her and her insights on her projects in acting and outside of acting, aspiration and inspirations.
Tell us a little bit about yourself.
Hi, I’m Riele! I grew up in Canada - Toronto, to be specific, so definitely a city girl at heart. I’ve been acting for as long as I could remember, but I’m also a big food connoisseur, travel enthusiast, a meticulous visual artist and an aspiring writer. I came out to Los Angeles at age 12 after booking a series that I worked on for the entirety of my teen years, and now as a fresh young adult, I hope to continue contributing to the betterment of this world we live in any way I can - and hopefully, have some fun while I do it.
You started acting at a young age. Who or what inspired you to pursue acting?
I started acting at age 4, and whenever I tell people that they’re like… How? How did your little toddler self join an agency? Well, my mom was an actress, and she observed mine and my sister’s natural knack for performing. Anytime guests were over, we’d take it upon ourselves to give 'em a show! And the rest is history.
Who did you look up to growing up and why?
I looked up to my parents for sure, who were natural born leaders with creative spirits. My mom has helped coach me throughout my career, and set a wonderful example in general for the qualities a woman should have. I look up to my older sister as well - she’s my best friend, and to this day we learn so much from each other and have the MOST fun, constantly.
How do you prepare for your roles? Looking at “Darby and The Dead” in particular, how did you prep for a role that focuses on death?
I always prepare by answering questions as the character to get into their mind space as much as I can. If you don’t understand a character, and respect their motives, it can be tough to portray them. For Darby in particular, I pulled from any grief I’ve experienced in my own life. With the help of our wonderful director Silas, we created a world of backstory to further support the scenes.
I’ve been asked about my own personal experiences with the dead… I’m more of a ‘burn sage’ type of girl! I don’t wander too deeply into the dark side as you never know what can lurk there. But I did speak with my mother as she is quite intuitive and has had some experience with this type of thing. I was able to imagine how it would feel to speak with people who have passed on. Given the ghosts in Darby’s world aren’t scary, more like people just trying to work things out, it became more about picturing the fun of speaking with people that others can’t see.
You play Darby Harper what can you tell us about her character in the film?
Darby is a very kind, empathetic individual with loads of heart - but that’s not how she always presents. She’s developed a bit of a cold exterior as she experienced a tragic loss as a child and a traumatic event. Throughout the film, she experiences the many highs and lows of being a very different person in high school, and ultimately comes out the other end having learned some much needed lessons. At the end of the day, she’s human, and despite trying to handle everything in her life on her own, she needs support and desires acceptance just like everybody else.
What was your favorite part about filming?
There’s so much I could say here! For starters location made the experience that much more fruitful. Cape Town, South Africa is a beautiful place with incredible history, art, and views. It quickly became a home away from home.
Another favorite part was getting to work with a cast and crew committed to telling this story in a way that was as authentic, diverse, and nuanced. We had so much fun creating this together!
How closely do you relate to your character, if at all?
Darby and I have our similarities and our differences. I absolutely relate with her on how introverted she can be. In new social situations, I naturally keep to myself and become more of an observer. Also, very similar to me in my own life, I also break the fourth wall, sending micro reactions and quips to my close friends.
If you could spend the day with someone dead or alive who would that person be and why?
I would love to spend the day with my great great grandmother ‘Louise’, and her sister ‘Claire’, the two ladies that raised my mother who made such an impact on her life that my sister and I got our middle names from them. They both died many years before we were born, so we never had a chance to spend any time with them. There’s no shortage of wonderful stories she tells us, and we have a sense of missing them, even though we sadly never met face to face. I would give them both the biggest hugs!
We saw that you are involved in the fashion space and have designed your own red carpet-looks. What inspired you to start fashion designing?
It’s something I’ve always done. In kindergarten I would be designing full fashion lines! I was always very particular about the clothes I wore, even as a baby - If I didn’t like an item of clothing or found it at all uncomfortable, I would cry until my mom changed my outfit. As I got older, even though I sported a shy persona, I never shied away from a wacky outfit. Some of my favorites being a burger hat, a polka dot skirt I’d wear as a top, and yes - the notorious galaxy leggings. For grade 6 graduation I made a dress made solely of Doritos bags! Fashion is one of the purest forms of self-expression, and wearing something you feel like yourself in can affect how you feel and change your entire day!
Who do you look up to in the fashion world for inspiration?
Honestly, my Pinterest board. It’s sort of a smorgasbord of different styles and designers, and what I love about it specifically is its range. Half the things I’ve saved there are from amateur designers, or people from around the world who just knew how to put together a killer outfit. More specifically, though, I follow a large lot of brands who singlehandedly created fashion lines and invented new trends when they weren’t previously in the fashion industry. I find that type of work ethic to be really inspiring!
What is your most favorite item of clothing to design?
I’d have to say dresses. There are so many different ways to go when you’re creating a dress - you can make it deconstructed, short, long, formal, flowy, flowery, puffy, fitted, asymmetrical, colorful, patterned, collared, buttoned… It’s all so much fun! I’ve found myself making my most unique pieces when designing a dress.
If you are not pursuing acting, what would you want to do and why?
A lot of my other interests still lie in the creative field - I’m a very visual learner and frequent daydreamer, so doing something like show-running or directing would also be in my line of interests. Alternatively, I’ve always had an interest in philosophy and psychology.
Are you involved in any philanthropic or charity causes?
Over the years, I’ve been an avid word-spreader of the many causes we should all be supporting. Such topics include BLM (Black Lives Matter), supporting indigenous communities, women’s issues and reproductive rights, LGBTQ+ rights, and help for developing countries. I also had the privilege of visiting children’s hospitals with my cast, and attending countless food and gift drives over the years.
Ever since stepping away from social media, a lot of my work on these causes have been more about listening and informing myself on current topics that are rising. Moving forward with this new knowledge I’ve gathered, I intend on going back to sharing with my audience how they can take part in making the world a safe and loving place for all.
What can we look forward to next for you?
I’m driven by the thought that the characters I play or art I create can inspire a whole new generation of young people out there - so you’ll find me writing, drawing, designing, performing, and most recently, strumming on my bass. I hope to share all of those endeavors with the world when they’re ready!
In terms of next projects, there’s some exciting things in the works that I can’t say much about right now, but stay tuned!. GR8T