“And though she be but little, she is fierce”. While this quote from Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream might apply to Alyvia Alyn Lind’s Angelica Green in the Netflix post-apocaplyptic, genre bending series Daybreak, the real-life version, Aly, is a pleasure to speak with.
She is definitely one of the most thoughtful preteens that we have encountered in a very long time, and she also shared a pretty exciting backstory exclusively with Brief Take. Daybreak is a really funny series and although Alyvia Alyn Lind has already put together a strong list of credits, this feels like a breakout role for her.
The following is a condensed and edited version of a fun interview with the charming Alyvia Alyn Lind.
Brief Take: I love the dynamic amongst the ensemble on the show. What did the cast do to get along so well?
Alyvia Alyn Lind: Every character is different and this is the same way in real life. We’re all so different and different ages, and everything about us is different. But we all connected so strongly, right from the beginning, because opposites attract, obviously. When I first arrived, we went to the table read, and then afterwards, when we were all walking out together, we were like: “Hey, let’s go to an escape room”. So we all went to an escape room together, and that’s when we immediately bonded, and we kept going to escape rooms throughout the filming of the show and that was a unique bonding experience. A lot of us don’t have storylines in which we were working together, but we all love each other so much that we would want to hang out with each other all of the time. I became close with Sophie (Simnett) and Jontaé (Godlock) and Krysta (Rodriguez) and we would have our little girl gang, almost like our own little tribe. We all connected well.
BT: What was it like to film Daybreak in New Mexico, where you also filmed Walk. Ride. Rodeo?
AAL: We were all a little shocked when we found out that we were going to Albuquerque, which was playing the part of Glendale, California. So we were like: “Okay, Albuquerque, it’s in the middle of nowhere”. But when we got there, we have such an amazing cast and we all love each other so much and we found things to do in Albuquerque. We had such a great time and were doing stuff all the time and finding all of Albuquerque’s little amenities. So even though we were a little bit skeptical about it, we had an amazing time.
BT: How do you enjoy playing a lead role?
AAL: Well I did a Dolly Parton movie and I played Dolly Parton, and that was my first role in which I really took the lead. That was long ago and I was quite young, I was only six or seven, and it didn’t really sink in for me that much at that time. But now it’s a great honour to be in a show that has an amazing story and to get to be the lead in it, and I’m excited for everyone to get to meet Angelica.
When I first got the role for Angelica, it was shocking, because Angelica is a crazy 10-year-old pyromaniac rebel and she marches to the beat of her own drum, and she’s making her way through the apocalypse and trying to forge her own tribe. And it’s great fun to play a character that’s allowed to do things that you’d never be allowed to do in your real life. I love stepping out of my comfort zone for characters and the overall experience was amazing.
BT: How does it feel being in that post-apocalyptic world?
AAL: One of my favourite things about Daybreak is that, yes, it is about the apocalypse, but unlike basically every other show, this is not a bad thing, it’s not a tragedy. Our show puts an optimistic spin on the apocalypse, and it’s a way to reinvent ourselves. The apocalypse is the best thing that could ever happen to us – it marks the beginning of our new world, of our generation. A lot of people are actually calling it Generation A, for apocalypse, and it’s a new generation with kids taking over this world. I think that it’s a perfect time for Daybreak to come out because we’re having many problems in the world today and it’s telling us that the kids are going to be alright, and that when the new generation comes in and takes over, we are going to figure it out and it’s going to be great.
BT: How did you enjoy working with series creator and executive producer Brad Peyton?
AAL: We’re lucky to have an amazing director like Brad, he is talented and amazing and honestly, a great guy. We would always hang out all of the time because when we were working, it was almost like we were working with a best friend, because he never made it stressful. It was always focused on being light and fun, and working with him was an amazing experience.
BT: I’m curious how you craft the different characters that you’ve played.
AAL: I put a lot of research and work into the characters that I play to make sure that I can portray them in the best way possible. I love making up new characters, obviously it’s fun to portray characters that are real people like Dolly Parton because it’s such a big honour to tell her story. But one of my favourite things to do is to make up new roles because I get to put in whatever I want—how they laugh, how they walk, talk, look, all of that—and most of the time, I take away a lot from making these characters, because they teach me a lot. And when you have amazing writing, like we do on Daybreak and a lot of the other amazing projects, I learn a lot of morals as a result of the endings of shows and the final episodes, like what I learned from the show, and I think I definitely learn a lot from the characters. I do share a few similarities with Angelica, in that we’re both well-rounded and determined. I don’t carry around a flamethrower, obviously [laughs] and I am not around the apocalypse, but she’s fun to play because she is strong-minded and independent.
BT: Would you be interested in exploring directing and writing in the future?
AAL: Yes, for sure. My dream is that when I am older, to direct a movie or a show, that would be so much fun and I would love to write a script and direct a movie. I think that when you’re acting out a script, you better understand the creative side. I mean I’m only 12, I’m not quite there yet, [chuckles], obviously, but I definitely want to continue acting and learn more about the creative side, and hopefully get more into that side when I am older. I have definitely made a number of short films with my sisters. [laughs]
BT: What do you like to watch and stream on Netflix?
AAL: The End of the F***ing World is a favourite. I love that show so much. It’s very real and I think that the acting in it is incredible. I also love Santa Clarita Diet because I love Drew Barrymore so much. I actually got to work with her when I was younger and that was one of my favourite things of all. To work with her was one of my biggest dreams ever. I love E.T., it was one of my favourite movies as a child, and I was like: “Oh my God, now I get to work with her! That’s crazy awesome!”. Another favourite on Netflix would have to be The Society. I love The Society so much and that’s also another take on the apocalypse, which I love. Those are probably my top three favourites on Netflix. I watch everything on Netflix; I’m always on Netflix.
BT: Who would you like to work with in the future and who is someone you have enjoyed working with previously?
AAL: Well I know two people with whom I would enjoy working and would be my biggest dream ever, because I think that they’re so talented, and they’re Margot Robbie and Elle Fanning. I would want to work with Elle Fanning because she is so young and she’s talented and she does it all: she sings, she’s an incredible actor, and she’s honestly drop-dead gorgeous. I would love to meet her and get a chance to work with her. I’ve been a big fan of Margot Robbie’s since I was a baby because she, I mean, she’s incredible. I loooooved Suicide Squad so much, the way that she played Harley Quinn is one of my favourite things ever. I watched that movie approximately 40 times. I love it. [laughs]
Some people with whom I’ve worked already that I’ve enjoyed: Drew Barrymore, of course. Adam Sandler was one of the most amazing experiences ever, Anna Faris, I got to work with Anna Faris which was amazing, she is the greatest person ever. Dolly Parton. Dolly Parton is amazing. Oh! Also, the comedic genius, obviously, Matthew Broderick, as well as Will Ferrell. Yeah, I’ve got the chance to work with a lot of amazing, amazing, incredible actors and comedians and I hope that I get to work with many, many more.
BT: How much do you enjoy interacting using social media?
AAL: I think that social media is an amazing way to connect with the people that you love and the fans and supporters. I actually did just get back on Twitter. I was actually using Instagram for a really long time and then I started getting back on Twitter because all of my Daybreak cast mates were like: “Oh my God, you need to get on Twitter”. But Twitter is honestly the best because Instagram is more pictures and things that you are doing and Twitter is real, people say what they’re feeling in the moment, and I love Twitter very much now. I also recently got Facebook. [chuckles] I mean I love Facebook too, I love all of the social media platforms because I think that they can be used in such a great way to spread positivity and love. I know that a lot of people don’t use them that way, but I think that’s what I love to do on social media platforms. I’m really excited to get to live tweet and go live and talk to all my fans of Daybreak and answer any questions about the show that they might have. We’re all getting together, actually, for the premiere on the 24th and I think that we might go live at that that time.
BT: What do you hope viewers take away from Daybreak?
AAL: I think that one of the biggest things that people can take away from the series is that first of all, this generation is the generation that’s going to take over and hopefully make it great again. Also, that you can find your tribe and find people that you love and stick with them, and no matter what, they’ll always have your back. It’s all about finding your tribe, finding who you love and I hope that’s what people will take away from it. It’s a crazy show, obviously, and there’s a lot of cursing and blowing up stuff, but I hope that people really understand the messages of the show. I’m excited for it!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2P9U41e75tE
