Exclusive Interview: Alix Lapri Chats Power Book II: Ghost Season 2

Similar to her character Effie Morales in Power Book II: Ghost, Alix Lapri is a force to be reckoned with. Whether she’s singing her heart out in the studio or captivating audiences in projects like Den of Thieves, Alix is a rising talent who is crushing it in all facets of her career.

This fall, Alix reprises her role in the highly-anticipated second season of Power Book II: Ghost.

Pop Culturalist was lucky enough to chat with Alix about her journey from music to acting, Power Book II: Ghost Season 2, and how big risks led her down the road to superstardom.

PC: How did you discover your passion for the arts?
Alix: I actually started in music. Not a lot of people know that. I found my way into acting naturally through the people that I was signed to. I wasn’t super crazy interested at first, but I fell in love with it. I started auditioning and booked Den of Thieves with Gerald Butler and 50 Cent. I didn’t realize it was going to be as huge as it was until the moment I got to set. I remember I was wide-eyed. I was like, “Wow, this is incredible.” From there, I was hooked. It was the most incredible, exciting feeling ever.

PC: Who or what has had the biggest influence on your career?
Alix: I would say a lot of my peers. I watched a lot of my friends make their way into acting, like Jacob Latimore and Ajiona Alexus, who was on BMF. I remember seeing them having so much fun with it. I was like, “Well, I want to do that too. That seems pretty cool.” I started to make my way into it and did the same.

PC: Like you were saying earlier, you got your start in music. What was the biggest lesson that you learned being an artist that you’ve been able to transfer over to your acting career and vice versa?
Alix: To be bold and take risks because playing it safe will not get you very far. I was always the kind of person who was comfortable with taking risks. My natural style is already on the ediger side. I like to have fun and go big, and it’s worked.

PC: You’ve had a lot of success already in your young career. When you look back, is there a particular moment that stands out to you?
Alix: It’s when I moved to Atlanta. I remember I went to my mom and was like, “Hey, mom.” (I was twelve at the time.) I was like, “Mom, I want to move to Atlanta.” She looked at me like, “Girl, are you crazy?” I kid you not, a week later, her job transferred her to Atlanta. We got there and my career blossomed. I always go back to that moment because from that moment it was like a butterfly effect. If we had never come here, I might not be here today.

Power Book II: Ghost

PC: You’re one of the stars of Power Book II: Ghost and Season 2 just premiered. What can fans expect from your character this season?
Alix: Oh my gosh. Rash decisions. I would say she knows what she’s doing and she knows why she’s doing it. She’s smart about it. But she completely lashes out. You know how you have a conscience and you’re like, “Hmm, I would love to do that, but I probably am not going to.” She’s like, “Let’s do it.” [laughs] You can definitely expact a lot of that from her—a lot of the dominant, confident energy that she always brings. She’s still going to keep that mystery that everybody seems to be intrigued by.

PC: Speaking of that dominance, we’ve seen the power struggle between Effie and Tariq throughout the seasons. How have you and Michael [Rainey Jr.] approached that dynamic and has that changed heading into this new season?
Alix: What’s really interesting is that when we’re on set, Michael and I have conversations about that with the directors. Sometimes they’ll give me a lot of the dominant control tactics. I’ll have a conversation with the director and I’m like, “You know what? Why don’t we give that to him this time? Why don’t we switch it up?” I feel like people enjoy seeing us go back and forth. It’s really a push and pull. We have a lot of conversations about that. It’s going to be funny to watch how that continues to deepen.

PC: There have been so many stand-out moments with your character. If you had to pick one from either Season 1 or 2 that’s been your favorite, which would it be and why?
Alix: I would say my favorite moment would be the fight scene. Everybody got to see that in the teaser for Episode 2. That’s the first time I’d ever done a stunt scene. I was absolutely terrified going into it. I did not know what to expect. I had a lot of fun with it. It’s fun to be able to do something more on the extreme side.

PC: This has been the longest that you’ve lived with a character. Has anything surprised you about the experience? What’s been the biggest takeaway?
Alix: The first time you’ll see my character in Season 2 is very different from what you’ve seen in the past. It definitely surprised me. I can’t tell you what it is yet, but you guys will see it in Sunday’s episode. The show continues to surprise me. They throw a lot of big, impactful scenes my way, which I really love. They do a great job writing for Effie.

PC: What have you learned about yourself and your craft embodying this character?
Alix: They tend to throw things at her, and there are a lot of things that I’ve never done before. I continue to study and soak everything up like a sponge. I never stop being a student. That’s one of the biggest things I’ve held onto throughout this entire experience: that I never stop being a student. You can never get locked into one way of doing things because there are always going to be directors or producers who tell you to do something completely differently.

PC: The Power franchise has been incredibly well received. What do you think is resonating most with audiences?
Alix: People can relate to these characters. We have a lot of characters that are very diverse in race, gender, and sexuality. I feel people can really see themselves in these characters. I feel like that’s why people like it and stick with it.

PC: If you had to describe Season 2 in one sentence, what would it be?
Alix: I would say these people are nuts. The decisions they make in the blink of an eye are like, “What?” They’re so comfortable with doing these things. [laughs]

Pop Culturalist Speed Round

PC: Guilty pleasure TV show?
Alix: The new season of Dexter.

PC: Guilty pleasure movie?
Alix: Kill Bill franchise.

PC: Favorite book?
Alix: Zodiac by Romina Russell.

PC: Favorite play or musical?
Alix: Chicago.

PC: A band or artist that fans would be surprised to learn is on your playlist?
Alix: David Bowie.

PC: Dream role?
Alix: Something along the lines of a Harley Quinn character or somebody very, very nerdy and quirky. Because what a lot of people might not know about me is that I am that person. I’m a Harry Potter fanatic. I love everything sci-fi—Walking Dead zombies, aliens, all of that.

To keep up with Alix, follow her on Twitter and Instagram. Watch Power Book II: Ghost every Sunday at 8/7c on Starz.

Photo Credit: Tim Caver