Exclusive Interview: Celeste O’Connor Chats The In Between, Their Favorite Scene in the Film, and More!

Celeste O’Connor is a rising star who has taken Hollywood by storm. They’ve starred in projects including Wetlands, Selah and the Spades, and Ghostbusters: Afterlife. This February, they can be seen in the must-see film The In Between.

The In Between is a supernatural love story that centers on a teenage girl, Tessa (Joey King), who, after bouncing around in foster homes for most of her childhood, doesn’t believe she deserves her own love story. Everything changes after she has a chance encounter with Skylar (Kyle Allen), a senior from a neighboring town who’s a true romantic. As her heart begins to open, tragedy strikes when a car accident takes Skylar’s life, while Tessa survives. As Tessa searches for answers in the aftermath of the accident, she soon believes Skylar is attempting to reconnect with her from the afterworld. With the help of her best friend, Shannon (Celeste O’Connor), and a newfound belief that love never dies, Tessa attempts to contact Skylar one last time, in order to give their love story the epic ending it deserves.

Pop Culturalist was lucky enough to speak with Celeste about The In Between, why this role was important to them, and what they hope audiences take away after they see the film!

PC: To start, could you introduce us to your character in the film and what attracted you to this project?
Celeste: I play Shannon, Tessa’s best friend, in The In Between. She’s so fun, lighthearted, and supportive. That’s really what drew me to her as a character. I thought that it was really important that as young Black actors, we get to play roles that are fun, carefree, and light. That was what was exciting to me—that there’s this character who has felt safe and has felt supported in her life. She’s just concerned with normal teenager things like boys and parties.

PC: Tessa is dealing with a lot in her life. Your character Shannon is the one person she can confide in. How did you and Joey approach building that dynamic on screen?
Celeste: Arie [Posin] did a really good job of giving us the space to explore their relationship. Joey is so smart, funny, and amazing. We had some rehearsal time where we got to actually sit and chat with each other. We talked about the history of their relationship and about how their dynamic has been, and how long have they known each other. We got to build the history between us together, which was really cool.

PC: At the heart of the story is this young woman who’s trying to reconnect with somebody on the other side. If you were able to communicate with somebody on the other side, who would it be and why?
Celeste: It would be my mother’s parents. I never met them. I don’t know too much about my history from back home and where she’s from. I would connect with them and ask them some questions.

PC: You steal every scene that you’re in. Is there a particular scene that you’re really excited for your fans to see when the film drops?
Celeste: I am so excited for the sequence where Shannon is helping Tess to connect with Skylar. She tries a bunch of stuff—she tries a Ouija board, she tries something with a mirror. That was a lot of fun to film because I got to bring Shannon’s energy, and she got to take the wheel and say, “Hey, best friend. We’re going to try to cheer you up and we’re going to try to do something about this.” I’m really excited for everyone to see that.

PC: What do you hope audiences take away when they see it?
Celeste: I hope that they take away the power of love—that’s the central theme in the story. Tessa opens herself up to love in this new way, and she discovers so much about herself and the world around her. Then, the love between her and Shannon facilities all of that discovery. The power of love is really the central message for everybody.

PC: Besides this film, where can fans see you next?
Celeste: I have another film coming out this year. It’s called A Good Person directed by Zach Braff. I’m really excited for everyone to see that film, but that’s still a little ways away.

To keep up with Celeste, follow them on Twitter and Instagram. Watch The In Between on Paramount+ today!