Exclusive Interview: Pop Culturalist Chats with Love, Victor’s Bebe Wood

Bebe Wood is a dynamic young performer who’s captivated audiences with the diverse range of characters she’s brought to life in projects like The New Normal and The Real O’Neals. She’s also lent her voice to animated series, including Trollshunters and 3 Below: Tales of Arcadia. But she’s probably best known for her starring role in the celebrated and critically acclaimed series Love, Victor.

Now in its second season, Love, Victor follows the titular character and his journey of self-discovery. Along that way, he meets Bebe’s character, Lake Meriwether, a multilayered young woman who’s on her own path to self-acceptance, portrayed effortlessly by the rising star.

When she’s not commanding the screen, Bebe can be found in the studio working on her debut EP.

Pop Culturalist was lucky enough to speak with Bebe about Love, Victor Season 2, what’s ahead for Lake and Felix, and her debut single, “Don’t Call Me Flower”.

Career

PC: You’ve worked on a variety of different projects. What was it about Love, Victor and this character in particular that stood out to you?
Bebe: It’s hilarious. It always seems to work out this way when it comes to acting. I was really, really busy during the time when I got the audition. It was the untitled Love, Simon project then. I was actually in the studio recording some music. When you’re in that world and space, you’re there for hours and hours. I had just gotten five auditions. I didn’t think I would have time for them all, but then I saw the untitled Love, Simon project and I was like, “Huh? Interesting.” I’m a really big fan of Becky Albertalli, which is incredible because now she and I are chums. I was immediately intrigued because I was a fan of film and the book. I set aside some time to audition for it, and here we are. I’m thankful that I did.

PC: The series has been incredibly well received. What do you think is resonating most with audiences?
Bebe: I can speak to what resonates with me, which is there’s something in it for everyone. Regardless of your age, what point you’re at in your life, or your sexuality, there’s something in it for everyone. You can see yourself and relate to any of these characters. In Season 2, specifically, we were able to dive into so many other topics—everything from marital issues to mental health to self-acceptance. Something that I, personally, resonate with the most in Season 2 is the insane pressures that we put on first and second-generation Americans. I’m the granddaughter of Cuban immigrants, and I’m really happy to see that that’s being discussed.

PC: At the end of the first season, everyone learns about Lake and Felix’s relationship. What’s ahead for them in Season 2?
Bebe: What’s ahead is everything that one can experience in a relationship. They’re each other’s first loves. There’s an episode I love—it’s episode 4—that explores everyone’s sexuality and how that manifests itself. We start off Season 2 and everyone is in their perfect little summer bubble. Lake and Felix and Benji and Victor are all going on these double dates. Felix and Lake, specifically, learn a lot from one another. Ultimately, that continues all the way towards the end of Season 2.

PC: There are so many great relationships within the show, which was your favorite to explore? Has that changed from Season 1 into Season 2?
Bebe: That’s an interesting question. I really liked exploring Lake’s relationship with Felix because it gets more complicated the longer that they’re together. There’s going to be a huge debate online on what people think about the situation. But Lake has grown up a lot and she matures so much. She loves Felix so much that ultimately, she has to make some decisions that she knows will or, at least, might not end so well for her. That’s a really brave thing to do. That’s a very grown-up thing to do. Ultimately, she does it because she loves him so much. I really liked playing that dynamic because it was complicated and heartbreaking in a way. I really liked that. Lake has some burgeoning relationships and friendships this season that I also liked exploring.

PC: Great teaser. Speaking of complicated relationships, one of the central relationships in Lake’s life is with her mother. You and Leslie Grossman have worked together in the past. What was it like reuniting with her and building this mother-daughter dynamic?
Bebe: Oh my God, it was so fun. It’s crazy because Leslie was on the first series I did. I was ten years old, and now I’m almost twenty. It was an absolute trip for her because she was like, “What is happening? How are you an adult?” We had a really good time. It’s hilarious because that relationship, at least in Season 1, is so fraught. In Season 2, Lake has learned to love and accept herself. Her relationship with her mother gets a lot better. She confides in her mother this season, which I’m not entirely sure she would have done in Season 1.

PC: The show does a beautiful job balancing comedy and drama. Your character, in particular, gets to play in both of those areas. For you as an actress, is one more challenging than the other?
Bebe: That’s a good question. I’ve been on a lot of sitcoms, so I think I’m really comfortable with comedy; it’s something that is in my actor’s toolkit. If we bought this toolbox right at the very beginning of our careers, and as we build our careers, let’s say we’re buying a new tool for each project we do, I think comedy is a tool that’s been there for a while; I feel pretty comfortable around it. That being said, you audition for certain things or you’re a part of certain projects where you learn something that you never thought before. These tools are changing and evolving.

Comedy is probably what I’m most comfortable with, but I have a huge affinity for drama. I would like to do more of that in the future. I’m attracted to a lot of stories that are perhaps more dramatic but also have comedic elements in them because they’re truthful. Life is funny sometimes. I’m most comfortable with comedy, but I love drama a lot.

PC: In addition to being an actress, you’re also a musician. I know that you like to incorporate music in all areas of your craft and created a playlist for Lake. How was your musical expression made you a stronger actress and vice versa?
Bebe: That’s an interesting question. When you’re writing music, you have to be really honest with yourself, sometimes painfully so. [laughs] In my music, I strive for honesty. It’s not taking itself so seriously. Everything I do musically is sort of tongue in cheek. That’s a really helpful skill to have in acting as well. So much of what we face as actors is rejection. When you’re acting, you’re portraying less of yourself perhaps, right? Because you’re playing a character. With music, there’s no option to play a character, because it’s just me. But I think being able to not take things so seriously in acting, like obviously respect your craft and put in the work, but at the end of the day, if you take it really, really seriously and rejection is something that gets to you, that could be really damaging for one’s mental health as an actor. I try to have self-awareness in both.

PC: If you had to pick a song that describes Lake’s journey in Season 2, what would it be and why?
Bebe: This is an awesome question and I have it immediately. [laughs] I probably should add this to Lake’s “Ladies Playlist”. It’s a song by an artist name Celeste—she’s incredible. She’s British and so wonderfully talented. The song is called “Strange”. I listened to it a lot during Season 2, just to get in the mental headspace of Lake. There are a few scenes this season for Lake that are intense and a little overwhelming, and when I listened to that song, I was immediately in that space. Not only is it sonically provoking, but the lyrics are also very poignant in terms of Lake’s situation. I think Lake could have probably written the song in some capacity because it’s a very her song for Season 2.

Music

PC: In addition to Love, Victor, you’re also getting ready to release a new song this month. Tell us about “Don’t Call Me Flower” and the inspiration behind the song.
Bebe: I was in the studio recording another track for my EP, which should be out sometime later this summer. Similar to acting, you develop a musical family when you are in the studio for hours, hours and creating art with someone. It’s very vulnerable. I have a pretty tight-knit crew. I was venting to my producer, bless him, he has to listen to me ramble all the time. His name is Ted Hutt—he’s truly such a darling. I was complaining about this situation with a boy. I was like, “Don’t call me flower. Don’t call me flower”. This boy would notoriously call me “flower”. In the studio, I was screaming this at the top of my lungs. [laughs] Ted was like, “Where is this song?”

A light bulb went off in my head. I went home and sung my heart out right away. That was the inspiration behind “Don’t Call Me Flower”. Simply put, it’s a venting song, but it’s really relevant. It means a lot to me because the story is so specific for me, personally. That being said, my favorite thing about music is that if you put ten people in a room and they hear the song, each person is going to perceive the song in a different way. I’m looking forward to seeing what other people think the song is about.

PC: You really use your craft and platform to build awareness for issues and causes that you’re passionate about. How did you discover your voice as an advocate?
Bebe: I’m really thankful for my parents. I love them dearly. I’m very close with them, and they’re both very outspoken, especially my mother. From a very young age, I was taken to protests and events that had some political background or charitable aspects to them. I grew up in a very loud house when it came to politics. I grew up living with my parents and my grandparents, so there was always a discussion happening. Sometimes there were closing viewpoints. It was always an open discussion.

I’m thankful that they put an emphasis on that sort of thing from a very early age because I don’t think it’s a choice. Sometimes it isn’t the best thing that I’m so outspoken. [laughs] It can come back and hurt me a little bit, but I don’t think it was ever a choice, because it was ingrained in my household.

Pop Culturalist Speed Round

PC: Guilty pleasure TV show?
Bebe: I certainly do. I love RuPaul’s Drag Race. I love America’s Next Top Model. I do have a thing for reality TV.

PC: Guilty pleasure movie?
Bebe: Aquamarine. I’m such a 2000s kid. I’m really giving myself away here, but Aquamarine with Emma Roberts and JoJo. That’s the best movie of all time.

PC: Favorite book?
Bebe: This is a very stark contrast to Aquamarine, but my favorite book is Philip Roth’s Plot Against America. HBO made a really exceptional miniseries; it captured the book perfectly. Plot Against America is an alternate version of Philip Roth’s childhood—he called it a false memoir. It’s basically about what would have happened if Charles Lindbergh became president inside of FDR getting elected for his third term. It’s very poignant in terms of the past few years. It’s terrifying that Philip Roth predicted the future. He only lived to see two years of the Trump administration. It’s creepy that he hit the nail on the head back in 2004 when he wrote it. But it’s probably one of the greatest books I’ve ever read, and it holds a very dear place in my heart.

PC: Favorite play or musical?
Bebe: My favorite musicals are Gray Gardens and In the Heights. I’ve always been attached to Little Edie—she’s one of my heroes. In the Heights is very dear to me because I was taken to see it at a very young age. I think I was eight years old when I saw it on Broadway, and it just resonated with me. Seeing something that was so celebratory of a culture similar to my own was really lovely.

My favorite play is Arcadia by Tom Stoppard.

PC: A band or artist that fans would be surprised to learn is on your playlist?
Bebe: I post a lot about oldies and classics like ’30s and ’40s jazz standards. I listen to a lot of Cuban music. I know I post a lot about that, but I listen to a lot of dance music as well. I love Years & Years. Olly Alexander is a star. He’s awesome. I listen to a lot of Busta Rhymes and MF Doom, too. I also listened to a lot of film soundtracks.

PC: What’s your dream role?
Bebe: My dream role is Thomasina in Arcadia. She’s a wonderful, interesting character, but I think, honestly, anything that’s like a period piece. I love to bathe in gorgeous vintage clothing for work. That seems ideal for me.

To keep up with Bebe, follow her on Twitter and Instagram. Watch Love, Victor Season 2 on Hulu on June 11th.

Photo Credit: Jaivron Joseph