Exclusive Interview: Pop Culturalist Chats with Riot Girls’ Madison Iseman

Madison Iseman is a versatile young actress who has quickly established herself as one of Hollywood’s most sought-after talents. Her impressive résumé features blockbuster films like Annabelle Come Home, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, Goosebumps 2: Haunted House, and dozens more.

She’ll next be seen in the action-packed, dystopian film, Riot Girls, portraying a character unlike any she’s played before.

Pop Culturalist caught up with Madison to chat about Riot Girls.

PC: Tell us about Riot Girls and your character in the film.
Madison: Riot Girls is set in a world after a mysterious illness has killed off all of the adults, and now the town has been divided into two sides. You have the east side made up of scrappy scavengers and the dangerous west side where they have most of the resources and power.

The west side is controlled by Jeremy, their leader/dictator. I play Nat, who is the voice of reason to her best friend and other half, Scratch. When Nat’s brother is taken and captured by the west side, Nat and Scratch set out to the west in hopes of saving him.

PC: This role is a departure from the characters you’ve played in the past. Did that change the preparation and what was the biggest takeaway from this experience?
Madison: Absolutely! This is a very, very different role, which I’m really excited about—that was one of the main things that drew me to this project. Nat’s so different from any other character I’ve ever played. She has this tough exterior, but she’s still fragile. She’s trying to get a grasp on everything that’s happening in the world while trying to maintain a level head for everyone else.

PC: There’s a lot to love about this film from the strong female characters to how the queer relationship at the heart of the film is presented in a way that you don’t often see on screen. What was the biggest draw for you?
Madison: One of the biggest draws to this project was the opportunity to work with so many incredible women. Jovanka Vuckovic [director] is the greatest. Between her, Lauren Grant [producer], Katherine Collins [writer], and Bonnie Sutherland [costume designer], we had such a blast. There were so many creative minds working on one thing and everyone was female. It was awesome! I’ve never had an experience like that before. That was one of the main reasons I really, really wanted to work on this project.

PC: There are a lot of different layers to your character, Nat. Which was your favorite to explore? Which one was the most challenging?
Madison: Her hard-shell exterior was probably the most difficult because that’s not necessarily who I am as a person. I listened to a lot of different music to prepare, and the wardrobe definitely helped! It was a lot of fun. I got to experience this other side of myself that I’ve never really touched upon before—that was probably the most challenging. Everyone on set made it an easy transition, though. Everyone was going through the same thing, and Paloma had to get a mohawk for the film, which was awesome. We got to do a lot of fun character building.

PC: How did you and Paloma build that bond and how did you approach the dynamic between your two characters?
Madison: It was really easy. We got along so well when we first met; we hung out in Toronto and got to know each other. She’s easy to fall in love with as a friend, just as much as a person. Our chemistry on set and in the scenes was extremely easy to tap into. There’s no denying Nat and Scratch’s friendship and their love for each other. Paloma is just the greatest, most talented human being.

PC: With this being a different role for you, is there a particular scene that you’re excited for your fans to see?
Madison: I don’t want to spoil too much, but from the trailer, you can see our love for each other. But, there’s one scene where Nat sits Scratch down and confesses everything she’s been feeling for her the entire time. It’s one of the more touching and personal scenes in the film. You see these two girls as human beings growing up in this world. That’s one scene that I’m excited for everyone to see. Oh, and the fight sequences! [laughs]

Photo Credit: Beth Dubber/Netflix

PC: How did you train for those fight sequences?
Madison: It was very physical. I’ve always wanted to do that for a role. There was a lot of running and biking up and down the hill. Gosh, there was a lot of biking. [laughs] For the fight sequences, we got to use a lot of crazy weapons. Jovanka had a very clear image and direction for us, which was so much fun. These girls are bad-asses and they’re fighting against men. You don’t see that a lot.

PC: The film tackles a lot of different themes. With it coming out on September 13th, what do you hope audiences walk away with?
Madison: I hope they have a good time and go on this adventure with these two girls. I hope it’s exciting. I also hope they giggle and fall in love with their relationship. It’s a fun, punky anthem.

PC: What has Nat or this project taught you?
Madison: She’s taught me so much. She’s taught me a strength I never thought I had as a person. She had to find this bravery within herself that she didn’t know she had, and I didn’t know that I had either.

PC: Besides Riot Girls, do you have any other upcoming projects that you can chat about at this time?
Madison: The new Jumanji movie is coming out around Christmas—I’m really excited for that one. They took what they had before and made it even bigger!

To keep up with Madison, follow her on Twitter and Instagram, and catch Riot Girls in select theaters now.