Exclusive Interview: Pop Culturalist Chats with The Baby-Sitters Club’s Xochitl Gomez

Xochitl Gomez is the talented young actress who’s bringing Dawn to life in Netflix’s adaptation of The Baby-Sitters Club. It’s a role of a lifetime and a responsibility that isn’t lost on Xochitl, who is more than excited (and prepared) to tell inclusive stories to a new generation. Pop Culturalist caught up with Xochitl to learn more about her, The Baby-Sitters Club, and the importance of representation.

Career

PC: How did you discover your passion for acting?
Xochitl: I started acting in local musicals at age five. For as long as I can remember, I’ve been acting, so there wasn’t a specific moment that I decided it was what I wanted to do. It’s just always been in my life and a big part of my memories growing up. As a theater kid, if I wasn’t in a show, I was just coming off one or prepping an audition for the next one.

PC: Who or what has had the biggest influence on your career?
Xochitl: I’d say my mom has had the biggest influence on my career. She did all the things she could to make this career available to me. There’s so much that goes into getting the acting experience that you need. It was all the musicals, auditions, acting classes, vocal coaching, dance lessons, improv classes, homeschooling, memorizing lines, self-taping—and her driving me around for years to do all these things—that’s what it takes. For a young actor, there is no way to be in the business without adults helping you do it.

The Baby-Sitters Club

PC: Tell us about The Baby-Sitters Club, your character, and what drew you to this project.
Xochitl: The Baby-Sitters Club is a TV series on Netflix based on the very popular book series by Ann M. Martin. It’s about five middle school girls that start up a babysitting business, but it’s so much more. Each girl has unique personality traits and situations at home that are a bit complicated, so that’s where the drama happens. Each episode, a different girl narrates, so you get to hear the stories told from all different points of view.

My character, Dawn Schafer, comes in at Episode 4. She’s the new girl in town and she has babysitting experience, so she wants into the club because she’s looking for friends and for after school work. During the first season, she is finding her place and proving her worth to the girls, eventually becoming a leader herself. What’s new is that Dawn is now Latina in the TV series, but she was blonde in the books. That was planned as part of updating the show for modern times so that it reflects the culture we live in today.

What drew me to the role was the fact that the producers were looking for a Latina actress for the role of Dawn. Each role had a specific ethnicity and was based on the books, except for Mary Anne and Dawn which were changed for the updated show. It was just a lucky coincidence that when I had read the books I always felt I was a “Dawn,” but I never thought I’d have a chance to play her since she was known for her long blonde hair.

PC: You get to introduce The Baby-Sitters Club to a new generation. Did that bring any pressure?
Xochitl: Yes, for me especially, there was a ton of pressure to introduce the BSC to a new generation and for the original fans of the books. I wasn’t too worried about the kids who are new to the BSC or who are familiar with the graphic novels. I knew they’d like it. I was seriously freaking out over the expectations of the older fans who read the book series as kids. I had a ton of negative comments and feedback when my character was revealed in a cast photograph.

People were even starting a hashtag to boycott Dawn because I did not match the description of the character in the books. Some of the comments were awful. It hadn’t occurred to me that grown adults would be so emotional over my hair color and race, so it was a real shock and made me pretty sad for a while. Now that the show has aired, I’m happy to say that all the naysayers have disappeared. Hallelujah!

PC: What was your favorite scene to film? Which was the most challenging?
Xochitl: I like doing scenes with different emotions, and I also love improvising. I felt very lucky to have the opportunity to do both of those things as Dawn in the BSC. I had emotional scenes with Malia [Baker] and Sophie Grace, which I’m very proud of. But I’d have to say my favorite was working with Marc Evan Jackson [Mr. Spier] and Jessica Eason [Dawn’s mom] because both of them are professional comedians and that was a highlight for me: to get to use my improv skills with real masters.

I’d say the camp episodes were the biggest challenge for me. The script had a different tone, so I had to think a lot about how to transform chill Dawn from the earlier episodes into activist Dawn for the last two, without it feeling like it was two separate characters. I had to find Dawn’s bold leadership but not lose her kindness and empathy. It was tricky, especially since she is ruining Mary Anne’s play to push forward her protest. That’s not typical Dawn’s behavior. I rehearsed those scenes a lot on my own to find the right way to play her during this moment at camp. I tried to dial in a subtext that she was new at organizing and she was overdoing it sometimes and getting it wrong, and so you could forgive her for being a bit obnoxious or overbearing because she was trying to do something good.

PC: The series has been very well received. What do you think is resonating most with audiences?
Xochitl: Most comments I get on social media and in fan mail are about the friendship between the girls and the way they respect and lift each other. They want friendships like the ones we have on the show. I think both adults and kids are so happy to see a show where people are nice to each other. It’s like we need to be reminded of how people should resolve their differences, and our show puts that example out there. For some kids, it could be the first time they’ve seen a family show write about a topic that is going on in their own life, and that’s what is so important. By showing these things—racism, gender identity, inequality, divorce, etc.—and bringing them into TV conversations, it opens a path for some discussions to happen in real life. That’s super powerful.

PC: This is a breakout television role for you. Did anything surprise you about the experience? What was the biggest takeaway?
Xochitl: This is the role of a lifetime, which is funny because I’m only fourteen. I think it’s because I worked so long and hard to get to this place that I am super aware of how good the writing is and how rare it is that a kid my age gets to do material at this level. I’ve got a bit of experience filming, so I wasn’t too surprised when I got to set, but I do wish that I had been able to go home to LA and visit my dad at some point. I missed him. I will say that Canada is beautiful, and I think its distance from the hustle of Hollywood kept me very focused. I can’t wait to go back—fingers crossed!

Pop Culturalist Speed Round

PC: Guilty pleasure TV show?
Xochitl: Love is Blind

PC: Guilty pleasure movie?
Xochitl: Zoolander

PC: Favorite book?
Xochitl: Dawn’s Wicked Stepsister: book number 31 [of The Baby-Sitters Club].

PC: Favorite play or musical?
Xochitl: Hamilton

PC: A band or artist that fans would be surprised to learn is on your playlist?
Xochitl: Vampire Weekend

PC: Who would play you in the story of your life?
Xochitl: That would have to be a known Latina actress that is a child right now. Sadly, there isn’t one, but there should be! Representation is everything.

To keep up with Xochitl, follow her on Twitter and Instagram. Binge-watch Season 1 of The Baby-Sitters Club on Netflix today.

Photo Credit: Lauren Bonner