Pop-Culturalist.com

Camille Hyde is a rising talent with several acting credits already under her belt. She’s currently starring in not one but two go90 originals, Mr. Student Body President and Versus. Pop Culturalist was lucky enough to chat with Camille about all her new projects, why Versus is teaching young girls the importance of breaking gender norms, and why it’s important to trust your own instincts.

PC: Tell us about Versus and your character on the show.
Camille: Versus is a high school drama that’s centered around a girls lacrosse team. My character, Madison, is the star lacrosse player. She’s a naturally talented athlete that’s under the strong influence of her mom, who use to play the sport. Her mom is super tough on her and expects a lot from her. Madison is at a crossroads between deciding whether she wants to continue to play lacrosse or if she just wants to be a normal kid.

Her rival, Lauren, ends up joining the summer team and they have to work through their differences. At the start, they really dislike each other and never see eye-to-eye, but then, they learn about each other’s backgrounds.

One thing that makes this show very special is that every character has their own back-story. They’re sisters on and off the field, and the show is about seeing how they support each other and how lacrosse brings them together.

PC: What initially drew you to this project and how did you prepare?
Camille: Originally the show was being pitched as Friday Night Lights but with girls lacrosse, and I was obsessed with Friday Night Lights. I loved the relationships we got to explore and that the tone of the show was going to be similar. These are the stories that I loved growing up.

The show did a lot of research and learned that girls are dropping out of sports, or not participating at all, at a high rate. Hopefully, this show will help encourage girls to take part and continue to pursue athletic ventures and not succumbing to “typical female activities”.

PC: How similar or different would you say you are to your character?
Camille: I’m similar in some ways, but very, very different. It was really easy for me to zero in on her mentality and focus, because I’m the same way with my career, but, at the same time, I think we’re very different socially. For her, it’s white and black. She plays lacrosse, goes to school, and that’s her life. In my own life, I think I can relax and joke around a little more.

PC: In the first episode, we see that Madison contemplates whether or not to throw in the towel. Ultimately, she decides not to. Has there been a moment in your life where you’ve felt similar and how did you persevere?
Camille: Yeah! There are a lot of times when I doubt the things that I do. I have so many interests and a lot of things I want to achieve. It’s really hard to balance, especially when people tell you that you need to focus on just one thing. It’s easy to let that thought start to creep into your head, but I always tell myself that when people aren’t encouraging you, it may be because they’ve had their dreams crushed themselves, and you have to listen to your own voice.

PC: Great piece of advice! Can you tease how Madison and Lauren’s relationship will develop?
Camille: There’s a moment when they both start to understand what the other is going through and begin to relate to each other more. For Madison, she doesn’t know what it’s like to not have both her parents and the pressures that Lauren’s facing. For Lauren, she sees where Madison’s coming from, having parents who are going through a divorce situation and also not knowing how to talk to boys. It’s then that they begin to help each other with those issues and start being friends.

PC: The series teaches a lot of important life lessons—which one has resonated with you the most and why?
Camille: I think the greatest lesson that the show taught me is that life is so short and you need to live in the moment and enjoy the time you have with your loved ones.

PC: Gatorade, go90, and Awesomeness are focused on creating content that inspires a generation. Is there a person or story that’s inspired you?
Camille: Yeah! I grew up playing competitive tennis. I was a city champion four years in a row, and that was a lot of pressure on me. I looked up to Serena and Venus growing up. They came from Compton and didn’t have much. They played on the courts of Compton with their dad and became the best in the world. That’s always inspired me. If you can go from one of the poorest places in the country to being the best in the world then there’s no excuse for anyone to not pursue their dreams.

PC: Besides Versus, do you have any other upcoming projects that you can talk about?
Camille: It’s so funny. I’m on a show called Mr. Student Body President that’s on go90 as well. Season two is airing now. My character on that show is the complete opposite of Madison. She’s the main antagonist of Tyler Prendergast, who’s the student body president. She’s the queen bee. She’s the Regina George of the school, but in a way that everyone loves her because she’s so charismatic, but she’s also a b*tch. She was the most fun character that I’ve gotten to play. She’ll appear in the third or fourth episode. New episodes air every Thursday on go90!

Pop Culturalist Speed Round

PC: Guilty pleasure TV show?
Camille: Are You the One? on MTV

PC: Guilty pleasure movie?
Camille: White Chicks! I can watch it from start-to-finish a million times and never get sick of it. I know every single word.

PC: Favorite book?
Camille: The Fault in Our Stars

PC: A band or artist that fans would be surprised to learn is on your playlist?
Camille: I’ve been a Jonas Brothers’ fan since I was thirteen.

PC: Favorite play or musical?
Camille: I saw Hamilton a few days ago and it changed my life.

PC: Favorite social media platform?
Camille: Pinterest! I love pinning things.

PC: Hidden talent?
Camille: Probably horseback riding.

Make sure to follow Camille on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, and catch new episodes of Versus every Wednesday on go90.

Photo Credit: Mario Barberio