Pop Culturalist Chats with Love Daily’s Tanya Burr

We’re only two months into 2018, and it’s already shaping up to be a banner year for Tanya Burr. The actress, digital content creator, fashionista, makeup guru, and author is making her American television debut in the AwesomenessTV and Verizon go90 collaboration, Love Daily…but that’s not all, she’s also making her theatre debut in the off-West End revival of Judy Upton’s Confidence. Pop Culturalist spoke with Tanya about all of her exciting projects, what her big plans are for Valentine’s Day, and how she found her confidence by doing YouTube.

PC: Tell us about Love Daily, your character, and how you got involved with the series.
Tanya: Love Daily is a twelve-episode web anthology series and it premiered on go90 on February 7th. It follows twelve couples that each have a unique story taking place in different months of the year, mine being in January. My episode is called Love and Cheese. It’s so cute because it follows this character, Zack (Michael J. Willett), who discovers his internet crush works at a cheese shop and my character, Roxanne, owns that cheese shop. Zack is vegan, but decides he’ll try not being vegan to catch the attention of the crush, Dylan (Ryan McCartan). He goes in and out of the shop and has no idea what cheese he’s ordering but wants to ask Dylan out. I end up serving him when he’s trying to catch Dylan’s attention.

PC: How did you get involved with this series?
Tanya: I’ve auditioned for Awesomeness for a ton of different roles in the last couple of years. I auditioned for the show, Freakish, but I wasn’t right for the part. Then, by chance, I was in L.A., and they were like, “We’ve got this role coming up that’s so perfect for you!” That’s how I got the call to play Roxanne since they’ve seen me on tape a bunch of times already.

PC: This is your American television debut. Can you talk a little bit about the experience, and was it everything that you thought it would be?
Tanya: It’s America, so everyone was really friendly—that’s the best part about working in the States. It was everything that I thought it’d be…actually more! The A.D. was super friendly, and so were all the other production people and cast members. I really bonded with Michael, who plays Zack. It was a really, really fun shoot, and I was only there for like six hours.

Photo Credit: AwesomenessTV

PC: Did your experience as a content creator help your transition into acting?
Tanya: No, I haven’t found it has at all, actually. I wish it did. [laughs] I think if it had, I would be a Hollywood movie star by now. [laughs] I’ve been taking acting lessons since January 2015 and did drama at school, but when it came time to select a major, I was going through a period of time where I had a lot of anxiety and felt super embarrassed about performing, so that washed away my drama dreams. I wasn’t feeling comfortable at that time in my life, and when I started doing YouTube, I got my confidence back again. I got caught up in the YouTube bubble for like five years and decided I needed to get back into acting. I love YouTube and I’m still going to continue to do it, but I wanted to get back into acting because it’s my passion.

PC: What was the most surprising part about the entire experience?
Tanya: How quick it was! Eli Sokhn, the director, moved very quickly. He knew how much he had to get done in a day and was super efficient. He also took a lot of risks and that really shocked me. I did a point of view shot which I’ve never done before. Coming from YouTube to acting, I’m so used to “Don’t look at the camera. Don’t look at the camera” and then I’m doing a point of view shot pretending I’m talking to Michael (who plays Zack) and looking directly into the camera. So I guess the most surprising thing for me was that he utilized that type of shot for this series.

PC: How difficult was it to adapt your American accent for this role?
Tanya: This was my first role with an American accent and I thought I did okay. You have so many more different dialects in the States and I can’t wait to do an American role again so I can make it even more perfect, but I think it was okay.

PC: It was great!

PC: You’re going to make your theater debut this year in the off-West End revival of Judy Upton’s Confidence, can you tell us a little more about that as well?
Tanya: Yeah! I auditioned back in November and got the part. I was so excited because it’s such a different experience for an actor and for the viewer. Even though we’re doing the same play every single night, it’s never the same because it’s live. Every night the audience reacts differently, which makes you play your part differently. I think it’s such a special experience that you share with the audience; it’s so intimate and special. I hope to challenge myself as a stage actor and that will only make me a better screen actor.

PC: The series is being released just in time for Valentine’s Day. Do you have any big plans?
Tanya: I absolutely do have plans for Valentine’s Day, but they’re not the romantic ones. I have my little brother, who’s sixteen, and my two nieces who are ten and thirteen visiting. It’s the only time when they’re off school and can come stay with me and my husband.

PC: What are you most excited for fans to see with the series?
Tanya: I’m most excited for fans to see how unique and different everyone’s relationship is and their journeys and how different it is when falling in love. They’re beautiful, inspiring, and heartwarming stories. I hope that people feel happy after watching Love Daily.

PC: Was there a particular storyline besides yours that you resonated with?
Tanya: Paul’s broken heart because we’ve all been there!

Pop Culturalist Speed Round

PC: Guilty pleasure TV show?
Tanya: Keeping Up With the Kardashians

PC: Guilty pleasure movie?
Tanya: Wild Child

PC: Favorite book?
Tanya: I just finished reading Call Me by Your Name

PC: Favorite play or musical besides Confidence?
Tanya: I watched this play in London called Bellville. If it ever tours to the States, I would definitely recommend watching it because it was absolutely brilliant. It’ll have you guessing until the end.

PC: A band or artist that fans would be surprised to learn is on your playlist?
Tanya: Oh my gosh! I listen to a lot of podcasts and audiobooks.

PC: Favorite social media platform?
Tanya: Instagram

PC: Last person you texted?
Tanya: Let me check…the costume designer for a show I’m doing this weekend.

PC: Hidden talent?
Tanya: A hidden talent? Let me ask my friend what would my hidden talent be. I play piano but I don’t know if that’s a hidden talent. I can’t think of anything else. If I had a talent, it wouldn’t be hidden.

Make sure to follow Tanya on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and subscribe to her YouTube channel.

The entire season of Love Daily is now available on Verizon’s go90.

Photo Credit: Faye Thomas