Exclusive Interview: Ella Dixon Talks The Bad Seed Returns, Creating Meaningful Stories, and More

Ella Dixon is a rising young talent to keep your eye on. As a writer and actress, she’s bringing meaningful narratives to life on the screen that are leaving a lasting impact on audiences.

She’ll next be seen starring opposite Mckenna Grace in The Bad Seed Returns. After the murderous events that left her father (Rob Lowe) dead, 15-year-old Emma (Mckenna Grace), a seemingly typical teenage girl, is now living with aunt Angela (Michelle Morgan) and navigating high school. But the darkness can only be hidden for so long, especially when Angela’s husband Robert (Benjamin Ayers) begins to suspect Emma may not be as innocent as she appears, and a new girl at school, Kat (Ella Dixon), seems to know Emma’s secrets from the past. Left with no choice, Emma slips back to her old ways to take care of her enemies by any means necessary.

Pop Culturalist was lucky enough to chat with Ella about The Bad Seed Returns.

PC: How did you discover your passion for acting and storytelling?
Ella: It was less of discovery and more that it was just always a part of my life. Ever since I was a little kid, I was constantly making up stories, playing different characters, and performing in plays. When I was in preschool, I was absolutely obsessed with Annie. I went as far as wearing the red Annie wig to school every day. I wrote “Annie” as my name on every worksheet! I even asked my teachers to call me “Annie.” I still can’t believe they went along with it. As I grew up, I began to make short films with friends, and now I actually get to be in a movie and call myself a professional actor. I’m still pinching myself! Telling stories has always been the way I could express myself…it gives me such a sense of being alive and free.

PC: Who or what has had the biggest influence on your career?
Ella: There have been so many influences over the years, but I think the biggest one has been my acting teacher, Cynthia Bain. She’s been so supportive since the beginning and has really encouraged me to grow and evolve as both an actor and a writer.

PC: As you look ahead to the next five to ten years, is there a dream role that you’d love to bring to life on the screen?
Ella: Honestly, I’m open to what the world has in store for me. I just hope that each role allows me to explore different parts of myself in different ways while telling meaningful stories, however different each one may be. I want to stay open to what the world has to offer me and do my best to rise to the occasion.

PC: You’ve got a new film coming out soon. Tell us about The Bad Seed Returns, your character, and what drew you to this project.
Ella: The Bad Seed Returns is a sequel to The Bad Seed. In it, audiences get to see Emma in a very different and much more comfortable place in life. Of course, she can only keep up appearances for so long, especially after the arrival of my character, Kat, who is a specter from her past.

Kat is tough, a fighter, but when it comes down to it, she’s been through a lot in life. I think she’s much more vulnerable than she lets on. She’s crossed paths with Emma before and knows all about her secrets. So when the two girls meet, audiences get to see Emma in a position she’s never really been in before. Kat is on a mission and isn’t about to let anything stop her.

There were so many amazing things about working on this project, one of them being that I got to work with Mckenna on her writing debut. She’s such a gifted actress and writer, and it was really exciting to be able to work with her on such a fun set.

PC: This is one of your biggest projects to date. Did anything surprise you about the experience? What was the biggest takeaway?
Ella: The biggest thing that I took away from this project was the importance of vulnerability in a character—the realization that everything we ever do stems from vulnerability and raw emotion and that it’s the way that vulnerability is addressed (or not addressed) in a character or a scene that says it all. For myself, vulnerability played a fundamental role in bringing Kat to life.

PC: What’s next for you?
Ella: At the moment, I’m in the midst of finishing a screenplay. I hope to keep making short films with my friends while continuing to do professional work as well. Whatever comes next for me, I hope to keep learning and keep growing and work on roles and with actors and filmmakers that challenge and demand the best of me. I have so much to learn, and I can only hope to continue to delve deeper and deeper into my craft and continue to tell meaningful stories in the process.

Pop Culturalist Speed Round

PC: Guilty pleasure TV show?
Ella: Survivor.

PC: Guilty pleasure movie?
Ella: Twilight.

PC: Favorite book?
Ella: The Great Gatsby.

PC: Favorite play or musical?
Ella: Hamilton.

PC: A band or artist that fans would be surprised to learn is on your playlist?
Ella: David Bowie and the soundtrack for The Crown.Ella Dixon is a rising young talent to keep your eye on. As a writer and actress, she’s bringing meaningful narratives to life on the screen that are leaving a lasting impact on audiences.

She’ll next be seen starring opposite Mckenna Grace in The Bad Seed Returns. After the murderous events that left her father (Rob Lowe) dead, 15-year-old Emma (Mckenna Grace), a seemingly typical teenage girl, is now living with aunt Angela (Michelle Morgan) and navigating high school. But the darkness can only be hidden for so long, especially when Angela’s husband Robert (Benjamin Ayers) begins to suspect Emma may not be as innocent as she appears, and a new girl at school, Kat (Ella Dixon), seems to know Emma’s secrets from the past. Left with no choice, Emma slips back to her old ways to take care of her enemies by any means necessary.

Pop Culturalist was lucky enough to chat with Ella about The Bad Seed Returns.

PC: How did you discover your passion for acting and storytelling?
Ella: It was less of discovery and more that it was just always a part of my life. Ever since I was a little kid, I was constantly making up stories, playing different characters, and performing in plays. When I was in preschool, I was absolutely obsessed with Annie. I went as far as wearing the red Annie wig to school every day. I wrote “Annie” as my name on every worksheet! I even asked my teachers to call me “Annie.” I still can’t believe they went along with it. As I grew up, I began to make short films with friends, and now I actually get to be in a movie and call myself a professional actor. I’m still pinching myself! Telling stories has always been the way I could express myself…it gives me such a sense of being alive and free.

PC: Who or what has had the biggest influence on your career?
Ella: There have been so many influences over the years, but I think the biggest one has been my acting teacher, Cynthia Bain. She’s been so supportive since the beginning and has really encouraged me to grow and evolve as both an actor and a writer.

PC: As you look ahead to the next five to ten years, is there a dream role that you’d love to bring to life on the screen?
Ella: Honestly, I’m open to what the world has in store for me. I just hope that each role allows me to explore different parts of myself in different ways while telling meaningful stories, however different each one may be. I want to stay open to what the world has to offer me and do my best to rise to the occasion.

PC: You’ve got a new film coming out soon. Tell us about The Bad Seed Returns, your character, and what drew you to this project.
Ella: The Bad Seed Returns is a sequel to The Bad Seed. In it, audiences get to see Emma in a very different and much more comfortable place in life. Of course, she can only keep up appearances for so long, especially after the arrival of my character, Kat, who is a specter from her past.

Kat is tough, a fighter, but when it comes down to it, she’s been through a lot in life. I think she’s much more vulnerable than she lets on. She’s crossed paths with Emma before and knows all about her secrets. So when the two girls meet, audiences get to see Emma in a position she’s never really been in before. Kat is on a mission and isn’t about to let anything stop her.

There were so many amazing things about working on this project, one of them being that I got to work with Mckenna on her writing debut. She’s such a gifted actress and writer, and it was really exciting to be able to work with her on such a fun set.

PC: This is one of your biggest projects to date. Did anything surprise you about the experience? What was the biggest takeaway?
Ella: The biggest thing that I took away from this project was the importance of vulnerability in a character—the realization that everything we ever do stems from vulnerability and raw emotion and that it’s the way that vulnerability is addressed (or not addressed) in a character or a scene that says it all. For myself, vulnerability played a fundamental role in bringing Kat to life.

PC: What’s next for you?
Ella: At the moment, I’m in the midst of finishing a screenplay. I hope to keep making short films with my friends while continuing to do professional work as well. Whatever comes next for me, I hope to keep learning and keep growing and work on roles and with actors and filmmakers that challenge and demand the best of me. I have so much to learn, and I can only hope to continue to delve deeper and deeper into my craft and continue to tell meaningful stories in the process.

Pop Culturalist Speed Round

PC: Guilty pleasure TV show?
Ella: Survivor.

PC: Guilty pleasure movie?
Ella: Twilight.

PC: Favorite book?
Ella: The Great Gatsby.

PC: Favorite play or musical?
Ella: Hamilton.

PC: A band or artist that fans would be surprised to learn is on your playlist?
Ella: David Bowie and the soundtrack for The Crown.

Make sure to follow Ella on Instagram. Watch The Bad Seed Returns on September 5 at 8/7c on Lifetime.

Photo Credit: Deidhra Fahey