Pop-Culturalist.com

Liliana Inouye is a fresh face in the industry who is quickly making a name for herself with her breakout performance in Amber Brown.

Based on the bestselling book series by Paula Danziger, with over ten million copies in print, Amber Brown is an unfiltered look at a girl finding her voice through art and music in the wake of her parents’ divorce. Liliana shines as Amber’s best friend who is always there by her side.

Pop Culturalist was lucky enough to chat with Liliana about Amber Brown.

PC: How did you discover your passion for storytelling and acting?
Liliana: I’ve been performing since I was a toddler. I’ve always loved being bold, loud, and expressing myself freely.

When I was five, my mom put me in acting classes for fun. I think what I fell in love with was having the space and the freedom to play and express myself. I also loved the friendship and sense of belonging that comes with being a part of a group of other actors. It was always about having fun, togetherness, self-expression, and self-discovery.

As I’ve grown as an actress, I’ve really started appreciating the challenge and the fun of playing different characters with various personalities and emotions and getting to tell their stories.

PC: Who or what has had the biggest influence on your career?
Liliana: My mom. She’s the one doing everything behind the scenes. Communicating with my agent, taping, editing my auditions, and taking me to classes. She’s fully committed to supporting me and I appreciate it so much.

PC: Tell us about Amber Brown, your character, and what drew you to this project.
Liliana: Amber Brown is based on the book series by Paula Danziger. It’s about a girl who’s just starting middle school. Her parents have just divorced, and her dad has moved to Paris. Her best friend and next-door neighbor Justin has just moved away, and she’s going through a lot of difficult changes. But then my character Brandi moves into the house next door and makes everything better! Brandi and Amber become best friends, and Brandi helps Amber get through some big changes while having lots of fun!

My character Brandi is an independent spirit, kinda quirky, and always sees the positive side of things. She has a mischievous side but is also such a sweet and loyal friend. What I love most about Brandi is that she is comfortable in her skin and is always true to herself; she never changes who she is to be popular. She is so proud of her quirkiness and what makes her her.

When I got the audition for Brandi and read through the sides, I instantly connected with her character: her spunky personality, her love of crystals, and her sense of humor. I also loved the feel of the friendship between Brandi and Amber that came through so strongly in the script and just knew this would be the funniest project to be a part of.

PC: How did you and Carsyn [Rose] build the chemistry between your two characters?
Liliana: Carsyn and I both stayed at the same hotel throughout the filming of Season 1, so we met at the hotel pool a few days before filming even started. We instantly bonded and had so much fun laughing and being silly together that we felt like we were best friends before we even stepped onto set. I think the fact that we spent so much time together off set (dinners, outings, sleepovers) translated to a really natural bond on set. I don’t feel like we had to “work” on our chemistry. Every time we’re together we’re just silly and goofy.

PC: Bonnie Hunt is the creator of the show. What was it like collaborating with her as you brought this beloved story to life?
Liliana: Bonnie Hunt is the most amazing person I’ve ever met. She is such a big name in the entertainment industry, and she’s the most humble, warmest, kindest person. Of course, I feel so lucky and blessed to work with her, but the amazing thing is that she always makes you (and every actor) feel like she is the lucky one to have you. She also has a way of directing that allows for a lot of freedom. She’ll let you improvise, and I think that’s part of how she’s able to get such honest performances.

PC: What do you hope audiences take away after they see the series?
Liliana: I hope viewers can see that while change can be hard, it doesn’t have to be terrible and you don’t have to figure it out alone. When you have friends and family that care about you, you can navigate difficult situations in a way that can even be fun. Also, I hope kids are inspired by Brandi’s way of being true to herself. I hope they take away that you don’t have to be someone you’re not—just be yourself and you’ll find people who like you for who you are.

PC: Which was your favorite scene to film? Which was the most challenging?
Liliana: My favorite scene to film was the Food Network scene. That scene was hilarious, and it also required so many more roles, so it was fun to meet other new actors. The most challenging scene to film, I think, was the tree scene where Amber and Brandi spy on Hannah’s pajama party. We filmed that scene super late at night, and there were a lot of technical things to be mindful of.

To keep up with Liliana, follow her on Instagram. Watch Amber Brown today.

Photo Credit: Jason Benson