Exclusive Interview: Pop Culturalist Chats with 13 Reasons Why’s Brenda Strong

Brenda Strong is captivating audiences as Nora Walker in the latest season of 13 Reasons Why. Her character finds herself at the forefront of the story after learning that her son has been murdered. As she searches for justice, she’ll have to come to terms with her own relationship with her son. Pop Culturalist had a chance to catch with this scene stealer about Season 3 and what’s ahead for Nora.

13 Reasons Why Questions

PC: For readers who haven’t seen the new season, where does it pick up?
Brenda: It starts with the information that Bryce Walker is missing. That sets alarms off for a lot of people. As the season progresses, we find out that many of our key characters have been involved in a cover-up. For Mrs. Walker, it’s very disturbing because this isn’t typical behavior. Her worst fears are confirmed when his body is found. That sets off an entire investigation to find out who was responsible for his murder.

PC: An interesting part about the series is that it highlights that things aren’t black and white, which is the case with Nora and Bryce’s relationship. How did you prepare to tackle that dynamic?
Brenda: It’s definitely a complex relationship. We didn’t really know much about Bryce’s parents in Season 1. They were absentee. In Season 2, we saw a bit more of them because they came to defend him, particularly his father. He wanted to defend the family’s name against the accusations during the trial. For me, my preparation was figuring out how a mother could abandon her child. Who would she have to be to not parent him? Brian Yorkey and the writers gave Nora such a rich history with these oppressive, patriarchal figures.

There was a lot to explore. When the writers decided to have Nora have postpartum depression, everything clicked into place for me. There were so many dominoes that I was piecing together. When I learned that, everything aligned. Once that piece fell into play, it was really about trying to find historical evidence of what happens to a woman and a baby with postpartum depression. What are the repercussions from that?

Then I did research on family consolation therapy. There’s a man named Mark Wolynn who wrote an astounding book called It Didn’t Start With You. It’s all about inherited family trauma. It was really about piecing together Nora’s personal failings as a mother and the guilt, shame, and courage it would take to face Bryce and the man he became. It was really an exploration of that familial wound and trying to heal it. Obviously, she ran out of time because he was killed. We’ll never know if she would have succeeded. She was up for the challenge and tried to take responsibility to repair the damage that she personally caused him.

PC: Which was your favorite to explore about Nora and her relationships? Which was the most challenging?
Brenda: Well, you know, carving out a human being out of thin air is always challenging. But it’s also exciting to figure out why your character does what they do and how it relates to other human events that you can draw from. I had a lot to draw from.

I’ve personally gone through divorce. There’s a lot of pain in divorce, so it was interesting to be able to pull from my own personal past. I’ve never had postpartum depression, so I can’t speak to that. But I do work with a lot of women who have struggled with infertility and who have difficulty conceiving. There was a lot of interesting research about that that I wanted to uncover.

Then working with Ray [Barry] as a patriarchal figure was really interesting because I come from a long line of very strong men.

It was all challenging to me, and it’s what makes me love acting so much. We’re given these puzzles to figure out and to play truthfully in imaginary circumstances. That’s the gift, the challenge, and the richness of having to unpack a character that was just a thumbnail into a full three-dimensional living, breathing person that people can relate to.

PC: We heard that you’re directing two episodes in Season 4. What is that prep work like? What has that transition been like going behind the camera?
Brenda: It’s so fascinating. I think every actor at some point should direct. It gives you a different perspective on what a collaborative effort filmmaking is. As actors, we’re the last ones to show up. The production design is done. The set dressers have come in. The lighting is done. But the truth is that there’s so much work that happens before we ever step on set. It lends a deep appreciation and gratitude for me to be able to be in this position.

I really appreciate the artists and the production team that makes 13 Reasons Why possible. I think the product is so compelling to watch and is really one of the best things out there. I feel very privileged to be in a position to help shape some of this season.

It’s really exciting. I’ve had the opportunity to direct before, so this isn’t my first time directing. That would be a little too intimidating. I directed a short film and ironically got 13 Reasons Why while I was directing that film. It feels like some kind of divine intervention. Also ironically, I hired one of our sound mixers on my short film and found out that he worked on 13 Reasons Why. There was already some connective tissue happening behind the scenes before I even got Nora Walker.

I have such a deep appreciation for everyone’s talent and energy. Everybody works so hard and works as a team. Television is a large operation. If one thing fails, the whole thing falls a part. I’m super lucky to be working with people who I already have relationships with, whom I respect and adore. It’s a safe place to launch my directing ship.

PC: Is there anything you can tease about Nora’s arc in Season 4? Things were left pretty open-ended.
Brenda: It’s interesting that you say that it’s left open-ended. I feel Nora doesn’t have complete closure. She’s not at peace, and I do think she feels that the truth has not come out.

Season 4 is a very different season. Each of the seasons has been unique, but Season 4 is more of a psychological exploration of what happens to friends when they’re forced to keep a secret. What happens to people when their guilt and their shame starts to eat them from the inside out. Season 3 was a whodunit. Season 2 was the trial. It was about the law and justice. Season 1 was about the mystery surrounding one particular individual. They’ve each had their own unique flavors.

Nora Walker may or may not be part of that complexity. I think there’s ample room for her to enter into it, particularly in terms of Ani, since Ani was part of her household and is the line to Bryce. But we’ll see! I can’t really say how much or how little she’ll be involved.

PC: It’s already been announced that Season 4 will be the series’ final season. If you could share some parting words from Nora, what would they be? What has been being a part of this show meant for you, both personally and professionally?
Brenda: You did your best, now let it go. That’s it in a nutshell. I don’t know if you’ve ever read The Four Agreements [by Don Miguel Ruiz], but three of the agreements are do your best, don’t take things personally, and be true to your word. In a lot of ways, she’s tried to repair her integrity where she felt like she’s been steamrolled by societal pressures to be a certain way. I think she’s finally found her own true voice. I would say to any woman out there who feels like she can relate to Nora is be brave and have the courage to speak your truth. It’s never too late to heal.

Photo Credit: David Moir/Netflix

Career Questions

PC: You’re an actress, a producer, and a director. How did you discover your passion for the arts?
Brenda: It’s ridiculous because I don’t think anyone really consciously chooses a role in the arts because if they did, they’d have to be certifiable. [laughs] It’s so difficult. It’s such a truly difficult path. There’s no other profession where there’s no guarantees. You know, you become an engineer, you know you’re going to be hired as an engineer. I got a degree in performance. There was no guarantee that I was going to be able to fulfill on that. But you have faith, and you follow your passion.

I remember very early on in my career coming home and complaining to my mother that I was getting these superficial bimbo roles. It was all about how I looked, and I was so disappointed because the reason that I became an actor was to illuminate the human condition. That was my goal. I feel like through art, we can see ourselves so much clearer, and we can actually affect society and shape how things are perceived.

My mom actually said to me, “Never underestimate the value of your impact on those you work with, whether or not the work is impressive to you. Who you are is important to everyone. So keep being yourself.” That set my train of thought back on the right track, and I kept plugging away. I don’t know if I had a choice about it. It was really what I had to do. I think if I was smart, I probably would have become a teacher. [laughs] But I had to do it. I couldn’t not do it. I’ve been very, very lucky. I’ve had a lot of people who have helped me.

PC: You’ve had a lot of success already in your career. When you look back, is there a particular moment that stands out to you?
Brenda: Desperate Housewives was a huge turning point for me. I think being able to be a part of something that was creatively so unique and celebrated. There are so many talented actors who never catch a break. This was a pivotal turning point in my own willingness to accept that there could be security in this field. I never really had that before. It gave me the freedom to make braver choices, to start products, to reach out in other areas like women’s health that I care deeply about. It allowed me to give my time and energy and put it into helping women heal, and producing short films for friends who were trying to get a leg up, and to donate to charities that I’m passionate about.

It’s so much easier to be generous when your own family is taken care of. It’s so hard in this country because so many people are living paycheck to paycheck. I realize I’m in a very privileged position. I mean certainly, you’re only as good as your last job. So who knows what’s coming in the future after this series ends. I don’t know what’s next, but I’m hopeful.

Again, I certainly feel privileged to be in the position that I’m in now. I’m able to shape stories from the outside in, and that’s really exciting because I’ve been trying to shape them from the inside out for so long. It’s an empowering place to be as a woman of a certain age who loves people so deeply and wants to bring out the best in them. I’m so excited to direct this young group of talented actors.

PC: I love that! You briefly talked about it, can you tell us more about Strong Yoga®4Women? How did that come to fruition?
Brenda: I struggled with infertility, and I ended up getting pregnant. I became a yoga teacher while I was pregnant. That allowed me to have a particular view of how to help other women—not only those who were struggling to get pregnant but to help them during their pregnancy feel more connected to their bodies and to celebrate that change and feel more empowered. I ended up working with the Mind Body Institute at UCLA, and I developed a very particular style of yoga that helped women balance their hormones and release tension in and around the pelvis, which affects blood flow and the ability to conceive naturally. I started developing these techniques that eventually ended up in a line of videos and products that helped women get in touch with their bodies.

To keep up with Brenda, follow her on Twitter and Instagram, and binge-watch Season 3 of 13 Reasons Why on Netflix today!

Photo Credit: Phil Bray/Netflix