Exclusive Interview: Pop Culturalist Chats with No Good Nick’s Siena Agudong

Siena Agudong is an award-winning actress and the future of Hollywood. She’s taken the industry by storm with breakthrough performances in Nicky, Ricky, Dicky, & Dawn, Star Falls, and Alex & Me.

This April, she leads the cast of Netflix’s No Good Nick as the title character, starring alongside Melissa Joan Hart, Sean Astin, Kalama Epstein, and Lauren Lindsey Donzis.

Pop Culturalist caught up with Siena to chat about the series.

PC: Tell us about No Good Nick, your character, and what drew you to this project.
Siena: I play the role of Nick in the new Netflix show, No Good Nick, which is coming out on April 15th! No Good Nick is about a teenager, Nick, who pretends to be a foster kid coming into a family to live with them, but what they don’t know is that she’s a con-artist with a well-thought-out plan to ruin their lives. Nick is witty, sarcastic, manipulative, charming, an old soul, and always one step ahead of everyone. This project has been so much fun to film because of the range of emotions within the series. Not only does it make you laugh, but there is also some major drama and mystery to it. Each episode ends on a cliffhanger, so you’ll definitely want to keep watching.

PC: You’ve worked on many television shows in the past. How did those experiences prepare you to lead the extraordinary cast of No Good Nick?
Siena: Every experience or project that I have had the honor of working on has majorly contributed to my preparation for this project. For No Good Nick, I have had to discover and practice new types of scenes and emotions I haven’t experienced in any past projects and I love it. Not only have they prepared me acting wise, but also in how hard I need to work every day. Watching the main actors in other television shows was just a brief example of what it would one day be like for me. Star Falls allowed me to prepare myself as a main character in a TV show and Alex & Me led me to explore my emotions and have the freedom to try new things and commit to them. I am so thankful for all of the opportunities I have been blessed with because they have all truly led me to this amazing journey I’m on

PC: Nick has a lot of different layers to her. Which was your favorite to explore and why? Which was the most challenging?
Siena: Nick has so many layers to her, it’s incredible. It is hard to pick a side of her that I enjoy playing the most. If I had to choose, it would probably be either her feisty side with sharp comebacks and a strong, dangerous persona or when she is most vulnerable and you get to see the real Nick. The most challenging layer of Nick to play would probably be when she is vulnerable. Even with that raw layer, there are so many other factors that come into play to make such a strong girl vulnerable. It has been so amazing to have the opportunity to explore my full range of emotions.

PC: How do Nick’s initial intentions change over the course of the first season? What can you tease about her arc?
Siena: Nick’s initial intentions go through different stages. She did not plan for things to change once she actually got to know the family, not just the surface of who they are, but in depth.

PC: No Good Nick filmed a portion of its first season in front of a live studio audience. What was that experience like?
Siena: Filming in front of a live audience was so exhilarating and nerve-wracking at the same time. The energy when you walk onto the stage is like no other. Having music playing and the crowd dancing and screaming while the director and writers are trying to give notes is something else—that was so funny! [laughs] The experience of seeing all of these 175 audience members, laughing, crying, and oh my gosh-ing was so incredible. I never knew what people’s reaction would be until a small percentage of them were watching the show right in front of us.

PC: If you could write a storyline for Nick, what would it be and why?
Siena: That’s a good question! Oh geez…that’s hard. It would probably be that Nick joins the Avengers (if they were evil), have mind manipulating powers, and do a bunch of stunts. Then, she would go on to fight people and steal their money as a con-artist.

PC: No Good Nick premieres on April 15th. What do you hope audiences take away?
Siena: I hope the audience takes away how important family is, how much words and actions can impact someone, and to never judge a book (or in this case, a whole book shelf) by its cover.

Photo Credit: Netflix

Pop Culturalist Speed Round

PC: Guilty pleasure TV show?
Siena: I just started watching The Bachelor. I know…I know.

PC: Guilty pleasure movie?
Siena: I LOVE Oceans 8. I am not sure if that’s a guilty pleasure, but I will scream it from the rooftops.

PC: Favorite book?
Siena: I love the book You are a Badass by Jen Sincero. I just started reading it and it’s really empowering. It’s about manifesting an amazing life, believing in yourself, and being a strong person! I also love The Hunger Games books! [laughs]

PC: Favorite play or musical?
Siena: I loved watching Wicked, but I really want to see The Lion King and Hamilton.

PC: A band or artist that fans would be surprised to learn is on your playlist?
Siena: I love a lot of my dad’s music, so I have a lot of Queen and Aerosmith.

PC: Last show you binge-watched?
Siena: I am currently binge-watching Umbrella Academy! Go Netflix!

PC: Hidden talent?
Siena: I can crack so many bones in my body. It’s ridiculous.

To keep up with Siena, make sure to follow her on Twitter and Instagram, and catch No Good Nick on Netflix on April 15.

Photo Credit: Nathan Johnson