Fallon Smythe Talks Gotham Knights, Harper’s Journey, and Why It’s Important for Audiences to See Themselves Reflected on Screen

Fallon Smythe is an emerging talent who has quickly won over the hearts of audiences with her nuanced portrayal as Harper Row in the CW’s Gotham Knights.

In the aftermath of Bruce Wayne’s murder, his rebellious adopted son forges an unlikely alliance with the children of Batman’s enemies when they are all framed for killing the Caped Crusader. Fallon shines as fan-favorite character, Harper Row, whose journey throughout Season 1 has seen her shed her tough exterior and create unlikely connections.

Pop Culturalist was lucky enough to speak with Fallon about Season 1 of Gotham Knights, adding her own flare to Harper, why this story is so timely, and why it’s important for audiences to see themselves reflected on screen.

PC: How did you discover your passion for the arts and storytelling?
Fallon: I was diagnosed with some health issues when I was twelve or thirteen. I was in a wheelchair. I wasn’t doing much. My mom’s friend wanted to keep me distracted, so she put me in a pageant in Las Vegas where I was at the time. I won the state title. Then to get me ready for the national competition, another friend of my mom decided to put me in an acting class to get me thinking on my feet and ready for the interview portion. From there, I absolutely fell in love with it. That was the thing that became my passion and drive. From that moment forward that was all I wanted to do.

PC: Who or what has had the biggest influence on your career?
Fallon: Not to be too cheesy, but my mom. She’s been the driving force for me. She’s kept me grounded. She’s steered me on a productive path and has always offered phenomenal advice, even though she’s not in the industry herself. She grew up doing voiceovers and modeling. Her words of wisdom have always steered me in the direction that I’ve wanted to go.

I’ve also met phenomenal people along the way like my acting coach, Patrick Day. I’ve been surrounded by a lot of good people who keep me grounded and levelheaded. They remind me of what this all is. Things can get shiny or fancy, and there are opportunities that can make you lose sight of who you are and why you’re actually doing this, and what it is that you want. Having those people around me has kept my mind clear.

PC: You’re one of the stars of Gotham Knights. When you’re adapting a character who has lived in another medium, what’s something that you wanted to make sure was translated from page to screen? What’s something new you brought to her?
Fallon: It’s an intimidating thing to step into this universe and to take on a role that has such a dynamic fan base. I wanted to do Harper Row justice. So, I read a bunch. I read the little Wikipedia pages and fan pages that people have created for Harper. I looked at the different interpretations and tried to find a way to honor all of them while also peppering in my own personal experiences and making her as layered as possible. On the surface, she’s very acerbic. She’s tough and guarded. But that’s never the full picture. It was finding those nuanced moments where I could bring out her depths, her pain, and her history. I had a lot of fun experimenting with that.

PC: You auditioned for a different character before they pitched Harper to you. How did that change your preparation?
Fallon: It was so interesting. When I got the first audition for Gotham Knights, I was incredibly passionate about it immediately, which doesn’t always happen. I originally auditioned for Duela and her code name was Olivia, which is so fitting because Olivia Rose Keegan got it. It’s also serendipitous. I remember feeling drawn to the writing and the project in general. Duela was such a fun character. I was able to dive into that and embrace that crazy side. Then I got the audition for Harper, who was known as Kendra in the audition, and I was able to adapt and adjust from there and find a more grounded place that was still uninhibited in nature. It was really fun.

PC: Harper’s journey in Season 1 has been so much about shedding this tough exterior, which you’ve brought so much nuance to. How did you create the space for yourself to dive into that vulnerability?
Fallon: With a lot of patience and care because it’s such a delicate, emotional journey, as it is for every actor when they’re experiencing something new. But since she’s so guarded, I found myself taking on some of her traits and strengths. I was really inspired through playing her and finding new ways to represent myself as Fallon. I took a lot of time to focus on myself and take care of my health, my mental space, and my clarity so it was a safe space for me to dive into.

PC: Music plays such a big role in your preparation for Harper. What was on her playlist, and how did the different types of music help you prepare for different moments throughout the season?
Fallon: Harper’s playlist is all over the place. It has an undertone of emo-punk and harder, tougher music. But when you listen to the lyrics of some of those songs, they’re beautiful. They’re about pain, love, and wanting to be seen. There’s one song that makes me laugh called “Leave Me Alone (I’m Lonely)” by P!nk. That was what I was always working out too. It’s in the title. It’s wanting that space. It’s wanting to disappear, but then when you’re there, you’re craving connection. It’s that balance of strength and grit but with vulnerability. There are a lot of fun songs. One that isn’t fun is “Face Down” by the Red Jumpsuit Apparatus. That song is about abuse and domestic violence. Harper grew up in an abusive household. I peppered in all of her history. Music really helped inspire me.

PC: This series feels so timely with everything that’s going on in the world today. Were you able to draw any parallels as you stepped into Harper’s shoes? Why do you think now is the perfect time to tell this story?
Fallon: This is a story where we are able to represent so many different types of people and so many different walks of life and experiences that people are going through. We’re reaching a time where we have the space and freedom to tell these stories that so desperately need to be told. I feel very honored to be able to take part in something like that and to see how the audience relates to these characters and how they feel seen. That’s one of the reasons why acting is so important to me. Art should imitate life. People should be able to sit at home and see themselves represented and be able to identify with a character. I am incredibly lucky that I get to be a small part of something that has the ability to move people like that. It’s been a remarkable experience.

PC: We know you can’t say too much, but what can you tease about Harper’s journey for the remainder of the season? If we’re lucky enough to get a second season, what else do you hope to explore with her?
Fallon: Harper’s journey is really close to me. You see in the first couple of episodes that she’s guarded and tough. She can be curt. It’s very easy to make those people one-dimensional. You go, “This is who they are.” Or you have certain opinions about this person. Through Harper, you see that you really can’t judge a book by its cover. You see her layers. You see them peeled back. You see why she’s done the things that she’s done. Her arc is really, really beautiful.

I hope we get picked up for a second season. You get to see at the beginning how these characters don’t get along, but they find solace in each other because they’re more alike than they are different. What someone else is lacking, the other person has. It’s really a puzzle of people. Everyone ends up complementing each other. I’d love to see what they can accomplish when they all put their brains together.

PC: You’re such a dynamic storyteller. As you look ahead to the next five to ten years, is there a dream role that you’d love to bring to life?
Fallon: To be able to work in such a tough industry is a dream in itself. But I absolutely love film. I love drama. Sybil Thorndike said that she believes that we all have the germ of every single person inside of us. I think my dream role would be finding these other parts of myself that are really buried deep down and bringing an entire character to life off of that one single germ. I would love to do something completely different than what I’m doing right now. I want to broaden my perspective, horizon, and ability as an actor. Each job, you push yourself further and further. I want to expand as much as I can.

To keep up with Fallon, follow her on Twitter and Instagram. Watch new episode of Gotham Knights every Tuesday at 9/8c on the CW.

Photo Credit: Stevie Marie