Meet Ashleigh LaThrop. Fans of the Fifty Shades franchise will recognize her for her portrayal as Hannah, Anastasia Steele’s driven and outspoken assistant. Since then, she’s been hard at work filming her new Netflix series, The Kominsky Method, starring alongside Michael Douglas and Alan Arkin. Created by Chuck Lorre (Big Bang Theory), the story is centered around Sandy Kominsky, an aging actor turned coach, and Ashleigh will play one of his students, Breana, the quiet and reserved one. Pop Culturalist spoke with Ashleigh during filming to learn more about the series, why this character is unlike any she’s played before, and what she’s most excited for fans to see!
PC: Tell us about your upcoming Netflix show, your character, and what drew you to this project.
Ashleigh: The show is called The Kominsky Method, and it stars Michael Douglas and Alan Arkin. Michael plays Sandy Kominsky, an aging actor who turns into an acting coach, and Alan plays Norman, Sandy’s agent/best friend. The series follows their adventures together. I play Breana—one of Sandy’s students. She’s really cool. She’s quiet and reserved, but not afraid to speak her mind if she’s asked to. I was drawn to this project because of Chuck Lorre [creator], Michael Douglas, and Alan Arkin.
PC: What was it like going to set and getting to work with Chuck? What was that collaboration like?
Ashleigh: We’re actually still filming! The first day was terrifying. [laughs] I walked onto set with these huge names—Chuck is the king of comedy—but within five minutes, we were all laughing. It’s such a lovely, collaborative, friendly environment. It’s really fun to come to work every day and hang out.
PC: How did you prepare to step into Breana’s shoes? Did you draw on any parallels with your respective journeys in acting?
Ashleigh: From the sides that I got for the audition, I could tell that Breana was really quiet. I don’t think of myself that way at all. One of the most fun things about playing her is that she’s reserved. You don’t know what she’s thinking. To prepare, I kind of stopped talking. [laughs] The challenge with portraying Breana was being expressive without speaking and I had to use more facial expressions.
PC: Is she similar or different to characters you’ve played in the past?
Ashleigh: She’s really different. She’s so quiet. I don’t think I’ve played a character where it’s all about facial expressions. In Fifty Shades, I played a character named Hannah, who’s kind of similar to Breana, because you never know what she’s thinking, but she’s really chatty.
PC: What can you tease about Breana and Sandy’s dynamic?
Ashleigh: Sandy is a respected actor. At the start of the season, Breana is really excited about being in his class, but I think she also has a lot of reservations. She kind of questions some of his teaching methods. She’s the type of student that will challenge him.
PC: What are you most excited for fans to see?
Ashleigh: I’m excited for fans to see Michael Douglas and Alan Arkin. They are so funny. We also have a lot of really great guest stars this season. It’ll be fun for fans to see who pops up!
PC: When did you realize you wanted to pursue acting?
Ashleigh: I was always involved in theatre when I was in school but I don’t think I realized I wanted to pursue it as a career until I was seventeen. I knew I loved acting but I thought I was going to be a doctor. I saw a play called Metamorphoses, and I was like, “oh no, I want to do this.” I wanted to do what they did on stage and I wanted to move people like how they moved me.
PC: The entertainment industry is notorious for being one of the toughest. Were there moments where you thought about throwing in the towel? How did you overcome that?
Ashleigh: From the moment that I decided to do this, I was really prepared for it to be tough. There hasn’t been a moment where I was ready to quit. There are moments where I question why I’m doing this, but then when I think about what else I would do, nothing comes to mind. You have to surround yourself with good people.
PC: What’s the best piece of advice that you’ve received?
Ashleigh: The best piece of advice that I’ve ever received is that everybody is somebody. Be nice to everyone and be humble.
PC: Guilty pleasure TV show?
Ashleigh: It’s not a guilty pleasure but I just started watching The Great British Bake Off.
PC: Guilty pleasure movie?
Ashleigh: Mary Martin’s Peter Pan because it reminds me so much of my childhood.
PC: Favorite play or musical?
Ashleigh: Favorite play would be Metamorphoses and musical would be Hamilton.
PC: Favorite social media platform?
Ashleigh: I’m terrible at social media but I love Instagram.
PC: Last person you texted?
Ashleigh: My mom
PC: Hidden talent?
Ashleigh: I’m ambidextrous.
Make sure to follow Ashleigh on Twitter and Instagram, and keep your eye out for The Kominsky Method when it drops on Netflix later this year!
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