ANABELLA RAYE is starring in Long Slow Exhale on Spectrum/BET.
We caught up with Anabella Raye to talk about her recent role.
AC: What can audiences expect from Long Slow Exhale?
ANABELLA RAYE – Audiences should expect an intensely captivating mystery drama with a lot of twists and turns, as well as a story that portrays dynamic characters with rich inner lives.
AC: How does your character fit into the story?
ANABELLA RAYE – Long Slow Exhale centers around a college women’s basketball team. My character, Kate, is the daughter of the athletic director, Hillman Ford (played by Josh Lucas). She is estranged from her father and returns home in the wake of his death.
AC: What do you think is your character’s ultimate goal?
ANABELLA RAYE – When Kate first comes to town, she is consumed with trying to reconcile her complicated feelings about her father with her grief over his passing. As she learns more about the suspicious circumstances surrounding his death, though, Kate becomes determined to get to the bottom of what really happened.
AC: Can you recall any funny moments from on-set filming?
ANABELLA RAYE – I had a hilariously embarrassing moment while filming a scene with Rose Rollins and Lyriq Bent. At the end of the scene I was supposed to exit, and the camera was supposed to capture a final look between Rose and Lyriq’s characters. I did not know where I was supposed to exit, though, and I ended up walking to a spot right in their eye-lines, completely blocking them from the view of the camera. Everyone cracked up, and they asked me to move out of the way. I wish I could see the footage of me awkwardly blocking the camera during what was supposed to be such a dramatic moment.
AC: As an actor, what are you still trying to learn?
ANABELLA RAYE – I will always keep studying because, particularly with acting, there is no limit to what one can learn. Recently I have been focused on exploring nuances of behavior when building a character.
AC: How can you tell when you’re reading a great script?
ANABELLA RAYE – I can tell I am reading a great script when I am completely pulled into the story and can’t wait to continue reading.
AC: When did you begin to see acting as a potential career avenue?
ANABELLA RAYE – I grew up acting in plays and making short films with my friends, and it always brought me so much joy. I knew then that I wanted to act as my career.
AC: How important is social media to you right now?
ANABELLA RAYE – Social media isn’t very important to me personally right now, but I can definitely get sucked into an infinite scroll. I am DEEP into recipe TikTok at the moment.
AC: What’s the biggest realization you’ve had this past year?
ANABELLA RAYE – Life really is made up of the small moments. Rather than living for the big moments, which can be fleeting and rare, it is so important to find the joy in day-to-day life.
AC: Everyone seems to have an app idea at the moment, what’s yours?
ANABELLA RAYE – So the world can steal my genius ideas?! I’ll hold onto those in case I decide to moonlight as an entrepreneur.
AC: What makes you feel nostalgic?
ANABELLA RAYE – Going to my family’s farm in Mississippi. Though I grew up in Los Angeles, I spent summers and holidays with my cousins in Mississippi, and every time I go back I feel like I am immersed in my childhood again.
AC: Aside from your upcoming projects, what are you excited about for the future?
ANABELLA RAYE – My friends from college and I are planning a trip over the summer, and I am super excited. Now that we live in different places, I feel like we all value our time together even more. Last summer, when we all got together, I was practically laughing nonstop for the entire weekend.
PHOTOGRAPHY: BEN RITTER
INTERVIEW: ADAM CROOKES
