Arielle is a fantastic actress with a beautiful soul who believes in change and has hope for the future.
Q: We just saw the first episode of the new season of “Midnight, Texas”, and it’s off to an amazing start. How was the experience of shooting this second season?
A: I’ve been told this season is sexy, scary and sassy… so… Let me know what you think! As far as filming goes, I found New Mexico to be a magical place to film. It’s a very rough environment, so I discovered that to live and work there, actually forced me to new levels of self care. Drinking lots of water, taking vitimins, getting extra hours of sleep and spending time in nature enjoying all the elements to decompress from set. For this particular job, the cast and I would often talk about filming like we’re athletes, not actors. I think there’s something special about that. Athletes are connected to their bodies in a different way. So it forced me to care for mine in a way that maybe I wouldn’t have before, for this character.
As for Olivia, I remember Eric and Nicole (our show runners) saying to me… well this season is all about healing for Olivia. And I gulped. I don’t think I was ready to hear that. I loved how tough Olivia was but also how much anger and pain she hid behind her strength, in season 1.
Hearing it was time to heal felt jarring for both me and Olivia! And as it turns out, I see now, that it was the best thing for both of us. I loved the journey this season.
Q: What is it like working with your co-star, Arnaud?
A: He’s an Incredibly talented actor who’s also become a friend. He cares so much about his character and Midnight and is constantly making sure everything is authentic to “Manny.” I love watching his possession scenes – especially when he is a lady. He nails it. Plus, he has a huge heart. He was one of the first people to check in with me when my sister went missing and he always finds ways to compliment me and our cast on scenes well done. He’s a true leading man.
Q: You felt really comfortable on the set of our photo shoot. How would you describe your personal fashion style?
A: First of all, thank you for a wildly fun photoshoot. You gave me creative freedom to play and I loved it. As far as my fashion style, it’s whatever I’m feeling in the moment. Sounds silly but if you look at pictures of me over the years, I’m quite a camillion. I enjoy going from farm girl to edgy fashion forward at the drop of a dime. I think that’s part of why I’m actress. Growing up doing some modeling taught me right away how to play with different characters in different environments.
Q: The past two years have been immensely important for social changes on all fronts in the United States. How important do you find this period to be for our future?
A: It’s the most important thing happening today. We are living through a moment in time that our children will study in history and either say, “Why did they do that?” or “Thank God they changed that.” I also believe the next generation is full of light and potential and is already teaching us so much about activism and the power of using one’s voice.
Q: With the awareness the #meTOO movement brought to the forefront of worldwide media, it must be important to be aware of who you surround yourself with in Hollywood. Does this influence the choice of people you have been working with?
A: Absolutely. However, I wouldn’t close it off to the #metoo movement. It definitely shed light on inequality in the workplace and how degraded most women are on a daily – and minute to minute – basis. But I have to admit, I’ve always been picky about who I work with. I can’t say I’ve always liked everyone I’ve worked with, but I can say it’s taught me how to stand up for myself. How to protect my work. And how to shed light on the environment around me, while I work. For those lessons, although not easy at times, I’m thankful. And I’m grateful that the #metoo movement brought these issues to the forefront of our workspace. It made it easier and more “acceptable” to say ‘NO’ with force instead of ‘NO’ with a giggle. The f*cking giggle… I’m done making someone else feel comfortable for their inappropriate behavior by giggling my way out of the situation. Ladies, ya heard?!? And gentlemen … ya heard?!?
Q: What is next for you ?
A: I’m very excited about my podcast with my bestie, Sterling Jones, called “Spiritualgasm.” That’s right, it’s exactly what it sounds like. Our logline is, ‘We do everything together but each other.’ We want to bring laughter and healing to people listening the way we do for each other as best friends.
I’m also thrilled to be a part of Eva Longoria’s new show on ABC called, “Grand Hotel.” I play Sky Garibaldi, the head chef of the hotel who goes missing. The fantastic Lincoln Younes plays my brother on the show and disguised himself as hotel staff, to find out what happened to me. The show is sexy and fun and it’s turning out to be quite the “who done it show.” In more ways than one.
Talent
Arielle Kebbel @ariellekebbel
Photographer
Sarah Krick @sarahkrickphotography
Styling
Saulú Santana @ITZSAULU
Hair
Creighton Bowman @Creightonbowman
Makeup
Elie Maalouf @ ElienMaalouf
Publicist
Cassandra Quarto @CassandraQuarto
Production
@alekandsteph
@bellomediagroup
@maisonpriveer_la
Junior Producer
Hanna von Matérn @enblomma