Andy Allo X FAULT Magazine

Photographer: Tiziano Lugli
Stylist: Tiffany Briseno
Hair: AJ Hernandez
Makeup: Loren Canby
Location: The Mansfield

 

Words: Miles Holder

While many of us were first introduced to Andy Allo through her captivating music career, it’s her recent acting work on projects Pitch Perfect 3, Black Lightning and Chicago Fire that has everyone talking. With her latest leading role on Amazon Prime’s upcoming series ‘Upload’ just around the corner, we caught up with Andy to find out more about her acting career, the show and as always, her FAULTs.

With the show having such an ambitious premise, what drew you to the show?

Andy Allo: First off it was Greg Daniels – he’s such a legend and I love all his creative amazing shows. In reading the script, I really connected with my character Nora and how she has such a big heart and she cares about the people around her. As crazy as it is, I think it’s still relatable and what’s great about Greg and his genius is he’s able to create these characters that you instantly relate to and feel connected to.

Do you enjoy watching science-fiction shows in your spare time?

Andy Allo: I love all that stuff. One of my favourite shows that I’m rewatching and bingeing right now is Rick and Morty. I love Black Mirror, Altered Carbon and all other shows that make you think, “Whoa, what is this world?”

I remember growing up and watching Star Trek with my mom and that was our scene, so from a young age, I just loved watching all kinds of shows so it’s cool to be in one.

It’s such a unique project, where did you go to find inspiration when preparing for your role?

Andy Allo: From reading the script and thinking, okay, here’s something similar that I can relate to. Nora has such a bond with her dad and instantly I was like, “Oh my gosh, yes.” I’m named after my dad so even though he wanted a boy and I popped out a girl, he was like, “I don’t care, I’m naming her after me.” That’s how I got my name, Andy. Just from little things like that I got to explore the similarities and the world-building and script were so detailed that it was fun to let myself imagine and just jump into it.

What would you say was the most challenging aspect of the role?

Andy Allo: Filming visual effects was initially a challenge as there was a steep learning curve. Filming the scenes where I would suddenly appear or disappear would mean filming the scene, everybody having to freeze and then I would leave and then we’d start shooting it again. But by the end, we all became experts at freezing! It looks, seamless but the process was definitely not!

When there are loads of visual effects, how you maintain in the moment and keep your focus so that the moving parts of production don’t distract from the more grounded storyline moments?

Andy Allo: Because Nora is so grounded I would use the character as an anchor and that helped me stay grounded during filing.

Outside of that, the team and the crew that was around me were great partners. Acting opposite Robbie Amell, he was so giving, present and generous that you can’t help but be present as well. It was really helpful to have that support system and these people that I genuinely got along with working on this project. We all hit it off and I credit, Greg and the casting directors for putting together such a great team of people.

 

A lot of our readers will know you more for your music, where do you find time to still work on that craft while persuing these other major projects?

Andy Allo: I don’t know, I have no idea! I’ve been very lucky that when acting isn’t keeping me busy, the music kind of takes the forefront of things and vice versa. I’ve been blessed in that way. Especially with Upload coming out, it’s given me a chance to just do music for fun. I’ve just been jamming and music has always been a personal outlet for me.

What has been the hardest hurdle you’ve had to climb to get to the next level of your artistry?

Andy Allo: Coming from doing music, one of the largest hurdles was getting people to take me seriously as an actor. I might not have had all the official training to stand on but I knew that I always loved the medium and wanted to act as well. I took a lot of time training and I still continue to train to this day. Similar to music, acting is a craft and you have to honour that and more importantly respect it.

Working with Prince instilled in me that level of professionalism, and, and if you’re going to do something new, you do it and you should be at the top of your game.

With such a varied career, what would you say has been a highlight of your professional journey so far?

Andy Allo: When I look at my career, there are so many things that I’m like “Did that happen!?” Working with Prince, Pitch Perfect 3, and now Upload which is my first leading role I still feel very much like it’s still the beginning of my journey and so much has happened in a short amount of time. I’m equally terrified and excited about what’s going on but it’s a wild ride!

Do you feel like you have time to reflect on everything that’s happened?

Andy Allo: I think that’s been part of my learning and self-growth recently is to take a minute and just enjoy the cool stuff that’s happening. I am very much like my dad in this way of being a complete workaholic. I’m always working on the next thing that sometimes I do forget to take it all in. Amazon has put up billboards all over and there’s an eight-story billboard on Sunset Boulevard that I never imagined as a goal for myself but it’s pretty freaking cool. So I took some time to go because I’m living the dream and I need to take it all in.

 

What is your FAULT?

Andy Allo: Firstly I’m terrified of my shadow. I get scared all the time. If I see my shadow, it’s ridiculous, I will jump and audibly scream.

Secondly in a more serious way, I feel a lot of people see life as a highlight reel on Instagram but I’m not good a lot of the time. I, like everyone, fail and it reminds me that I’m not perfect and there’s that there’s always room to grow. There’s always things to improve so I don’t know if it’s a fault, but I’m such a, a perfectionist and maybe too ambitious for my own good sometimes. But I keep pushing and though I fail a lot it always instantly reminds me of my humanity.