As a kid, Rhea Seehorn always knew she wanted to be an actor—she just didn’t tell anyone. “Where I grew up in Virginia, it would've been akin to saying, ‘I think I'm a supermodel.’ I would've gotten laughed at,” she says. “So I kept that a secret. But I knew I wanted to be a part of the film and television that I was watching.” And she would, eventually. After starting her career in “industrials”—corporate training videos—she played a series of small parts before landing her big one as Kim Wexler, opposite Bob Odenkirk, in Better Call Saul, Vince Gilligan’s Breaking Bad spinoff.

The darkly comic drama earned Seehorn two Emmy nominations and a long-running creative partnership with Gilligan, who wrote the lead role in Pluribus specifically for her. In the twisty postapocalyptic sci-fi mystery, Seehorn plays Carol Sturka, an unhappy novelist who appears immune to the creepy act of “Joining” that has made nearly everyone else on Earth blissfully content—a performance that won her a Golden Globe last year. For W’s TV portfolio, the now 54-year-old spoke with Editor at Large Lynn Hirschberg about her own cult obsessions, her cinematic crush, and why Dateline helps her sleep.

When you found out that Vince Gilligan had written the lead part of Pluribus for you, were you worried that you might not like it?

When Vince told me that he had written something for me, he did say, you can wait to agree to take the part until after you read the script. He said, “What if you don’t like it?’ I said, “That’s not going to happen.” And, indeed, I loved it.

The show is about a powerful cult that takes over the world. Your character is firmly anti-cult and manages to resist, but do cults intrigue you at all?

I don't know that I would handle myself the way Carol does. I think she handles things far better than I would. It would've taken me at least a couple more weeks to even get off the floor. But I am firmly in Carol's camp. I would fight for independent thinking. As far as your question “Am I into cults?” I'm very into cult documentaries. I watch all of them. The Duplass Brothers’ Wild Wild Country is definitely one of my favorites. I don't think I've ever screamed at a television more than watching that.

Which movie or show makes you cry?

Everything. I'm a crier. Recently, I cried at The Leftovers. I know that show's older, but I'm still obsessed with it. I started Train Dreams and was bawling. And Sentimental Value got me choked up. The father, daughter—the idea of these relationships where people are doing the best they can, and yet they still can't quite connect because of the burdens they're carrying, some justified and some of their own making. It was very well done.

What was the first acting job that you booked?

I did an in-house training video for restaurant and bar servers on how to deal with a customer who needs to be cut off, and another film on how to use voicemail. My character couldn’t figure out how to end calls. I was very helpful.

Who is your cinematic crush?

When I got to this shoot, they asked me if I would be interested in doing a Marilyn Monroe kind of inspiration. I grew up with tons of books on Old Hollywood, and Marilyn in particular. I was obsessed with her. I really tried hard not to cry when they suggested I be like Marilyn.

Do you have a favorite reality show?

The Repair Shop, on the BBC. It’s set in a beautiful barn somewhere in England, and they have specialists come in to fix things. People bring objects that are broken but mean something to them: a prewar set of boots or an old chair. I find it heavenly. And then, late at night, I watch murder TV and Dateline. My partner says, “How can you sleep after that?” I’m like, “Because bad guy identified, bad guy caught, and then all the world is all right.”

Are you usually right at guessing the culprit?

I learned from watching murder docs and Dateline that as actors, when we're playing people who are lying, we're encouraged to do it very, very well. But when you watch those shows, you realize most people are horrible liars.

Do you think you're more like a cat or a dog?

I'm more like a cat. I'm a people pleaser, the way dogs are, but I think if you were to see me in private especially, I'm more cat-like because I love my interactions with people that I love, and then I also need to go sit in that corner and stare and not talk for a minute.

Where was your first real kiss?

Tony Felt. I was 12 or 13 and had ridden my bike over to his house. For some reason, I had to borrow somebody else's bike. It was a men's bike, so it had the bar. And when I hopped down to try to kiss him, it was not comfortable and I tried to hide it. And so I'm relatively certain that for his experience, I was probably not very good at it, because I was in pain.

Did you stay together after that?

I bought him a gerbil because he really wanted a gerbil and the whole cage. A hamster or a gerbil, I can't remember. That's all he wanted for Christmas. I had to save up allowance and do extra work in my house, because that's what he wanted. We broke up after that. So maybe he was, like, a ninth-grade gold digger.

What’s your go-to karaoke song?

I am not a karaoke person. I enjoy watching other people do it, but when I am forced to do karaoke, the go-to is George Michael's “Careless Whisper.” It makes me very happy that my stepsons both, if they're anywhere in the world and that song comes on, even, like, a remix in a club, they immediately send me a video of them singing it.

Hair by Mustafa Yanaz for L’Oréal Professionnel; Paris at Art + Commerce; Makeup by Sam Visser for YSL Beauty at Art Partner; Manicure by Eri Handa for Dior Le Baume at Home Agency; Set design by Mila Taylor-Young. Produced by Prodn; Production Team: Mitch Baker, Noah Conboy, Steven Dam, Torrance Hall, Parker Hanley, Taryn Kelly, Conor McIntyre, Wesley Torrance, Daniel Weiner, Jasmine Williams; Photo Assistants: Keegan Gay, Jeremy Gould, Carlos Vigil; Digital Technician: Kylie Coutts; Fashion Assistants: Lizzie Bowden, Tori López, Kayla Perno, Sofia Prochilo, Celeste Roh, Tyler VanVranken; Tailor: Lindsay Wright; Hair Assistants: Tiana Amani, Harley Beman, Kazuto Shimomura; Makeup Assistants: Elika Hilata, Juan Jaar, Meghan Nguyen, Yuui Vision; Set Assistant: Kate Atkinson.

After nearly five decades in Hollywood, Jason Bateman continues to surprise audiences. He began as a child actor, found a new generation of fans with Arrested Development, and later revealed a darker register as both star and director of Ozark (for which he won an Emmy) and the recent Netflix thriller Black Rabbit. His latest, DTF St. Louis, places him in the middle of a suburban tangle of sex and suspicion. Bateman plays Clark, a mild-mannered weatherman whose relationship with his best friend’s wife (Linda Cardellini) sets off a chain of increasingly strange consequences. The multilayered series from writer/director Steve Conrad is at once a murder mystery and a character study that explores the indignities of middle age, the fragility of male friendship, and the desperate ways people try to feel alive again. In conversation with W's Editor at Large, Lynn Hirschberg, Bateman discusses how he kept viewers guessing, the role that saved his career, and why fatherhood turned him into a softie.

Did you like playing a weatherman in DTF St. Louis?

I’ve always wondered how they did the weather with that little clicker. As my character says, “These poor guys, they feel a little irrelevant because everyone has a weather app on their phones now.” But I do love weather on TV. The mood on DTF was an interesting thing to try to balance. It’s a murder mystery, so you’re supposed to wonder who did the killing. And however sweet or kind or unassuming my character might be, you have to weave in something a little sketchy to keep the mystery alive. So it was a little bit of a cocktail in every scene.

And you got to ride a recumbent bicycle.

Yeah, that’s his whip, a three-wheeler. He’s not big on four doors. That is not a great look. You're not crushing ass driving one of those things. To be honest, I thought, Is the recumbent bike a little on the nose? We get it. This guy's a dork. But it seemed to work.

You’ve been acting professionally for most of your life. Was there ever a point when you thought of quitting?

Well, when they stop calling, you’re like, Maybe I should try something else. But I don’t know anything else. I started when I was 10, and I am…what am I now? Fifty-seven! So, it’s been a bit. I got past the age where I could learn to do something else, and thank God Arrested Development came along. That put the paddles on my career chest. The guy who ran that show sent me my audition tape a few years ago. I look at it every once in a while. All you can do in an audition is guess what version of that character they’re looking for. And very luckily for me, I guessed right that day.

You seem to have an attraction to unusual material. Both DTF St. Louis and Black Rabbit are pretty dark.

I started on Little House on the Prairie, which was soft and family-oriented, and so maybe, subconsciously or consciously, I was thinking, Let’s try to do stuff that’s the opposite of that. I once played a bad guy in a movie called The Gift, and I asked the director why he wanted me in the film. He said, “People won’t see you coming: You look like nothing could go wrong, and then something does.”

Who was your cinematic crush when you were growing up?

Kristy McNichol. It was Battle of the Network Stars. That's why I'm growing my hair out. I want to get that Kristy McNichol look, the heavy feather on the side.

Where was your first kiss?

My first kiss was in a tree house in first grade. You know the trick where you take the bottom of your shirt, and you bring it up, then you pull it down and it becomes, like, a halter top or whatever? I don't know why I was doing that with her, but I did it, she did it, and then we kissed.

Do you get starstruck?

I do get very starstruck around athletes and musicians. I think that's common with actors, and apparently it works the other way as well, which is lucky for us because then they want to talk to us as much as we want to talk to them. It's one of the few good things about being pseudo-recognizable: If you feel like you want to fan out on somebody, they may cut that short by recognizing you and wanting to ask you a question, so you can skip a few dates and get right into a conversation like peers. I'm not jaded. I refuse to lose that part because then I would be bored at awards shows. And you want to be excited to be there and excited to meet all those people.

It was great when you won the Emmy for Ozark.

I was in kind of a blackout. All I wanted to do on that show was direct it, so to win for that was great.

Which movie or TV show makes you cry?

Ever since I had kids 19 years ago, everything, including commercials, makes me cry—especially if there's a toddler in it. I'm a real softie, but I love watching the recipe of what gets me, or anyone, emotional because it's usually a combination of a performance, writing, music, editing. It's a whole thing that a director has to construct and shape, and it's a pretty cool thing.

Have you ever said you could do something that you didn't know how to do to get a job?

Probably. We're professional liars. That's what we do. It doesn't stop in the audition room.

Do you watch reality shows?

I like this show called Alone, which is a survivor show where people get thrown into the middle of the wilderness. It has got some cinematic elements to it—this moody music, and they’ve got to build their shelter and find food. For someone who's grown up on soundstages, it's pretty impressive to see the discomfort these people can deal with.

Hair by Mustafa Yanaz for L’Oréal Professionnel; Paris at Art + Commerce; Makeup by Sam Visser for YSL Beauty at Art Partner; Manicure by Eri Handa for Dior Le Baume at Home Agency; Set design by Mila Taylor-Young. Produced by Prodn; Production Team: Mitch Baker, Noah Conboy, Steven Dam, Torrance Hall, Parker Hanley, Taryn Kelly, Conor McIntyre, Wesley Torrance, Daniel Weiner, Jasmine Williams; Photo Assistants: Keegan Gay, Jeremy Gould, Carlos Vigil; Digital Technician: Kylie Coutts; Fashion Assistants: Lizzie Bowden, Tori López, Kayla Perno, Sofia Prochilo, Celeste Roh, Tyler VanVranken; Tailor: Lindsay Wright; Hair Assistants: Tiana Amani, Harley Beman, Kazuto Shimomura; Makeup Assistants: Elika Hilata, Juan Jaar, Meghan Nguyen, Yuui Vision; Set Assistant: Kate Atkinson.

Morgan Spector has a knack for playing men who command a room, even if off-screen he’s far more self-effacing. It’s what makes the 45-year-old actor such a natural fit for George Russell, the railroad tycoon at the center of HBO’s The Gilded Age. Inspired by the robber barons of late-19th-century New York, George is a man of absolute confidence: ruthless in business, devoted at home, and always dressed as if he could buy the entire building he’s standing in. When the series returns for season 4, George will once again rub shoulders with a fictionalized J.P. Morgan and move through deals with catlike precision. Spector, on the other hand, says he’s much more like a dog—jovial and laid-back.

For W’s TV portfolio, Spector discusses the unexpected pleasure of playing such a larger-than-life character, the custom suits that turn him into an “immovable object,” and why he originally doubted he was right for the period drama. He also opens up about his first acting job, and how his childhood celebrity crush foreshadowed his marriage to his wife, the British actor Rebecca Hall.

How did The Gilded Age come into your life?

I had just finished another HBO show called The Plot Against America, and I was sent the audition for a Julian Fellowes show called The Gilded Age. Initially, I was like, Why do they want me to be in this? This is an Ellis Island face. There's nothing aristocratic about me. I don't get it. But then my wife said, “It's Clark Gable. It's Gone With the Wind. Just do that.” I did, and they gave me the job.

How fun is it to embody a master-of-the-universe tycoon like George Russell?I’ve struggled to articulate this, but I am a large man, and in 2026 you kind of need to make people know that you’re safe and not a dick. But because The Gilded Age is set in the 19th century, I can let my voice be big, and I can be in my power, as the kids say. It’s fun.

The clothes in The Gilded Age are spectacular. How important is the wardrobe in establishing your character?

George Russell is immaculately dressed, and everything is custom-made. Our costume designer [Kasia Walicka Maimone] is an absolute genius. She was trying to make him feel like a train: an immovable object that cuts a swath through the world. At some point, if the show doesn’t come back, maybe I’ll try to steal some things.

Have you watched your wife in her BBC series The Listeners?

Of course! I found the show fascinating. Rebecca’s character is living in a reality that doesn’t match everyone else’s, which is a thing that I feel we’re all wrestling with.

Do you watch reality shows?

Rebecca actually introduced me to British culture through The Great British Bake Off. And then we got into the U.K. version of Love Island, which I love because it is so extreme. The aesthetics of it are so repellent. The music and colors are awful, and everyone’s tans are so bad. But people still fall in love, or seem to genuinely develop feelings for each other.

Are you more like a cat or a dog?

I'm probably naturally more like a dog, but I have learned to be more like a cat. I think cats actually move through the world a little more easily. What I discovered, especially when I was young and first dating, is that convincing people that you’re not interested in them is what draws them to you. I’m not good at that. But I have tried to learn how to do it, because it does work.

Who was your celebrity crush when you were a child?

When I was younger, it was Maid Marian from the animated Robin Hood. Which I think is funny because [my wife] has a British accent. When I was 15, I had a pretty serious crush on Samantha Mathis in Pump Up the Volume.

Were you a theatrical child?

Yes. There are videos of me pretending to sell a Christmas tree to my mom. I did my first play after college. The first job that I auditioned for and booked was Sarah Schulman's adaptation of Enemies, A Love Story at the Wilma Theater in Philadelphia. I remember getting that call from my agent, and I felt as ecstatic as I’d ever felt in my life. It was the best feeling.

Hair by Mustafa Yanaz for L’Oréal Professionnel; Paris at Art + Commerce; Makeup by Sam Visser for YSL Beauty at Art Partner; Manicure by Eri Handa for Dior Le Baume at Home Agency; Set design by Mila Taylor-Young. Produced by Prodn; Production Team: Mitch Baker, Noah Conboy, Steven Dam, Torrance Hall, Parker Hanley, Taryn Kelly, Conor McIntyre, Wesley Torrance, Daniel Weiner, Jasmine Williams; Photo Assistants: Keegan Gay, Jeremy Gould, Carlos Vigil; Digital Technician: Kylie Coutts; Fashion Assistants: Lizzie Bowden, Tori López, Kayla Perno, Sofia Prochilo, Celeste Roh, Tyler VanVranken; Tailor: Lindsay Wright; Hair Assistants: Tiana Amani, Harley Beman, Kazuto Shimomura; Makeup Assistants: Elika Hilata, Juan Jaar, Meghan Nguyen, Yuui Vision; Set Assistant: Kate Atkinson.

Grace Gummer has become a regular in Ryan Murphy’s universe, appearing in three installments of American Horror Story, from playing the Lizard Girl in Freak Show to a witch in Coven. But Murphy had to personally persuade her to take on her most substantial role yet in his sprawling TV empire: Caroline Kennedy in Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette. It’s a part she considered carefully, hoping to honor the woman whose life in the public imagination has been defined by legacy and loss.

Gummer herself is no stranger to American dynasties: She is the daughter of Meryl Streep and is married to Grammy-winning super-producer Mark Ronson. Still, playing Caroline Kennedy required a different kind of scrutiny, one that has already earned her serious awards buzz. For W’s TV portfolio, Gummer, now 40, discusses stepping into the Kennedy world, her theatrical beginnings, and the childhood crush she never outgrew.

How did Love Story come into your life?

I was choosing between Love Story and another project. I got a call from Ryan Murphy being like, "What is this other thing you think you're going to do?" And then he listed all the reasons why I should do [Love Story] and why he wanted me there. So here I am.

In Love Story, you play Caroline Kennedy. Was it challenging to portray someone whom you have been aware of in one way or another?

My job, in playing a real person, is to present my vision of her at that time in her life. I wanted to pay tribute to Caroline, and I hoped that in doing so, I elicited compassion from the audience.

When Caroline loses her brother in the plane crash, you have a remarkable scene, filled with rage and mourning.

The writing was so beautiful because it was giving words to an indescribable feeling. I just really tried to imagine what it must feel like to lose someone you love when you've had so much loss. In those last scenes, it was like waves that keep crashing but just won’t take her down. Caroline is formidable. She shows restraint throughout the show, and then, by the end, I felt allowed to just completely let go.

Were you theatrical as a child?

Very! I was always dressing up in elaborate, insane costumes with my siblings. My older sister would usually be the boss of everyone, so she was the usher, director, and everything else, and I was, like, the dog on a leash in the background. For Halloween, I was always a dead bride, a bride who had died on her wedding day. I don’t know why that spoke to me so much.

What was your first paid acting job?

I was in The House of the Spirits when I was 7, but the first audition that I went in for and booked was a little Off Broadway play called The Sexual Neuroses of Our Parents. I played a catatonic teenager discovering her sexuality. It was the first time I was really proud of myself. I got a little review in The New York Times, and I thought, Okay, I think I can do this.

When you were growing up, who was your cinematic crush?

Titanic Leo, forever and always. I had posters. I have met Leo a couple times, and I get nervous thinking about it. Even now, I’m 12 again, crying on the floor, watching that movie on repeat, bowing to him. That was the first performance where I was like, Oh—I’m a girl!

Do you get starstruck?

I get starstruck with musicians mostly. Meeting Beyoncé to me was pretty...yeah.

Do you believe in ghosts?

I've definitely felt ghosts. Where I grew up in Connecticut, we have a little guesthouse that's hundreds of years old. We lived in there as kids for a while while our house was being fixed up, and I felt the presence of nice people there. That's the only time I've ever felt anything. I think everything else is in your mind.

What did you wear for your first red carpet?

The first real red carpet that I was aware of what I was wearing was an Oscars in the '90s. I thought it was really cool to wear sunglasses because that's what everyone was doing. I had really short, curly hair and '90s sunglasses. I was wearing a Mary McFadden stripey, abstract, sparkly long dress, which is, all due respect to her, not what I would choose now. I thought I was a lot cooler than I was.

What are your pet peeves?

I hate when people don't wear any socks on the plane. I hate when they take their shoes off. I hate flip-flops. I hate the sound of flapping flip-flops. I hate it, especially in the airport.

What’s your zodiac sign?

My sign is Taurus. I like being a Taurus. I really, really love my birthday. I’ve always loved the day, May 9. It rings true to me. It feels like who I am. I don’t know, I'm not very good at celebrating myself, but I love that this is one day that everybody can shamelessly love you, and you can shamelessly love yourself. Sometimes I go to the doctor on my birthday to get a checkup. To know that everything's okay and working and you're healthy, what's better than that on your birthday?

Do you think you have a lot of Taurus traits?

People always say that Tauruses are really strong-willed and stubborn, but I don't find myself to be a stubborn, bullish person. I'm stubbornly indecisive, but other than that—being earthy and a homebody, I would say that's very me. I like to stay close to home.

Do you have a go-to karaoke song?

“Criminal,” by Fiona Apple, is a really big one. “Jolene,” by Dolly Parton. “Torn,” Natalie Imbruglia. Sometimes I do “Shallow” to pay tribute to my husband.

Do you duet? No, I do both.

You want to be both Bradley Cooper and Gaga?

Yeah, I want to do it all.

Hair by Mustafa Yanaz for L’Oréal Professionnel; Paris at Art + Commerce; Makeup by Sam Visser for YSL Beauty at Art Partner; Manicure by Eri Handa for Dior Le Baume at Home Agency; Set design by Mila Taylor-Young. Produced by Prodn; Production Team: Mitch Baker, Noah Conboy, Steven Dam, Torrance Hall, Parker Hanley, Taryn Kelly, Conor McIntyre, Wesley Torrance, Daniel Weiner, Jasmine Williams; Photo Assistants: Keegan Gay, Jeremy Gould, Carlos Vigil; Digital Technician: Kylie Coutts; Fashion Assistants: Lizzie Bowden, Tori López, Kayla Perno, Sofia Prochilo, Celeste Roh, Tyler VanVranken; Tailor: Lindsay Wright; Hair Assistants: Tiana Amani, Harley Beman, Kazuto Shimomura; Makeup Assistants: Elika Hilata, Juan Jaar, Meghan Nguyen, Yuui Vision; Set Assistant: Kate Atkinson.

When Sarah Pidgeon auditioned to play Carolyn Bessette Kennedy in Ryan Murphy’s latest installment of Love Story, she wasn’t yet fully steeped in the lore of the late style icon, she admits. “I had a sort of baseline knowledge of her,” Pidgeon tells W’s Editor at Large, Lynn Hirschberg. “I knew that she worked at Calvin Klein. I knew that she was married to JFK Jr. I knew the photos of her.”

Now 29, Pidgeon was just a toddler when Bessette Kennedy and John F. Kennedy Jr.’s every move was dominating the tabloids, before their tragic deaths in a plane crash in 1999. But the Michigan-born actor, who made waves in the Tony Award–winning Broadway play Stereophonic, quickly learned what it means to portray a woman whose image still inspires obsession. Even before the series premiered, Pidgeon and her costar, Paul Anthony Kelly, found themselves the subject of intense scrutiny. “I’ve never been a part of something that people have taken so personally,” she says. “It’s always nice to be a part of a conversation. Well, I mean, I guess it depends on the conversation.” For our TV portfolio, Pidgeon discusses her theater-kid first kiss, the power of a wig, and the one movie that always makes her cry.

Have you always wanted to act?

I tried soccer. I also tried water polo, but I felt like I was drowning the entire time. I was so bad at sports. Acting was really the thing where I felt like myself. And if this doesn’t work out, I’m totally screwed.

You can sing. You were onstage singing in Stereophonic, which won the Tony Award for best play.

That was such a surreal moment. Thank God I was at the awards ceremony with my mom. I was saying, “Mom, do you see who that is?” And my mom would say, “Who is that?” That was quite grounding for me. And yes, I sang at the Tonys. I was so stressed about singing every night in Stereophonic. There was a specific note that I had to hit that was at the top of my range, and in the show I’m smoking herbal cigarettes, snorting fake cocaine, screaming, crying, and then singing.

Do you get starstruck?

Yeah. I get very nervous. I don't pretend. I am gregarious and I can reveal a lot of personal anecdotes about myself, but I think that is an effort to cover up a sense of shyness. There are some people who I would love to shake hands with.

Like who?

I get a little superstitious to talk about that. It’s like meeting a crush and they know that you have a crush on them. Sometimes that's amazing, but other times that's so mortifying.

Who did you have a crush on growing up?

I liked those Lord of the Rings guys—Orlando Bloom, Viggo Mortensen. I mean, the wigs…I know the power of a wig. Let's just say that much.

Which movie makes you cry?

I love About Time. There's the story between the father and his son, and then, of course, the love story. It's so heartbreaking. Trying to redo a first date over and over until you get it perfectly right because you want them to love you so much. And then at the end, the message of living every day as if it's your last, which I don't think I necessarily do. But whenever I watch that movie, the next day is amazing because you take in, like, every single detail.

Do you have a go-to karaoke song?

I like a little “Life on Mars?” It's a good belty song, but it's right in the range.

Where was your first kiss?

My first kiss was in a rehearsal room. I just turned 13. I was in Cinderella, and the prince kissed me. I did it in front of our director. They were very thoughtful about having it be private between Prince Charming and me, so we didn't have to do it in front of, like, 30 other seventh- and eighth-graders. He's still one of my dear friends. We ended up going to college together. I wrote my college essay—my Common App—essay about it. [The prompt was to] name a challenging time, and I talked about having my first kiss. But after that, it was game over for the rest of the boys. I was ready to mack.

What's your pet peeve?

When people don't bag their groceries at the grocery store. Obviously, there are baggers, but if there's no one there and there's a line behind you, you might as well do it. Trader Joe’s is very fast, especially in the city. They have a system that you don’t really want to mess with. But, I don't know, I like my bags packed in a particular way. I want to make sure that the produce doesn't get bruised.

What sign are you?

I’m a Cancer. The crab. Cancers like their home. I turn 30 this year, and I finally got a big-girl apartment in Brooklyn. It's been really nice, but I still send my mail to my mom's house. She's more responsible than I am.

Hair by Mustafa Yanaz for L’Oréal Professionnel; Paris at Art + Commerce; Makeup by Sam Visser for YSL Beauty at Art Partner; Manicure by Eri Handa for Dior Le Baume at Home Agency; Set design by Mila Taylor-Young. Produced by Prodn; Production Team: Mitch Baker, Noah Conboy, Steven Dam, Torrance Hall, Parker Hanley, Taryn Kelly, Conor McIntyre, Wesley Torrance, Daniel Weiner, Jasmine Williams; Photo Assistants: Keegan Gay, Jeremy Gould, Carlos Vigil; Digital Technician: Kylie Coutts; Fashion Assistants: Lizzie Bowden, Tori López, Kayla Perno, Sofia Prochilo, Celeste Roh, Tyler VanVranken; Tailor: Lindsay Wright; Hair Assistants: Tiana Amani, Harley Beman, Kazuto Shimomura; Makeup Assistants: Elika Hilata, Juan Jaar, Meghan Nguyen, Yuui Vision; Set Assistant: Kate Atkinson.

It’s been a busy year for Rebecca Hall. The 44-year-old actor starred opposite Evan Peters in Ryan Murphy’s body horror series, The Beauty; popped up for a guest spot on The Studio; and led Janicza Bravo’s psychological drama The Listeners (now available on Starz), playing a woman driven to madness by a low humming sound that no one else seems to notice. In many ways, Hall was born to perform: Her mother was the opera singer Maria Ewing, and her father was theater director Sir Peter Hall, the founder of the Royal Shakespeare Company. But despite growing up around—and on—the stage, Hall insists she was a quiet kid. For W’s TV portfolio, she discusses her early shyness, her go-to reality shows, and her celebrity crush—other than her husband, Morgan Spector, who chimes in during the interview.

How did The Listeners come into your life?

I was at a point in my career where I was looking for something off the beaten path. My agent said, “There’s this kind of crazy TV thing about a woman who starts to hear a buzzing in her ear and doesn’t know where it is coming from. And it’s being directed by Janicza Bravo.” I was like, “I’m in. Done.” I love Zola, and I got to know Janicza when I was promoting Passing, the film I directed. I instantly fell in love with her, and we became very good friends. It was so thrilling to get to do something with her. She's such a unique director.

How would you describe the show?

It’s about going mad quietly. I’ve done a lot of those roles, but this one was really interesting to me. It’s about losing connection with people and community in modern society, and what that means. After all, we’re all struggling with who gets to define what’s real and what’s true.

How important is costuming when it comes to embodying a character?

It's hugely important. I’m a person who loves clothes, and I love expressing myself through what I decide to wear. I love collaborating with costume designers. In The Listeners, a lot of my costumes were meant to evoke the films of Eric Rohmer: 1960s-style capris, bright colors, and cream shirts. It was girly, but I liked it.

Do you watch your husband in The Gilded Age?

Yes, I love it. I actively resent it if Morgan asks me to test him on lines because then the future shows will be spoiled. And if I hear little bits of things, I get mad. I’m like, “What are you talking about? That can’t happen!”

Were you a theatrical child?

No, I was very shy. I sat around and drew people, and I got upset if people spoke to me.

When did that change?

Has it? [Laughs] I am good at talking now, but when I was young there wasn’t much space for it. There were a lot of theatrics in my childhood. I decided to be quiet and observe, which I think was the beginning of my interest in acting. I started acting when I was 9, but it felt like it was years in the making.

Are you more like a dog or a cat?

I'm a cat. Have you seen children’s television? It’s so anti-cat biased. Cats are always selfish and a little obsessed. I love cats.

Who is your celebrity crush, besides Morgan?

Robert Mitchum, specifically in Out of the Past and The Night of the Hunter, which is so disturbing. He was very beautiful, and he had this interesting face. I like interesting, beautiful, manly men. Obviously, I have a type.

Do you and Morgan watch reality TV?

Constantly. For me, it’s relaxation. I never did The Real Housewives for a really long time, and then I did. I went deep, and now I’m grappling with the Beverly Hills ladies from the beginning. We also watch The Great British Bake Off.

Morgan Spector: That was how Rebecca introduced me to British culture.

RH: We were in danger of breaking up over the difference between a biscuit and a cookie.

MS: And then we go into the U.K. version of Love Island. It is so extreme: The music is awful, the colors are awful.

RH: It’s designed to give you a headache.

MS: But people on the show still fall in love. And I’m like, Oh humanity!

Hair by Mustafa Yanaz for L’Oréal Professionnel; Paris at Art + Commerce; Makeup by Sam Visser for YSL Beauty at Art Partner; Manicure by Eri Handa for Dior Le Baume at Home Agency; Set design by Mila Taylor-Young. Produced by Prodn; Production Team: Mitch Baker, Noah Conboy, Steven Dam, Torrance Hall, Parker Hanley, Taryn Kelly, Conor McIntyre, Wesley Torrance, Daniel Weiner, Jasmine Williams; Photo Assistants: Keegan Gay, Jeremy Gould, Carlos Vigil; Digital Technician: Kylie Coutts; Fashion Assistants: Lizzie Bowden, Tori López, Kayla Perno, Sofia Prochilo, Celeste Roh, Tyler VanVranken; Tailor: Lindsay Wright; Hair Assistants: Tiana Amani, Harley Beman, Kazuto Shimomura; Makeup Assistants: Elika Hilata, Juan Jaar, Meghan Nguyen, Yuui Vision; Set Assistant: Kate Atkinson.

In the near decade since Charles Melton cemented his mainstream heartthrob status as Reggie Mantle on Riverdale, the 35-year-old actor has steadily gravitated more toward arthouse fare. First came his turn as a young father opposite Julianne Moore in Todd Haynes’s May December; now Melton stars in the second installment of Lee Sung Jin’s Beef as an aspiring physical therapist swept into the pressure-cooker class dynamics of an ultraexclusive country club. The role allowed Melton to tap into both his past as a college athlete and the easy charisma that has made him such a magnetic screen presence. For W’s annual TV portfolio, Melton spoke with W Editor at Large Lynn Hirschberg about how the Netflix series entered his life, his experience of new fatherhood, and his unwavering devotion to the Philadelphia Eagles.

Did you watch season 1 of Beef?

I did. I dreamt of being in season 2. I'm a huge fan of Steven Yeun. I knew that Lee Sung Jin, the creator of the series, had a mood board with me on it for season 2 of the show. We were at dinner, and he showed me a picture of myself and said, “This is our writers room. We’re writing it for you!” I was pinching myself because I didn’t want to be overly excited. I told him “Yes!” immediately.

How familiar were you with the whole country club experience?

I was not familiar with the world of country clubs. There's, like, an initiation fee, which Lee Sung Jin said was, I think, $300,000 per year. That’s a lot of money.

You got to go back to Korea while filming.

I did. It was amazing. My whole family got to see me. We were there for, like, a month. So much skincare. Best skincare in the world.

Do you get starstruck?

I was at some sort of party. I was really starstruck when I saw LeBron James walk in, and behind him was Jalen Hurts, the quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles. He was wearing a white suit. I went up to him and said, “Mr. Jalen Hurts, my name is Charles Melton.” He dabbed me up and was like, “I know who you are.” My head exploded. I was so over the moon.

Are you a big football fan?

I’m a huge American football fan—Philadelphia Eagles, go Birds! I played at Kansas State University. I was good in high school, but I only played on special teams in college. I was pretty fast—I could run a 100-meter dash in 10.9 seconds.

That’s very fast! Can you still do that?

The last time I tried to run fast was when we were filming episode 8 of Beef in Korea, and I pulled my hamstring. It was bad, but I kept working.

Do you have any good scars?

I have a scar on my elbow from having MRSA—it’s kind of a gross thing to talk about. When I was 15, there was a lot of pain in my right elbow, and it was turning black. There’s only one cure for this flesh-eating disease. I had two surgeries, and they removed the part of the elbow called the weenus. I don’t have a weenus on my right elbow.

Do you have any favorite reality shows?

There’s this show where people date and they don’t know each other’s ages. Age of Attraction, on Netflix. I saw, like, half an episode. I think my reality TV is sports games.

What’s your zodiac sign?

I’m a Capricorn. I was born at 4:20 on January 4. Capricorns are stubborn, hardworking, very specific. My moon’s in Virgo, and I have some Gemini in there.

Do you have a go-to karaoke song?

“Halo,” by Beyoncé. I’m a dad now, and I sing it to my daughter all the time. I sing it very, very calmly, and by the end there are tears running down my face.

Grooming Tim Nolan; Manicure by Eri Handa for Dior Le Baume at Home Agency; Set design by Mila Taylor-Young. Produced by Prodn; Production Team: Mitch Baker, Noah Conboy, Steven Dam, Torrance Hall, Parker Hanley, Taryn Kelly, Conor McIntyre, Wesley Torrance, Daniel Weiner, Jasmine Williams; Photo Assistants: Keegan Gay, Jeremy Gould, Carlos Vigil; Digital Technician: Kylie Coutts; Fashion Assistants: Lizzie Bowden, Tori López, Kayla Perno, Sofia Prochilo, Celeste Roh, Tyler VanVranken; Tailor: Lindsay Wright; Hair Assistants: Tiana Amani, Harley Beman, Kazuto Shimomura; Makeup Assistants: Elika Hilata, Juan Jaar, Meghan Nguyen, Yuui Vision; Set Assistant: Kate Atkinson.

At 14, most kids are worrying about school dances and exams. Lox Pratt is preparing to play two of the most iconic villains in literary history. In the span of a year, the young British actor landed leading roles in two of 2026's biggest series: the BBC's new adaptation of William Golding's Lord of the Flies, with a screenplay by Adolescence writer Jack Thorne, and HBO's Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, the latest installment of the blockbuster franchise, which debuts in December and will air a season for each of the seven books. The series are his first two on-screen credits. In Flies, he plays Jack, the story’s main symbol of savagery, and in Harry Potter he'll play Draco Malfoy, Potter's cold-blooded Slytherin foil. Pratt isn't worried about being typecast just yet, though. If anything, he's ready for more—as long as the roles are complex enough for him to sink his teeth into.

Have you always wanted to act?

I love stories, and acting is a brilliant way of immersing myself fully in them. I was in a drama group, and my mom’s friend thought that I should send in a self-tape for Lord of the Flies. I thought it was the perfect thing to properly throw myself into because I've always loved storytelling and making films with my brothers.

How did you prepare to play Jack in Lord of the Flies?

The character became a patchwork of different people that I’d seen: Tommy Shelby, from Peaky Blinders, and a bit of Malcolm McDowell from A Clockwork Orange.

You’ve seen A Clockwork Orange? Aren’t you too young for that film?

I’ve seen little clips. Not the entirety, thankfully.

In Flies, you are Jack, who becomes the villain, and in Harry Potter you are Draco Malfoy, also the antagonist. Do you enjoy being evil?

I think so. It’s better than being stuck as the nice guy the entire time. The evil characters are more complicated. I'm grateful that I've had not just one-dimensional bad guys, but people that I can play around with and find different aspects to.

Do you have a particular actor you look up to?

I love Florence Pugh, Cillian Murphy, and Leonardo DiCaprio. They're all really cool.

Do you have any secret skills?

I like drumming. I stick on my headphones and just have a bash. That definitely came in handy in Flies when we did all the dancing. In the show, you can see me drumming on logs.

What’s your favorite birthday that you’ve celebrated?

I've had some pretty epic parties in the past. A really great one was at the end of Lord of the Flies. We all did a massive meal and had a hog roast, which was quite fun.

Have you ever been starstruck?

I got quite starstruck by John Lithgow when I first met him, on the set of Harry Potter. It was the first time he was trying on his beard, and my mom took his first pictures with it. That was cool. I think my mom had watched him in 3rd Rock From the Sun, and I'd seen him in Shrek, which is, obviously, quite a famous one.

Are you more like a dog or a cat?

There’s a saying: “If you give food to a cat, it will think it’s God. But if you give food to a dog, it will think you are God.” So, I’d like to think I’m a dog.

Hair by Mustafa Yanaz for L’Oréal Professionnel; Paris at Art + Commerce; Makeup by Sam Visser for YSL Beauty at Art Partner; Manicure by Eri Handa for Dior Le Baume at Home Agency; Set design by Mila Taylor-Young. Produced by Prodn; Production Team: Mitch Baker, Noah Conboy, Steven Dam, Torrance Hall, Parker Hanley, Taryn Kelly, Conor McIntyre, Wesley Torrance, Daniel Weiner, Jasmine Williams; Photo Assistants: Keegan Gay, Jeremy Gould, Carlos Vigil; Digital Technician: Kylie Coutts; Fashion Assistants: Lizzie Bowden, Tori López, Kayla Perno, Sofia Prochilo, Celeste Roh, Tyler VanVranken; Tailor: Lindsay Wright; Hair Assistants: Tiana Amani, Harley Beman, Kazuto Shimomura; Makeup Assistants: Elika Hilata, Juan Jaar, Meghan Nguyen, Yuui Vision; Set Assistant: Kate Atkinson.

Rachel Sennott has spent the past six years turning 20-something anxiety into a specific comedic currency. There was 2020’s Shiva Baby, in which Sennott—a Connecticut native raised Catholic—played a young Jewish, bisexual woman forced to attend a mourning ceremony with her parents. Then came the comedy-horror Bodies Bodies Bodies, followed by the queer high school rom-com Bottoms, not to mention roles in I Used to Be Funny and HBO’s The Idol. But her crowning achievement thus far is I Love LA, the HBO series she created, wrote, and stars in.

Sennott, now 30, plays Maia, a talent agent scrambling to get her career off the ground when she reconnects with her ex–best friend, the influencer Tallulah, played by Odessa A’zion. Alongside True Whitaker, Jordan Firstman, and Josh Hutcherson, Sennott navigates the hazards of being a 20-something in Los Angeles. The show was such a hit that it was renewed for a second season less than three weeks after its November 2025 premiere. For W’s TV portfolio, Sennott spoke with Editor at Large Lynn Hirschberg about the therapy-like meeting that led to I Love LA, the reality shows she hasn’t gotten around to watching, and the Shrek song that always makes her cry.

Did you always want to create your own series?

I pitched a lot of shows before this one got made. I had a general meeting with HBO scheduled, and my agent said, “Babe, it’s just a meeting. No pressure. Just talk about yourself.” And I was like, "Totally, got it." Then I immediately hard-pitched them three shows. They were like, "Relax. It's all good, we just want to get to know you." So I talked about moving to L.A., feeling lonely, starting a new relationship, and the feelings of my Saturn return—which I've talked about endlessly. It's sort of my Lady Gaga, “one in 100, 99 people,” whatever, Saturn return. It turned into a therapy session. I was wondering what my worth was. I hung up on the Zoom, and my agent called and said, “You sold the show!” I was like, “Which one?” She said, “The thing that you guys talked about!” This was a few days before the writers strike began, and I spent the entire strike looking at a wall going, “What is the show about?” But because of the strike, I couldn’t contact HBO to ask which show they wanted. When the strike ended, I finally knew the answer, and we started working on the pilot.

Is it hard to write for yourself?

Because I'm in the room with everyone, I can always read a line aloud or say it, and it's pretty clear: Oh, she would or wouldn’t say that. Also, we have such an amazing cast. It's been so awesome to see the whole cast blow up in their own ways in the past year. Getting to write really meaty scenes for them and see them in my head now that I've gotten so close to them and I know their voices, it's only helped.

What’s your pet peeve?

I have so many pet peeves. I'm always getting annoyed. People who are consistently late—it's okay to be late every now and then—but 30 minutes late and above…it drives me crazy. I have a friend who's always late. I just lie to them and I'm like, "Reservation's at 5:30." Reservation's at 6:15. They show up at 6:15. I'm like, perfect, dinner!

What makes you cry?

A lot makes me cry. In Shrek, when they play the song “My Beloved Monster.” It’s really sad. “My beloved monster and me/We go everywhere together.” He's searching for love, but he has a hard exterior. It makes me cry every time.

Do you still get starstruck?

I feel starstruck when there's a character from the Internet or someone who I feel like only I know about, like, "Oh, I followed your alt Twitter account for years, and now you moved to L.A., and I know about your breakup with your boyfriend." Someone that I basically form a parasocial relationship with—but not that many people know of—I can get pretty starstruck by. And then I got to have dinner with Michael Patrick King the other night, me and Jordan [Firstman] did, and I was pretty starstruck by him because any other showrunners or people who can give me advice or tell me things that make me feel more normal, I feel starstruck and very lucky to be around.

Were you a big Sex and the City fan?

Yes. Huge. I was trying to be normal, but then halfway through dinner, I was like, “Okay, tell me the tea on the movie when you guys went to Dubai and blah, blah, blah….” He's a dream.

What’s one of your secret skills?

I'm really good at giving back massages. When I was little, my parents got me a reflexology book for Christmas. I was obsessed with how, on your feet, it was a drawing of your kidneys here, and your sinuses are here. I got really into that for a while. So I think I'm pretty good at giving shoulder and foot massages.

Do you have a favorite reality show?

I'm not locked into a reality show right now. In my writers room, everyone is talking about Housewives and Traitors—and I feel it's too late for me [to start watching]. Everyone's in on Traitors and I'm like, "Well, I already know all about the raw pickle moment!" or whatever.

Do you believe in ghosts?

Of course! I stayed at the Chateau Marmont for my 29th birthday, and they upgraded us to the suite on the sixth floor. I went to bed, and then there was a man on top of me. And then he was on the ceiling. I later learned that the sixth floor is haunted.

Are you more like a cat or a dog?

I’m more like a dog. Maybe a little shih tzu? I’m engaged but protective. And fun—I love to chase after a ball.

What’s your zodiac sign?

I'm a Virgo, but I'm actually a Virgo-Libra cusp. I do identify as a Virgo, but I have a Libra stellium and a Scorpio stellium. And I feel like I have some pretty big placements in Libra. My Venus is in Libra. My Mars is in Scorpio, and my Cancer's in moon. I'm emotional and intense, but I'm meant to live and experience. That's where my art comes through. Do you know that song “Clumsy,” by Fergie? I really connect to it. That's how I feel.

Have you had your chart done?

I've had my chart done, and I do my own chart, and I could do yours if you wanted. I've been into this for a long time, and I think it's because I grew up Catholic and I was really religious. And then I felt not un-Catholic—I still believe in something—but I was like, I need a system: astrology, numerology, tarot, anything. I'm always looking for meaning and purpose.

Hair by Mustafa Yanaz for L’Oréal Professionnel; Paris at Art + Commerce; Makeup by Sam Visser for YSL Beauty at Art Partner; Manicure by Eri Handa for Dior Le Baume at Home Agency; Set design by Mila Taylor-Young. Produced by Prodn; Production Team: Mitch Baker, Noah Conboy, Steven Dam, Torrance Hall, Parker Hanley, Taryn Kelly, Conor McIntyre, Wesley Torrance, Daniel Weiner, Jasmine Williams; Photo Assistants: Keegan Gay, Jeremy Gould, Carlos Vigil; Digital Technician: Kylie Coutts; Fashion Assistants: Lizzie Bowden, Tori López, Kayla Perno, Sofia Prochilo, Celeste Roh, Tyler VanVranken; Tailor: Lindsay Wright; Hair Assistants: Tiana Amani, Harley Beman, Kazuto Shimomura; Makeup Assistants: Elika Hilata, Juan Jaar, Meghan Nguyen, Yuui Vision; Set Assistant: Kate Atkinson.

Sadie Soverall was a shy kid, but she did the school plays anyway. The 24-year-old South London actor never quite lost that quality—the willingness to jump in before she feels ready—and it’s served her well, from her roles in Fate: The Winx Saga and Saltburn to her first leading part, as Percy Fraser in Prime Video's Every Year After. The latter is an adaptation of Carley Fortune's beloved novel Every Summer After, about first love and the mistakes that trail us into adulthood. "It's a show for the yearners!" Soverall says. For W's TV portfolio, she spoke with Editor at Large Lynn Hirschberg about her fashion regrets, cinematic crushes, and jumping into very cold water.

Your show, Every Year After, is about first love, heartache, and facing the past.

I play Percy. She has a really interesting journey. She grew up going to this beautiful lake town for the summers, and she falls in love with her neighbor. It's all about first love. And then we cut to years later, and she has to go back and face her past and her mistakes.

Did you have a big love like that?

I feel like I did with friendships. I definitely have had past loves in my life, but it's quite a sweeping one.

Were you a theatrical child?

With my family, yeah. Growing up, I kind of went into myself, but I feel like now I'm quite a theatrical person in the right setting.

Did you always want to be an actress?

I think so. I can't imagine not doing it, but I also didn't really have the confidence when I was younger. So this is very much a shocking dream come true.

Were your parents surprised that you wanted to pursue a career in acting?

My mom kind of always knew. She’s a ceramicist—we're a family that loves our mugs and pots and bowls—so I think she knew I wanted to do something creative.

What was the first job you booked?

I had a tiny role in this beautiful indie film called Rose Plays Julie. It was my first time on set, and it was in the middle of nowhere in Ireland. It was quite a shocking thing to see what a set's like. It was amazing, though. I had a really lovely time.

Have you ever lied about having a certain skill to get a part?

Absolutely! There is a large portion of the show where my character swims across a lake. I don’t do any outdoor swimming, and I’m not great with the cold, but when they asked me, I said, “Outdoor swimming! Yeah!” When we got to it in the script, I was like, Oh no. But I’m proud of myself: I did it. Jumping in is the best way to go.

What was the first time you wore high heels?

When I was 13. I went to a party, and I was thinking, These shoes won’t hurt. My mom had a comment: “I don’t think those are good for you.” I ended up taking them off and walking home in bare feet. But I love heels now.

Which TV show makes you cry?

An episode of Girls called “The Panic in Central Park.” Marnie sees her ex-boyfriend [played by Christopher Abbott], and that episode always gets me. It’s incredible—all the buildup of seasons and seasons, and then that happens. It's insane.

Do you have any fashion regrets from when you were younger?

When I was a kid, I used to wear very kooky outfits. I had this phase where I wore this big, fluffy hat. I wouldn't take it off—I'd sleep in it. For, like, a year, even in the summer.

Who did you have a cinematic crush on when you were growing up?

Bugsy Malone. I wanted to be Bugsy, and I also wanted to be Jodie [Foster]. Robert Redford as well: Out of Africa, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. I mean, what a man.

Have you met a ghost?

No, but we were kind of channeling the ghost of Arthur Miller in our play John Proctor Is the Villain.

What’s your go-to karaoke song?

Right now, I love “Crush,” by Ethel Cain. I think because I have a lower register. Or anything from Chicago. I love Chicago. I want to do Chicago.

Where was your first kiss?

My first kiss was so unromantic. It was at a house party with my dear friend, Aiden. It was kind of organized in the moment. It was very quick. We bashed teeth and it was quite awkward. But I'm so glad it was with him and no one else. He passed away a few years ago, so it's very special to have had that moment with him and treasure it.

Hair by Mustafa Yanaz for L’Oréal Professionnel; Paris at Art + Commerce; Makeup by Sam Visser for YSL Beauty at Art Partner; Manicure by Eri Handa for Dior Le Baume at Home Agency; Set design by Mila Taylor-Young. Produced by Prodn; Production Team: Mitch Baker, Noah Conboy, Steven Dam, Torrance Hall, Parker Hanley, Taryn Kelly, Conor McIntyre, Wesley Torrance, Daniel Weiner, Jasmine Williams; Photo Assistants: Keegan Gay, Jeremy Gould, Carlos Vigil; Digital Technician: Kylie Coutts; Fashion Assistants: Lizzie Bowden, Tori López, Kayla Perno, Sofia Prochilo, Celeste Roh, Tyler VanVranken; Tailor: Lindsay Wright; Hair Assistants: Tiana Amani, Harley Beman, Kazuto Shimomura; Makeup Assistants: Elika Hilata, Juan Jaar, Meghan Nguyen, Yuui Vision; Set Assistant: Kate Atkinson.

True Whitaker was a theatrical child from the start. "I'm the youngest of four siblings. We were always doing little iMovie and Photo Booth movies,” the 27-year-old San Fernando Valley native says. “We'd write scripts, put on our little costumes, and edit them. We've been forcing everyone to watch us perform for years." These days, no one needs persuading. Whitaker is magnetic in Rachel Sennott’s HBO series I Love LA, which follows a crew of 20-somethings—played by Odessa A’zion, Josh Hutcherson, Jordan Firstman, and Sennott herself—all trying to make it in Los Angeles. As Alani Marcus, Whitaker plays the group’s laid-back, woo-woo pal whose nepo status—her dad is a successful filmmaker—places her in a different tax bracket than the rest of her friends. In reality, Whitaker’s father is the Oscar-winning actor Forest Whitaker, so she knows all too well the assumptions that can come with that kind of background. But don’t be quick to make any nepo-baby comparisons. After graduating from NYU, Whitaker threw herself into theater, studied method acting, and appeared on Godfather of Harlem before landing I Love LA. Below, she discusses the cast’s matching tattoos, her childhood Belieber phase, and the extremely Hollywood location of her first kiss.

How did I Love LA come into your life?

A friend of mine was auditioning for the role of Tallulah, and I was reading on the other side of the camera for her self-tape. I was reading this character, Alani, and I was like, "I know this girl. I resonate with this girl." I asked my agent if there was any chance for me to get an audition because I was already a huge fan of Rachel. She had been on my manifestation board. And then I got the audition, and I locked in.

Nearly everyone on your show got the same tattoo.

Yes, we all match—Odessa, Josh Hutcherson, and Jordan [Firstman]. It says “LA.” But I also have a full sleeve, including my mom’s name, Keisha, and my dad’s name.

What was the first job you booked?

It was on my dad’s show Godfather of Harlem. I played Sandra, who was pregnant and deciding to keep her baby while detoxing from heroin. I played her for a couple of seasons, and she ended up working as a nurse. She’s bright-eyed and bushy-tailed now. No more heroin chic.

What was your favorite birthday?

When I was 10 years old, my family went to London and we rented one of those big red buses. I have a deep memory of being on the top, feeling like a superstar, cheerio-ing everyone.

Who did you have a crush on when you were growing up?

My brain goes straight to Justin Bieber. I'm a Belieber. I was 11 when he was first getting popping with “One Time,” then “Baby.” I was hooked—loving the swoop. On-screen, Marlon Brando in A Streetcar Named Desire. I like a theater moment.

Did you have posters of Justin Bieber in your room?

Yes. I also had, randomly, a poster of Ryan from High School Musical—Sharpay’s gay brother. I don’t know where I was going with that. And I had pictures of A$AP Rocky. You could see the timeline of my life. I was clearly adding things as time happened and my taste would change.

What was your favorite Halloween costume?

Josephine Baker. I was dripped down in pearls, and I bought foam bananas, spray-painted them gold, bedazzled them, and turned them into a skirt. At the party that night, all my bananas were getting stuck on everyone. By the end, I was just in a gold bikini.

What are your pet peeves?

Slow walkers are always annoying. I'll just be behind them silently, like, "Come on," or I'll be like, "Just going to squeeze through!" I love to hit that phrase, and then it'll get more aggressive if they're not listening. But I like to keep things positive and light. If someone's dragging things, I'm like, "Let's be cheery." I sound almost misogynistic—"Let's see the smiles, ladies." I'm just trying to be positive out here.

Are you more like a dog or a cat?

A dog. I want to be giving cat, but I'm not. I'm giving golden retriever energy. I have a miniature pinscher. His name is Sebastian Totoro. He's chocolate brown with little blond patches. He's getting older, but he's still drop-dead gorgeous.

Do you watch reality shows?

I do. I recently was watching Love Island: Beyond the Villa, which honestly is good TV. I was disappointed when I ran out of episodes. And I love the Real Housewives.

Do you have a favorite?

I love Lisa Rinna. She's the best. I haven't seen the newer ones—Salt Lake City and the other places.

Which TV show or movie makes you cry?

Oh my God. So many things make me cry. I'll watch an audition for America's Got Talent, and that will make me cry. I'm really sensitive. I'm a Cancer. Cancers are very empathetic. You might walk in on them crying. They feel their feelings very deeply. I know I do.

Where was your first kiss?

On the Simpsons Ride at Universal Studios in Hollywood. When we dropped down to hell, it got really dark, and that’s when he decided to get in there. Right after I got off the ride, I ran to the bathroom and was like, Oh my God, oh my God. He’s still in my life to this day. Shout out to Lamont!

Hair by Mustafa Yanaz for L’Oréal Professionnel; Paris at Art + Commerce; Makeup by Sam Visser for YSL Beauty at Art Partner; Manicure by Eri Handa for Dior Le Baume at Home Agency; Set design by Mila Taylor-Young. Produced by Prodn; Production Team: Mitch Baker, Noah Conboy, Steven Dam, Torrance Hall, Parker Hanley, Taryn Kelly, Conor McIntyre, Wesley Torrance, Daniel Weiner, Jasmine Williams; Photo Assistants: Keegan Gay, Jeremy Gould, Carlos Vigil; Digital Technician: Kylie Coutts; Fashion Assistants: Lizzie Bowden, Tori López, Kayla Perno, Sofia Prochilo, Celeste Roh, Tyler VanVranken; Tailor: Lindsay Wright; Hair Assistants: Tiana Amani, Harley Beman, Kazuto Shimomura; Makeup Assistants: Elika Hilata, Juan Jaar, Meghan Nguyen, Yuui Vision; Set Assistant: Kate Atkinson.

As Emmy season approaches, W is spotlighting the performers who have defined the year in television. From Hollywood veterans like DTF St. Louis’s Jason Bateman and The Pitt’s Katherine LaNasa to breakout stars including Love Story’s Sarah Pidgeon and Every Year After’s Sadie Soverall, 13 actors from the year’s most talked-about shows got candid with W editor at large Lynn Hirschberg about everything from their first kiss to the movies that always make them cry. See the lineup here, and check back tomorrow for more.

Rachel Sennott | I Love LA

Sennott wears a Dolce & Gabbana dress.

Read the interview here.

Chase Infiniti | The Testaments

Infiniti wears a Louis Vuitton jumpsuit and hat.

Read the interview here.

Charles Melton | Beef

Melton wears a Bottega Veneta sweater and pants; Thistles sunglasses; Cartier watch.

Read the interview here.

Grace Gummer | Love Story

Gummer wears a Fendi dress; Tom Ford shoes.

Read the interview here.

Jason Bateman | DTF St. Louis and Black Rabbit

Bateman wears a Tom Ford shirt, pants, and tie; John Lobb boots.

Read the interview here.

Sadie Soverall | Every Year After

Soverall wears a Prada dress.

Read the interview here.

Rhea Seehorn | Pluribus

Seehorn wears a Michael Kors Collection dress; Sixteen Stone by Tiffany & Co. earrings.

Read the interview here.

Sarah Pidgeon | Love Story

Pidgeon wears a Givenchy by Sarah Burton dress.

Read the interview here.

True Whitaker | I Love LA

Whitaker wears a Loewe dress.

Read the interview here.

Morgan Spector | The Gilded Age

Spector wears a Ralph Lauren Purple Label tuxedo and shirt.

Read the interview here.

Katherine LaNasa | The Pitt

LaNasa wears a LaQuan Smith jacket, shirt, and pants; Van Cleef & Arpels pavé ring; Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello shoes.

Read the interview here.

Lox Pratt | Lord of the Flies

Pratt wears a Paul Smith shirt and tie; Commission pants.

Read the interview here.

Rebecca Hall | The Listeners

Hall wears a Tom Ford jacket, skirt, and belt; Graff earrings; Gianvito Rossi shoes.

Read the interview here.