14 year old FEAR THE WALKING DEAD actress ALEXA NISENSON spoke to us about her controversial, divisive character Charlie and her evolution throughout the show. She also opened up about her weapon of choice in case a zombie apocalypse ensues.  

Emerging actress ALEXA NISENSON can also be seen in "Middle School The Worst Years of My Life," “New Line Cinema’s “Fist Fght,” “Will and Grace,” and TNT’s “Good Behavior.”

The Los Angeles born actress opens up about acting, filming Fear the Walking Dead, and the lessons she learned in life so far.

On a real zombie apocalypse scenario, what would be your weapon of choice and why?

I’ve gotten to play around with a few different weapons on the show now and it’s definitely something you actually start to think about from your characters perspective at least for sure! I think I once asked our show runners during a pre-season meeting if Charlie could have a chainsaw. Not an ideal weapon in an apocalypse at all but it sounded cool for a minute! But in a real situation? I love these spears we just used in episode 2 of season 6. I would want a shorter version of that because you want something compact that you can carry easily and I feel like a sharp spear could be useful in other ways and not just for taking out zombies! 

How would you describe Charlie’s evolution throughout the show?

Transformative! Without a doubt. It’s been such an evolution which started out so tragic and so uncertain for the character.  We have seen Charlie grow up now over three seasons and if you really think about where she is now versus when we first meet her in the stadium in Season 4 you will see that she’s evolved so much. Charlie has always been a really divisive character and definitely controversial. I think the redemption arcs are some of the most fascinating stories in this universe. I love that there is truly genuine remorse on Charlie’s part and a very real desire to be part of this new family that spared her life and took mercy on her. But I also love that she’s starting to see she adds value and brings something to the table despite her past. She’s not letting the past define her right now - she is seeing that each one in the group has a story to tell about things they regret and it’s really cool to see her continue to grow and thrive. 

What’s the best part about playing Charlie in Fear the Walking Dead?

I am so grateful to be the person that brings Charlie to life on screen. It’s an honor and privilege at my age to even get to work in this industry but truly there are so many things that I love about playing Charlie! I have gotten to learn amazing new things like how to play banjo and how to drive a car and I’ve gotten to do my own stunts and I’ve been given the chance to truly grow as an actor through amazing writing they have given me. So it’s just a dream come true for me in every way!!  

How was your reaction when you first read the script?

When I auditioned for the role of Charlie, I actually didn’t even audition with the real script. It was what we call dummy sides because they never want to give away any story lines to people and spoilers so I really didn’t know what each script would be until a few days before we filmed the episode. I learned about Charlie and her journey along the way as it was developed! I wasn’t ever told in advance what would happen so when I got the scripts for each episode I had different reactions depending on what was happening of course. I remember getting the script for the episode Close Your Eyes and I just cried for an hour after reading it - it was mind blowing how emotional it was. 

Do you get scared easily? What scares you the most?

If you only knew!! Yes. Totally. I get scared very easily. I would say I’m a very cautious person. I am not a thrill seeker or daredevil at all! But at the same time there’s this small part of me that wants to be!  Somehow working on a show like Fear The Walking Dead doesn’t scare me though and I think most people who know me assumed it would. But when you are there and part of making it all come together and happen it takes the element of fright out of it! I think if I have to sum up what scares me the most in life in a short list that ranges in levels of fear I’d say, spiders, airplane turbulence and letting people down. 

What are the challenges and the highs that you experienced during filming?

With any project and at any age you are going to have both the highs and the lows. I’ve always believed that if the highs outweigh the lows then you're in a good space. I’m really lucky that on my show there are way more highs than lows. I’d say my biggest challenges have to do with my age. When you choose to work and pursue your dreams in this business at my age you know that life for you will be different on set than an adult until you are able to graduate high school. After filming instead of going to the cast tent and bonding with the cast or just getting a chance to just sit and listen to music, I go to school. So sometimes it can feel a little lonely and isolated. We film the show in Austin, TX and I live in LA. Being away from family and friends while filming can also be hard but it’s also something that you just know comes with the job and you find ways to make the best of it! The highs are really all the other moments! Getting the opportunity to bring a really interesting character to life and work with a cast and crew that helps me grow as a person and an actress. Getting the chance to be part of such an epic universe that is loved by so many people - those are all the highs! 

How did you manage to rise above the challenges?

I think if you can manage to come from a place of gratitude in all that you do it helps when you feel challenged. So when I am faced with things like feeling a little isolated or missing my friends and family I remind myself how fortunate I am that I get to do what I do. I think about all the amazing experiences I am being given and how grateful I am for them because they are so special and that literally does get me through it all. I’m so grateful for everyone and everything in my life and I just focus on the gratitude.

What’s the most memorable moment for you throughout the whole process of making the series?

On any of the The Walking Dead universe shows I think we would all agree that your very first walker kill is something you will always remember! It’s a bond we all share in this universe. But also, not so much a moment but more of a theme - meeting people through this show that have come into my life and have literally changed me as a person and have made my world a better place is something I will cherish forever. Some of my most favorite people and closest people to me in my life right now are ones I’ve met through this show. 

How did acting start for you? Was it something that you’ve always wanted from a young age?

Literally since the day I can remember. I always remember just wanting to perform and I’d find any place and make it a stage and ask anyone close by to watch a show I would put on and I’d dance and sing! I remember being in dance classes and some of the other girls were also acting and taking classes and I begged my parents to let me take acting classes! After months of asking they put me in a class and my teacher suggested I get an agent. I ended up getting an agent and got my first acting job when I was eight on a TV show on NBC. It’s been the best journey ever since then!

Who and what inspires you?

I try to pull inspiration from everyone I meet and every situation if I can. I think overall there are qualities in people that inspire me. Genuine kindness. Ambition. Humor. Empathy. I love when someone comes into my life and they possess a certain quality and it just radiates from them and it just sets them apart from everyone else. I’m inspired by people who love and dream big the way I do. I am inspired every day by people who take risks and the ones that try to change the world to make it a better place. People who are unapologetically themselves inspire me. Acts of kindness inspire me. There’s so many things it’s hard to list only a few. 

What are you most excited about this year?

I think it’s safe to say that 2020 has been one of the most challenging years for so many people. When I was thinking about my answer to this question for a minute, I almost felt guilty for trying to find excitement when the world right now is going through a pandemic and things feel so uncertain. But you do have to find the joy in life when and where you can. So thank you for reminding me of that! So for me, for this year I’m most excited about the day when it’s safe to see my family and friends that I haven’t seen in almost a year because it wasn’t safe to travel. I can’t wait until it’s safe to hug people and I am so excited to be able to tell people I love them face to face. I definitely took things like that for granted before the pandemic but I won’t anymore. 

What’s a valuable lesson that you’ve learned that you always carry with you?

Walk your own path! I was talking to someone on set that was playing my mom on a project. I can remember having this conversation where we were just talking about her journey. She just said, “remember to walk your own path. People will always try to get you to walk on the path that suits them and benefits them but you walk your own path always and you will never have regrets in life”. So I carry that with me every day. When I question myself at times or a situation, I remind myself to walk my own path even if it’s the path less taken or a path that’s uncertain or even scary because as long as it’s the path you choose for the right reasons...it will all be ok!

If you were a book, what book would you be and why?

That's such an incredible question! Books and the impact they can have on a reader is something I have thought a lot about recently and feel passionately about but I’ve never imagined what book I would be if I had to pick. I think whatever book I would be right now is not the book I would be a few months from now. I’m changing so much lately that it makes me want to say I would actually be a coloring book? Does that count? I say that because in a coloring book you have these pages that have outlines of what something is supposed to look like which to me almost signifies life - there are these ideas about what life should like for you at every stage right? But what that picture ends up looking like is uncertain at first and can also change depending on so many different things around you! Also, the end result of a page you color is what comes when you combine a little creativity and also some basic logic and that definitely feels a lot like life right now, so I’m definitely going with coloring book!