SOPHIE REYNOLDS [LA'S FINEST] — A BOOK OF MAGAZINE

Oregon native SOPHIE REYNOLDS plays Isabel McKenna a.k.a. Izzy in the Spectrum Originals' series L.A.'s Finest alongside Jessica Alba and Gabrielle Union.

Being a dancer and performer at heart, Reynolds proves that she can take any challenge even as far as shaving her head for the role. In this exclusive interview, we caught up with Sophie about acting, dancing and playing Izzy.

PHOTOGRAPHY: SHANNA FISHERSuit: Michelle Mason — PHOTOGRAPHY: SHANNA FISHER
Suit: Michelle Mason

Tell us about your story. Who is Sophie Reynolds?

I grew up near Portland, Oregon with my parents and my older brother. At age three I started dancing when my mom put me in a dance class and I fell in love with it. Training and performing was everything to me. I started getting really serious about dance around age eleven and was constantly training and competing. It was really what I though I would do with my life until I started acting and realized that was really the path for me. I love traveling, movies, coffee, popcorn, good TV, and hanging out with my close friends, and that’s all you really need to know about me!

STYLING: ADENA ROHATINER, MAKEUP: ANTHONY MERANTE, HAIR: J. MICHAELJacket: Latiste — STYLING: ADENA ROHATINER, MAKEUP: ANTHONY MERANTE, HAIR: J. MICHAEL
Jacket: Latiste

How and when did acting start for you?

Up until about age 14, my entire focus was dance, but my mom and my dance teachers were really encouraging me to try acting as well because I loved performing so much. That’s when I decided to join an acting class and completely fell in love with it. Suddenly I found a new passion and a new path! After coming out to LA at 15, I booked my first TV show and started working. I’ve been acting ever since.

Tell us about your character Isabel McKenna in L.A.’s Finest. What is special about her?

Isabel, we call her Izzy, is a rebellious teenager with a really big heart. She’s a fighter and is never afraid to stand up for what she believes in. Izzy is tough, but she’s also extremely sensitive and we get to explore that side of her a lot this season as she deals with the loss of her mother. I’ve loved playing this girl who is a total badass but also goes so much deeper than just that. She’s brave and inspired me a lot, I even got to shave my head to play her which was super cool.

LEFT: Dress: Elliat, Earrings: Melinda Maria RIGHT: Dress: flor eat.al — **LEFT:** Dress: Elliat, Earrings: Melinda Maria **RIGHT:** Dress: flor eat.al

How is it working alongside Jessica Alba and Gabrielle Union?

Working with Jessica and Gabrielle has been a total dream. Being on a set led by two incredibly smart, strong women who also have the biggest hearts has been a gift. The environment they have created on set feels safe and gives everyone a voice. Working with them has really taught me a lot as an actor and person. Both women have given their all to this project and you can feel that in the work, so it’s really exciting.

Out of all the roles that you played so far, is there a particular character that is closest to you and why?

With every character I play I like to say I put a piece of me in them and leave with a piece of them in me, so I really do feel a deep connection to all of them. That said, I actually think Isabel is closest to me. Her energy is more similar to my own in real life and it’s also the first time I’ve gotten to do a physical transformation for a role. Shaving my own head as Isabel was shaving hers connected me to her experiences in a really unique way that I haven’t had with any other characters. When I shaved my head there were a lot of really intense feelings of fear, excitement, and freedom. Going through all those feelings in real life and at the same time with my character was really special.

What’s your dream role?

I don’t really have one specific dream role because I really do want to do a bit of everything! I want to do comedy and drama and work with artists who I love. It’d really be a dream of mine to work with Greta Gerwig or Damien Chazelle, I really think they are geniuses, but there are so many people who I would love to work with.

What advice can you tell women who want to pursue a career in acting?

I spent a lot of years really afraid to speak up because I never wanted to seem “difficult.” I’ve been lucky enough to work with some incredible women who completely changed that for me, so my advice to young women in this industry is to stand up for themselves. Don’t be afraid to voice your opinion. It sounds so simple, but it’s something I still struggle with today, so I really encourage other women who are starting in this business to not be afraid.

What are you looking forward to this year?

I am so looking forward to LA’s Finest coming out May 13th! It’ll be airing on Spectrum Originals, and I am so excited for everyone to see it.

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

A bestseller, hopefully! Haha well, I tend to be a source of advice for my fiends so I think they would say I’d be a self help book.

If you can help any charity, what would it be and why?

Over the years I’ve been able to do things with a few different children’s charities who serve sick or underprivileged children and I find that to be the most rewarding thing. Children are our future so I think any way we can help them have successful futures is the most important thing.

See Sophie as Isabel in LA’s Finest premiering May 13th only on Spectrum.