Interview With a Lifetime Star: Adrian Eppley

{WARNING: Interview contains Just What the Doctor Ordered spoilers}

Trevor Wells: Hello, Adrian! Thank you for taking time out of your crazy schedule to talk to me, it's much appreciated. So before we go into your latest Lifetime movie, let's start at the beginning: what first sparked your interest in entering the entertainment industry? I see in addition to acting, you're also a model.

Adrian Eppley: When I was a little girl, I participated in a lot of church plays. I always loved the stage, but it wasn’t until I was in middle school that I started to realize my passion for it. I had a teacher named Mr. Collins who told me to audition for our school musical Annie. I ended up getting the role of Grace. After that, my love for performing grew stronger with age. I knew it was what I was supposed to do. Modeling came as a struggle to me as I find myself extremely awkward in movement. But after a certain amount of commercial work, I started to get a better handle on what that took. I started to view modeling as a form of acting and it helped me tremendously.

Trevor Wells: Amazing journey, and good on Mr. Collins for fostering the love of acting that would later also help you in modeling. Over the course of your career, what would be your favorite/most influential career moment as of now? Most memorable co-star?

Adrian Eppley: My most influential career moment would have to be a short film I did with Zachary Thurman and Drew Waters. It was for USC Films and it is called Run. I had such a difficult role to portray and the two of them really made it so memorable. Mostly because I surprised myself with my ability to tap into a very dark and lonely side of myself. My most memorable costar was definitely Maahra Hill, who is the lead actress on Delilah. I was so nervous my first day of set, and she made me feel so comfortable and welcome. She is the ultimate hype queen. It was so fun watching her work with everyone. She was always positive and so professional. I look up to her, and I am happy we got to go on that journey together.

Trevor Wells: Hadn't heard of Maahra Hill before, but she sounds like a great person to work with. And if you're talking about the Drew Waters I'm thinking of, I've seen some of his work before and would love to check out Run sometime if it's available online somewhere. Speaking of, I saw on your IMDB there's been a handful of short films you've appeared in. With me being something of a short film fanatic, have any suggestions from your repertoire for me to check out?

Adrian Eppley: So I’m biased because I truly think he is a genius film maker. I’ve mentioned him already, but Zachary Thurman is someone who creates incredible stories. My favorite of his is Finley which I available on YouTube. It’s awesome.

Trevor Wells: Cool! Crazy coincidence, I've actually come across that on YouTube already. Haven't seen it, but it'll be going on my IMDB watchlist. But for now, let's get into the meat of things: your debut to the Lifetime scene! What's the story behind you joining the cast of last year's Who Is Killing the Cheerleaders?

Adrian Eppley: I got so lucky with the dual role in this film. Jeff Hardwick put an open call on Actors Access. I originally auditioned for the lead role, but the lovely Ella [Cannon] was the right fit. After seeing my audition for the lead, Jeff gave me another shot as Kat/Brooke and, because I was able to connect to having amazing sisters in my life that I can’t imagine not having...I think that’s what got me the part.

Trevor Wells: I can imagine it was a unique dual role to get into: a murdered cheerleader and her angsty surviving twin. What was it like playing Kat/Brooke Parker? And what else can you tell me about filming?

Adrian Eppley: Dual roles are actually something I love to do. I have had a few chances to do this in films and plays, and I find it really rewarding to tap into two different versions of myself. I loved every second of being on set. I was really nervous to portray the death scene that we see multiple times throughout the film. I studied being stabbed in the chest a lot prior to being on set. I was content with the result, but I was also given great scene partners in the film which helped tremendously. It doesn’t matter what set I’m on, I just love to be there. There’s truly no place I’d rather be.

Trevor Wells: Great to hear that! And glad to hear you were satisfied with how your death scene came out, haha. This year, you made another splash on Lifetime by joining the crew for the newest Stalked by My Doctor movie. I'm curious if you watched any of the past films prior to starring in Just What the Doctor Ordered? (either before or after you were cast in the movie)

Adrian Eppley: I actually did watch Stalked by My Doctor prior to filming. I didn’t prior to my audition, strictly because I like to approach my auditions with a clear idea of what that specific story is telling, and not what is expected.

Trevor Wells: Interesting! What did you think of the movie?

Adrian Eppley: I enjoyed the movie! I was more studying his [Eric Roberts'] character and the tone of the movie than anything else, but overall, it was a thrilling film.

Trevor Wells: I felt the same way, especially about the movie being thrilling. What led to you becoming a part of this popular Lifetime saga? I noticed that both JWTDO and WIKTC were directed by frequent Lifetime flyer Jeff Hare.

Adrian Eppley: Yes! Jeff Hare was such a dream to work with. His notes and guidance on set are so effortless. I think gaining his trust along with the casting director on WIKTC helped land the role of Gail Mathews. I don’t entirely know if that’s true, but it’s what I tell myself.

Trevor Wells: I can see that too, though I'd say your performance itself was definitely the clincher. Overall, what was it like playing Gail Matthews? She was a memorable character for me, in more ways than one.

Adrian Eppley: Oh, Gail is by far my favorite role to date. I loved her zest for life. I found her to be the most similar to myself than any role I’ve played before. I'm an easygoing person in most areas of life, but when it comes to my work or any job, I take it very seriously. Gail was like this. She loved to have fun, but when it came to being a detective, she was almost a different person. I could relate to her need to let loose every now and then. I actually watched the scene with Elizabeth Banks in 40 Year Old Virgin before I auditioned because I found my introduction to the movie to be similar to that moment she had in the film.

Trevor Wells: Excellent! Banks is a great actress to take inspiration from. Now being a big fan of Eric Roberts and his illustrious career, I'm wondering what it was like sharing a set with him.

Adrian Eppley: Eric is ALWAYS WORKING. It’s insanity. I enjoyed getting to know him and his wife off-camera. They are lovely people. I was honored to be sharing scenes with someone who has been doing this for so long.

Trevor Wells: Great to hear that! Having seen his IMDB, you're very right about Eric being a man dedicated to the art of film. Regarding my review of JWTDO, what did you think of my suggestion for how Gail could've been made a recurring "enemy" for Dr. Beck? And going off that, anything in either of my reviews you'd like to comment on?

Adrian Eppley: AH, I LOVED that suggestion. However, a heart needed to be found to resolve the conflict. It made the most sense for it to be Gail if they wanted to leave the audience with the hope of another sequel. If we could have made it happen to where Gail was hunting him down in the following moves, I would have been thrilled. I think your reviews were wonderful. Not much to comment other than I appreciate the thought and effort that went into them.

Trevor Wells: Yeah, I guess it was the only logical way for Alex to get the heart she needed. But still, Gail would've made for a badass recurring character. And I'm glad you enjoyed my writeups! Think you could see yourself getting involved in future Lifetime movies?

Adrian Eppley: Absolutely! I would be honored to be a part of more of their projects.

Trevor Wells: Glad to hear it! If it happens, I'll definitely be tuning in. Looking forward, I see that you have an upcoming film project entitled Game Changer. What can you tell me about it? And do you have any other projects in the works?

Adrian Eppley: Game Changer is a wonderful family film about a baseball team. I yet again play a cheerleader. Which is so funny because I was never a cheerleader. I was always an athlete growing up. Regardless, it was a great opportunity and I am so excited to see the final product. My most recent projects have been working with the USC film school program. I was cast in 3 of the short films, and I’m so anxious to see where they lead to.

Trevor Wells: I'll be sure to keep an eye on those and see if I can check them out--especially the short films. To finish up, what advice do you have for others looking to pursue a career in acting/modeling?

Adrian Eppley: My best advice is never compare your journey to others. We are all kernels in a popcorn bag, and some of us pop before others. The game of comparison can be tough in this industry, but once you move past it and learn that you can only compare yourself to who you were yesterday...that’s when you really start to win. It’s not easy and if you can see yourself doing anything else, don’t pursue it. I’ve learned the most about my industry by asking questions to the people I look up to. So humble yourself, ask questions, listen to the advice you are given. Acting/modeling has taught me so much about myself. It takes a lot of self-reflection, strength, and perseverance to succeed. Everyone’s idea of success is different in life. Being successful for me is being happy. Nothing brings me more joy than being in a set. If it didn’t, I wouldn’t be able to push through the rejection. If you can be happy and see the good in the losses, then do it. If not, I don’t think it’s the right profession.

Trevor Wells: Perfect advice that I can certainly endorse as a writer. And I love that popcorn analogy! Thanks again for taking the time to speak with me, Adrian, and I wish you the best going forward with your ongoing projects. Keep up the stellar work!