Allie Gonino – The Red Road

Q) You have been appearing in “The Red Road” and it’s a six episode series (so far). Do you think six episodes are enough to tell the story?

A) I would really like to see our show get a second season because I think we’re just now getting into the action. Last week was a huge shoot out scene and this week is going to be crazy as well. I feel like things are just starting to get really exciting. I also think there is a lot that we could do with the social and political storylines going on that I would love to see how those would pan out in a second season. We haven’t heard anything in regards to getting a second season. We’re just waiting to hear.

Q) We know you play Rachel Jensen, the daughter of the sheriff and she kind of has a Romeo & Juliet romance going on. Where did you draw from for your portrayal?

A) I kind of went through something similar when I was growing up. When I was seventeen years old I was dating a boy that my mom didn’t really approve of. She forbid me to see him, but I kept seeing him anyway. She found out and threatened to send me back to Texas because she didn’t think I was focused on my career. It became a huge dramatic moment and she gave me ninety days to get my act together. Luckily, I got my act together and started booking some work. I got to stay, thank the Lord!

Q) What was it about the show or the role that made you want to be a part of “The Red Road?”

A) I knew that James Gray was going to be directing the pilot and I was really wanting to be a part of it to work with him. Also, I wanted to be on a show where they were going to be shooting every episode like a mini movie. I was really drawn to the political and social commentary that Aaron Guzikowski writes into the story as well. I think all of those components and Sundance is a respected network. I think everything about the project intrigued me. The writing was great and the other actors on the show I knew were great from past projects they had done. Everything really attracted me to the project.

Q) What do you think it is about the Sundance Channel that makes it a good home for the show?

A) Like I said, Sundance is sort of known for interesting stories and stories that aren’t necessarily heard as often. They take a little bit more risks in terms of the content that they produce. I think one of the coolest things is that one of the components is that it is sort of a cop drama with a twist. Most cop dramas show cops in a hero light and on our show it shows Harold as this real, true human being. He’s not doing such honorable things, but at the same time he’s protecting his family. So, that’s honorable. My favorite thing about our show is that no character is one dimension. They are multi-dimensional characters and you really get to see the humanity in each person. You get to see what drives them, who they are protecting and why they are protecting them. It’s just well written and I think Sundance is the perfect home for this kind of a show.

Q) April 3rd is the finale. Can you tease anything about what fans can expect? Does it leave room for a possible second season?

A) It could end with this episode, technically, but I think when people see it they are going to want to know what happens next. It’s really awesome! I love the ending and it leaves you wanting more.  At the same time, it could just be wrapped up as a mini series and leave you wondering what happened. But if I’ve learned anything from my “Lying Game” fans, they wanted to know what happened after the last episode. I think people will want to see more. I definitely want to see more. The sixth episode is absolutely crazy. I think it’s my favorite episode out of all six.

Q) Was there anything about Rachel that you brought to the character that wasn’t originally written for you?

A) Towards the beginning of the series she’s this very sort of selfish, reckless, rebellious girl and I thought that was going to be the pattern throughout. As the series continues, you start to see that she actually does care about her family and cares about her mom. She is sort of changed by the circumstances that take place. I just tried to play it moment by moment because I didn’t know where the storyline was going. I think that people will be able to see for themselves that she is not the typical one dimensional selfish bratty teenager. She’s a girl who wants to be in love, but at the same time wants to protect her family and does have compassion. She’s like a normal girl, but also very strong and independent.

Q) You are a part of social media. What has it been like for you getting instant feedback after episodes?

A) I think I have been getting some good feedback. A lot of people haven’t started getting into it until recently and want to know how to catch up on the show. I think it’s harder because Sundance is a smaller network and Thursday night is a very competitive night for television. This is their second scripted series so it might be harder to connect on Twitter because I feel like the majority of users are younger and Sundance isn’t their first go-to network to watch at night. The thing that I am loving most about the show is that it has been a really nice experience for me acting wise. It’s been challenging in a lot of ways that I haven’t been challenged before in terms of acting. People will gravitate to art when the time is right. There are artists that I haven’t gotten into until recently, but have been around forever. Even if we’re not getting instant gratification right now – like with the “Lying Game.” Now that we’ve been off the air for a year, we have a huge new fanbase. I think it’s hard to be in television because the networks really rely on ratings to determine what they are going to do with a show and they might cancel a show before it gets good or starts to build momentum. It’s great to have a show where right off the bat you are hooked and gets a huge fanbase where it becomes a cultural phenomenon. But then also our show is slower paced. I would just encourage people to keep watching and please tweet! Please use social media and tell your friends about it. It really is word of mouth how things grow these days and social media is great for that.

Q) What are some quick and easy fashion tips you’ve learned?

A) I always have to be physically comfortable in whatever I’m wearing. I have to feel me and that they are a true representation of what I find is expressive of my personality. It really changes, too! I’ll wear rustic leather boots one day and I’ll be in a fitted hat the next day. It’s whatever feels right to you. Whatever body type you have, find clothes that really compliment your shape. I have an hourglass shape so I wear a lot of high-waisted things. My least favorite things is to wear low-rise things. Accentuate your attributes! Work with what you have got! Dress appropriately for the environment, too.