Willis plays the role of Avery Garrett on the hit digital drama series The Bay.
Now, the show is in its fifth season, and several new episodes have been released. “It was super fun. We are one big family on The Bay. Any time we come together at work is so much fun,” she said. “Overall, we have great material to work on since it has been good.”
She is drawn to her character, Avery, due to her good nature. “Avery is just a good person to her core,” she said. “At times, she can be judgmental but it comes to a good place. She likes to pick on her brother a lot,” she said with a sweet laugh.
“Avery is a no-nonsense girl. You don’t want to mess with her. She definitely looks out for her family and she is there whenever they need her,” added.
On the impact of technology and streaming services on the entertainment business, she said, “Technology is great. It gives a lot of different shows a chance to show what they can do. It’s a completely different business than when I first started in my teens. I don’t even have cable anymore. I just stream everything.”
Willis had nothing but the nicest remarks about working with co-star Erik Fellows on The Bay, who plays her love interest, Damian Blackwell. “I love Erik. He is so talented and so sweet, and I am thrilled every time I get to work with him. Not only are we friends off-camera but we love working together. I am very fortunate to be working with such great and talented co-stars. I am extremely lucky,” she said.
When asked how she handles being dialogue-heavy on the show, she said, “I got so used to it when I was doing soaps. I don’t really have a hard time memorizing dialogue. I can probably memorize 30 pages of dialogue in an hour. When you know your character, you have an idea about what they are going to say. It’s about developing the character and making interesting choices, that’s how you get creative.”
Aside from her acting work, she is a mother to a “beautiful” seven-year-old. “My daughter, Simone, is an amazing kid and she is my whole world. She amazes me every day,” she said. “I am also training to get my pilot’s license on the side. I love flying, it has been a passion for a while. I am juggling a lot of things at once but it’s all good.”
“I love acting since I’ve done it since I was a kid. I try not to let myself be defined with my work. The most important thing that defines me is my life outside of the business, and that’s being a mom,” she said. “My work life has always been very separate from who I am in my personal life. My daughter defines me.”
For young and aspiring actors, she encourages them to “not take ‘no’ as an answer.” “Also, it is important to believe in yourself,” she said.
Viewers can binge The Bay on Amazon Prime by clicking here. “Thank you to the fans for being on this journey. Without the fans, we wouldn’t have a job. I am looking forward to many more years of it. The fans have been so loyal,” she said.
To learn more about The Bay, check out its official homepage.
