Rising actress Lily Brooks O’Briant chatted about “Life By Ella” on Apple TV+, which will premiere internationally on September 2, 2022.
This fall, she can be seen fronting the new Apple TV+ series “Life By Ella” in the titular role of Ella McCaffrey.
The series follows Ella as she returns to school after beating cancer with a brand-new perspective, excitement for what the future holds, and a major “seize the day” mentality, ready to tackle everything she was too afraid of before and determined not to let the minutia of fake friends and social media status distract her.
What was it like to be a part of “Life by Ella” on Apple TV+?
It was a dream come true to play the title role in “Life by Ella.” I connected with Ella from the moment I read the first audition sides. I was extremely committed to the role and talked with a friend who had battled cancer as a teenager to try to understand what they faced and how they felt. I also cut my hair which was really long to a really short bob cut.
It was a huge responsibility to play a teenager who had battled cancer. I wanted to make sure that I did everything I could to give teens with cancer an accurate voice in order to share what is like and how it changes you. I was so lucky to have two amazing creators, Tim & Jeff, and our producers at Apple TV+ were incredible in their support of the vision of this show.
What did you love most about playing your character?
Playing Ella provided a new perspective on life as a whole and on a personal level. Throughout the show, Ella is always showing the people around her how to live life to the fullest and not be afraid of anything.
After going through treatment for cancer, Ella has taken on a new “Seize the Day” mentality. Ella’s experience battling cancer taught her not to be afraid of anything. Going through treatment, she was constantly faced with things that were so much larger than her and out of her control. Cancer taught Ella not to let fear stop her from living.
How does it feel to be an actress in the digital age? (now with streaming and technology being so prevalent)
I think there are more opportunities for a lot of different stories to be told. The two series regular roles that I held both have been on streaming services, so I guess I have always only known acting in the digital age.
What is your advice for young and aspiring actors?
The biggest piece of advice that I could give any aspiring young actress is to never give up. This industry can be very emotionally exhausting, especially because of the amount of rejection that you experience. The best thing to do is to learn to never give up and to just keep going if it is something you love to do.
I was told “no” over 400 times before I was cast in my first series regular role. I am still told no, but I keep trying because I love acting. I also want to direct and produce someday and won’t stop trying even when I’m told ‘no’ on the acting side.
What motivates you each day as an actress?
Besides enjoying telling an amazing story and bringing characters to life, I also love watching and learning from other actors. Observing the producers, directors, and cinematographers on set has helped me gain insight to apply to my own directing and producing career.
Every single crew member is so important when it comes to bringing the show to life. I am incredibly grateful for our entire “Life by Ella” crew. Without their dedication to the show, “Life by Ella” wouldn’t be the beautiful show that it is.
Which actors would you like to someday work with as your dream acting partners?
I have many actors and actresses that I look up to and admire, but someone that I have been dreaming of working with is Reese Witherspoon. Reese’s work in countless movies and created her production company which is something that I aspire to do in life.
Another actress that I would love to work with is Lauren Graham. “Gilmore Girls” is one of my all-time favorite shows and Lauren’s comedic timing in every episode of the series is something that I have learned a lot from watching.
What does the word success mean to you? (My favorite question)
The word success to me means being able to do the thing that I love every day. Acting is the thing that I am most passionate about and if I had the privilege to do that every day, that is what success looks like in my eyes, doing what you love every day.
What would you like to tell our readers about “Life by Ella”? (What’s the one thing you want them to get out of it)
Before cancer, Ella spent most of her time being afraid of what might happen – what might happen if she didn’t fit in, if people didn’t like her, or if she was just her true self.
Cancer taught her to live in the moment and to live life to the fullest without being afraid of what people might think. What I hope people see by watching “Life by Ella” is how important it is to seize each day and enjoy each moment.
To learn more about Lily Brooks O’Briant, follow her on Instagram.
