CULTURE
ALEXA LOO’S BIG BREAKTHROUGH
MAY 3, 2021
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WORDS
by KRISTOPHER FRASER
PHOTOS
COURTESY of BRANDON MEADOWS
STYLED
by ZADRIAN SMITH and SARAH EDMISTON
HAIR
by ERIN KLASSEN
MAKEUP
by KATIE ELWOOD
Rising star Alexa Loo recently landed her first series regular role on the TBS sitcom Chad, created and produced by Nasim Pedrad, and she’s managing to win fans by playing Denise, a breath of fresh air character who says what is on everyone else’s mind. Loo originally never saw herself as an actor, as she spent years as a dancer and thought that was where the performing arts would take her. It was under the influence of her talent agents who began submitting her for acting castings that Loo found herself learning to play characters.
In addition to acting, Loo is also passionate about championing the Asian community and being and advocate for diversity and representation. She was initially drawn to working on Chad due to the diverse cast, which is becoming an increasing norm in the world of television. In addition to balance her life as an actor, Loo is also finishing up high school and is looking forward to post-secondary education. She managed to take a break from school and casting calls to speak with AS IF Magazine about her new role on Chad, the growth in Vancouver’s film scene, and how she went from dancer to actor.
Alexa Loo
AS IF: How are you today? You're in Los Angeles, right?
Alexa Loo: I am actually in Vancouver, Canada.
Oh, in Vancouver, OK! That's where Chad was shot, correct?
We shot the pilot here in Vancouver and then the remainder of the season we shot in Portland.
Were you guys shooting the show during COVID-19 or were you all shooting before COVID-19?
The pilot was shot in Vancouver and that was in 2019, then we shot most of the season last year starting in January and it went right up until March, and we had to cut the season a bit short because of COVID-19 and everything shut down. In August, we got to go back and do a couple of retakes and tie everything up nicely.
Was it originally supposed to be eight episodes or was it cut down due to COVID-19?
It was supposed to be ten episodes and now it’s eight episodes.
Talk to me about how you got cast in the show? Walk me through that process like what the audition was like and that moment when you finally knew you got the role?
I was about 15 at the time. I got the self-tape request, and I went in with my acting coach and we filmed together, and I didn't think much of it. First, I was like, ‘oh, this role sounds great, it’s such a great opportunity.’ I never like to get my hopes up for those kind of things, so I kind of just brush it off. I got another call back and I taped again, and the casting directors asked to see me with glasses to try to look like more nerdy, so I filmed it again. And then they asked for another tape, this time without glasses. Then, the casting directors asked for a live Skype audition. I went into the casting studio by myself and I had a Skype with Nasim and all the other producers in L.A. and that was super fun. Then I had another Skype audition. I finally got the call a few weeks after that saying I got the part, and I was over the moon. I just couldn't believe it.
Was your character Denise always supposed to be in that scooter? Was that always part of your character?
Yes, that was a part of the character from the start in the breakdown of the original audition I got. Even in the audition process, I kind of had to take that into consideration about like how she would act, and how she would hold herself because of her chronic fatigue syndrome.
What was your past experience with acting before you booked this role? I know you actually have a very extensive arts background. You were originally a ballet dancer and then you made the transition to doing film.
I’ve been dancing specifically ballet since I was three years old. It was like my first love and I auditioned for my talent agency as a dancer. I wanted to work in film and television as a dancer, and my agents were actually the ones who suggested I start reading scripts and try acting out. After they suggested that, I started pursuing acting seriously. I never considered being an actor before. The talent agents started sending me out to auditions, and it just kind of snowballed from there. It was crazy. As soon as I started thinking about acting and really exploring that world, I fell in love with it. I've been lucky enough to have a few jobs here and there. And this new one with Chad is just amazing.
