CULTURE
GINNY & GEORGIA’S BRIANNE HOWEY HAS MADE IT
MAY 1, 2023
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PHOTOGRAPHY AND INTERVIEW
by TATIJANA SHOAN
STYLED
by KAREN SCHIJMAN
MAKEUP
by BRIAN DUPREY with JUDY CASEY
HAIR
by AMY FARID with HONEY ARTISTS
It seems like actor Brianne Howey went from obscurity to celebrity overnight thanks to the popular Netflix show Ginny & Georgia. The actor has been steadily working since she graduated from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts in 2011. From one-liners and small parts in shows like Revenge, Scream Queens, and Batwoman, Brianne finally landed the lead in her own show, and audiences have fallen in love with her.
Bevza Bronik bodysuit, Plakhta long skirt | Misho Pandaia stack ring in silver-rhodium plated | Dolce & Gabbana Kim stretch tulle ankle boots | Jennifer Fisher large butterfly earrings in silver-rhodium plated brass.
AS IF: Your show Ginny & Georgia is the world’s new streaming obsession—the ratings are through the roof! On a personal level, how does the success make you feel, and how have your family and friends been handling this new success and fame?
Brianne Howey: It's still incredibly surreal. Fame is intangible, so there hasn’t necessarily been a shift. My friends and family have been watching me do this acting stuff for a while now, and they are incredibly supportive. I rely heavily on my friends in the entertainment industry throughout the highs and lows, and I also depend on my friends and family outside the industry because I appreciate maintaining a balance and having some reality outside of this bubble. We didn't anticipate season two being potentially even better than season one—that really blew my mind.
I can honestly say, I was completely engaged while watching Ginny & Georgia. What do you think it is about the show that attracts so many demographics and ages?
The show is a real conversation starter because we’re talking about subjects that were once perceived as taboo and uncomfortable. We are shining a light on issues in a way that feels appropriate and authentic which I think removes a lot of shame. We live in a complicated day and age and there’s a lot of nuance regarding mental health, body image, love, race, you name it! And I think the show is incredibly personal, and the more personal we get with our work, the larger audience we inevitably reach. It just goes to show that inclusivity ends up reaching greater masses.
Audiences know you from Ginny & Georgia, but you’ve been acting since the early 2000s. You’ve paid your dues and have waited for fame and success. When the awards started coming-in for my photography, I had an inner shift because I finally started to understand my worth. How has this new fame and all the press junkets changed your perception of things around you?
Honestly, I feel like the higher up the ladder I climb, all it allows is for me to see is the top of the next mountain that I couldn’t see before. There’s always another level to climb. This industry makes you feel like you’ve never quite attained it all. It’s humbling, honestly.
I have been doing this since I graduated college, I got representation right away, and I’ve been with the same manager since. I’ve had an oddly linear career in an industry that isn’t linear. I started with one line, one line turned into a couple of lines, one episode turned into a couple of episodes, and then I was booking series regular roles. I haven’t hit plateaus or falls because I’ve shockingly been working in a linear way since I started. The further you go more doors open, and more doors have opened for me this year than they did the year before.
