Posted in: Exclusive, Interview, Movies, Netflix, Streaming | Tagged: Alix West Lefler, eddie redmayne, exclusive, interview, Jessica Chastian, netflix, The Good Nurse
The Good Nurse: Alix West Lefler on Jessica Chastain & Her Film Debut
The acting bug hit Alix West Lefler at an early age as an emerging child star in perhaps one of the most unlikely times in 2020, the height of the COVID pandemic. Since making her on-screen debut on ABC's The Good Doctor, the TV star landed various roles on Riverdale, Resident Alien, and TV movies. She spoke to Bleeding Cool about her feature debut in Netflix's The Good Nurse and how she got into acting. In the film, she plays Alex Loughren, the daughter of Amy Longhren (Jessica Chastain), a hospital nurse faced with the growing suspicion that her co-worker and friend (Eddie Redmayne) is quietly killing off patients.
Getting the Role in The Good Nurse and Working on Set
Bleeding Cool: What appealed to you about The Good Nurse?
West Lefler: Knowing that Jessica Chastain and Eddie Redmayne are starring in it. I have always wanted to work with both of them, and I liked the challenge of the role itself. I had never played a real-life person before. So it would be challenging, but good to do something like that.
What was it like working with director Tobias Lindholm?
Absolutely amazing. He is so sweet, and I love his different way of directing. In most of these rehearsals, we would do a lot of improv in the scenes. It would be a lot of working everything out together.
Speaking of Jessica, what you learned from working with her and what was she like on set?
Jessica was amazing, so kind, and sweet. She would really make you feel like you were at home on set. You could see when she was ready for a scene, and she was always ready. She's amazing, and she's just so lovely.
Starting Acting Career During Pandemic
You started your career right around the pandemic kind of happening. How did it affect you? I imagine it felt surreal starting out and just having to deal with this.
I have to say the pandemic didn't really affect my career at all. In some way, it helped because my mom and dad were doing my entertainment shows, and COVID kind of canceled that. My mom was able to be there for me with all of my roles. I was still pretty much looking in and doing a lot of stuff during the pandemic.
What inspired you to kick into acting?
There wasn't like any inspiration. I was just seven, but that's how I got into acting. A lumberjack from my dad's live lumberjack show was an actor, too, and he was in a play, and there was some kid role that was open. He said that I would be perfect to join. So I auditioned and booked the role. It was about a two-week run for five days every week, and I fell in love with it. I told my mom I wanted to continue, and that's when I did.
The Good Nurse, written by Kyrsty Wilson-Cairns, also stars Nnamdi Asomugha, Kim Dickens, and Noah Emmerich. The film comes to theaters on limited release on October 19th and on Netflix on October 26th.