"[The representation] was really important to me because I felt a lot of times when stories are focused on a certain tragedy or a traumatic event, we're more familiar with the stories of the people more directly affected, I guess you could say. I couldn't stop thinking about there are hundreds, thousands of these kids who were in school the day this happened, and maybe they didn't lose somebody directly, or they didn't see any of the violence, or they weren't even at school that day! It doesn't matter, but they're living with the fallout of this kind of thing and it affects everybody in such a different way. And it's amazing how some of these young people have turned what's happened to them into incredible change in the world and they were able to become these advocates for gun safety and gun reform, but not everybody is able to do that after experiencing something like that.

I think it was important for me to explore the guilt. I haven't been through something like this, but I certainly have experienced trauma and I don't think I'm inherently the person who's able to right away talk about it or bounce back per se, in a way that some people are able to put on a brave face and be that voice. I feel like there's a lot of guilt and shame surrounding that and I really wanted younger people to be reminded that there shouldn't be any guilt and everybody copes in their own way and it doesn't matter. A lot of people have talked to me about trauma hierarchy after situations like this and really feeling that way at their school. Like well I wasn't in that classroom, so why am I still living with this? Why aren't I okay? And I thought that was really important to explore."

"[The representation] was really important to me because I felt a lot of times when stories are focused on a certain tragedy or a traumatic event, we're more familiar with the stories of the people more directly affected, I guess you could say. I couldn't stop thinking about there are hundreds, thousands of these kids who were in school the day this happened, and maybe they didn't lose somebody directly, or they didn't see any of the violence, or they weren't even at school that day! It doesn't matter, but they're living with the fallout of this kind of thing and it affects everybody in such a different way. And it's amazing how some of these young people have turned what's happened to them into incredible change in the world and they were able to become these advocates for gun safety and gun reform, but not everybody is able to do that after experiencing something like that.

I think it was important for me to explore the guilt. I haven't been through something like this, but I certainly have experienced trauma and I don't think I'm inherently the person who's able to right away talk about it or bounce back per se, in a way that some people are able to put on a brave face and be that voice. I feel like there's a lot of guilt and shame surrounding that and I really wanted younger people to be reminded that there shouldn't be any guilt and everybody copes in their own way and it doesn't matter. A lot of people have talked to me about trauma hierarchy after situations like this and really feeling that way at their school. Like well I wasn't in that classroom, so why am I still living with this? Why aren't I okay? And I thought that was really important to explore."

"Listening back to the songs, it takes me straight back to how I was feeling then. It's just weird to me, like I don't really feel like that person anymore. I can't imagine not feeling okay on my own. I feel like I can’t remember what it's like to feel like that, until I listen back to the songs. Then I'm like, ‘oh yeah, I was just not okay being left alone.’"

"It’s important to know that living creatively does not diminish your intelligence, it just means you’re using it in a different way. In an interpersonal manner, you must register the fact that you’re not a freak, and that you deserve recognition for your passions amongst a group of people who may disagree."

[On "The Society"] "The entire story is about how we design, interact, and create the greatest good between all of us. The most cohesive system for us to live. And it's about — if we start from square one, with kids — if they'll repeat the same mistakes that previous generations have. If the same social ills and violence, the same kind of segregation, and all of that will repeat itself with these kids. And we're just starting that. So the idea with [my] character is he's this pacifist. He's completely against being put in positions to dictate other people's livelihoods. He doesn't feel like a leader whatsoever. I think it'd be really interesting — specifically because the way that he sees the world is certainly in conflict with the forces taking over power going into the second season – to see what sort of begrudging figurehead for a nonviolent, counterrevolutionary movement would look like, played over the course of the seasons. You know what I mean? I think that's what I'd be really interested in, going more in an ideological direction that just survival. Seeing how these kids try to figure out, repeat the same patterns, have the same habits — that we have throughout human history. And see if we can come up with something better or just kill each other in the process."

[On "The Society"] "The entire story is about how we design, interact, and create the greatest good between all of us. The most cohesive system for us to live. And it's about — if we start from square one, with kids — if they'll repeat the same mistakes that previous generations have. If the same social ills and violence, the same kind of segregation, and all of that will repeat itself with these kids. And we're just starting that. So the idea with [my] character is he's this pacifist. He's completely against being put in positions to dictate other people's livelihoods. He doesn't feel like a leader whatsoever. I think it'd be really interesting — specifically because the way that he sees the world is certainly in conflict with the forces taking over power going into the second season – to see what sort of begrudging figurehead for a nonviolent, counterrevolutionary movement would look like, played over the course of the seasons. You know what I mean? I think that's what I'd be really interested in, going more in an ideological direction that just survival. Seeing how these kids try to figure out, repeat the same patterns, have the same habits — that we have throughout human history. And see if we can come up with something better or just kill each other in the process."

"My hope is that maude is so matter of fact and friendly and easy, that people get to just sit with the idea of sex and decide what it means for them, instead of us dictating and talking to them and pandering to them. I just want it to be this brand that promotes the idea of ‘okay, this is just biology — and however I feel about this is a product of how I was raised or what I've been around, but my relationship with my own body is fundamentally biological, and it's okay.’"

"My hope is that maude is so matter of fact and friendly and easy, that people get to just sit with the idea of sex and decide what it means for them, instead of us dictating and talking to them and pandering to them. I just want it to be this brand that promotes the idea of ‘okay, this is just biology — and however I feel about this is a product of how I was raised or what I've been around, but my relationship with my own body is fundamentally biological, and it's okay.’"

"I know that is where acting has become therapy for me. Are you familiar with Shanley? He’s a playwright, and he writes these brutal characters. Especially for men — absolute neanderthals, cavemen. I would say that the stage is where I first figured out release in a healthy way, with someone else. Someone who is in the situation as much as me, understands the stakes are as real as it gets in that moment, in that little black box. Then to pull out of it and have that person hug me and smile at me and tell me that it’s okay — and be with me until I come out of that…when that occurred, I was like ‘how could I not explore this more?’"

"I know that is where acting has become therapy for me. Are you familiar with Shanley? He’s a playwright, and he writes these brutal characters. Especially for men — absolute neanderthals, cavemen. I would say that the stage is where I first figured out release in a healthy way, with someone else. Someone who is in the situation as much as me, understands the stakes are as real as it gets in that moment, in that little black box. Then to pull out of it and have that person hug me and smile at me and tell me that it’s okay — and be with me until I come out of that…when that occurred, I was like ‘how could I not explore this more?’"

"When it really hit, I felt like such a failure. I felt embarrassed because I knew that I shouldn’t have gone through with the marriage. And we had already dealt with a lot of the heaviest parts of being a couple and why things were bad. I just hurt. I had no trust left whatsoever. I knew I shouldn’t have done it, but I did anyway; that’s why I felt like I had to stay."

"When it really hit, I felt like such a failure. I felt embarrassed because I knew that I shouldn’t have gone through with the marriage. And we had already dealt with a lot of the heaviest parts of being a couple and why things were bad. I just hurt. I had no trust left whatsoever. I knew I shouldn’t have done it, but I did anyway; that’s why I felt like I had to stay."

"But that was an insane experience auditioning for “Shazam!” with the casting director, Rich Delia. When I came in for the audition, it was just me. No one else there. And I walked into the casting room and Rich was like, “We so strongly believe this is your character and you are Mary.” And he was bringing out the comic book and he’s like, “You look just like her.” He worked the scenes with me to put me on tape for David, our director. He so believed in me. I got in my car afterward and sobbed. Because to have someone believe in you is really powerful."

"But that was an insane experience auditioning for “Shazam!” with the casting director, Rich Delia. When I came in for the audition, it was just me. No one else there. And I walked into the casting room and Rich was like, “We so strongly believe this is your character and you are Mary.” And he was bringing out the comic book and he’s like, “You look just like her.” He worked the scenes with me to put me on tape for David, our director. He so believed in me. I got in my car afterward and sobbed. Because to have someone believe in you is really powerful."

"My dream for the future is that everyone who has a hunger to create reaches a desperation so strong they have no choice but to get it out and remember that they always have a voice."

"My dream for the future is that everyone who has a hunger to create reaches a desperation so strong they have no choice but to get it out and remember that they always have a voice."

"'The Moon Lists' started from reading an interview with photographer Sam Abell, a former National Geographic photographer who now lives in Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains. In the interview, he mentioned a personal project: "Every full moon, my wife and I construct something we call the Moon List — about 25 questions that have evolved over 10 years or so to reconstruct the past 30 days since the last full moon." I wrote to Abell, requesting to see the questions on his list...and for permission to recreate his idea through the perspectives of different contributors. He kindly obliged."

"'The Moon Lists' started from reading an interview with photographer Sam Abell, a former National Geographic photographer who now lives in Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains. In the interview, he mentioned a personal project: "Every full moon, my wife and I construct something we call the Moon List — about 25 questions that have evolved over 10 years or so to reconstruct the past 30 days since the last full moon." I wrote to Abell, requesting to see the questions on his list...and for permission to recreate his idea through the perspectives of different contributors. He kindly obliged."

"Comedy is my bread and butter. Comedy is probably what I do better than anything, but people don’t know me as that! They knew me as that initially and that’s why I couldn't even get an audition on "Roswell," because I was the comedy guy, and now I’m, like, the dramatic guy. [Laughs] You always have to prove to people and make them see that you can't be put in a box."

"Comedy is my bread and butter. Comedy is probably what I do better than anything, but people don’t know me as that! They knew me as that initially and that’s why I couldn't even get an audition on "Roswell," because I was the comedy guy, and now I’m, like, the dramatic guy. [Laughs] You always have to prove to people and make them see that you can't be put in a box."

"I created Never Normal while living in the Bronx, NY. It is a platform for innovation from original artists worldwide. It is a collection of audiovisual recordings and archives from composers of color — electronic-based music from communities all around the world. I wanted not only to create an archive of recorded releases, but also visuals and inspirations that aren't restricted by the norms of the "music industry", a space for people to represent the truth of their story, sound, and vision. I started with my own “CHILLS +THRILLS” release and now we have had over 10 releases."

"I know that is where acting has become therapy for me. Are you familiar with Shanley? He’s a playwright, and he writes these brutal characters. Especially for men — absolute neanderthals, cavemen. I would say that the stage is where I first figured out release in a healthy way, with someone else. Someone who is in the situation as much as me, understands the stakes are as real as it gets in that moment, in that little black box. Then to pull out of it and have that person hug me and smile at me and tell me that it’s okay — and be with me until I come out of that…when that occurred, I was like ‘how could I not explore this more?’"

"People purchase jewelry often to commemorate major life events, and we are always so grateful we get to play a role in creating symbols of these moments. They can be bittersweet or joyous. We had a customer reach out to us to purchase on Objet Pendant, a necklace that opens up like a locket to reveal a tiny storage chamber. She reached out to tell us how happy she was to receive it, and that she couldn't wait to fill it with rose petals from her recently passed grandmother's garden. What is cool about this particular piece is that it's intended to take on a life of its own after it leaves our hands, it is an empty vessel to be filled (or fulfilled) creatively by the wearer. The gratitude in these exchanges is always very mutual and nourishing."

"When it really hit, I felt like such a failure. I felt embarrassed because I knew that I shouldn’t have gone through with the marriage. And we had already dealt with a lot of the heaviest parts of being a couple and why things were bad. I just hurt. I had no trust left whatsoever. I knew I shouldn’t have done it, but I did anyway; that’s why I felt like I had to stay."

"Leaving [that relationship], I decided to go back home for the first time after a while in my early twenties. I basically didn’t go back home for like four or five years. So when I finally decided to go back home and get my shit together, things just naturally started unfolding in a way that’s pretty unbelievable. Music was always a passion of mine growing up and in my teenage years, but then I never pursued it seriously, until I lived with my parents. [Laughs] In that way, I feel — obviously not grateful for that relationship because it was unhealthy, manipulative, controlling. He was an addict, he was abusive. Looking back on those years now, and to think that I allowed someone to treat me like that, it’s almost embarrassing because I’m a pretty strong person. But I’m also very forgiving; people see that in me. And most people don’t take advantage of it, but there are the few that do prey on that and those people. I wouldn’t even say that I’ve learned how to be more careful because I am still forgiving, giving, and open. But that one relationship put me on a path to finding an outlet for myself to feel better about things that happened to me."

"But that was an insane experience auditioning for “Shazam!” with the casting director, Rich Delia. When I came in for the audition, it was just me. No one else there. And I walked into the casting room and Rich was like, “We so strongly believe this is your character and you are Mary.” And he was bringing out the comic book and he’s like, “You look just like her.” He worked the scenes with me to put me on tape for David, our director. He so believed in me. I got in my car afterward and sobbed. Because to have someone believe in you is really powerful."

© 2022

l'Odet is a Midnight Woman brand

© 2021

l'Odet is a Midnight Woman brand