“Outer Banks” season one aired in April 2020 and has since gained over 160 million hours viewed. The show now has three seasons on Netflix and recently announced there will be a fourth.
The Indiana Daily Student spoke with 19-year-old actress Julia Antonelli, most known for her role as Wheezie — Sarah Cameron’s (Madelyn Cline) younger sister — in “Outer Banks,” on March 25.
IDS: How was your experience working on the set of “Outer Banks”?
Antonelli: It was very, very fun. The atmosphere on set is like a giant group of friends you are a part of. Everyone is so very inviting, and they all treat you like family.
IDS: How did you hear about the role of Wheezie?
Antonelli: My agent contacted me one day and was like, “Hey, there is this show we would like you to audition for and it's called ‘Outer Banks.’” I did one audition, booked it and thought, “This is going to be so cool.”
IDS: What's been your favorite moment of “Outer Banks”?
Antonelli: In season one, I had to throw up in a toilet. Obviously, it doesn’t sound fun, but it was a fun moment because everyone was chuckling, and so was I since it was actually lemonade.
Related: [COLUMN: ‘Outer Banks’ season 3: entertaining but repetitive]
IDS: How has working with an older cast been for you?
Antonelli: It has always been really cool because they all feel like siblings to me. I turned 16 during season one, so I was young compared to everyone. They all felt like older siblings and (are) sweet to talk to. As I get older, they become less like older siblings and more like friends because I slowly become the age they were when they started filming.
IDS: Where did you get your passion for acting?
Antonelli: I have to say my mom. She did Broadway when she was younger, so I grew up like a Broadway geek all because of her. So, when I was growing up, she was always like “Do you want to try it?” and I was like “Sure!” And it worked! I always loved singing and acting because I grew up with it all around me.
IDS: How has getting into the acting business at such a young age been for you?
Antonelli: Actually pretty nice, which is something weird to say. It was way easier — I think — getting into it younger rather than getting into it older, only because when I was younger, I was really shy. And then I did two shows for Nickelodeon, and now I can talk your ear off. I learned to speak to adults and have to act like a little adult — which is kind of weird — but it was really beneficial. I did the best of both worlds: I was acting and I also went to public school. I could experience both.
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IDS: When you are acting within a character, what kind of things do you think of when you try to portray them?
Antonelli: This is going to sound cheesy, but I think about what the background to them is in the scene. When I act as Wheezie, I have to bring out my annoying little sister and I think about what I would do to (my brother) when he would have his friends over and I would be an annoying little girl doing my thing. I always try to find the relatability in a character and try to bring that out.
IDS: How has doing school been with your career?
Antonelli: I think that is also one of the hard things, because my high school didn’t really like when I left — and I would have to leave a bunch of times. Although, when filming “Outer Banks,” COVID was a huge thing so I could actually do school online. For college, I haven’t had to travel very much during school and if I ever do it's almost always in the summer.
IDS: What exciting things are you looking forward to in the future?
Antonelli: I did a movie about a year and a half ago called “Beau Is Afraid” and it is coming out April 21, so I get to go to that premiere in a couple of weeks. I have two more years left of college, but I am definitely going to keep acting, doing roles and making music, so I’m really looking forward to all of that.
