“You” co-star Tati Gabrielle gives us an Exclusive Interview on her role + what’s next for the rising star!
Tati Gabrielle, the rising star from Netflix’s hit series “You”, sits down with us and tells us more about her evolving range of roles, her upbringing + more! Tati isn’t just your favorite leading lady on a few hit shows, she’s smart and know’s exactly what she wants. Starring as our latest cover girl, see Tati as her true self #fiercebeauty.
FEATURED INTERVIEW:
Which one of your roles has been your favorite or which one did you connect with the most?
I definitely can’t choose a favorite, as all of my characters have been very special to me in their respects. All have taught me something different too, whether about myself or life. However, I think the one that I most connected to was Gaia from “The 100”. I think because she is who I spent the most time with—she was 4 years of my life and I got to grow with her in that time. I think she is also the one that is most like me, in nature and spirit.
How did you prepare to portray Marienne Bellamy in “You”?
Initially, in Season 3, I started with just understanding the things that were most important or most affecting Marienne, i.e. her motherhood and being a recovering addict. Being that I am not a mother myself, I spent a lot of time talking to moms, asking questions, and listening, trying to grasp the profoundness of being a mother in the best way I could bring that truth to the character. As a recovering addict, I was able to draw from personal experiences. I am also not a recovering addict myself, but I do have family members that are and walked through their journey with them. So I flipped those experiences by empathizing deeply with their fight for freedom—putting myself in their shoes.
In Season 4, I did a lot of prep concerning solitary confinement and what that does to the human mind. I did A LOT of research into the psychology of it all and then incorporated Marienne’s truths into that psychology (Again, her motherhood and addiction recovery).
The one thing that was not foreign to me or hard to grasp was Marienne’s love story with Joe and her understanding of herself—her attraction to “toxic men and relationships” and how she was trying to find her “true love” within herself again. In my short life, I have had much experience in all of this haha, so I simply pulled from my own heart.
Have you had a real stalker before?
No. And I hope to never! laughs
What is your beauty ritual when you go home after lots of hours on set?
I am a stickler for making sure I wash my face as I have really sensitive skin that breaks out easily. So that is the first thing I do when I get home, take my makeup off and wash my face. I then do my beauty regimen of creams and serums which has evolved. I will say, I now swear by Retinol. It has truly saved my skin, particularly in the last few years. If I am not too exhausted I will try to do a face mask and/or take a bath to just soak the day away. My favorite masks and bath bombs are from Lush.
What does it mean to you to represent African-American Koreans in your work?
It means a few things to me…The first is the importance for me to carry on the legacy of my parents and simply honor their existence which heavily includes their races. My mother is an Immigrant and Korean adoptee, and my father is a Black Man in America—their struggles and their triumphs living through their circumstances.
The second and I think most important, I want kids who look like me to be able to see themselves on screen. That was a privilege that I did not have when I was a kid and I think that it inevitably worked its way into my psyche, making me think that I had to look or be like someone else to feel special or to feel like I fit into the world. I hope that kids like me won’t have that insecurity and that they will know that they are just as important, just as special, just as necessary to the great design of the world exactly as they are.
What is a fashion trend you’re obsessed with right now?
I tend to not follow any fashion trends, but rather make my own. So the trend that I have set for myself right now is wearing all white.
How do you stay physically and mentally healthy while filming?
Honestly, it is something I am still figuring out. Each job is a different environment, and thus a new frame of mind to get into and work the kinks out—it is difficult for me to find a single “routine” to consistently take to each. For my mental health, I do try to incorporate always some form of meditation. Sometimes it is actually making time each day to sit and meditate in silence, but sometimes that meditation is just taking the same walk every day or reading a book—just finding a time for ME, away from my characters or the rigmarole of set life. Physically, I just try to find something to stay active that coincides with the environment—walking every day or going to the gym, or finding a class of some sort. After all of these changes though from job to job, I am still finding my “set routine”.
If your life was a movie, what would it be called?
“Cartwheels Over Sunbeams of the Third Kind”
How do you think your performance has evolved from portraying a villain character in “Chilling Adventures of Sabrina” to playing a victim in “You”?
I just feel I have become even more grounded in my work and performances. I tried to bring the same level of depth to Prudence as I did Marienne, but of course, Prudence existed in a fictional world. Marienne forced me to bathe myself in reality, putting my focus more on people’s real-life experiences and truths, giving me a greater responsibility for performance.
Favorite co-star so far?
I don’t think I can fairly answer that question haha. There have been quite a few people that I have truly loved working with. Though I think two of the most impactful co-stars I have had the pleasure of working with are Giancarlo Esposito and Chance Perdomo. They both, in their own respects, have made me think about acting and life with a whole new and very special perspective. The lessons I have learned from them I will carry for the rest of my life.
What was the last movie or TV show you watched?
I am currently watching “BEEF” and friggin looooving it.
Do you like to watch yourself on screen?
Oh gosh, NO. I cringe when I watch myself on screen. It is very much “we are our own worst critic” vibes. (laughs)
What’s next for you?
I have always wanted to produce, so that is my big focus this year. I have a few projects that I have been developing over the years and I am hoping to see those come to fruition in the next few years.
I am also looking to get into music (as a producer, not as an artist) so I am starting to develop those skills—learning a few instruments and trying to relearn calculus in the form of Ableton software. There are a few more things, but I will just say I hope you all stick around and wait and see 🙂
Team Credits:
Photographer: Ben Cope @ben_cope
Wardrobe Stylist: Charlie Brianna @charliebrianna
Assistant Stylist: Gabby Lovazzano @gamecrusherpresents
Make-up artist: Pricilla Pae @pircillapae
Hair stylist: Suzette Boozer @hair_sulon
Collage Art Design: Cavalin @cd1974.com_
Galore Art Direction: Perrin Johnson @editsbyperry
Editor in Chief: Prince Chenoa @princechenoastudio
