Get the know the actress playing Dana on Kindred.
Mallori Johnson is kicking off her career in a huge way!
Get to know Johnson ahead of Kindred’s premiere on Dec. 13.
Mallori Johnson as Dana on ‘Kindred.'.Tina Rowden/FX
MALLORI JOHNSON: I was always interested in acting.
I remember my mom brought me to a play my brother was doing.
It wasThe Wizand he was playing the Scarecrow.
Micah Stock as Kevin Franklin and Mallori Johnson as Dana on ‘Kindred.'.Tina Rowden/FX
She said that was the quietest she’d ever seen me when I was a kid.
I sat through the whole thing and didn’t talk.
She said I was enthralled in the performance.
There was never a moment where I decided, “I want to be an actor.”
I just always knew I wanted to be an actor.
Thankfully my mom encouraged me and that really fueled that flame.
What stands out the most from yourKindredaudition?
I just remember going over and over all the scenes.
That was the first moment that I knew this was going to be something special.
I was such a fan of Branden when I first saw his play at my school.
When did you become a fan of Octavia Butler’s work?
I became familiar with Octavia Butler the summer before I went to Juilliard because my mom showed meFledgling.
It’s about this young Black vampire and I love science fiction.
I had always sen white narratives growing up, so as soon as I readFledglingI was obsessed with her.
Then a few years later I readKindred, and was just in love.
She’s so brilliant.
What was your first professional project?
I did it at the Moxie Theater in San Diego.
You were previously onWeCrashed.
What did you learn from that experience?
The way he plays on set is unlike anything I’ve seen.
He was like improvising, talking to us outside of filming in his accent because he’s method.
It was cool to see their different processes.
Watching them really helped me understand that.
What is something you love about Dana and what’s something about her that frustrated you?
What I really, really love is how resourceful, smart and strong she is.
There were a lot of days where I was struggling.
I really drew on that and tried to bring myself back to that level of power that she possesses.
What frustrated me is that she is a little stubborn.
She wanted things her way and she had a tendency to not consider anyone else’s opinion.
She always brought it back to what she needed and wanted.
Dana and Kevin’s relationship is central toKindred.
What is something you love about their dynamic?
I love Kevin and Dana’s dynamic.
There’s something beautiful about the way that Dana really needs him.
Dana’s just isolated; she just picks up her life and moves all the way across the country.
He’s a sounding board for her as she goes through this.
It’s so beautiful the way they find each other.
They are both orphans and they find a kinship.
What’s something interesting or surprising about recreating the past?
The most surprising thing for me was how connected I still feel to it.
This thing that we have distanced from as opposed to something that shaped us.
It surprised me because I never thought I would be affected by it in that way.
I knew it would be difficult, but I never thought I would feel so connected to my history.
What did you learn about yourself while playing Dana?
I learned how resilient I can actually be.
This was a long, long process.
I tested my endurance.
I was playing every single scene, every single day for five months.
I’ve never worked that hard before.
I had never done something for so long before.
It had this kind of insidious effect that the story had on me to be honest.
I started feeling what my character was feeling and I learned that’s something I love about it.
What are you excited for viewers to see fromKindred?
I’m really excited for people to see it.
Kindredpremieres on Hulu Dec. 13.
