Anyone But Me is a web-drama series set in and around New York. It charts the romance of teen couple Vivien and Aster. This is no Skins Naomily however, with the drama here understated, storylines eeking out over 10-minute snippets, teasing the drama to its fullest. In TV type terms, think This Life meets As If. Season two is currently streaming, and Viv and Aster have been facing some challenges to their relationship as an old crush from Viv’s past makes her presence felt.
Have you noticed an international response to the show and to your characters?
Rachael Hip-Flores: There’s been a huge international response! It’s wonderful; every day we get Facebook messages and friend requests from all over the world, most of them apologizing for their English, which is actually pretty good. I think that’s one of the coolest things about being a web-based show – there’s no limit to the number of people you can reach! And, honestly, it also makes me extremely proud to part of a show that has such a universal appeal.
Nicole Pacent: In discussing ABM’s overall impact, I actually constantly make reference to its international fan base—it is overwhelming in the best possible way.
When my podcast with Mindschmootz in which I discussed ABM and my upcoming film, Queens of the World, aired a couple weeks ago, I found out that people from 27 different nations had tuned in to hear it. And though I don’t know the exact numbers, I have no doubt that Rachael’s Mindschmootz podcast a few days prior drew similar numbers. In my mind, that kind of response is just incredible.
How do you feel when you get a new script in, are you given many hints in advance or is it all new to you?
RHF: It’s all new – all the time! It’s so exciting and so bloody frustrating! Very occasionally, one of the cast is able to wear down (writers and executive producers) Susan Miller or Tina Cesa Ward for a yes or no hint, but usually they just smile and mumble something infuriatingly evasive.
NP: Susan and Tina keep pretty hush hush about storylines until we have the script in hand. We’ll hint to them what we’d like to see happen, or joke around about what could happen, but that’s about it. In this sense, it’s quite fun when we finally all sit around a room and read through the episodes. It’s a bit of theatre in and of itself as all the actors react in earnest to the story that’s unfolding. Lots of ‘oh, shit’s!’ [laughs].
How do you feel your characters have developed over the past two seasons?
RHF: Well, last season I think Vivian was much more in survival mode. Generally, I think she’s the kind of girl that doesn’t get attached to too much out of self-preservation, but once she does, if those parts of her life, IE Aster and her dad, are threatened, it tears her apart. Last season she was torn apart.
And this season?
RHF: This season, at least the first half , I think Vivian feels a bit more secure in her relationship with Aster and has found her feet a bit more in her new surroundings. She’s got a better handle on how to navigate the suburbs, and she’s gotten a bit more proactive about taking control of her life. That said, I think she’s also about to start handling some even more complicated situations, so we’ll all see how she fares the next couple of trials.
NP: In a very basic sense, I think we’ve seen Aster grow up a little bit. She’s naturally impulsive, opinionated, and tends to fly off the handle when things don’t go her way, but in having to make her relationship with Vivian work long distance, she’s realized that she has to learn patience and understanding, and be measured in the way she deals with upset.
In fact, there are times in second season where I, as a viewer, don’t think she reacts strongly enough. She’s more easy going and has a better sense of the bigger picture as the show goes on, but, at least I, get the sense that that hot-headed impulsivity is still boiling under the surface, and has the ability to pop up if the situation calls for it.
The show was nominated for a lot of online awards, how did it feel to win a Streamy for Best Female Actor?
RHF: Absolutely stunning, in every sense of the word. I was just excited to get to go, and I honestly didn’t anticipate winning at all. On the plane ride over, I bought myself a glass of champagne and a sandwich, it came with a Toblerone, everything was delicious, to celebrate being nominated, and I figured that would be it.
When they read my name, I remember the spotlight, (boyfriend) Colin saying “See?”, Susan, Tina, and Nicole hugging me, and seriously regretting not listening to the people who loved me enough to tell me to prepare a speech. I don’t even think I was offstage yet before I realized I hadn’t thanked many of the most important people in my life. Typical.
There’s an emerging triangle between Viv, Sophie and Aster. How do you both
feel about it, which team are you each on? Have t-shirts been made?
RHF: I love it! I love the drama! And though I love Vivster, I think a Viv/Sophie relationship would allow both girls to grow as individuals. I think Vivian may be a bit caught as a follower in her relationship with Aster. Being with Sophie would force her to take on more of a leadership role, which I think might be interesting to explore. Also Sophian does have a ring to it, very sci-fi.
NP: (laughs) I have heard talk of said t-shirts, but have yet to see them come into existence. I think it’d be hilarious if a fan took on the creation of such a thing, so long as more ‘Aster’ than ‘Sophie’ shirts were bought up, of course.
It has been commented that ABM has the quality to be on TV, would you like to see this happen and is it a realistic possibility?
RHF: I’d be very happy with whatever medium allows the show to continue the longest. Obviously, it would be incredible to see the show go to TV. I’m completely unqualified to talk about how realistic that possibility is, though I’m glad other people think it should , but the show was created for the web, and it’s wonderful to be able to reach people all around the world so immediately. So I will have no complaints if we stay on the web for a very long time.
NP: I’d love to see the show go to TV, I mean, what actor wouldn’t, but how realistic is that? I really can’t say. As far as our country has come in terms of including gay culture in entertainment media, its inclusion is still rather divisive on the whole, and I think most networks, aside from exclusively ‘gay’ networks, would see taking on ABM as a risky venture. It’s sad, but the fact that we’re out there on the net getting as much support and viewership as we are is very exciting, and I believe indicates that we’re making progress as a community in entertainment.
How important do you feel ABM has been in opening up the experience of being young, gay and in love to audiences?
RHF: I think that’s been one of the most rewarding parts of this show. I’ve gotten letters from people whose first experience of the LGBTQ community has been this show, who are now more comfortable acknowledging their own sexuality because they’ve seen the show, who are surrounded by far more restrictive environments. They feel better about themselves and about the possibilities for their lives when they realize that they’re not the only ones who have gone through what they’re going through. So I feel ABM has been extremely important in opening up those experiences to audiences.
NP: By ‘audiences’ I assume you mean ‘straight audiences’, as the gay audience already knows what that experience is like (laughs), and I’m personally not as in touch with ABM’s straight audience as I am with its gay one. However, I will say that I have been surprised by the number of straight viewers, and not just those in my circle of family and friends, who seem to really like the show.
I think part of what has made the show popular in general is the fact that it normalizes a teenage relationship between two girls. Their connection is palpable, down to earth, full of joy and angst, on the whole, just, well, normal. Because of this, I think the audience, straight and gay, forgets that they are watching two girls, and instead ends up just watching two people. This, to me, is the goal, and is something this show, unlike many others, is capable of achieving. If every gay viewer that we have were to share, watch, the show with even just one straight friend/family member of theirs, I think ABM could prove to be truly instrumental in changing the way people think.
Did taking part in the show open up some new experiences for you?
RHF: Yes, actually. In general, I’m not particularly good at acknowledging my own vulnerability, admitting that my happiness is fairly dependent upon other people, that I actually do care, I mean, a little, about being accepted. Playing Vivian forced me to face a lot of those fears and live with myself a bit more honestly and bit more confidently. Plus, seriously, when else am I gonna get to make out with a girl as hot as Nicole?
NP: Hmm… My first instinct is to say ‘no,’ because in a lot of ways, I felt like I was just reliving my own experience of being an out teenager in my first gay relationship. However, being a part of the show has undeniably exposed me to any number of new life experiences and emotions, as it gave me exposure as an actress, and a public platform in which to express myself as a person, my views, my identity, my passions. The people I’ve met and the things I’ve been able to take part in since being on ABM have been amazing and life changing, and there is not a day that goes by now where I don’t pinch myself and go, ‘Is this really my life?’.
Nicole, how has it been talking about your own sexuality and what kind of response have you had?
NP: Talking about my sexuality has been good, for the most part. When the time came where people were actually going to be interested in it, I knew I would be honest about my being bisexual, and I’ve been very blessed to be greeted with such a positive response from everyone so far. If anything, I keep waiting for the consequences of being an out actress to come into play. It is for sure easier to be out in entertainment now than it was ten, or even five years ago, but there’s still a stigma associated with it overall. There’s always the typical fear of type casting, of people in the industry seeing me as only a ‘gay’ actress who plays only gay roles, but there’s also the gnawing, greater fear of being ultimately associated with/identified by my sexuality, and my willingness to talk about it, rather than by my acting, what I bring to the stage/screen, my passion for and belief in this art.
When I introduce myself to someone, I say, “I’m an actor,” not “I’m bisexual, and I’m actor.” Sexuality doesn’t come up till much later, if at all, and I kinda think this is ideal. See me for my character and for what I love and what I do in this life, then see my sexual preference and just let it mesh in with the rest. In short, I look forward to the day when I don’t really have to talk so much about my sexuality. That will be a sign of progress.
Part two of this interview coming soon: what makes them laugh, inspires them and what storyline they would write if they could take ABM anywhere in the world... Check out anyonebutmeseries.com.