Isabel May on the rise in Hollywood
Isabel May, photographed at Warner Bros Studios- Burbank, CA by Ralph Palumbo
Los Angeles native, Isabel May drew attention with her leading role as Katie Cooper in the Netflix original Alexa & Katie. She also has a recurring role as Veronica, Georgie Cooper’s love interest on Young Sheldon.
What did it feel like when you were offered your first role on Alexa and Katie?
I don’t react very well to things, I don’t get excited, I’m the worst person to give good news to. I was 16 and just got my permit, I drove myself to the grocery store and I remember I got really emotional. It just hit me. There are so many people involved in bringing a project to life and I shed a couple of happy tears, knowing I was going to be a part of it.
What do you find rewarding about bringing the character Katie Cooper to life?
She was a character I really got to walk into and create. So, that’s what I did, I flushed her out, I got to play someone who is genuinely optimistic and so selfless. This season I got to play with anxiety and what anxiety does to young people, especially junior year, which is the year they’re going into this season. I portrayed a character having a panic attack. Anxiety is something everyone has, it’s a universal feeling, to portray that as accurately as possible to young kids was one of the most rewarding things I’ve ever done on screen.
What are your cast relationships like?
Fantastic, everyone is so lovely, kind and thoughtful. They say there’s always a bad seed, there’s no such thing as that on our set. I feel very lucky.
Let’s talk about Young Sheldon, what is it like to come onboard to a spinoff of such an extremely successful show?
I was disappointed with myself because I didn’t know much about The Big Bang Theory, I think I was too young, so that helped, I wasn’t intimidated, necessarily in that way. Honestly, the first scene we shot I was just preparing myself to make out with a complete stranger, who was younger than me, and I didn’t want to make him uncomfortable.
I came in and immediately right off the bat, everyone was so friendly. Montana Jordan is an absolute delight to work with, he is one of the loveliest young men I ever met. After the fact, it was a couple episodes in, that I stared to go, oh wow, Big Bang was a huge hit.
Tell us about the indie thriller, Let’s Scare Julie To Death.
It was a fun project to do with some people for a couple weeks, and just be very creative. We were in Santa Clarita, 114 degree weather, we were like let’s sweat and make something very weird. It was an uncut, 90 minute take all the way through. It was like shooting a play with a camera following you around, it was incredible. It was very interesting, if you forgot a line, screw it, you would just keep going and somehow get back to that line. It was very collaborative, I worked with a bunch of other young talented women, who were fantastic.
What are some of your hobbies and interests?
I love live jazz shows, I read books, too many books, at this point I’ve overwhelmed myself with books - I read 3-4 at a time. They are vastly different as well. I also love to paint, and I did ballet for 9 years.
What’s next for Isabel May?
I just finished a film called Run, Hide, Fight. It is very different, it’s a drama about a school shooting. It will be an interesting thing to put out into the world, and hopefully start a discussion, whether that be negative or positive, doesn’t matter as long as it starts one. Things need to be said, so we can move forward.