As part of our coverage of The Girl in the Woods, Nerds & Beyond had the chance to speak with Kylie Liya Page! Page plays Sara in the Peacock/Crypt TV horror series, which centers around a girl from a mysterious colony sworn to protect the world from evil lurking behind a hidden door in the woods. Page is an actor best known for her work in Social Distance on Netflix. She discussed what drew her to the project, LGBTQ representation, and more!
Nerds & Beyond: What drew you to this project originally?
Kylie Liya Page: After reading the riveting, thrilling, emotional roller coaster of a script, what drew me to the project originally was seeing that it was a predominately female creative team. Not only was it extremely thrilling to find out Krysten Ritter was set to direct the first four episodes, I knew there was LGBTQ representation in the storyline and also behind the scenes. Our incredibly talented writer Casey Modderno is a trans woman, and our executive producer Jasmine Johnson is also a member of the LGBTQ community. I knew this was a group of people I wanted to work with as they made sure to be effortlessly inclusive, and I’ve always wanted to be a part of progressive stories and stories that will challenge me as an actor both physically and emotionally.
Nerds & Beyond: Sara and Carrie’s bond is complex. They clearly love each other, but they are also each other’s biggest competition and weakness. How did you develop that relationship with Stefanie Scott (Carrie)?
Kylie Liya Page: Working with Stefanie Scott and creating the narrative for Sara and Carrie’s relationship was so exciting. From day one of stunt training to our final days we had an incredible bond. The first time I met Stefanie we were thrown right into choreography and had to get physically comfortable with each other really fast. Training together gave us an opportunity to become incredible teammates while finding our fire. We both have competitive energy naturally, we both want to succeed and be the best at whatever is being thrown at us. In moments of frustration or exhaustion we knew we both had each other’s backs and were willing to do whatever it took to get the best out of each other. Because the work behind the scenes was so complex, it made the scene work really come to life. We were just being us.
Nerds & Beyond: Sara and Carrie’s complicated romance is unique for the horror genre even as representation for queer characters has increased in recent years. What are you hoping for fans to take away from their story?
Kylie Liya Page: I hope fans can learn many things from Sara and Carrie’s relationship. First and foremost, to stay open and don’t judge yourself and/or others. Have compassion and patience for yourself and those around you. Everyone is on their own journey and finds love or lacks love in many different ways. I hope they learn from Sara to be strong and grounded in themselves and to have the bravery to trust in their gut and know what is best for them.
Nerds & Beyond: What are you hoping audiences take away from the series in general?
Kylie Liya Page: In general, I hope the audience falls in love with our characters as much as I did. I hope they have a fun, exhilarating ride and learn the importance of giving love and sharing love with anybody. No matter race, gender, or sexuality, being a friend and aiding those who need you. Remember, we may not always know where people are coming from, so be courageous, be kind, generous, and open-minded. And I hope they demand another season ;).
The Girl in the Woods is streaming now on Peacock/Crypt TV. Stay tuned for more of our interviews with the cast and crew!
