Halston Sage Takes A Walk In Tribeca's Collister & Laight Streets
New York is the backbone of ROSE & IVY; the the city spawns ideas, inspiration and connections. Especially now, more than ever, the city needs our hope and love. In this series, A Walk in New York, I explore a neighborhood or iconic street that gives the city its heart and soul with a women in television or film.
Halston Sage, who you can catch in season two of the hit Fox’s Prodigal Son takes a walk in the cobblestone streets of Collister and Laight, tucked away just below Canal Street in New York. Halston shares what she loves about working in the city, how she stays grounded and her new creative endeavors.
Photography and Interviews by Alison Engstrom; Hair by Matthew Monzon at TMG-LA; Makeup by Kristofer Buckle
HI Halston, thank you so much for taking a walk in New York, albeit a cold one! This series shines a light on different areas of the city and since it has been going through a challenging period, i want to show that New York is a special place. I’d love to hear, what do you love most about being and working in New York, under normal times?
The definition of working in New York has changed so drastically. I love that New York is such a walkable city. There are so many different restaurants, and back in the day, bars to drink at after work. I used to love going to see a show on any given day—there is a lot I love about the city.
Do you have any go-to restaurants that you love that other people should know about?
I have so many, it’s like where do you start! My favorite breakfast is a bagel from Sadelle’s; Jack’s Wife Freda is a big favorite, so is Sant Ambroeus and La Colombe. Whenever I miss California, I go to Cha Cha Macha.
Those are all so good! One of the themes I am exploring this month is this idea of alignment with what you want in life. I’d love to know how things came together for you to where you are now. How did the stars align for you?
I started acting my senior year in high school. I got very lucky to film a pilot that year that got picked up the week of graduation. I went straight from school to set, I am grateful every day for that path and the journey it has taken me on.
growing up in LA, did the city have any influence on your career path?
My parents are not in the business and I didn’t have any close connections to it. I think being in LA, there is an innate sense of the industry; it surrounds you, but I diverted my attention to horseback riding for eight years. My version of LA looked a lot different than the Hollywood version. I think once I reached an age, where my parents felt comfortable with the fact that I had become more of an adult and was able to understand rejection in a reasonable way, I started to make my way into the industry.
How do you navigate that part of the business? They say it’s a rejection business.
I think having a really close family and friends really grounds you. I feel very lucky to have a great relationship with my parents and my siblings. I have a close group of girlfriends, who I am actually having a Valentine’s Day Zoom date with tonight, who I can always fall back on.
How have you navigated this time period from a creative and mental health standpoint?
I think everyone has had highs and lows, just in terms of navigating this new reality. For me, I felt very lucky for the times I wasn’t back at work and when I was able to be back home with my family and my dog. Also, to be back in LA where the sun is shining, you have so many fun outdoor activities to keep your mind fresh. I feel so so fortunate to have been able to start back at work in the fall on the show. I am very appreciative of the studios and the network for discovering a safe way for us to return to filming; it has restored a certain sense of normalcy for people.
Congratulations on season two of ‘Prodigal Son’. can you share what you love about the series, your character Ainsley Whitly and for those who haven’t tuned in yet what they can expect?
What I love about the show is the family dynamic in this crazy complicated family with a history that has to do with being related to a serial killer. It changes the conversation at the dinner table for sure (laughs). I think our writers have really explored that element in some fun ways. Even as a very dramatic show, there are funny moments rooted in the reality that instead of talking about the weather over lunch, they talk about murder (laughs).
How far in advance do you receive the script and What can viewers expect from the upcoming season?
We get the episodes each week. We are deep into the second season and exploring the aftermath of Ainsley murdering Endicott and how that has or hasn’t effected her; also her relationship to her brother, mother and father and her career.
What is your process before you step into a new project and character?
I love being prepared. I find that preparation takes a lot of the anxiety out of any situation. I like to do as much as possible so once I get to set, I feel comfortable being in the moment and present. For Prodigal Son and to play Ainsley, I listened to many, many serial killer podcasts. I also watched documentaries. I got lucky with the timing of it all because it seemed to be a bit of a trend at the time we shot the pilot, so there was a ton of content to digest. I had nightmares for months (laughs).
I don’t blame you! How do you balance something that is a bit darker?
That’s a good question, I feel lucky that our cast is really great on putting it all out there when the cameras are rolling and then they do a really great job of letting it all go once we cut. Not a lot of actors have the habit of doing that, but we have a group that figured out how to cope with it in that way. As I said earlier, we walk this fine line where there are naturally funny moments and lighter moments to break up the intensity.
I’ve read your future aspirations including directing and producing. What types of material would you love to share with the world?
I am actually working on two projects right now. I think starting out, I am interested in what I know, so I am working on a couple of projects about my own personal experience. It’s really fun and satisfying. I think we are in such an exciting time for television because we have such a need for content. I feel like we are able to tell more interesting stories than we ever have been before. Also, the way that the world has changed this past year has made a lot of perspectives shift. I am really drawn to comedy. It’s funny that I have done more serious projects, but I have been lucky enough to bounce between comedy and drama in my career. I think there is magic that happens on a comedy set. There is such a creative energy that just flows through the cast and the crew and constantly keeps you on your toes. It keeps you sharp in a fun way.
did any film or actor make such an impression on you that inspired you to pursue acting?
I think Julia Roberts is the reason that I got into acting in the first place. I fell in love with those romantic comedies and the idea of love is so appealing and attractive for me. I have been very lucky to have worked with so many comedic legends in the past few years, like on Neighbors and Grown Ups 2. It opened my eyes to a completely different environment on set when you are with people who have been making movies for so long. They have discovered this free way of creating an environment on set that is amazing.
What has been the easiest part of your industry would you say to navigate?
There aren’t a lot of easy parts (laughs). Something I have enjoyed that might be a challenge for some people is meeting people and collaborating with other creatives on set, whether it be a cast member, crew member or watching a director from afar. I think the business creates opportunities for all sorts of new relationships to form and I have always been grateful for that. I miss this during this time when we are more locked down.
And the hardest?
The hardest is that it takes you to different places and that can be really fun and exciting but it takes you away from my family—who I am very close with—and my home base. It uproots you in this pretty funky way but at this point, I have found out a way to navigate it. I don’t stop myself from traveling home, if I have a few days off—with covid I don’t—but in non-covid times, I would be pretty generous with allowing myself a road trip to visit my sister or flying back to meet with my brother or my parents. I have found that to be helpful when I have to be away for long periods of time.
It’s so tricky because of the uncertainty. I have been thinking about wasted time, nothing is truly wasted, but we won’t get back last year.
I know what you mean when you say wasted time, it isn’t wasted but I know the sentiment behind it.
Since you are working on your own material, I’d love to know what you do When you need to get inspired?
Right now I have been really interested in writing about my own experiences growing up since I am so close to those memories. I am also taking classes at NYU and I am inspired by conversations in different classes with other passionate creatives.
What’s next for you?
I’m going back to LA sto work on this video game called The Quarry, which is a lot of fun. Then I am coming back to New York to wrap up the second season of Prodigal Son.
