Nadia Gray Discusses Her Role on the CBS Series ‘All Rise’ [Exclusive Interview]

Freshman series All Rise— recently picked up for a full season by CBS– pulls viewers in with powerful storylines and magnetic relationships among its main cast.

Nadia Gray plays the recurring role of Ria, girlfriend to Mark Callan. She’s also appeared on many other shows and in the 2017 Netflix film, Bright.

Gray sat down to answer some of our questions about working on All Rise and why it’s important for a show to reflect real life in dramatic times.

Tell-Tale TV: What first attracted you to All Rise?

Nadia Gray: The first thing that had me psyched about All Rise was that it was led by strong female characters. And even just the premise of the show sounded right up my alley. I’m a sucker for shows set in LA that also film in LA. It’s my home, it’s the environment around me, and I love seeing it expanded upon on screen.

Tell-Tale TV: The relationships on this show are so wonderful. Can you tell us anything about what we might expect down the line for Ria and Mark, and if we’ll get to see Ria interact more with other characters, too?

Gray: I can’t give too much away, but I really did enjoy having all the cast together for Luke’s speech at the gala in episode 3. That day felt super bonding for me personally, and also Ria got to have her big moment with Mark’s bestie, Lola. I definitely hope to have more scenes like that.

Tell-Tale TV: It’s also so important to see storylines that reflect directly on current events like racial profiling and upheaval in the immigration system. Are there any that have stood out for you?

Gray: Honestly, the examples you just used are the issues that leave me and my friends still debating and talking about it after the episode ends — which is a maker of a great show! It’s political and controversial but it works and it gets people talking and questioning their own beliefs.

I also love how they took on the issue of minorities having priors for marijuana charges. That is incredibly relevant and the way they had Lola not try to cheat the system, but maneuver around it in order to see justice fairly was very satisfying to watch.

Tell-Tale TV: What do you do to prepare for a role like this?

Gray: This show is so quick-talking and fast-paced, which I love, but you definitely have to always be off-book so you’re not slowing anyone down.

Tell-Tale TV: You’ve had several of roles on popular shows. What do you like about working in the television world?

Gray: I’ve always loved TV! It’s great for me as a viewer to get to know characters and grow with them over the years. It’s a dream of mine to at some point in my career play a character that I really care about and work on her layers over time. Oftentimes in film you only get to see glimpses of who a person really is or what they’re going through in a moment of time.

Tell-Tale TV: Are there any roles you’ve done that really stand out to you?

Gray: I’m genuinely so psyched about All Rise! I believe in the show and am so in love with all the characters and their relationships. I admire how the writers find ways to bring levity and compassion into extremely divisive subject matter. [I’m] proud to be apart of this one!

Tell-Tale TV: Do you have any favorite shows you’re watching on TV right now?

Right now I’m binging hard on Living With Yourself, Marianne, Dark/Web, and Channel Zero.

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All Rise airs Mondays at 9/8c on CBS.

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