The Angelic Halston Sage On Playing A Serial Killer's Daughter

Once Nickelodeon, now the somewhat impressionable daughter of a Netflix serial killer (on screen, as she “can’t even kill a spider”, to quote her), Halston Sage is undoubtedly one to watch… And keep watching....

Until you’re at binge level.

Halston’s career has seen her shift from a poppy Samantha Boscarino in teen sitcom “How to Rock” and has transcended her into the bipolar opposite as she depicts the confused and potentially dangerous Ainsley Whitly in Prodigal Son.

Despite the obvious of her character having a psychotic father, Ainsley seems to go to school, stay in check and play nice… At least to begin with. And what really makes this series extra flavoursome, is how the foreshadowing of Halston’s character’s fate of following her daddy’s sadistic footsteps slooooowly creeps in and eventually sees her strike a kill for herself. Chilling really.

But even though she plays the bad well, Halston herself is everything but… And we got to know a little bit about the dreamy Hollywood star...

Can you tell us a bit about Prodigal Son and your experience playing Ainsley Whitly so far?

Halston: Prodigal Son is about the family of a serial killer. Playing Ainsley, the daughter of “The Surgeon”, has been really different from anything I’ve ever done. I thought there was something so interesting about portraying a character who wakes up in the morning knowing that she shares blood with someone who has the capacity to kill people, and therefore question whether or not that tendency had been passed down to her.

What has been the greatest challenge with playing this character?

H: Playing a character who is struggling with the concept that she might be turning into a serial killer is luckily a challenge! I can’t even kill a spider! Ainsley is also struggling with a really complicated family dynamic that changes from week to week which keeps me on my toes.

Do you generally find you have a preference with which genre of TV/film you like to star in?

H: I love that I have been able to bounce back and forth between drama and comedy. My whole career has been this amazing balance that I’m grateful for because each experience is fulfilling in different ways. I started in comedy, and I think that I’ll always have particular love for the genre that’s compelling.

Can you tell us about a highlight in your career so far?

H: I’ve been incredibly lucky to work with comedic legends that I look up to. Any of my days on set with Rose Byrne, Seth Rogan, or Adam Sandler were for sure highlights. Even though it was brief and one of my first jobs ever, I’ll always remember working with Sofia Coppola. Definite highlight.

Can you name three directors you’re itching to work with?

H: Emerald Fennell, Damien Chazelle, Greta Gerwig.

And can you shed any wisdom for us to take away from the global pandemic we’re in the thick of right now?

H: I don’t know if this counts as wisdom, but this last year taught me a lot about slowing down. I’ve always been constantly multitasking different parts of my life, and I’ve always wished for an extra two hours in the day. The pandemic really taught me to pause and appreciate the small moments you would normally rush through without much thought. The day feels different when you take a minute to appreciate how crisp the air is or how pretty the rose bush your dog just peed next to was.

Words / JESSIE PINK

This PIBE online exclusive has been produced by:
Talent / Halston Sage
Photography / Peter Goldman @Bowie Creatives
Styling / Carolina Orrico
Make up / Kale Teter @The Wall Group
Hair / Seiji @Forward Artists