Photo Credit: Sierra Prescott

Fresh off her turn as bubbly Laurel on ABC Family’s THE LYING GAME, Allie Gonino is back on TV, this time as part of the Sundance Channel’s newest drama series, THE RED ROAD.  The show follows a small town Sheriff (Martin Henderson) struggling to keep his family together while policing two culture-clashing communities.  Allie’s Rachel is his daughter who falls in love with a member of the rival Ramapo Mountain community!

Allie and I spent some time chatting about Rachel, the differences from Laurel, and what TV show star found her star struck in an elevator!

The show is right up my alley, dark, there’s grit to it.  I wondered about the show in particular, and what it was that drew you to it?
[The writers] did a great job of layering in history and drama, but also three-dimensional characters.  I think that’s what drew me most, because it’s easy with dramatic shows to write stereotypes and I don’t think [Aaron] does that at all.

It’s interesting that you pointed it out – these characters could be the general stuff we’ve seen before but there’s a little twist to them, a little edge to them. Talk a little about Rachel – who she is, and what we’ll see from her?
Rachel goes through some changing, definitely.  She sort of starts out selfish and rebellious, and self-centered and by the end, she’s come around, and she realizes a little bit more about what’s important in live and what’s important to her.  You’ll see some romantic things with Junior, but also some unraveling with that relationship, and patching up things with her mom a little bit.

Why do you think this is a show that people will gravitate to?
The whole show as a whole is great [laughs].  I would everything would draw them to it.  I think it’s not a very predictable show, and it’s very well-acted.  I’m so impressed with every character that we had on the show. Everyone’s done such an amazing job.  The writing is great.  I don’t know, it’s cool.  If you’re having BREAKING BAD withdrawals, then this might be the show for you!

You have a great cast, like you mention – what was the set like, did you bond?
We definitely have a great cast – I love everyone on the show.  I didn’t know anyone going into it.  We were all out in Atlanta filming, so we had each other, and pretty much only each other to hang out with [laughs].  Martin [Henderson] was working all the time, but sometimes he helped me put auditions on tape, and I got to hang out with Jason [Momoa] a little bit, explore the city, go out and stuff like that.  Julianne [Nicholson] has her little kids, she was doing her mom thing, but we bonded on set, as well!  It’s a very professional environment, which I love, which is always great – there’s no drama [laughs]. Just very enjoyable!

Rachel is different from what we saw from Laurel on THE LYING GAME – did you see out a different character than you’d played before, or did it just happen that way?
I got really excited to work on this show when I found out that James Gray was going to be directing the first episode.  Because I think he’s a great film director, and I thought it was so cool that they would bring a film director to television. How it goes out here, it’s like you go in for so many different roles and maybe you’re right for some, and not right for others.  THE LYING GAME was such a dramatic show, but Laurel was sort of like the sunshine of it, and so it was nice to sort of be that bubbly sarcastic, but great sister on that show.  It’s just exploring another side – this was definitely more of a challenge than Laurel was, so I think I like it for that aspect – it was more of a challenge.

What else besides THE RED ROAD do you have coming up?
I was a movie that is coming out March 11 [on DVD] called GEOGRAPHY CLUB – it’s a film I’m very proud of.  It’s based on the novel by Brent Hartinger, and so I’m really proud of that.  I have a music project called The Good Mad, as well as a solo music project that I’m going to be working on soon.  That’s pretty much it for now!

Was acting or music your first venture?  How did that work?
I definitely started pursuing music first, but I’ve always loved performing.  Acting was always something that I would do after I came home from watching a movie.  I would act my own little pretend movies in my head.  It didn’t really become a reality, to me, career-wise, until I moved to Los Angeles. I’ve been playing music since I was 7, and always have known that it was going to be a part of my life until I die.

Do you have shows coming up, working on an album, for The Good Mad?
We’re playing in LA on April 9 at Room 5; we’re also playing SXSW on the 15^th at Lucky Lounge – I think we’re going to try to record an album later this year.  If we can fit it into the schedule [laughs].  I have a lot going on, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Do you get some down time to watch TV, go see shows?
I mean, I definitely have time to be social [laughs]. Time to go and support my friends’ bands and plays and what have you.  I do love my television.  I don’t have a ton of time for TV, but I’m into Netflix.  I’m really anxious for the second season of ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK to come out. I’m like, chomping at the bit; I’m so ready for it air!

Me too!
Oh my god do you love that show?

It’s so good!
So good!  I was in Atlanta a couple weeks ago doing press for THE RED ROAD, and “Crazy Eyes” (Uzo Aduba) came off the elevator as I was getting on.  It was like “I just have to tell you that I love you, I’m obsessed with the show, you’re amazing.” I had such a little star-struck moment!

THE RED ROAD airs on The Sundance Channel Thursday nights at 9/8c.  be sure to check out Episode 2, premiering tonight!

Allie’s band can be found at TheGoodMad.com.