The three-time Emmy-nominated star of ‘The Bold and the Beautiful,’ known for her role in Hulu’s ‘Snowfall,’ joined How We Role to walk through her acting process.
Reign Edwards gives us an inside look from the moment a breakdown lands in her inbox to the second cut is called on an emotional scene.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
- How to build self-tape choices around what feels human, not expected
- What working alongside Octavia Spencer taught her about typecasting
- How to fight imposter syndrome after booking a major gig
- Why speaking up at a wardrobe fitting is worth the discomfort
- What to actually look for before signing a TV contract
- How she prepares her body and mind for intense emotional scenes
- Quick tips on slates, callbacks, co-star auditions and voiceover work
Finding the Human Underneath the Breakdown
Before Edwards ever presses record, she asks herself a simple question: is this something she’s already done?
“We don’t do the same role twice,” is advice Octavia Spencer echoed word for word on set years later.
From there, Edwards looks past whatever adjective casting used to describe the character and searches the script for what’s actually driving them underneath. She also tries to spot the obvious choice a scene seems to be steering her toward, then find a different way in. Like playing a “mean girl” archetype as someone acting out of insecurity rather than cruelty.
What Octavia Spencer Taught Her About Boundaries
Edwards’ first scene opposite Spencer on ‘Truth Be Told’ was a fight sequence, nails and all. She called it terrifying. Off camera, Spencer left her with lessons that went beyond craft: don’t repeat yourself as an actor, treat the crew well, and acknowledge people’s work out loud.
Fighting Imposter Syndrome After Booking
Landing a role doesn’t erase the nerves. Especially walking onto a set opposite an actor of Spencer’s caliber. Edwards said she leans on a short mental script to get through it.
“You booked it, you did the audition, you’re here because you can do it,” is a mantra she repeats to herself before a scene.
Speak Up, From the Fitting Room to the Set
Edwards used to love wardrobe fittings. That is, until she realized she had some say in what she felt her character would, or wouldn’t, wear. These days, she’s candid with costume departments about what does and doesn’t feel right for a scene.
Speaking up is a habit that’s strengthened her working relationships with wardrobe teams. That same instinct applies on set.
Edwards said she’s learned to read the tone of a show and determine when a note is worth pushing back on. She’s honed the ability to distinguish between moments that genuinely serve her character’s arc versus ones that are less vital to the storyline.
The Fine Print Every Actor Should Read
Edwards is direct about contracts: read every page yourself, even when representation is handling the deal.
She pointed to details many actors overlook entirely, like clauses covering body doubles or how a likeness can be used once a season wraps. Her advice is to make sure any language you don’t fully understand gets explained to you in plain terms before you sign anything.
Preparing the Body for Emotional Scenes
For heavier material, Edwards said she gives herself a five to ten minute window before a scene to settle into character. She then takes time afterward to come out of it, rather than snapping straight into casual conversation with the cast.
She also keeps specific photos on her phone, including images of her grandfather, who passed when she was 14. This technique helps her tap into emotion quickly. If she needs to get deeper, she’ll turn to music to shape where that feeling needs to go.
Audition Tips
Asked to rapid-fire some tips, Edwards kept coming back to one theme: don’t overthink it.
- Slates: Keep it inviting, whether upbeat or subdued, and match the tone of the role
- Self-tapes: Go with the choice that feels most interesting to you, even if it’s a risk
- Callbacks: Repeat whatever choice got you called in — wardrobe included
- Co-star auditions: Just be yourself
- Voiceover: Record several takes of a single line before moving to the next
- Recurring roles: If casting hints at where the arc is headed, build toward it
