In the new Amazon Prime Video comedy series Upload, humans can upload themselves into a virtual afterlife, which they can pre-choose and pre-pay for while still living. Viewers of the show watched as the uploaded Nathan (Robbie Amell), forges a bond with his afterlife resort’s customer service rep, the very much living Nora. As the season unfolds, they begin falling for each other while questions begin to arise regarding the true nature of Nathan’s untimely death.
Cameroon-born Andy Allo, in her first series lead, plays Nora. However, getting to this point in her career has been long in the making. The former host of G4’s Attack of the Show! is also a musician who has released several studio albums; she was a guitarist and singer for Prince’s backing band, The New Power Generation; and she appeared in Pitch Perfect 3. In an interview with Casting Networks, Allo describes her journey toward getting the role she considers her big break.
What was your audition process like for Upload?
Rachel Tenner was casting the project. One of the audition scenes was a long monologue, so I stayed up all night working on it. I was aware that the show’s creator, Greg Daniels, is a comedy genius, so I broke the script down focusing on the comedy beats and wanted to make sure I hit that strong. When I went in the next day, Rachel said, throw all the comedy out the door. This character is completely grounded and natural. Don’t play the comedy at all.
Did that throw you for a loop?
As an actor, you have to be able to pivot quickly, because that’s where you get to shine. If you come into the audition with a strong choice, and then get a redirect, if you’re able to pivot, it shows you’re able to take direction and that translates to being directable on set. Also, because I had done so much prep work going far in the comedy direction, it was nice just to let go of that pressure of hitting the comedic beats. It was more, like, live as the character and don’t force anything, which was nice.
Obviously, you were brought back for a follow-up audition.
I got a call back with Greg Daniels, which was one of the most fun auditions I’ve ever had because it was this energy of just playing. He kept printing out new scenes for me to do. I was there for about an hour, hour and a half. At one point, he asked Rachel to sit next to me and gave me the premise of one of the scenes. He said, don’t worry about words, this is what’s happening in this scene, and I want to see you in this space. So the casting director is sitting next to me, and we’re watching this (imaginary) beautiful thing together, and it’s this heartfelt emotional moment. I innately lean my head on Rachel’s shoulder, and I’m like, Wow, actors never get to do this. Here I am, my head on her shoulder, and we’re having this emotional moment. Anyways, that scene ended up being the opening scene of the show in episode one, on the train.
A what point did you think, “Okay, the prospects of me getting this are starting to look good for me?”
I was filming a movie in the midst of auditioning for Upload, which helped because I had commitments to be on set and prep for another character. So my brain was like, okay, this is exciting, but I have to work on Monday. Also, because of years of auditioning, I’ve come to a place where I get excited, but don’t get too crazy. I’ve learned after years of rejection that if a role is going to be mine, it will be mine. If it’s not, it’s okay, because that role was meant for someone else and it’s that person’s time. My job is to show up, do the work, have fun, and then let it go. But, I do have to admit that my hopes started getting up a little bit when I was called back for the chemistry read.
How was that read?
My chemistry read was with Greg Daniels, executive producer Howard Klein, and Robbie Amell, my co-lead. I was doing this long monologue, which is the last scene of the first episode. In it, I’m supposed to say my character’s name. I get to that part and completely blanked. I forgot my character’s name. I was like, “I’m done.” How could they ever cast somebody who forgot their character’s name mid-scene? Obviously, I booked it, but so many of us actors get in our heads that flubbing lines, and not being perfect, means you’re doomed — when in actuality, if you put in the work and fully embody that character, a flubbed line doesn’t matter.
What was the timeline of the whole audition process?
From the first audition to booking the job was about a week or so. It was so fast, but while I was in it, it felt like an eternity. Especially the waiting period after the chemistry read. Then came the test offer, and I was like, “Oh my God, it’s happening!” I ended up not having to test and they offered me the role, so luckily, I didn’t have to audition again.
How long was it between the pilot to the series airing?
I auditioned at the end of 2017, and we shot the pilot in Los Angeles in January 2018. The series was filmed in Vancouver in the spring of 2019, and now here we are, in 2020, with the show finally out.
Upload was renewed for a second season. Do you know when you’ll be going back to work on it?
Yes, we got a second season, which is so incredible. I hear that the industry may start to ramp up in Vancouver this summer, but I don’t know what that means for our show, and what protocols will be in place. It’s such uncharted territory. I’ll do whatever it takes. I just want to work!
The film you were shooting in 2017 while auditioning for Upload, has that come out yet?
It’s coming out on June 16th. It’s called Two Minutes of Fame, and it stars Jay Pharoah, Keke Palmer and Katt Williams. I play an aspiring comedian and a bit of a temptress. Maybe that’s why I leaned in so hard into the comedy during my Upload audition — because I was shooting a comedy film!
You’ve had an interesting career because you are also a musician and singer who put out albums and worked with Prince, while slowly building up a television and film career. What do you consider your break?
I consider all these opportunities mini-breaks in that they’ve been things that have affirmed my path, and validated what I had dreamt of doing. I was always doing acting and music at the same time, but music happened to take off first when I got to work with Prince.
The Game in 2011 was significant in that it was my first acting gig on TV. At that time, I was doing some hosting on G4’s Attack of the Show! when I auditioned for The Game. Getting it was an affirmation of like, “Okay, I can do this. Somebody trusts me to play a character.”
On the music side, getting to work with Prince was epic, but Upload feels like the true sense of a big break because it’s my first leading role. Having Greg and Amazon trust me to hold down the heart of this series, especially with not having a ton on my résumé, and certainly not being the lead of anything prior, feels really good, and I’m so grateful.
You got to combine your singing and acting in 2017’s Pitch Perfect 3. What was that like?
Pitch Perfect 3 was my first studio movie. I auditioned for Pitch Perfect 2, but didn’t get the role. However, I apparently, I did a great job in that audition, because two years later, my team got a call and said the director of Pitch Perfect 3 would love to chat with me. We had a phone call and talked about me playing a rocker chick. After they, they offered me the role and I didn’t have to audition, which was pretty cool.
When I got on set, [producers] Elizabeth Banks and Max Handelman were like, “We remembered you from your audition for Pitch Perfect 2, and we knew we’d find a way to work with you.” That was such a boost, knowing that people believe in what I can do. It goes back to what I said earlier: If something is yours, it’s going to be yours. And also that casting directors, producers, and filmmakers all remember when you do good work.
You went through a series of in-person auditions for Upload. You didn’t have to audition for Pitch Perfect 3. What’s been your experience with self-tape?
I used to never believe in self-tapes. I was doing self-tape after self-tape, spending money on coaching, making them look professional, and never getting anywhere. I was so over it. Then I got a self-tape request for the TV series Chicago Fire, and I booked it off the tape. Now I’m a firm believer in self-tapes! Ha!
What did you learn from working with one of the greatest and influential artists in musical history?
I wouldn’t be the artist and person I am today if I hadn’t worked with Prince. Going through the grief of losing him was devastating and such a reminder that our time on earth is precious. He always had such a sense of integrity with his work. He left it all out there on the stage, on the page, in the guitar. That’s something that’s stuck with me. Losing him made me realize, when your time is up, you have to know you left it all out on the dance floor. So I always show up with integrity for myself and for what I bring. I value what I do, and know when I do something, it’s to the best of my ability. Prince also completely embodied being a creative. He never waited for someone to give him permission to create. Neither do I.
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