Rae DeRosa On Acting Journey, Dream Costars, And ‘The Summer I Turned Pretty’

This young actress is truly a star!

With several credits under her belt, Rae DeRosa is quickly becoming a rising actress to know. Now, she recently starred as ‘Victoria’ in the highly-anticipated series ‘The Summer I Turned Pretty’.

We had the amazing honor of talking with Rae about her memories on set,

When did you first realize that you wanted to pursue a career in acting?

R: “I realized I wanted to pursue acting in my sophomore year of college! It’s actually kind of a funny story. I was on my college’s dance team which was mostly sideline at basketball games and was feel pretty unfulfilled emotionally. Given that in high school I was able to choreograph these very deep emotional dances. So in order to find another artistic outlet I decided to take an acting class as an elective. Boy did I HATE it, I grew up incredibly shy so doing improv, and having to use my words instead of just movement terrified me at first. I ended up missing a bunch of classes due to the panic attacks I had over going to class. Then one day my teacher asked me to audition for the school play, I said no many times until one day after skipping yet another class he emailed me saying I would basically fail the class if I didn’t get extra credit by auditioning for the play. I bit the bullet and auditioned and actually ended up getting the lead! This play had me singing, crying, and monologuing all over the stage and I absolutely fell in love. That was the final push I needed to truly let go into the acting world and after that I was hooked for life.”

You recently starred as ‘Victoria in Amazon Prime’s highly-anticipated series ‘The Summer I Turned Pretty’. What was your reaction when you first booked it?

R: “Oh my god, so many tears and crying into the tacos I had just ordered. It was my first booking after three years of fighting to find representation in the Atlanta market. So the fact that not only was it a guest star, but on a show like The Summer I Turned Pretty, blew my mind. My family doesn’t come from any sort of entertainment background so being able to call my Mom and tell her I did it was a huge moment for me!”

What was your experience like on set? Do you have any stories with your co-stars?

R: “My experience on set was honestly the exact kind you hope for. I was lucky enough to have a scene with basically the whole cast so I got to know pretty much everyone! As for stories, Lilah Pate who plays Gigi basically offered up her house as the cast clubhouse for the few weeks I was there. So there we had pool days, movie nights, birthday parties. I would say my favorite memory was all going out on the boat and attempting to wake board! I made it up on my third try ever, not to brag.”

Is there a show currently airing that you would love to be a part of?

R: “I am sure this is everyone’s answer but it’s definitely Euphoria. I have struggled with mental health problems since I was a little girl so working on a show that centers around those problems in young people is a dream of mine. Really any show where I could authentically tell a story about mental health is something that I would love to sink my teeth into.”

If you could star alongside any actress in an upcoming role, who would it be and why?

R: “I love any actress who isn’t afraid to take control of the scene. Some pinch me actresses to work along side would definitely be Jessica Lange, Toni Collette, or Jessica Chastain. Just absolute scene stealers. I love actresses who aren’t afraid to push the envelope, go a little too far, and show their power.”

You have a performance degree from Georgia State University. Do you think that background knowledge helps you in this industry?

R: “I do think my college degree certainly helped me stay on track with my training and have plenty of great programs and teachers to be involved with. However, when it comes to the film industry I really learned everything from my co-workers at a waitressing job in Atlanta! This is one of those industries where meeting one great connection on a random student film can give you a greater push than five years of schooling! So I definitely tried to gain my knowledge of the industry from all different facets.”

What advice would you give to young girls who want to be in the acting industry?

R: “I would say learn as much as you can about yourself, than learn as much as you can about the industry. I honestly don’t know if I would’ve had the mental ability to pursue acting if it wasn’t for the years of therapy I went through to get to know myself! You are essentially running your own business when you are starting out so you kind of have to be your biggest fan and toughest critic. Also, get to know absolutely everyone in your circle, and find an acting class you love! The bigger your network the more love and support. Don’t be afraid to reach out, ask for advice, or congratulate another colleague on their successes! Those relationships will take you so far! And finally, use your own uniqueness to your advantage, that is your ultimate power in this industry.”

Where can we follow your amazing journey?

R: “You can follow me on @raederosaa on Instagram and @raederosa on TikTok, (if you want to see a more hectic side of me lol).”

Je’Kayla Crawford– Founder and Director– Je’Kayla has been a journalist for years and decided to start a publication of her own, New Scene. When not helping her team and working on the monthly issues, you can find her watching a movie on Netflix or baking using a viral Tasty recipe.