Catherine Ashmore Bradley is best known as the silly, fun loving Luan Loud in Nickelodeon’s and Paramount+’s live action comedy series The Really Loud House which just started filming the second season as well as the original holiday movie A Loud House Christmas. Recent television credits include leading roles on Showtime’s City on a Hill and the independent films Mr. Sam and The Practice. Other notable credits include guest starring roles in NBC’s Law and Order: Special Victims Unit, SyFy’s Happyas well as the voice of Deema the Drama Queen in Nick Jr. ‘s. “Bubble Guppies”. On the theater side, Catherine made her Broadway debut in the principal role of Lily Potter Jr. in Harry Potter and The Cursed Child and has played Mary Beth in the National Broadway Tour of A Christmas Story the Musical as well as prominent roles in numerous regional theater productions. Recently, Catherine lent her poetic talents to Dear Rebel, the Rebel Girls’ new literary keepsake collection alongside such notable artists as Malia Baker and Drew Barrymore.
HI, WELCOME TO ABOUT INSIDER! THANKS FOR TAKING THE TIME TO CHAT WITH US! CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOURSELF, WHO IS CATHERINE ASHMORE BRADLEY IN YOUR OWN WORDS?
I am a silly person who doesn’t take herself too seriously and loves to have fun. But I do have a serious side and am very focused on achieving my goals and work very hard!
CONGRATULATIONS ON THE SUCCESS OF THE REALLY LOUD HOUSE! HOW DOES IT FEEL TO BE A PART OF SUCH A BELOVED ANIMATED SERIES, AND WHAT INITIALLY DREW YOU TO THE PROJECT?
The opportunity to bring to life a cartoon character that so many young children love was such a fun challenge. I found a lot of similarities in my personality to Luan . . . she is a teenager just like me who loves to laugh, loves to have fun and be silly and also loves comedy, theater, and performing. I look back at some of my singing cabarets from when I was younger and you see a little Luan. I wanted to be part of this project from the beginning because young girls need a role model like this who is just comfortable being herself!
LUAN LOUD IS KNOWN FOR HER UNIQUE PERSONALITY AND STYLE. HOW DO YOU CONNECT WITH LUAN ON A PERSONAL LEVEL, AND WHAT ASPECTS OF HER CHARACTER DO YOU FIND MOST INTRIGUING TO EXPLORE?
Luan is a comedian, prankster, master of disguises and just totally unique. She literally has a best friend that is her puppet, Mr. Coconuts. In the first season, I wanted to give fans the fun and make such an outrageous character believable while exploring her more human side. In season 2, she still loves comedy and being silly and making people laugh, but I really begin to explore her vulnerabilities and sometimes the feelings of self-doubt that we all have. But I also show how Luan conquers these fears while staying true to who she is!
WITH SEASON TWO OF THE REALLY LOUD HOUSE SET TO PREMIERE SOON, CAN YOU GIVE US A SNEAK PEEK INTO WHAT FANS CAN EXPECT FROM LUAN AND THE REST OF THE LOUD FAMILY THIS SEASON?
The first season was amazing, and it really started to introduce each of the characters and what makes them special and unique. In Season 2, my character, Luan, starts to really become a full teenager, maybe meets a special boy (spoiler alert) and does some other typical teenager milestones, but of course in Luan Loud’s unique and hilarious way! The entire cast is just so funny and insanely talented and Season 2 really showcases each of us with stories that young kids are really going to relate to! My sister, Aubin, and I share a musical number where we tap that is a continuation of a tap battle from Season 1, except it gets a little more violent. It reminds me of one of those Tom & Jerry cartoons, but with real life people!
YOU SHARE THE SCREEN WITH YOUR REAL-LIFE SISTER AUBIN, WHO PLAYS LUCY LOUD. HOW DOES YOUR OFF-SCREEN RELATIONSHIP INFLUENCE YOUR ON-SCREEN CHEMISTRY, AND WHAT IS IT LIKE WORKING TOGETHER ON SET?
It is really fun working with my little sister and being able to share this experience with her. We have great chemistry and I love the scenes where we dance together. I also think the fact that we are real life sisters makes the dynamic between us so much more natural and believable. Aubin is an amazing actress and the scenes with her are just the best!!! Her character, Lucy, is so dead-pan which provides a great foil to the larger than life personality of Luan. It’s also just nice having her with me.
HOW DO YOU PREPARE FOR YOUR ROLE AS LUAN LOUD? ARE THERE ANY SPECIFIC RITUALS OR TECHNIQUES YOU USE TO GET INTO CHARACTER?
When I am getting into Luan’s character, it is literally like taking my real-life personality and exaggerating it to the max. Luan has a real love of life and having fun and bringing humor and comedy to almost every situation. When the cast starts filming, they get prepared as I sometimes do not leave character! When Luan disguised herself as a truck driver with road rage, I think the entire cast was hiding from me in between takes.
Hair: Marco Santini
Make-up: Jessi Butterfield
THROUGHOUT YOUR TIME FILMING THE REALLY LOUD HOUSE, WHAT HAS BEEN THE MOST MEMORABLE OR FUNNY MOMENT ON SET THAT YOU CAN SHARE WITH US?
The most memorable experience filming was in Season 1 where Aubin and I worked together to choreograph a tap battle. We worked so hard together coming up with tap moves Lucy would do (and of course, who would expect Lucy to tap?) and then the moves for Luan (and of course, she is an expert tapper). When we went to film the actual scene, it felt magical. The crew shared with us that the scene was one of the most special things they had filmed. I remember the entire crew was clapping when we did it the first time after the first take. It felt so good to earn the respect of our peers and create something so special – especially with Aubin! The fans really loved the scene also!
YOU’VE HAD A DIVERSE CAREER SPANNING TV, FILM, AND THEATER. LOOKING BACK, WHAT HAVE BEEN SOME OF THE MOST DEFINING MOMENTS OR HIGHLIGHTS OF YOUR ACTING JOURNEY SO FAR?
I began my career in theater and as a very young kid led the cast in roles like Mary Lennox in The Secret Garden or Annie in Annie the Musical. I also had smaller roles in A Christmas Story the Musical and Spandex the Musical and many more. I have always worked in shows with mainly adults, even Harry Potter on Broadway there were only 2 kid roles. But I learned even as a child, you can have a huge impact on the culture of the project. I learned that even in the hardest of times staying positive can make a huge impact. I learned that I always want to be that bright light on set that everyone can count on. Theater and tv and film are about a community of people who love and are passionate about storytelling. I love being part of that community. That’s my home away from home.
ASIDE FROM THE REALLY LOUD HOUSE, DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER UPCOMING PROJECTS OR ROLES THAT YOU’RE PARTICULARLY EXCITED ABOUT? I am finishing up the last ten episodes of Season 2 and I am so excited that Season 1 finally dropped on Paramount+. I am in discussions on a new feature film.
WHO ARE SOME OF YOUR BIGGEST INSPIRATIONS IN THE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY, AND HOW HAVE THEY INFLUENCED YOUR APPROACH TO ACTING? I have so many inspirations. I love Meryl Streep, the ultimate triple threat. Jennifer Lawrence is a huge inspiration. She is an incredible dramatic actress but equally amazing in comedic roles. I loved watching Blake Lively in the OG Gossip Girl. Julia Roberts also inspires me and my approach to acting. You just love watching her laugh. You want to be her friend. I also love watching SNL and Lucille Ball was a huge inspiration for the character of Luan Loud.
WHAT LESSONS HAVE YOU LEARNED THROUGHOUT YOUR ACTING CAREER, AND WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO ASPIRING ACTORS LOOKING TO BREAK INTO THE INDUSTRY?
I bring a piece of me to every character and every audition. Even if the character is a villain, I find that connection to myself. Also, if you want to be in this industry, you have to be able to take a lot of rejection. I give my best at every audition and know that even if I do not get the role, hopefully I have made a new fan!
WHERE CAN OUR READERS FIND YOU ONLINE?
Fans can connect with me on instagram: @catherinebradley_ and Tiktok: catherinebradleyy
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