Riele Downs is only 22 but is already a seasoned veteran within the acting industry.
Downs’ latest gig is a starring role in Lifetime‘s Abducted Off the Street: The Carlesha Gaither Story, which is based on a 2014 true story of a Black woman being abducted before being located in Maryland three days later.
Downs’ background includes roles in “Bel Air,” The Best Man Holiday, and Nickelodeon‘s “Henry Danger.” Her mother Elle and sister Reiya also act.
Downs discussed the film, which was released on Feb. 10, and her career path.
What is your latest starring role about?
It’s actually a true story. It’s about this woman named Carlesha Gaither who, when she was around my age, was just walking home from a family function, and she got abducted right off the street. She was stuffed in a car, taken, assaulted, and all types of not-great things. But because of the keen way she went about strategizing, she was able to actually escape and send clues out to people of where she was so that they could track her and free her.
You spent many of your adolescent years in a breakout role on “Henry Danger.” What has the adjustment been like for you going from a youthful Dan Schneider sitcom to a serious adult role like this?
Totally different beat, so I understand the question.
It’s weird. It’s like, so you graduated off the show, and you’re like, “OK. Now what?” You don’t know what to expect. You could go into more comedy, you could do something serious. But [what] grounded me in being able to do some more serious roles is that I started off doing serious roles. [As] a kid, I did Four Brothers, Best Man Holiday, and more serious things. I [always] had that in my background, and I had to morph my acting style to be more comedic because I wasn’t originally doing any of that. I’ve been able to kind of default back to this is how I used to do things. So it’s not too difficult.
For Black History Month, who were some people you have looked up to?
I want to work with Viola Davis badly because she’s just inspiring. Lupita Nyong’o, of course, I love Lakeith Stanfield and Denzel Washington. Just everybody. I don’t know. I could list everybody, to be honest. Keke Palmer. I grew up watching her, Akeelah and the Bee. I love that. Zendaya. So many people, and artists like Basquiat and whatnot. I’m very into art, in that aspect, too.
But I’m just inspired by anyone doing cool things. Oh, yeah. Pharrell is great. Childish Gambino. I just love anyone who, like, has a hand in a lot of different creative pots. That’s what I’d like to do.
