Lizzy Greene Finds Her Fire in “Ransom Canyon”

Photo Credit: Raul Romo

Today, Lizzy Greene is up for Ransom — Ransom Canyon, that is. Greene co-stars alongside Josh Duhamel and Minka Kelly in the Netflix series, which premieres today.  Created, written, and executive produced by April Blair (Wednesday, All American), Ransom Canyon is a romance-fueled family drama and contemporary Western saga that charts the intersecting lives of three ranching families, all set against the rugged expanse of Texas Hill Country.

Greene plays Lauren Brigman, Ransom Canyon’s ambitious head cheerleader. The daughter of the town sheriff and girlfriend of cocky quarterback Reid Collins, Lauren appears to be living her best life… but all she really wants is to put this small town in her rearview. With her sights set on making the cheer team at UT Austin as her ticket out, Lauren must navigate her strict father’s desire that she remain in Ransom. Her only reprieve comes in the form of a new, unexpected love interest: Lucas Russell, a kindhearted underdog from the other side of the tracks who her father and her friends do not approve of.”

Outside of this series, Greene is also known for her role as “Sophie Dixon” in ABC’s hit series A Million Little Things, which recently concluded its fifth and final season on ABC and Hulu. Here, she talks about her latest breakout role.

Photo Credit: Raul Romo

Your character, Lauren Brigman, is the sheriff’s daughter in a town filled with tension and conflict. How do you think her relationship with her father influences her decisions throughout the show?

I believe her dad truly wants the best for her, but his idea of what’s “best” gets lost with what he thinks is most right. And that is staying home in Ransom to take care of her alcoholic mother. Because her dad gives her these ultimatums in exchange for her to achieve her goals, it breeds this rebellious energy in her (as every teenager has) to go against the grain. She does that with her relationship with Lucas, her cheerleading, and even her view on her mom. It’s all in constant flux throughout the show. At the end of the day, she is very grounded in her dreams to achieve more than what this town can offer.

Lauren finds herself caught in a love triangle amidst all the tension throughout Ransom Canyon. How does this dynamic affect her emotionally? Do you think she ends up with the right man?

I think Reid has always been a safe bet – her family loves him, he’s the QB while she’s head cheerleader – everything on paper make’s sense. The introduction of Lucas opens up an opportunity for her to choose something that feels right for her. I think both boys bring out something in her, whether it’s working hard, or chasing her dreams. I trust her judgement on who she believes is the best fit for her – so you will have to wait and see!

Lauren is a cheerleader! Did you have any experience in the cheerleading or gymnastics world prior to the show? Did you do your own stunts?

I did! I grew up doing gymnastics so when I got the audition I swore I was going to relearn and polish all my old skills. I was in the cheerleading gym every day I wasn’t working because it was so much fun. I learned from the local girls in New Mexico which was really sweet. I had everything down to do all my stunts… until I fractured my knee in practice. Then they had to use a stunt double for everything afterwards. It sucked because I was really egar to do it and had spent so much time practicing!

We see Lauren uncover a shocking truth about her mother towards the end of the show. How do you think this revelation will affect her relationships moving forward?

I think it’s going to throw everything on the rocks. Her struggle throughout the show to do what others want for her vs what she wants for herself really comes to a head here – and she has to rethink every decision up to that point. She doesn’t want to hurt anyone close to her, but she’s also bursting at the seams because of the revelation. In response, she unfortunately makes a few rash decisions out of stress, so you have to wait and see how it turns out.

You’ve grown up on screen. How has your approach to acting evolved as you’ve gotten older?

The older I get the more I draw from my life for my work. Everything I do in my day-to-day life becomes inspiration for something at some point. So many mundane things in life can teach you. Performance can be based on, or rooted in anything, so the learning never stops. Drawing from real life I’ve found brings the most emotion behind the roles that I do – and also provides a sense of self in each part.

What’s the biggest difference between working on a Nickelodeon sitcom like Nicky, Ricky, Dicky & Dawn and your more recent roles?

I’d say the subject matter but that would just be a given – haha! But really, it is the growth between each project. I look back and think of my career in stages, and with each job I think I grow to understand and trust myself as an actor more and more. Each project is nuanced in its own way, and requires work catered to each character. It’s a blessing to grow and learn and be in a business where you are always working with new people in new circumstances. It keeps you on your toes and always challenges your idea of “better.”

What’s a piece of advice you’ve received on set that has really stuck with you?

Breathe. Take time between lines to react and take your time. You’d be surprised how pent up you can get after hours of the same scene. Keep it real, reset, and your performance will benefit because of it.

What’s the most chaotic or hilarious thing that’s happened behind the scenes on one of your sets?

Poor Garrett and his skinny-dipping scene. In the original script, it was Lauren and Lucas skinny dipping, but I told them that I respectfully was not going to do that – LOL! Garrett had to go at it all alone, and the water was freezing. At one point they gave him a flesh-colored wetsuit, but it was too big and did not help at all! The minute they called cut, we had so much fun running to the inflatable hot tub that they had for him off-screen. He was such a trooper and professional and that scene is so great because of it.

Dream co-star?

Denzel. I’d be honored to even be a small part. He’s one of those actors you soak up every minute with learning.

Guilty pleasure?

Ice cream.

A role you auditioned for but didn’t get that you still think about?

When I was little, I went out for the role of X-23 in Logan. I just remember not understanding the weight or magnitude of the movie at the time but looking back on it years later being like “Dang! That was so cool!”

What’s your greatest luxury in life and why?

To be healthy. It’s something I truly think of daily. Health is the greatest luxury in life that we constantly take for granted.

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