Rising star Ciara Riley Wilson wants to be the next Filipino woman in a '70s rock era movie

A true creative, a fashion lover, professional dancer and actor, Ciara Riley Wilson is the rising star you need to keep your eye on.

Most recently, you've seen Wilson as Demi on Netflix's series Freeridge, a spinoff of the streaming platform's On My Block series, and the 22-year-old has also been on the TV series Quantum Leap, the 2019 Kim Possible movie and YouTube sensation Elle Mills' short film Reply. She also starred in Joshua Bassett‘s music videos for the song “Doppelganger” and “Feel Something.”

For Freeridge in particular, Wilson says Demi is one of her favourite character she's ever played.

“She's very similar to me," Wilson told Yahoo Canada. "We have a lot of the same interests with crystals and spirituality, and I just thought her whole vibe was so cool."

"Her personal style that I created in my head was very similar to my own and that kind of came to fruition with the wardrobe team. … She just kind of reminded me a lot of myself, like my 15-year-old younger self.”

That style element is "everything" for Wilson, both as a creative outlet and as a way to establish a character as an actor.

“Part of the fun of acting for me is getting to craft, what would this character pick out to wear in the morning and what makes them feel most like themselves," Wilson explained. "So I think that was the moment I really tapped into Demi, when I got to go into the fitting with the wardrobe team."

"They were like, whatever sparks your interest in Demi's eyes, you just pick out what you want and then we'll kind of craft the outfits around that. So I had a lot of control in that department and it completely creates the world and really lets you tap into the character fully.”

But fashion isn't just part of Wilson's acting process, she's actually moved into taking fashion into her own hands, literally, making clothes and outfits, including what she wore for the Freeridge premiere and press day. On press day, Wilson had an outfit filled with references to the show.

“It was cool because in 2020 I just kind of picked up sewing, because we were in quarantine and I didn't have much to do,” Wilson said. “I just started by hemming my pants and doing the regular stuff.”

“But as I got more into it, it was a huge creative outlet for me and I loved taking the clothes I had in my closet and reworking them in different ways. It's a really big part of my life."

‘I never tried to judge my character, but that is an extremely hurtful thing’

While Wilson has stepped into several different characters, at this point in her career, the actor has been at the forefront of putting queer character's front-and-centre in teen-focus entertainment, in particular.

That includes Freeridge, where we see her character Demi navigate a romantic relationship with Tenzing Norgay Trainor's character Cameron, who is bisexual. There's a moment where Demi finds out that she hurt Cameron in the past, saying that she could never be with a boy who likes boys when she was younger.

“I'm most proud to be a part of the show because of that specific storyline,” Wilson said. “I'm bisexual myself, so getting to read that and see the kind of representation, and these tough conversations that they're showing amongst teens was really cool.”

“It was definitely hard. Playing Demi, I never tried to judge my character, but that is an extremely hurtful thing that she said in the past, and times are changing and people can say these things without meaning them, and not knowing the hurt that they cause. I think it's really beautiful that they can have this conversation and there can be a level of forgiveness, and a level of accountability.”

Generally speaking, Wilson feels “very lucky" to be part of projects that don't shy away or step away from these storylines.

“I think those stories are so important and the reality is, no one wants to feel alone and when they feel seen and represented, and the inner workings of their mind and the stuff that they're questioning is shown on a big platform, it makes a huge difference," she said.

“It makes people feel safe and comfortable being themselves. … I'm really glad that we're moving in this direction and I get to be a part of it.”

Moving forward in her career, Wilson indicated that projects that excite her are on "two opposite ends of the spectrum:" Either characters that are similar to her or completely different.

“My all-time dream project that doesn't exist yet is a movie set in the ‘70s in the music rock era, because that's where a lot of my fashion inspiration comes from,” Wilson said.

“My favourite movie ever is Bohemian Rhapsody, I just loved that whole world, and I've never seen Filipino female representation at that time. So I think that would be a really cool project, if anyone wants to make it.”