Everything Adds Up for Brianne Davis in “Six”

Images courtesy of the Anderson Group

Images courtesy of the Anderson Group

Some actors go from triumph to triumph. Brianne Davis is one such actress. Well, at least it seems that way.

If you reflect on Brianne Davis’ early success in “Dawson Creek,” that success was 16 years ago. Still, Brianne Davis has gone from one hit film or television series to the next. And with each new role her acting achieved more depth and nuance. From reoccurring roles in “Dawson Creek,” “Hollywood Heights” “True Blood,” and “If Loving You Is Wrong” to supporting roles in “Jarhead,” “Prom Night,” “American Virgin,” and “Magi,” Brianne Davis has proved that she is not going anywhere but up!!

Making the transition from adorable teen actress to acquiring more mature roles is a difficult challenge for any actress. In a culture that trades in young ingénues like a business man changes his shirts, Brianne has weathered the vicissitudes of  Tinseltown; in fact she has triumphed. And “Six” is her latest triumph.

In “Six” Brianne Davis plays Lena Graves, the wife of a Navy Seal serviceman who has recently loss her four-month old daughter. Brianne Davis talked with Fashion Reverie about her role in “Six,” her acting career and fashion.

Fashion Reverie: What first attracted you to your character Lena Graves in “Six”?

 Brianne Davis: Lena is such a strong, reserved, quiet and dignified character. I have never had an opportunity to play a character like her. She has stay strong for her husband to do his job. If she breaks, the family dynamic disintegrates. Her husband is a Navy seal and his job is very stressful. So, he needs the support of his whole family.

Lena is a schoolteacher at home while her husband is off on military duty. This is a very intense character. Lena and her husband were high school sweethearts and they lost their four-month old daughter. So, in this first season we deal a lot with the loss of their daughter.

Images courtesy of the Anderson Group

Images courtesy of the Anderson Group

FR: While your production team was shooting “Six” were you going back and forth between shooting combat scenes and Lena’s life back home in the States?

Brianne Davis: Yes, the Navy Seals are not like other military servicemen. Sometimes, they leave on a Thursday and come back the next week and have to readjust to civilian life until they are off on military duty again. The most difficult part is when the spouses leave, you don’t know where they are going, they cannot reveal their location and you don’t know when they will return. So, how do you navigate a relationship when there are so many unknowns? It is a huge challenge

FR: Your character is a military wife and your mom was a military wife. Did your experience with your Dad serving in Vietnam provide could source material for this role, and why?

Brianne Davis: Completely. My mom is a strong businesswoman. She really kept our family together when my father wasn’t able to. I definitely got a strong work ethic and independence from my mom. So, I did bring those childhood influences to my character on “Six.”

FR: Is this your first time playing a wife and mother?

Brianne Davis: I have played a wife before, but this is my first time playing a wife and mother, although my child is deceased in “Six.”

FR: What aspects of the character do you most identify with?

Brianne Davis: I probably most identified with Lena’s strength. She is a very strong individual. I least identified with how she expresses herself. When Lena speaks her words are very thought out; everything she says is for a reason. She is very contained. Lena also comes from a military background, so she knows how to communicate in a careful manner in certain situations, thus she chooses her words very wisely.

Images courtesy of the Anderson Group

Images courtesy of the Anderson Group

FR: You garnered some tangible experience for this role by starring in “Jarhead” with Jake Gyllenhaal where you got to meet servicemen in Afghanistan. Could you talk about that?

Brianne Davis: William Broyles wrote the “Jarhead’s” is screenplay and is “Six’s” show runner and creator. When I came in to read for the part, he couldn’t believe how much I had grown up. (“Jarhead” was filmed in 2005.)

My character is different in “Six” compared to my character in “Jarhead;” however, I was informed by the army veterans I met in Afghanistan while filming “Jarhead.” “Jarhead” did give me some good source information.

FR: “Six” is on the History Channel. Why the History Channel than a more traditional network?

Brianne Davis: The History Channel is the perfect network for “Six” because in a sense this show is the history of what is going on military life right now.

FR: What do you hope audiences will get from this series?

Brianne Davis: I hope they see how much Navy Seals give up for our country. These families are sacrificing just as much as the Navy Seals themselves. Whether you agree or disagree politically with the military presence in certain countries, we should support the soldiers and their families. “Six” is a real, authentic look into the lives of military families and I hope audiences can feel the emotion, heartache, and joy of their experiences.

Brianne Davis in "ChromeSkull," "True Blood," and "Dawson Creek," respectively.

Brianne Davis in “ChromeSkull,” “True Blood,” and “Dawson Creek,” respectively.

FR: You have had reoccurring roles in “Hollywood Heights,” “Murder in the First,” “True Blood,” and “If Loving You Is Wrong.” What was your favorite reoccurring role, and why?

Brianne Davis: That is really hard, but if I had to pick, I would say “True Blood” because of the fantasy aspect of the show. Also, “Murder in the First” was fantastic because who would not want to be a part of a Stevhen Bochco show.

FR: Let’s look back at some of your earlier roles. Could you talk a little bit about “Dawson Creek”?  You were on that show while you were high school.

Brianne Davis: “Dawson Creek” was filmed in Wilmington, NC and I am from Georgia. So, the only way I was able to be a part of the cast while in high school is because I didn’t live that far away from the film location.

Being a part of the cast was amazing. First, I was star struck with all my cast mates. “Dawson Creek” was my first television series. James Van Der Beck was such a great person to work with. I was so knew to television and film and he was so encouraging.

FR: You are a great beauty and you started commercial modeling at the tender age of 12. What made you switch to acting?

Brianne Davis: I am naturally a very shy person and modeling didn’t really allow me to come out of my shell and express myself as much as acting did.  I love fashion and shooting editorials; however, in fashion I felt more like a prop instead of a person. And for me that was not fulfilling enough. The moment I took an acting class, I knew acting was for me. Acting brought me closer to myself and out of my shell.

Images courtesy of pinterest.com, zimbio.com, and amazoncom, respectively

Images courtesy of pinterest.com, zimbio.com, and amazoncom, respectively

FR: Who are some of your favorite designers?

Brianne Davis: I love Donna Karan and Calvin Klein because both of these designers have a minimalistic aesthetic that appeals to me. I am one of those consumers that could have an expensive bag from Philipp Plein and pair it with something from H&M and Zara. I love to mix and match; have one expensive item and everything else you could find a lower priced retail stores.

FR: If you had a fashion fantasy of wearing a particular designer to the Oscars, which designer would you wear?

Brianne Davis: I would wear vintage Donna Karan. However, you cannot go wrong with Tom Ford or Oscar de la Renta.

FR: You have segued into directing, has that made you a better actress?

Brianne Davis: Yes, it has because being on the other side of the camera you see how important continuity is. Continuity is doing something the same way every time in a scene. Being on the other side of the camera you recognize what is important to a scene, you began to understand the whole story and how all the elements must come together. Also, you understand more fully that any direction that the director gives an actor is not personal. The direction is to get the scene to work better. Sometimes actors can be very sensitive and emotional. Working on the other side of the camera you learn how direction is not personal

FR: What’s next for you?

Brianne Davis: We are waiting to hear about season two for “Six.” I just finished my application for the Warner Brothers directing program. If I get accepted, that would be amazing. I have a series that I created with my husband for our production company, Give and Take, and we are starting to pitch that. I have also been asked to direct the film, “The Place Apart.” And also I like most actors, I continue to audition.

—William S. Gooch

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