With five seasons of playing Alice in “Good Trouble” under her belt, Sherry Cola says that she is the “most liberated version” of herself thanks to her evolution on the show.
“Now that we’re in season five, I’ve learned so much as an actor, I’ve learned so much as an activist, I’ve learned so much as someone who is queer, and immigrant and Chinese American and woman,” Cola told TheWrap, describing the show as a “creative playground.” “I am the most liberated version of myself today, because I’ve had the honor of evolving through ‘Good Trouble.’ That’s not lost on me … I don’t take it for granted that this show has changed my life in a lot of ways.”
Cola, who stars in Lionsgate’s upcoming “Joy Ride” alongside Ashley Park and Stephanie Hsu, also praised the Freeform drama for practicing what it preaches as it tackles inclusive storylines, pointing to Alice and Sumi’s queer Asian experience or Gael’s co-parenting situation.
“It’s a dream … to be a working actress, and to be on a show that really prioritizes authentic storytelling, and puts people in front of the camera that have not been given opportunities before,” Cola said.
Season 5 picks up as Alice sets her sights on her next gig: conquering Hollywood one writers’ room at a time. As she throws herself into work, hoping to climb up the industry ladder, Alice worries she has neglected her responsibilities as manager of The Coterie after she receives a sticky note complaint from one of her roommates, prompting a spiral that amplifies what Cola calls Alice’s “resting worry face.”
“She just is always anxious about something which is so real,” Cola said. “I do this in my own life, I fixate, I can just like overreact, or obsess over something, when really, it’s another deeper issue that I’m refusing to address.”
Instead of truly feeling concerned by the sticky note, Alice faces frustration as she is reminded that “making it in Hollywood is not overnight,” a lesson Cola knows all too well. “She wants to thrive at what she does and … she’s reminded that she has to pay her dues,” Cola said. “Alice is so new, she’s such a guppy to this universe that she’s realizing, ‘oh, she has to slowly climb the ladder.’”
Alice’s frustrations at her new job mount as her colleagues, three older white men played by Alan Blumenfeld, Garrett M. Brown and Joel Brooks, create the ultimate hassle for Alice as she dodges their constant snack breaks and distractions.
With Alice completely out of her comfort zone both in a new job and as she interacts with the men with whom she has almost nothing in common, and likewise don’t understand her lived experiences, the unlikely pals learn from each other as Alice has conversations about social consciousness with the men while they teach her not to sweat the small stuff.
“The lesson here … is that we simply need to continue having conversations,” Cola said. “What the show is really good at is recognizing differences, acknowledging that people come from different walks of life, but [also] having the patience and the understanding to hear each other out because sometimes people really just don’t know any better because of lack of representation, lack of access [or[ lack of exposure.”
Cola, herself, has seen the progress and connection that can come from these conversations as she added that she has had similar dialogue with her mother involving topics like her queerness or the social unrest that marked 2020.
“2020 was the first time she ever voted — she’s been a citizen since I was in seventh grade, she just never thought her voice mattered and she wasn’t aware of all the issues that require her input,” Cola said. “When it comes to generational gaps, and cultural gaps, a conversation can go a long way.”
This willingness to engage in these conversations is a direct result of Alice’s growth, according to Cola, who notes that Alice is learning to speak up for herself.
“Alice has gone through a lot — every character has in their own individual fight,” Cola said. “I think Alice has learned to speak up for herself, although gradually [and] slowly. I don’t feel like she’s as outspoken as she could be still, but that’s the journey, right? It’s not overnight.”
“Good Trouble” is streaming on Hulu.
