インタビュー | マドリーン・マデン | Schön! Magazine

mirror top. FROLOV
skirts. Rowen Rose
lace heel boots. Vero Cuoio
earrings + bracelet. IZABO
opposite
mirror top. FROLOV
earrings + bracelet. IZABO

Lizzy Greene has been ruling the acting world since she first burst onto our screens, and it was clear then that Greene had something special — a natural charisma and sharp comedic timing that made her a standout among her peers. But she wasn’t content to stay in one lane. 

Now, Greene is stepping into a new frontier — literally. In ‘Ransom Canyon‘, the romantic western drama based on Jodi Thomas’ beloved book series, she returns to her Texan roots as Lauren, a headstrong young woman caught between love, loyalty, and ambition. Set in the sweeping landscapes of Texas and following the intersecting lives of three ranching families, the series is both a nod to classic western storytelling and a fresh, modern take on romance, identity, and community. As Greene describes it, ‘Ransom Canyon’ feels “like a warm cup of tea, ”comforting and rich, yet filled with unexpected depth and drama.

Speaking with Schön!, Greene opens up about what drew her to the role of Lauren, how growing up in Texas helped her embody the spirit of the character, and how being on set — even while recovering from a knee injury — taught her resilience.

lace bodysuit. BRIELLE
earrings. DEFAÏENCE
opposite
mirror top. FROLOV
earrings + bracelet. IZABO

Lizzy, I’m super excited to talk to you! You worked with us about five years ago already.

I think I shot with you in 2020, yes!

So good to have you back! Why don’t we start by talking a little bit about where your acting career started? I know you started in theatre and were on Nickelodeon. Where did it all start, and how did you decide that you wanted to be an actress?

My whole life, growing up, I wanted to be a veterinarian. I was obsessed with animals. I just wanted to help animals. One day, my mom, on a whim, thought I had too much energy and put me into a local theatre program. From there, that became my new love and hoped-for profession. My biggest dream was then to be on Broadway. I just wanted to keep doing theatre and performing.

As is sometimes common with theatre, agents will come to scout for talent. Our little black box theatre in Plano, Texas, happened to have some agents come by. One of them met with my mom to discuss what they do. They ended up signing me. From there, I started doing self-tapes. I didn’t know what the point of them was. I remember the first self-tape I ever did — I was focused on a sound bar next to the camera, and every time I spoke loudly, the sound bar would go up. So in my audition, I was just focused on making the sound bar go up. It was ridiculous.

I ended up doing a pilot and a bit of print work for Frito-Lay, which is based in Texas — I didn’t realize that until then. Then I got the Nickelodeon show, and that became my new life. I thought, “Okay, I want to act. I want to do all this. I want to get good. I want to learn.” That’s the timeline of events from 10-year-old to 21-year-old me.

In ‘Ransom Canyon’, you play Lauren. The first impression I got of the show was that it’s such a cute, feel-good show, but it also has a lot of plot twists. When I first watched the pilot, I thought, “Okay, there are so many different plots that can turn into something.” The pilot is always meant to hook the viewer, and I think it did. How did you prepare for your role?

When I got the audition, everything about it just felt so right. I remember telling the people I was around at the time, “Oh, I love this.” It seemed so perfect for me. Granted, you still have to book it, so I thought, “I hope I can get it.” But if I got it, this would be my life. I found a lot of parallels. My mom used to cheer for UT. I grew up in Texas. I aligned with the belief and desire to go do bigger things outside of Texas. I love Texas so much. Everything about it felt familiar. I felt a lot of parallels to my own life.

There wasn’t a ton of preparation needed in that regard. But when we started production, the entire cast went through a month of cowboy camp. We were given our horses for the duration. We learned how to ride, wrangle, steer, lasso, groom, and feed horses — we did the whole nine yards. It wasn’t like, “You show up and ride a horse.” It was like, “This is your designated horse, and you’re going to care for them properly.”

For my storyline, I was also a cheerleader, so I did a lot of physical training for that. I stayed in the gym every day I wasn’t working. I hung out with the local Albuquerque cheer squad, cheered with them, and learned about the athletic side. Then I ended up breaking my knee doing that, so I had to get a stunt double for all my cheerleading. So, in the end, it didn’t even matter. But yeah, it was fun.

knit dress. GENNY
necklace. DEFAÏENCE
bracelets. Alexis Bittar
opposite
mirror top. FROLOV
skirts. Rowen Rose
lace heel boots. Vero Cuoio
earrings + bracelet. IZABO

That sounds so amazing. It was probably so cool to learn all these things about horses and being a cowboy. I know I’m very biased, but when I think of Texas, I think of cowboys. [Laughs]

Most people do. It’s okay. [Laughs] There’s a large area of Texas that really is all that — farms, horses, chickens. It has its city and commercialized areas, and then its rolling hills. I’d ridden horses growing up, but I never learned to care for them like we were taught.

You probably learned so many amazing things on set. What was one of the greatest challenges you faced while filming?

Breaking my knee was pretty annoying. I was on crutches for at least a month. Scenes where I was supposed to be walking or running ended up with me just being stationary or leaning against something. My apartment complex in New Mexico had only stairs, so I had to climb three stories every day. That was more of a physical challenge. I was adamant about getting my cheer routine down. I used to do gymnastics, so I had to learn a round-off back handspring back tuck. I eventually had it, but then I hurt myself and couldn’t do it. That kind of sucked.

I can imagine, but you still made the most out of it. Would you say you have any similarities to your character?

I think Lauren could do some things differently in her relationships. She could learn to be more communicative, as you see with her two boyfriends. But she has such a human drive, one you see in a lot of young women who feel meant for something bigger than the cards they’ve been dealt. Everything she does comes from a good place. She’s really headstrong in what she wants and what she believes she’s capable of. I’d love to have the confidence and trust she has in herself. That’s something I hope to be more like one day.

I like your character and her story. Even in the beginning, when I saw her boyfriend, I thought, “Why is she with someone like that?” and then she has this secret affair. [Laughs] You started in theatre, then Nickelodeon, and now ‘Ransom Canyon’. How would you say you’ve grown as an actress?

Nickelodeon was a crash course in the fundamentals, not so much in acting, but in the demands of being an actor. It was my first real job. I had to come in with lines memorized, hit marks, project, and stay disciplined. You’re on set nine hours a day, five days a week. That taught me a lot. Then on ‘A Million Little Things’, I focused on truly learning about acting itself. My castmates were great mentors and helped me transition from kids’ TV to more grounded performances. That was my acting school. Now with Ransom, I’ve never done anything truly in the young adult space. The show is multi-generational, and my storyline is the young adult one. There’s a level of sweetness and simplicity in young love, which is something new for me. There’s always new stuff to explore.

corset jacket with shoulder pads. Bent Kahina
lace top + skirt. Rowen Rose
earrings. Lillian Shalom
opposite
leather trench coat. KULAKOVSKY
lace dress. SWIM BY DI
earrings. BRUNA
ring. LILLIAN SHALOM

I agree. I think there’s something for everyone in the show. Talking about storylines and plot twists, do you have a favourite storyline, besides Lauren’s?

I think Jack, who plays Yancy, has one of the most fun storylines. He has a dark past, he’s good at rodeoing, he meets this girl, and he’s dealing with criminals who want him dead. He has the widest array of things happening. We watched the show together as a cast, and every time Jack came on, we’d say, “You have the best stuff!” He has the coolest shots and opportunities. I think people will really connect with his storyline.

What would you want the audience to take away from the show?

In today’s world, some people just want a comfort TV. There’s a lot going on politically and globally, and I think people just want to relax and watch something chill and easy. We bring the heat in some parts, but I hope people find it comforting and entertaining. Our casting director called it “a warm cup of tea,” and I love that description. That’s what I hope people feel.

It really does feel like that — a comfort show with lots of storylines. The pilot did a great job of hooking the audience. I was so shocked when Randall died — it was like five minutes in!

Yes! Another thing is, I think we originally had more edge in the scripts, but with editing, they decided to chill it out a bit. That was probably intentional because Western shows right now are very hardcore. We wanted to be adjacent to that but offer something more comforting in tone.

You play alongside amazing actors like Josh Duhamel. Can you share lessons you learned from your co-stars?

Josh just has fun. During a big banquet dinner scene, between takes, he was rolling up bread balls and throwing them at people. He brings a fresh vibe to set. When things get heavy or redundant after 14 hours, he keeps it light. He’s incredibly natural and present as an actor. Minka is so sweet and down to earth. Her character shares a lot of those qualities. They bring a great contrast to the show. I met my best friends working on this. It was such a fun set.

We still have to see how the show is received, but in case it gets renewed, what are your hopes for Lauren?

I spoke with our showrunner, April. She said, “What are you going to do next year?” and I said, “I want Lauren to suffer.” [Laughs] Her arc this season has some harshness in her family life, but in her personal life, she coasts through a lot. Toward the end, things explode with her family and cross over into other storylines. The next season should be the fallout. I just want her to be challenged. I said, “Give me hard stuff.”

leather blazer with 3d print, trousers + leather shoes. KWK BY KAYKWOK
opposite
knit dress. GENNY
necklace. DEFAÏENCE
bracelets. Alexis Bittar

Talking about acting, who are some people you look up to?

I’m so bad at listing favourites. I always know when I’m not being asked. But I have to say, I love Timothée Chalamet. He’s just so great at what he does. As Gen Z, you have to love him — he’s breaking records, being compared to the best. He represents young actors hustling to get there. I have so much respect for him. I’ve always loved Viola Davis. She’s incredible. I’ve loved her since I was a kid, and that’s never changed. I’ll get back to you on the rest. [Laughs]

I love them both. I’m obsessed with How to Get Away with Murder. And Timothée, what can I say?

He’s breaking records. It’s easy to root for him.

What’s one of the greatest pieces of advice you’ve ever received?

Don’t take yourself too seriously. In this industry, it’s easy to get caught up — especially at a certain level where people do things for you and you get amazing opportunities. You can start to feel like you deserve these things, instead of being grateful. It’s a blessing to do this job. We don’t do nine to five. You can have an opportunity one day and then not work for eight months. Focus on the values you bring as a person. Keep friends and family close. Don’t neglect those relationships.

Let’s talk about life outside of acting. What would a perfect day look like for you?

I’d get a matcha, drive to Malibu, rent a wetsuit and a surfboard, and surf. Then I’d get a lobster roll at Broad Street, drive back home, paint, take a walk in my neighbourhood, have sushi for dinner, and go to bed early. That’s my best day.

That sounds amazing! It’s a bit like the book Malibu Rising. Have you heard of it?

I’ve heard of it, but I don’t read a ton of romance novels. I need to get better at that.

It’s set in Malibu. The main character, Nina, works at a restaurant that sells lobster rolls and she surfs! You should read it.

I should. I think I would align with her a lot.

My last question: What’s something you want to leave behind?

That’s such a meaningful question. I want to be careful with what I say. I hope I made whoever I was talking to happy. That’s all. I hope people know me as a warm person, someone they feel they could talk to anytime.

leather trench coat. KULAKOVSKY
earrings. BRUNA
opposite
lace bodysuit. BRIELLE
shark boots. FRANCESCA BELLAVITA
earrings. DEFAÏENCE

Ransom Canyon is now streaming on Netflix.

photography. Sarah Krick @ Exclusive Artists
fashion. Krisana Sotelo @ Art Department
talent. Lizzy Greene
casting. Alabama Blonde
hair. Lisa-Marie Powell @ Art Department using Oribe
make up. Elayna Bachman @ Tracey Mattingly Agency using Dior Beauty
creative production. Clara La Rosa
on-set production. Hyperion LA
photography assistant. Bryan Javier
fashion assistant. Allison Deery
hair assistant. Mallorie Gray
studio. Hype Studios LA
interview. Maja Bebber

mirror top. FROLOV
skirts. Rowen Rose
lace heel boots. Vero Cuoio
earrings + bracelet. IZABO
opposite
mirror top. FROLOV
earrings + bracelet. IZABO

Lizzy Greene has been ruling the acting world since she first burst onto our screens, and it was clear then that Greene had something special — a natural charisma and sharp comedic timing that made her a standout among her peers. But she wasn’t content to stay in one lane. 

Now, Greene is stepping into a new frontier — literally. In ‘Ransom Canyon‘, the romantic western drama based on Jodi Thomas’ beloved book series, she returns to her Texan roots as Lauren, a headstrong young woman caught between love, loyalty, and ambition. Set in the sweeping landscapes of Texas and following the intersecting lives of three ranching families, the series is both a nod to classic western storytelling and a fresh, modern take on romance, identity, and community. As Greene describes it, ‘Ransom Canyon’ feels “like a warm cup of tea, ”comforting and rich, yet filled with unexpected depth and drama.

Speaking with Schön!, Greene opens up about what drew her to the role of Lauren, how growing up in Texas helped her embody the spirit of the character, and how being on set — even while recovering from a knee injury — taught her resilience.

lace bodysuit. BRIELLE
earrings. DEFAÏENCE
opposite
mirror top. FROLOV
earrings + bracelet. IZABO

Lizzy, I’m super excited to talk to you! You worked with us about five years ago already.

I think I shot with you in 2020, yes!

So good to have you back! Why don’t we start by talking a little bit about where your acting career started? I know you started in theatre and were on Nickelodeon. Where did it all start, and how did you decide that you wanted to be an actress?

My whole life, growing up, I wanted to be a veterinarian. I was obsessed with animals. I just wanted to help animals. One day, my mom, on a whim, thought I had too much energy and put me into a local theatre program. From there, that became my new love and hoped-for profession. My biggest dream was then to be on Broadway. I just wanted to keep doing theatre and performing.

As is sometimes common with theatre, agents will come to scout for talent. Our little black box theatre in Plano, Texas, happened to have some agents come by. One of them met with my mom to discuss what they do. They ended up signing me. From there, I started doing self-tapes. I didn’t know what the point of them was. I remember the first self-tape I ever did — I was focused on a sound bar next to the camera, and every time I spoke loudly, the sound bar would go up. So in my audition, I was just focused on making the sound bar go up. It was ridiculous.

I ended up doing a pilot and a bit of print work for Frito-Lay, which is based in Texas — I didn’t realize that until then. Then I got the Nickelodeon show, and that became my new life. I thought, “Okay, I want to act. I want to do all this. I want to get good. I want to learn.” That’s the timeline of events from 10-year-old to 21-year-old me.

In ‘Ransom Canyon’, you play Lauren. The first impression I got of the show was that it’s such a cute, feel-good show, but it also has a lot of plot twists. When I first watched the pilot, I thought, “Okay, there are so many different plots that can turn into something.” The pilot is always meant to hook the viewer, and I think it did. How did you prepare for your role?

When I got the audition, everything about it just felt so right. I remember telling the people I was around at the time, “Oh, I love this.” It seemed so perfect for me. Granted, you still have to book it, so I thought, “I hope I can get it.” But if I got it, this would be my life. I found a lot of parallels. My mom used to cheer for UT. I grew up in Texas. I aligned with the belief and desire to go do bigger things outside of Texas. I love Texas so much. Everything about it felt familiar. I felt a lot of parallels to my own life.

There wasn’t a ton of preparation needed in that regard. But when we started production, the entire cast went through a month of cowboy camp. We were given our horses for the duration. We learned how to ride, wrangle, steer, lasso, groom, and feed horses — we did the whole nine yards. It wasn’t like, “You show up and ride a horse.” It was like, “This is your designated horse, and you’re going to care for them properly.”

For my storyline, I was also a cheerleader, so I did a lot of physical training for that. I stayed in the gym every day I wasn’t working. I hung out with the local Albuquerque cheer squad, cheered with them, and learned about the athletic side. Then I ended up breaking my knee doing that, so I had to get a stunt double for all my cheerleading. So, in the end, it didn’t even matter. But yeah, it was fun.

knit dress. GENNY
necklace. DEFAÏENCE
bracelets. Alexis Bittar
opposite
mirror top. FROLOV
skirts. Rowen Rose
lace heel boots. Vero Cuoio
earrings + bracelet. IZABO

That sounds so amazing. It was probably so cool to learn all these things about horses and being a cowboy. I know I’m very biased, but when I think of Texas, I think of cowboys. [Laughs]

Most people do. It’s okay. [Laughs] There’s a large area of Texas that really is all that — farms, horses, chickens. It has its city and commercialized areas, and then its rolling hills. I’d ridden horses growing up, but I never learned to care for them like we were taught.

You probably learned so many amazing things on set. What was one of the greatest challenges you faced while filming?

Breaking my knee was pretty annoying. I was on crutches for at least a month. Scenes where I was supposed to be walking or running ended up with me just being stationary or leaning against something. My apartment complex in New Mexico had only stairs, so I had to climb three stories every day. That was more of a physical challenge. I was adamant about getting my cheer routine down. I used to do gymnastics, so I had to learn a round-off back handspring back tuck. I eventually had it, but then I hurt myself and couldn’t do it. That kind of sucked.

I can imagine, but you still made the most out of it. Would you say you have any similarities to your character?

I think Lauren could do some things differently in her relationships. She could learn to be more communicative, as you see with her two boyfriends. But she has such a human drive, one you see in a lot of young women who feel meant for something bigger than the cards they’ve been dealt. Everything she does comes from a good place. She’s really headstrong in what she wants and what she believes she’s capable of. I’d love to have the confidence and trust she has in herself. That’s something I hope to be more like one day.

I like your character and her story. Even in the beginning, when I saw her boyfriend, I thought, “Why is she with someone like that?” and then she has this secret affair. [Laughs] You started in theatre, then Nickelodeon, and now ‘Ransom Canyon’. How would you say you’ve grown as an actress?

Nickelodeon was a crash course in the fundamentals, not so much in acting, but in the demands of being an actor. It was my first real job. I had to come in with lines memorized, hit marks, project, and stay disciplined. You’re on set nine hours a day, five days a week. That taught me a lot. Then on ‘A Million Little Things’, I focused on truly learning about acting itself. My castmates were great mentors and helped me transition from kids’ TV to more grounded performances. That was my acting school. Now with Ransom, I’ve never done anything truly in the young adult space. The show is multi-generational, and my storyline is the young adult one. There’s a level of sweetness and simplicity in young love, which is something new for me. There’s always new stuff to explore.

corset jacket with shoulder pads. Bent Kahina
lace top + skirt. Rowen Rose
earrings. Lillian Shalom
opposite
leather trench coat. KULAKOVSKY
lace dress. SWIM BY DI
earrings. BRUNA
ring. LILLIAN SHALOM

I agree. I think there’s something for everyone in the show. Talking about storylines and plot twists, do you have a favourite storyline, besides Lauren’s?

I think Jack, who plays Yancy, has one of the most fun storylines. He has a dark past, he’s good at rodeoing, he meets this girl, and he’s dealing with criminals who want him dead. He has the widest array of things happening. We watched the show together as a cast, and every time Jack came on, we’d say, “You have the best stuff!” He has the coolest shots and opportunities. I think people will really connect with his storyline.

What would you want the audience to take away from the show?

In today’s world, some people just want a comfort TV. There’s a lot going on politically and globally, and I think people just want to relax and watch something chill and easy. We bring the heat in some parts, but I hope people find it comforting and entertaining. Our casting director called it “a warm cup of tea,” and I love that description. That’s what I hope people feel.

It really does feel like that — a comfort show with lots of storylines. The pilot did a great job of hooking the audience. I was so shocked when Randall died — it was like five minutes in!

Yes! Another thing is, I think we originally had more edge in the scripts, but with editing, they decided to chill it out a bit. That was probably intentional because Western shows right now are very hardcore. We wanted to be adjacent to that but offer something more comforting in tone.

You play alongside amazing actors like Josh Duhamel. Can you share lessons you learned from your co-stars?

Josh just has fun. During a big banquet dinner scene, between takes, he was rolling up bread balls and throwing them at people. He brings a fresh vibe to set. When things get heavy or redundant after 14 hours, he keeps it light. He’s incredibly natural and present as an actor. Minka is so sweet and down to earth. Her character shares a lot of those qualities. They bring a great contrast to the show. I met my best friends working on this. It was such a fun set.

We still have to see how the show is received, but in case it gets renewed, what are your hopes for Lauren?

I spoke with our showrunner, April. She said, “What are you going to do next year?” and I said, “I want Lauren to suffer.” [Laughs] Her arc this season has some harshness in her family life, but in her personal life, she coasts through a lot. Toward the end, things explode with her family and cross over into other storylines. The next season should be the fallout. I just want her to be challenged. I said, “Give me hard stuff.”

leather blazer with 3d print, trousers + leather shoes. KWK BY KAYKWOK
opposite
knit dress. GENNY
necklace. DEFAÏENCE
bracelets. Alexis Bittar

Talking about acting, who are some people you look up to?

I’m so bad at listing favourites. I always know when I’m not being asked. But I have to say, I love Timothée Chalamet. He’s just so great at what he does. As Gen Z, you have to love him — he’s breaking records, being compared to the best. He represents young actors hustling to get there. I have so much respect for him. I’ve always loved Viola Davis. She’s incredible. I’ve loved her since I was a kid, and that’s never changed. I’ll get back to you on the rest. [Laughs]

I love them both. I’m obsessed with How to Get Away with Murder. And Timothée, what can I say?

He’s breaking records. It’s easy to root for him.

What’s one of the greatest pieces of advice you’ve ever received?

Don’t take yourself too seriously. In this industry, it’s easy to get caught up — especially at a certain level where people do things for you and you get amazing opportunities. You can start to feel like you deserve these things, instead of being grateful. It’s a blessing to do this job. We don’t do nine to five. You can have an opportunity one day and then not work for eight months. Focus on the values you bring as a person. Keep friends and family close. Don’t neglect those relationships.

Let’s talk about life outside of acting. What would a perfect day look like for you?

I’d get a matcha, drive to Malibu, rent a wetsuit and a surfboard, and surf. Then I’d get a lobster roll at Broad Street, drive back home, paint, take a walk in my neighbourhood, have sushi for dinner, and go to bed early. That’s my best day.

That sounds amazing! It’s a bit like the book Malibu Rising. Have you heard of it?

I’ve heard of it, but I don’t read a ton of romance novels. I need to get better at that.

It’s set in Malibu. The main character, Nina, works at a restaurant that sells lobster rolls and she surfs! You should read it.

I should. I think I would align with her a lot.

My last question: What’s something you want to leave behind?

That’s such a meaningful question. I want to be careful with what I say. I hope I made whoever I was talking to happy. That’s all. I hope people know me as a warm person, someone they feel they could talk to anytime.

leather trench coat. KULAKOVSKY
earrings. BRUNA
opposite
lace bodysuit. BRIELLE
shark boots. FRANCESCA BELLAVITA
earrings. DEFAÏENCE

Ransom Canyon is now streaming on Netflix.

photography. Sarah Krick @ Exclusive Artists
fashion. Krisana Sotelo @ Art Department
talent. Lizzy Greene
casting. Alabama Blonde
hair. Lisa-Marie Powell @ Art Department using Oribe
make up. Elayna Bachman @ Tracey Mattingly Agency using Dior Beauty
creative production. Clara La Rosa
on-set production. Hyperion LA
photography assistant. Bryan Javier
fashion assistant. Allison Deery
hair assistant. Mallorie Gray
studio. Hype Studios LA
interview. Maja Bebber