Navigating Complex Roles with Chloe Guidry

Styled by Austin Nieser, Hair by Nancilee Santos, Makeup by Kindra Mann, Shot by Carly Jean Sharp, Lighting by Mike Anderson

In April, starlet Chloe Guidry (16) embarked on her first press tour for the mini-series Under the Bridge, which was released on Hulu last month. “A dream,” Chloe describes, being a part of the project. The series is based on the 2005 book “Under the Bridge” by Rebecca Godfrey. The crime/thriller depicts the homicide of teenager Reena Virk, highlighting the toxic teenage community in a small Canadian town in 1997. Chloe takes on an ambitious lead role as Josephine Baker, a neglected, angry, and combative teenager. Guidry gives an honest and sensitive portrayal that lends itself to the character—it is a depiction that conveys difficult realities that are modernly applicable to teens. However, as her performance heightens and grounds the important themes of the story, her clear message and hopeful audience interpretation further the impact and longevity of the story.

Chloe Guidry, a southern darling from a small town in Louisiana, started acting at age 6 after finding an affinity for show business through pageants. She has found herself in smaller roles and projects like Don’t Kill it (2016) and The Park (2023), so when it came to taking on a lead role in Under the Bridge, Chloe was dealing with a more intense atmosphere with the magnitude of working on a project based on a true story. “I haven’t done anything as big as this… We shot for seven months, and it was honestly such a growing period for me,” she explains. The character of Josephine was a leap in experience for her, yet she accepted it with grace. Specifically speaking on working opposite talent like Academy Award Nominee Lily Gladstone and Primetime Emmy Award Nominee Riley Keogh, she explains it offered her incredible exposure. “I have looked up to them for so long… working with them was a true honor,” she emphasizes. The impact of their onset chemistry was crucial. “They were so kind and so welcoming… I worked with Lily the first day I got there—She was my first rehearsal, and my last scene, it was really touching… you just feel that click when you’re doing a scene, and it was definitely there.” Riley Keogh and Lily Gladstone's on-screen presence brought seriousness as well as excitement to the story that was imperative for audience attention, and equal to their exhilarating performances was the collection of young actors and actresses who brought an at times overwhelming sense of immersion. For Chloe, the presence of similarly aged actresses and actors, like Euphoria audience favorite Javon Walton (17), familiarly known for portraying Ashtray, was vital. “I find it really important, and I loved it. We all had light-hearted moments, and that was important because we were working on such a deep project,” she continues. “It was needed to have that support you could lean on… I felt it created a more realistic connection.” The presence of such capable performers and honest performances acted in increasing the authenticity that made Chloe’s performance as memorable and effective as it was. She shows her gratitude to her co-stars and the opportunity to take on the role, saying, “I learned so much from every angle there was with this show… I hope that I can do more shows like this.”

When discussing the personal challenges of the portrayal, Chloe explained, “I always love to do deeper roles,” and when it came to Josephine's character, “it definitely checked many of my boxes… I really loved it, and I was like, I have to do it.” The complexity and challenge of the character were not lost on Chloe; she conveyed the importance of fairly portraying a character like hers. “I really wanted to dive into all the layers that she had… it was deep for me, and I wanted to look into that.” In asking about any hesitancy dealing with the severity of the story and the intensity of Josephine’s character, Chloe answered, “When I first got her [Josephine], I was kind of nervous; you want to do everything right. You want to honor the Virk family as best you can,” and with Josephine, Chloe explained, “I realized you have to make it your own… you have to put your own past experiences into theirs, and I wanted to live in Josephine’s shoes… feel everything that she was feeling to give the best performance I could.” Yet Chloe also conveyed the importance of telling Reena Virk's story as well with the intention of “just wanting to give all the justice to Reena Virk”. This compassionate approach and mindset is seen in Guidry’s mature performance— it brings about a balance between a hard-edge and out-to-be completely immoral teenager with the humanity and realistic adolescent qualities necessary for a young girl. This empathy Chloe utilizes was just as important for the role's success as it is for the viewer in understanding the complexity of the story.

Chloe’s ethic and ambition speaks for itself as she fills the role of Josephine—with a talent and projection that normally requires years of experience; it speaks to a maturity beyond her years— she accounts for the intricacy of girlhood, especially through the difficult lense of neglect and abuse. “She [Josephine] was just a little girl who really wanted love and belonging.” When talking with her about hopes for the show's reception, specifically for the younger audience, Chloe was adamant on collective activism and the universality of experience, “it’s hard being a teenager,” she explains—and when it comes to bullying, “your actions have consequences. Your words have consequences, and they do affect people. We need to be there for people that are experiencing this and provide them support… because [in one way or another] everybody goes through it at one point.” She calls for audiences to “confront themselves, reflect on themselves” hoping they sit with the severity of the story, and once again she emphasizes the need for kindness and compassion. Chloe displayed an innate tact and a responsibility to justice that is fit for serious roles, as she shares her hopes of continuing to work on projects similar to Under the Bridge. 

With this achievement as well as her evident natural talent, Chloe Guidry promises fresh and honest performances for future audiences, as she continues forward. For her, she is still growing into her career, and working on this project only furthered her desire and initiative. “I found being on set was my place, honestly, and I hope I can do it forever.” When asking her about future projects, she remained composed simply offering, “Pretty fun things coming. I can’t say it now, but I’m really excited.” There is no doubt that Chloe will continue with the same fervor and willingness for this work that she displayed in Under the Bridge and will continue to be an impressive and clear voice for her generation.