**CONG TRI** dress, **HAIKI** shoes, and **APM** **MONACO** jewelry.
For decades, the series _The Baby-Sitters Club_ has provided young women and teens an outlet of empowerment, as fans coalesce over the intricacies of modern day misogyny, prejudices, and general growing pains. Netflix unveils a fresh new take on the popular series today, which continues its progressive legacy. The series is sure to make a dent in the media sphere, and perhaps warm some hearts along the way.
We spoke with Shay Rudolph, who plays 13-year-old Stacey McGill, about the new series, animal rights, and the importance of having a voice on social media to impart change and justice.
**What was your preparation for the role like? Did you grow up reading The Baby-sitter's Club books?**
I read the books in the fourth grade since the graphic novels were all the rage at my elementary school’s Scholastic Book Fairs!
Prepping for the role of Stacey was so much fun!! I binge-read as many of the BSC books as I could get my hands on while my mom and I drove up to Canada for filming. I had lots of free time in the car so it was the perfect opportunity to soak up as much info about Stacey as I could. I also really wanted to portray Stacey’s Type 1 Diabetes as accurately as possible, so I interviewed some teens with juvenile Type 1 Diabetes. I asked them what it felt like when their blood \[sugar\] is low or high and what it’s like living with an insulin pump and the stigma of that if there is any for them. This process really helped me connect with Stacey and understand her better.
**What is your favorite aspect of your character you play, Stacey McGill? And what did you find challenging about her character to portray?**
Stacey is super independent and she’s able to take care of herself in so many ways while dealing with her diabetes every day. The main thing I love about her is that she’s such a warm and loving friend. She’s been betrayed by friends before, but it doesn’t stop her from seeking deep connections with the girls in the club.
To be honest, there really isn’t much that I found challenging about portraying Stacey. I mean – she has impeccable style and is fantastic in math. Gotta love that combo!
**Were you originally drawn to another character in the book?**
Reading the books, I found a lot of myself in each of the girls! That’s the great thing about the Baby-Sitters Club, everyone can relate to at least one character in the stories! I find myself as bit more of a Claudia with a Dawn rising and a Stacey moon if we want to get super technical.
**How did you get into acting and what is your favorite thing about it?**
After doing years of musical theatre from a really young age, I got into acting when I was 10 by starting to take local acting classes. I signed with an agent and manager, then I started going on a LOT of auditions and working really hard to book roles. I love the whole process of becoming different characters. I love doing the research beforehand, being on set and truly becoming that person. It’s crazy how much you learn about yourself by playing someone else!!
**CONG TRI** dress, **HAIKI** shoes, and **APM** **MONACO** jewelry.
**Outside of acting, what other ambitions and interests do you have?**
I’m really into music! I’ve been playing the piano since I was 7 and I started the guitar early this year. It’s funny because my family isn’t musically inclined at all, but somehow, I naturally gravitated towards it. I also LOVE watercolor painting and writing poetry.
I’m more and more interested in writing and one day producing films. I’ve put this time at home to really good use by diving into watching a lot of films and trying to break apart the creative process of the directors. I binge watched all of Wes Anderson’s movies and I’m completely OBSESSED with him!
**Given your age and platform, and the weight that social media has, how do you think is the best way to navigate voicing your opinion in our current climate?**
Social media can be really intimidating and overwhelming for sure, although I do think there are so many amazing sides to it! Social media allows us to be exposed to so much great information and it’s given me access to really influential people whose opinions I’m interested in hearing about. What I do love about social media is that if you don’t have strong opinions about something yet, you’re able to look at both sides of the story and feel out which one you morally align yourself with! I always say to arm yourself with knowledge FIRST and then state your opinion. I think social media has given my generation confidence in speaking our truths.
**An early review I saw said that the new series celebrates the best qualities of your generation. In your opinion, what do you feel are the best qualities of your generation? And what hope do you have for the future?**
I think that my generation is awesome!! We definitely know how to take things into our own hands and make the changes that we desperately want to see. My generation is so loving, accepting, and honestly really powerful. We are the generation that has been pushed into a social world at such young ages and we’ve never NOT been surrounded by information and opinions. While it can be overwhelming, it also allows us to form strong opinions of our own in our early teen years!! We are able to reflect on the hardships that older generations have gone through while making shifts about things that WE care about that they may not. We don’t fear people with lots of power which is a really admirable trait. Just you wait until we are all in our 20s and 30s and we are the ones with the power!!!!
**One of the central tenets of The Baby-Sitters Club is kindness and watching the show gives you hope, which is so needed right now. What are your views on humankind and our capacity for generosity and goodwill, especially in light of everything going on?**
Girl empowerment is such a strong take away from this show and the most amazing part is that despite what each girl goes through, they have their deep friendship to lean on. I love that we are able to show the natural ups and downs that most friends go through especially while living with normal things like divorce, moving across the country, living with a secret, cyberbullying and crushes. Stacey reveals her diabetes to her friends after a little while living with the secret (and being dropped by past friends because of it) only to find out that the girls love her no matter what. It’s SO important to show our generation that being true to yourself DOES have good rewards. Knowing that someone has your back is priceless.
**You have been a vegetarian since age 11. Was that a personal choice? What motivated you to do so? And what tips would you have to others who are thinking about becoming vegetarian or vegan?**
Yes, it was a personal choice! I started thinking so much about how what I was eating was once living and breathing. It made me really upset to think about how that animal's life had been taken away just for us to consume them. Once I started thinking about that, it became so difficult to eat any more meat. So, I became a vegetarian. I quickly learned that plant-based diets have so many beneficial impacts for our Earth and that made me even happier about my diet change. My main tip is to find plant-based foods that taste really good and there are SO many to choose from these days! It can be weird at first to go from real chicken nuggets to tofu ones. If you find recipes for vegan cupcakes or brands of dairy alternatives that you really like while you have not fully gone plant-based yet, it makes the transition a lot smoother.
**Any quarantine hobbies you've picked up?**
Yes!! I taught myself how to embroider after wanting to learn for months and Quarantine was the perfect opportunity to learn a fun, new craft. Embroidery got so addictive that I ended up embroidering little flowers on all of my socks!!
**How have you been keeping healthy during these times?**
Staying inside for more than 24 hours at a time can make your brain feel really foggy. I’ve been trying to do as much as possible to keep my mental health in check and have a good attitude about life! I try to hop on my bike and ride around the neighborhood as much as I can to get outside in the fresh air (with a mask on, of course!). I have picnics outside in my backyard a couple times a week. I FaceTime with my friends to stay connected. Momona (she plays Claudia in the BSC) and I have virtual sleepovers a lot and we stay up really late and then wake up and make pancakes together via FaceTime! Also, of course, staying home which is doing my part to help flatten the curve and keep myself, and others, safe!
**What's on your current playlist?**
Here is an actual list of songs on one of my playlists!
“Brazil” by Declan McKenna
“Mariposa” by Peach Tree Rascals
“Lovers Rock” by TV Girl
“Ain’t Together” by King Princess
“Down the Line” by Beach Fossils
“Cigarette Daydreams” by Cage the Elephant
“Left Side” by Eloise
“Pancakes for Dinner” by Lizzy McAlpine
**Photographer: Emily Sandifer**
**Stylist: Amanda Lim @itsamandalim**
**Hair & Makeup: Aaron Paul at Exclusive Artists using Hourglass Cosmetics**
**Photo assistant: Marci Manklow**
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