Photo Credit: Pooya Nabei
Veronica Long is an actress best known for her work on Billy the Kid (MGM/EPIX, Tom Blythe), The Wrong Paris (Netflix, Miranda Cosgrove) The Imperfects (Netflix), Charmed and Supernatural (The CW), and Guadalajara (Amazon Prime), along with numerous Hallmark and Lifetime films including Lights, Camera, Christmas! and Advice to Love By. A familiar face in national commercials for brands like Coca-Cola, Microsoft, and Amazon, Veronica is also the creator, writer, director, and star of the comedy mockumentary Vote for Janet. She currently lives in Vancouver and travels to Calgary for her recurring role on Billy the Kid. She grew up in Houston, Texas and is a Kinder HSPVA alum, YoungArts Winner, and University of Southern California graduate. Veronica plays Nora Esposito on BLUE SKIES.
Bello: “Blue Skies” blends mystery, action, and heart with the unique dynamic between a detective and her canine partner. What initially drew you to the role of Nora Esposito and what makes her stand out from other detectives audiences have seen on television?
Veronica: Well to begin, I already love any social justice-type roles. So I was drawn to the role from the jump! But from the first time I read Nora on the page, I was excited to play her. In my audition sides for her, she had this playful banter with her colleages one moment and then the next moment she was deeply invested in her job. That really resonated with me. I was drawn to the fact that she cared deeply about the seriousness of her job, but also still had a good sense of humor and wasn’t a jaded detective. I think audiences will also relate to her relationship struggles. It’s not easy to find love in a small town!
Bello: You’ve mentioned that Nora’s values and worldview feel very close to your own. In what ways do you see yourself reflected in her, and did that personal connection change the way you approached the role?
Veronica: We’re both deeply caring and empathetic towards people, animals, and the environment. She’s got my heart. We’re both very protective. She puts a lot of thought and care into every interaction she has. I do as well. Maybe sometimes I feel a little too deeply. And I think I’ve given Nora all these qualities too- whether I realized it or not! (Laughs) She treats her coworkers like family and shows up for them and gives big loving hugs. And with the suspects, she has the appropriate amount of skepticism but gives them respect until they give her reasons to doubt their honesty. Being so similar to Nora really helped me trust my instincts while playing her. That was a huge gift. Fun fact, the writers and showrunner had only written two episodes when we started shooting the first season so the character kind of evolved with me. And Nora was actually a much smaller part in the first couple of episodes. The role grew and expanded with every episode. The writers would come to set, see what me and my other cast mates were doing, and they would write for us and our personalities in a lot of ways. That was something I hadn’t experienced before. It was really cool to build a show and a character in tandem with the writers.
Bello: The show is set against the stunning backdrop of Crystal Ridge National Park. How did filming in that environment shape the tone of the series and your experience on set?
Veronica: It was stunning! I mean, being out in nature is so therapeutic. Standing in forests with these huge trees and surrounded by snowcapped mountains reminded me of how small I am in the best possible way. We all just felt so grateful to be there every day. Ben (one of our producers) and I would pass each other on set and just throw our hands in the air and exclaim “Another gorgeous day in the park!” It truly boosted morale so much to be surrounded by all that natural beauty. As cast, we would often opt out of taking the cast shuttles from the trailers to the set because walking in the fresh air was so nice!
Bello: Before transitioning into film and television, you performed in more than 25 plays and musicals. How did your theater background influence the way you approach on-camera acting today?
Veronica: Oh man, just thinking about theater brings a huge smile to my face. Theater is where you can really let loose. To me theater was always a little sanctuary where you can dress up with your friends, become anyone by slapping on a wig, and just have fun feeling all these deep emotions while belting your heart out to iconic music. So theater gave me this foundation of pure love for the craft of acting. I think I still bring a lot of that playful gratitude to the film set. And there were so many tools I learned in theater- resourcefulness, staying open to new possibilities, unleashing your creativity, and giving everything you’ve got in every performance- just to name a few.
Bello: After graduating from USC, you spent time doing improv with an all-Latinx troupe at Second City LA and UCB while building your career. What did those early years teach you about resilience and creativity as an actor?
Veronica: Resilience! I guess we did learn that through improv because we bombed our first couple of shows. (Laughs) Without exaggerating we got like two laughs during our first ten minute set. That was brutal. But no one died! Except our egos. Dead. But as an improv group we just kept practicing and getting better and better and then we started booking some monthly shows. So it really taught me that just like with anything, if you stick with it, you’re going to develop and get better. In terms of creativity, improv is truly one of the best exercises in creativity. It’s just you and the other performers and you’re building a whole world around you and creating relationships in real time. It’s wild! It’s incredible what the human mind can do when you just allow yourself the freedom to say yes and create. Improv teaches you to let go of any preconceived ideas and go with flow of what’s happening right in front of you. That was a monumental lesson to lean into as an actor because the molecules that are moving between you and the other person in real time are creating an electric moment that is far more interesting than anything you could have pre-planned.
Photos Credit: Pooya Nabei
Bello: You’ve worked across several very different projects, from “Billy the Kid” opposite Tom Blyth to the Netflix film “The Wrong Paris” with Miranda Cosgrove. What have those collaborations taught you about versatility as a performer?
Veronica: Playing in vastly different worlds excites me so much. Maybe it’s my ADHD, but I love versatility. I think my penchant for jumping into versatile roles probably confuses people. (Laughs) I think it’s hard for people to put me in a box, but that’s OK with me. I really like disappearing into roles that are different from each other. When I was growing up, doing theater, I always really drawn to characters that were either the comedic relief or were challenging in some way. I never wanted to play myself. My favorite thing was to put on a wig, a voice, or an accent — anything that required fully changing my voice and the way I move. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve learned to embrace who I am naturally and accept that that is interesting enough to watch. But my heart still loves to really dive into the mind and body of someone different than me. I remember doing this assignment in college where we had to go out on campus and pick someone in the distance and observe them. We were to write down everything we noticed about the way they moved and behaved and then we had to bring that person to life in class the next day. I guess that assignment sounds kinda creepy now that I say it out loud. (Laughs). But that type of thing — being curious about others and embodying them — has always been so interesting and fun for me.
Bello: You made the bold decision to move to Vancouver to pursue film and television opportunities. What was that transition like, and how did starting fresh in a new market shape your career path?
Veronica: It was a mixed bag! On the one hand, it was very exciting. I’ve always been a really happy-go-lucky, adventurous kind of person so in a lot of ways, the transition was fun. I also had the benefit of having that slightly delusional can-do spirit that comes along with being in your early twenties. So while the transition to a new life in a new country was difficult, it was also exciting. I say it was a mixed bag because simultaneously, I was also going through a really difficult break-up when I moved to Canada so there were a lot of rough days. I remember smiling and laughing with my guests at this restaurant I was serving at and then just bursting into tears when I left the restaurant. It’s also very rainy in Vancouver so the rain was poetically mixing with my tears. (Laughs) Oh the growing pains of being a human! As far as how moving to Vancouver may have shaped my career path, I think I would be doing a lot more comedy if I had stayed in LA. I probably would have stayed on my improv team and would be doing a lot more in the comedy sphere. There’s just not a lot of comedy filmed up in Vancouver. I definitely had to shift and rebrand a little bit up here. But I wouldn’t change my path. I’m so grateful for the jobs I’ve gotten here and the people I’ve met along the way. I think moving to Vancouver also allowed me to gain momentum and get a lot of experience on set which has translated to being really comfortable and confident on set. And that has been invaluable.
Bello: As a mixed-race actress with Mexican and white heritage, how has growing up between cultures influenced the stories you’re drawn to and the characters you want to portray?
Veronica: Okay this may be a strange answer, but it’s the truth! Growing up mixed race, I always felt a little on the outside everywhere I went. I felt like I was straddling two very different cultures and I found myself doing a lot of code-switching. When I was in Mexico with my Mexican family I spoke in Spanish mostly – trying to fit in with my funny Mexican cousins. Then in America, I was trying to fit in with my Texas classmates or with my dad’s side of the family that lives in Oklahoma. All these cultures were so beautiful and I love them all. But it was tricky to feel firmly rooted in one identity. I think that’s what drew me to theater. I already felt like I was going between these different parts of myself in real life so diving into characters felt like a natural exploration of even more parts of me. So I’m drawn to all types of characters and stories. I also saw a lot of racial injustice when I was growing up. So naturally, my heart is pulled to tell stories about fighting injustice. But I’m also really drawn to any story that’s uplifting or entertaining or funny. We can all use more comedy in our lives!
Bello: Outside of acting, you maintain a very active lifestyle with hiking, yoga, biking, and time outdoors. How do those practices help you stay grounded in such a fast-paced industry.
Veronica: Movement really is medicine. Even just a good walk is so grounding and good for mental health. It can feel like your never ending to-do list is the biggest priority until you step outside and realize that connecting with nature and friends and family is actually the priority and what gives life meaning. It’s good to work hard at your career, but it’s equally important to balance that by slowing down and connecting with nature and your body. We gotta go 90’s more often too! (Laughs) We need to get away from our phones! I encourage everyone to go outside without your phone. It’ll feel like a small vacation.
Bello: Looking ahead, what kinds of stories or roles would you love to explore next as your career continues to evolve?
Veronica: I’d love to explore a romantic or dramatic role. But ask me tomorrow and my answer will change! I’m really up for anything. As long as the company is good, sign me up!
FOLLOW Veronica: @vee.long
