As Natalie, a dedicated spokeswoman for the shadowy Lemon industry on “retirement,” Sydney Cole Alexander has a tough morning routine. It starts with that tightly coiled updo.
Ben Stiller, one of the executive producers of Apple TV+ dramas, “has a reputation for being extremely particular about her hair,” says Alexander. After she was cast in the series, she sat on a camera test, following workers signing up for steps to diverge their personal and professional lives. Stiller asked her to reuse the freeze-dried smile that she flashed in a Crest commercial that she had booked the same day as “retirement,” and she encouraged him to place Natalie, the “conduit to God.”
“Every curl in my head was curled,” recalls Alexander. “And I thought it was just so Loomón. It would take forever. I think I thought: What is this woman's morning like?
In Season 2, which held its finale on Friday, the façade glides instantly as Natalie is the chief of the Black division and true follower of Lemont, Seth Milkick, presents the “comprehensive” painting from a tone's deaf board. “I felt a bit of sympathy for Milchick, and I think it would be horrible for her,” said interracial Alexander. “Because this is her award, she's not sympathetic, so she's so good at her job.”
In this month's video interview from a Brooklyn apartment, Alexander opened up about another dream role, the Jim Carrey film she choked up, her incurable sweet teeth and more. These are excerpts from our conversation.
Vintage shopping
As a teenager in New York City, social activities were not related to Beacon's closet or related. I started offering vintage items to my apartment. There is something so much fun about the story of an item, something can last for centuries rather than decades.
Fitness
My first job was at the front desk at Equinox. I have been working in fitness for a long time – I still teach cycling in a private gym. It's very grounded and not about burning calories, it's about just being in your body.
Rembrandt's “The Man in the Turban”
Have you heard of the museum scene from “Ferrisbuhler's Holiday”? Cameron stares at the picture, getting closer to just pixels. And he has this look on his face. There was one of those moments. I like to go to the Met and walk around, and I see this picture. This man's face was very touched upon by an expression of melancholy.
“Tasty Children's Drama” by Alice Miller
My therapist said it was originally titled “Childhood Prisoners,” but that was too much. It's a great book on moving forward and growing psychology.
Treatment
In addition to being an actor, my goal in life is to take responsibility as much as possible. I started going to treatment when I was 19 or 20 years old. I woke up at 6am, got on Metro North, met my therapist at 8am, and reached class at 10am.
“The Truman Show”
It's this incredible story of someone who's fed and lied to reality, but against all the odds, they want to wake up and see reality about what it is. I'm crying thinking about it. It's the most frightening thing to be struggling with your own reality, especially if you grew up in a way that is distorted.
Tolstoy of tape
I was a growing bad student. I wanted to go to acting class. I didn't want to go to academics. So I started listening to some classic books, and now I'm educating myself later in life by listening to “Anna Karenina.” It's a little late, but it's better than being late!
“Danny and the Deep Blue Sea”
It's this beautiful, emotionally violent play about these two characters you meet at the bar, and they're both really ruined and filled with trauma, and they try to go home together to love each other. Playing Roberta is a dream for me. In the park, even if I have to do it myself.
My cat
Over the course of the pandemic, I have adopted three abandoned cats. The other two Cleo and Pipsqueak were so attached that it was clear that they would not separate. They drool me with poor sloshing on them and they run to the door. I'm a cat and dog person now.
Milk dinner
Petty's pie. Donut Factory. Levine. If you can live from baked goods, you will. I sometimes have what I call a milk dinner. There I just have a lot of milk – because that's the great thing about being an adult, you can eat milk and cookies for dinner – but I stopped eating the whole pie because I get a stomachache.
