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Miami Living: What is it like working in the acting and filmmaking industries as a non-binary, genderfluid, and pansexual person? What kind of challenges do you face, and how do you overcome them? Paulina Lule: I think there is a misconception that Hollywood is this super progressive industry when in fact it is very reflective of our society in that it has a ways to go. On the one hand, we are seeing more gender non-conforming, non-binary, and trans representation in lead roles than ever (e.g. Emma Darcy in House of the Dragon, Bella Ramsey in The Last of Us, Nava Mau in Baby Reindeer, and so on), and I am so grateful for the opportunity to join those ranks and pave the way. On the other hand, in the day-to-day work of it all, I am often the first non-binary person someone has encountered (that they are aware of), and they often have a lot of questions or need guidance and grace as they adjust to a new way of thinking. As far as we’ve come in awareness, there is still a lot of responsibility on myself and those like me to educate and in some cases defend my identity, which is taxing. Still, I am so grateful that in my experience on Emperor of Ocean Park, I met so many advocates in my fellow cast mates, our showrunner Sherman Payne, and our executive producers and directors. They truly set the tone for creating an inclusive environment on set. Miami Living: What advice do you have to give to aspiring actors and filmmakers in the LGBTQ+ community? Paulina Lule: I would say again, don’t be fooled by how progressive our industry appears to be. The politics and values of the individuals that make up Hollywood are as varied as they are in the world around us. There are beautiful people and you can make beautiful art and connections and friendships, but you can just as likely run into people who want nothing to do with you based on who you are. That said, I’ve sort of developed a scale for myself that helps me stay sane. In work (and in life, honestly), you are going to be met with four different types of people: 1) people who reject you based on your identity, 2) people who merely tolerate your presence, 3) people who accept you when you’re around, but nothing much more, and 4) people who advocate for you always. You may not always get to choose to be around people who fit in bucket number 4. You find yourself working on set with someone who falls in bucket number 1. You may find that over the course of doing a show, someone who falls in bucket number 2 at the beginning, ends up in bucket number 4 by the time you wrap filming. Either way, I always base how much of myself to give on which bucket the person I’m with falls into. If I’m forced to work with someone who rejects and disrespects me, I act accordingly. The people in my inner circle (personally and professionally) had better be advocates, or they are out of the inner circle. And most importantly, which is the hardest to do, I constantly ask myself “Am I falling in my own advocate bucket in this situation? In this decision? In this indecision?” You must first and foremost learn to be your own advocate, which can be hard when you are chasing after something so difficult to achieve. Miami Living: As an actor, filmmaker, and conservationist, what does your future look like? There are studies that show that one of the most effective defenses to climate anxiety (anxiety induced by climate change), is community-building. As someone who highly values the conservation of our wildlife and environment, I continue to build awareness of environmental issues faced by my local community in Milwaukee, WI. As a filmmaker, I am currently working on a proof of concept for my feature film Sherman Park. It is a zombie horror film allegory about how people re-entering society from incarceration are treated, and the obstacles they face in leading a “good life.” As an actor, I hope that people watch and enjoy “Emperor of Ocean Park”, and that I am able to play Kimmer again in a season 2! You can watch “Emperor of Ocean Park” every Sunday on MGM+. Follow @paulinnium on Instagram to stay up to date.