Interview by Carol Wright | Photographer: Jesse Volk | Hair/Makeup: Emma Croft | Styling: Tracy Shapoff

The latest installment in the Star Wars television universe, described as E.T. meets The Goonies, has already been met with enthusiasm. We chatted with Kyriana Kratter, who plays KB, one of the four adventurous kids who ends up a little too far from home. Kratter talked to NYOTA about developing her character, bonding with her cast mates, and working with Jude Law.

You started acting at a young age. Did your parents first notice your interest in performing, or did you push them to allow you to act?

When I was younger, my mom signed me up for different classes with the hope I would find something I really loved. One of those classes was a theater summer camp. It was nerve- wracking and exhilarating, auditioning the first day in front of everyone. I became friends with kids of all different ages and we had such a great time. We would play games during break, share snacks, and practice our scenes together. Later, I remember passionately telling my parents how much I loved these camps. It wasn’t because of the free pizza either. I loved performing on stage, dressing up as someone completely different, and meeting people who loved the same thing as me. They encouraged my passion, but we never expected that I would end up in Hollywood.

What initially drew you to Star Wars: Skeleton Crew and made you want to audition?

Initially, I didn’t even know that I was auditioning for Star Wars. I knew it was a big project but not that it was my childhood dream franchise. I had completed so many auditions that I didn’t think too much about what the project could be. I concentrated on creating the character and doing my best in the scenes they gave me. I was stunned when I got the part and found out it was a Star Wars project.

Your character, KB, is not an average girl, as she has been augmented with cybernetic implants. What was your process for developing the character?

It was super fun developing her character! Some of the research I did was to watch Gemma Chan in Humans, Robot & Frank, WALL-E, A.I. Artificial Intelligence. My mom watched Westworld and took notes. I borrowed elements from other Star Wars characters like C3PO, R2D2, and Chewbacca. I didn’t know whether they wanted my character to be robotic or a normal girl. It was such a mystery so I ended up doing two takes. In one take she is super robotic and stiff and in the other, she’s more of a normal girl but with some robotic movements. 

I studied the script to create as many real connections as possible between me and my character. KB became real to me even just in the first audition that I did. I’ve always had a strong vision for her where she would be a smart girl but also powerful, consistent, and slightly robotic with her movements. I gave her a strong signature stance, almost like the Terminator, where she is straight and her legs and arms are strong. I also did a lot more exercising while I was filming to maintain her calm and quiet demeanor.

Being part of the world of Star Wars is a dream for many actors. How did it feel when you were able to put on your full costume and step onto the set for the first time?

It was so amazing! When we were filming, it took anywhere between an hour to two hours to create her look. I remember seeing myself in my dressing room mirror in my full costume for the first time and feeling super cool. Every morning, the minute my wig was put on, I immediately transformed into KB. Some people on set didn’t even recognize the “Kyriana me” because they only saw the “KB me.”

Many Star Wars films and television shows deal with characters we’ve seen throughout the years, but Skeleton Crew introduces audiences to an entirely new batch of adventurers. Were you and your castmates surprised by some of the situations your characters find themselves in?

My castmates and I weren’t too surprised because when you put four totally different kids together, just anything can happen and that’s the fun of it!

What did you and your co-stars Ryan Kiera Armstrong, Ravi Cabot-Conyers, and Robert Timothy Smith do to bond off-set to be able to show an authentic bond on screen?

Before we started filming, we went bowling, played Roblox, watched movies, got frozen yogurt and played on the Nintendo. We also went running together. We did so much together and I love each one of them so much!

Jude Law plays Jod Na Nawood, the only adult amongst this band of lost children. Did you learn a lot from working with him?

I learned how to be a better collaborator on set. He did such a good job, always keeping a positive attitude. He also worked really well with the directors. It was so cool to see how he talked to all of them. He had a lot of input on how to do the scenes, but he was so respectful and he did it in a way where it was always more a question than anything else. He was so polite that all the directors were always open to his ideas. I was really impressed by that.

What advice do you have for aspiring actors?

I would say to keep going. There is so much rejection when you are auditioning that sometimes it feels like it is easier to just quit. But if you quit, you never know if the role that is right for you would have been in the next audition! It might sound corny but it’s super important to keep an open mind and keep following your dreams. When you do an audition, think of it as a performance you do just for one or two people and you give it your all. Then when you’re done with it, forget about it unless you get a callback!