Interview by Carol Wright | Photographer: Brandon Hart Photography
We got to catch up with actor Praneet Akilla and talk about his latest role, playing Gil Bobbsey in the CW’s Nancy Drew.
You became interested in acting after watching a Bollywood movie in theatres. Have you watched any good Bollywood movies lately?
I just saw Zoya Ahktar’s Gully Boy. It’s about an aspiring rapper trying to get out of the slums in Mumbai and make a name for himself. It was incredible, I highly recommend it!
Tell us a bit about your character Gil Bobbsey in Nancy Drew. What about the character interested you?
I play Gil Bobbsey – one-half of the iconic Bobbsey Twins from the expanded Nancy Drew universe and Nancy’s love interest in season 2. He is a charismatic wise-ass with street smarts from growing up poor on the wrong side of the tracks. He does odd jobs and pulls off petty crimes with his sister to make ends meet- through which he obtains an item of interest that Nancy needs. He and his sister Amanda Bobbsey then get intertwined into some of the main mysteries of the season- helping the Drew crew solve cases. I was drawn to the character because he has a mysterious past and some dark traits he’s hiding. Those are the characters I find fascinating- the ones who keep their cards close to the chest where you never know whose side they’re truly on. The writers keep surprising me with him, so the constant subverted expectations with Gil are what interests me about the role.
Gil Bobbsey was in over 100 novels over time. Did you read some of the books to prepare for the role?
I was a big fan of the Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys books as a kid. They were some of my first pieces of literature that I grew up reading but wasn’t too familiar with the Bobbsey Twin books. While auditioning for the part I researched the Bobbsey Twin books to get a background for how they tie into the Nancy Drew universe. However since the TV characters are departures from their original iterations, I mainly focused on what the wonderful team of writers gave me on the script. I prepared by using the clues in the text and developing an arc for Gil that way instead. I really had no choice but to make the character my own. The Bobbsey twins were only really being retained in name, but other than that, the television iteration of these characters is vastly different from the books. For starters, they were caucasian in the books and they are south Asian on the show. They’re also much darker and have a sordid past to come to terms with. The writers and directors we work with give us the flexibility to play and make choices on set, so I’m having a ton of fun taking ownership of Gil’s character arc.
Nancy Drew is a beloved book series. How does it feel to be a part of the Nancy Drew universe?
I’m over the moon that I get to work with this incredible cast and crew creating this show that is so timeless and beloved by so many people. I grew up reading these novels so it’s very surreal that I get to inhabit a Bobbsey Twin and make him my own. The story trope of detectives solving a mystery has always been obsessed over by so many, so it’s exciting to be a part of those stories set in that universe.
Can you give fans of the show a glimpse of what they can expect in season 2?
They can expect a lot of the same fantastic writing and character development that made season 1 of Nancy Drew so special. You can expect a lot more monsters and a heightened take on the supernatural element of the show. You can expect some new recurring characters from the Nancy Drew canon- particularly from the Stratemeyer Syndicate like the Bobbsey Twins. Plus- there will be more stand-alone episodes with mystery-solving from the Drew Crew exploring various themes such as Mental Health. It’s going to be a wild ride with every episode getting better and better!
What advice do you have for aspiring actors?
It’s an incredibly tough business and so much is out of your control. Don’t take anything personally if you don’t get a role. Control your controllable’s which are: health, training, networking, and promoting yourself and your content. The rest will take care of itself. Don’t put all your eggs in the auditioning basket.
Check out Praneet’s interview from issue 19 here.