Popular Girl: Chelsea Frei

Meet Chelsea Frei! She stars on YouTube Premium’s comedy series SIDESWIPED. We are obsessed with the series and we’re so excited we got a chance to catch up with Chelsea and ask her some of our exclusive questions.

Tell us about your show SIDESWIPPED, and your character, Jayne?

Sideswiped is a new original comedy series about dating in today’s digital society – it touches on both romantic and familial relationships. In the show, Olivia (played by the immensely talented Carly Craig), is frustrated with her single life on her 30th birthday and decides to get on Tinder. I play Olivia’s younger sister, Jayne, who is experiencing the seven year itch in her marriage and is VERY encouraging of Olivia joining Tinder. Mary (played by the amazing Rosanna Arquette), plays our mom who is recently widowed and also online dating. The dates they both go on are charming, awkward, and at times romantic. I think it’s super relatable, particularly to anyone who has been on a dating app, but really for anyone who has dated/tried dating in general!

In what ways are you and your character, Jayne, similar? In what ways are you different?

One of the first things I noticed when reading Carly Craig’s amazing script was how easy it was to talk as Jayne. I think that is in part because of Carly’s phenomenal writing of fully fleshed out characters, but also because Jayne and I both talk with a weird and quirky optimism. I find that the way she deals with obstacles in her life and things that give her anxiety are very similar to how I deal with issues in my own life. We are definitely different in the fact that I am neither a wife nor mother. Playing Jayne has given me immense respect for mothers, particularly young mothers. I feel so lucky to play her.

What is your favorite scene or episode? Why?

Definitely the dinner party scene in episode 7! It’s where Jayne is having a bit of an internal crisis in terms of what she wants in her life/marriage, and she basically takes all these confusing thoughts and feelings out on the unsuspecting guests at her own dinner party. It was so fun to play, because there are such weird tensions happening between different people at the dinner party.

Dream concert ticket (any band, any decade)?

Alabama Shakes!!

Favorite Artist?

I am continuously in awe of Kristen Wiig. She’s really the reason I got into comedy. I grew up watching her on SNL. When I as in college I did a lot of Shakespeare, and I remember a man in one of my shows saying to me that he didn’t think woman could play clowns in theater, because it wasn’t “aesthetically pleasing” to him (he said this to me while dressed women’s clothes, he was playing a female character in our production). I think Kristen Wiig completely defies that type of thinking, and I try to do the same in my own work.

Karaoke Anthem?

Come on Eilleen, it will always be a crowd pleaser.

Favorite Movie?

Bridesmaids (I told you, Kristen Wiig is LIFE)

Favorite snack?

Anything that leaves some sort of residue on my fingers (I.E. Cheetos, BBQ Chips)

TV addiction?

The Handmaids Tale, it’s so incredible, but it’s also so intense that I usually need an episode of The Office afterwards.

Last fashion item purchased?

I just got boxing gloves does that count?

Three people—dead or alive, real or fictional—that you’d like to invite to dinner?

Ugh I’m so lame but my mom, my dad, and my sister. They live on the east coast and they are my favorite people!

Do you have a party trick?

I can find where the snacks are at a party within seconds of walking in the door. If there are no snacks, I leave.

Tell us a secret?

I literally can only think of other people’s secrets right now and I think they’d be mad at me if I put them here!

What does popular mean to you?

For so long I thought the secret to being popular was being like other people who seemed cool (particularly in high school). Now I think being popular is being yourself and knowing who you are. That’s the coolest thing ever.

Can you tell us about any shows or projects you have coming up?

I’m in post-production for a short film I wrote and star in, that I’m really excited about! Besides that I’m still making sketches with my sketch comedy group, The Focus Group, in Los Angeles.