When Lily Brooks O’Briant was cast as Ella McCaffrey in the Apple TV+ series Life by Ella, which premiered on September 2, it’s safe to say she was elated to nab the role. The series focuses on Ella as she returns to school after beating cancer. Now that she has a new outlook on life following her scary diagnosis, she’s ready to tune out any type of drama and focus on her happiness.
“While going through cancer she discovered you only have one chance to live life and now that she’s been given this second chance at living, she is not going to waste it being afraid of anything. She’s going to live her life the way she wants to live it,” the rising star exclusively tells GRAZIA USA of her character. “I was really intrigued by this story because I’m originally from Memphis, Tennessee, and I’m the youth ambassador for the St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, which is where the hospital is. I had a few friends who were treated there for childhood cancer. As soon as I read this story, I really connected with the character, and I knew this needed to be told.”
“I’m really grateful for the producers, showrunners and writers trusting me with this character and story,” she adds. “I’m really grateful that I have the opportunity to tell it.”
Since the show touched on harder topics, “there was a few times throughout filming the show where things were more emotional and a little harder to get into that headspace,” she admits. “But I had some amazing actors surrounding me, and they were so supportive throughout the entirety of filming.”
The blonde beauty also cut her hair for this project, which was a big deal. “I’ve had long hair pretty much my whole entire life, and it was definitely a big step for me,” she notes. “I’m really grateful that I did it because it helped me connect with my character and feel more like Ella.”
O’Briant first auditioned in May of 2021, but after meeting with Apple executives, she didn’t hear anything back for a while. “I was at Disneyland and I got a call from my mom saying they wanted to screencast me for the role of Ella. I was so, so, so excited and over the moon that I was being given this opportunity,” she recalls. “As soon as I saw my entire team on the call, I immediately started crying. They told me I booked the role, and it was such an emotional moment for because I love this story so much. I was so excited to get started!”
The whole experience was something O’Briant, 16, won’t forget. “I learned a lot from my character and what she’s gone through in the show,” she shares. “I also loved seeing her relationships with her family and friends grow. It was amazing to go on this journey with Ella.”
“It was such a dream come true,” she says of being cast in the series. “That’s one of the best parts about being an actor and working in this industry is when you’re done with your project and you get it out into the world and you can see how it affects other people,” she adds. “I’ve received so many sweet messages and DMs from family members, friends and family telling me how much the show means to them. We all worked so hard on this show, and we wanted to make sure it was being told accurately — and hearing that it really resonated with a lot of people is amazing.”
O’Briant believes it’s “important to share stories that aren’t being told all the time,” as she is now a role model for other kids. “To be able to share this story with others and to show them you can live life to the fullest no matter what is important,” she notes.
The actress made her on-screen debut when she was 8 years old in the horror feature Shark Lake. From there, she dabbled in theater, starring in Matilda as it toured the country. O’Briant has made several appearances in other notable television projects such as The Tick and Crash & Burn, and she’s only getting started.
“Every day I am like, ‘Wow, this is my life.’ I feel like something new is happening every day, and I’m getting to live my dream and getting to do what I love. Currently I am working on my own original music, in addition to a short film, which I wrote and directed,” she states. “Every single day there’s something new — not everyone gets to do that.”
Clearly, O’Briant is reaching for the stars, as she declares her “biggest dream” is to have a production company one day. “I want to be a director,” she says. “Also, music is something I’m incredibly passionate about. I’m doing my own short film to help guide me in that direction of becoming a director and producing one day. Those are my biggest goals, but I’m just taking it one day at a time.”
“I’ve always been interested in what goes on behind the scenes,” she continues. “Whenever I’m on set, I’m always talking to different department heads or producers to learn about what everyone does. So much goes into it, and I’m incredibly passionate about the industry and being in showbiz.”
O’Briant is ready to dive into all different kinds of genres moving forward. “I feel like I learn a lot from each one that I do, especially as an actor,” she admits. “I love doing anything dramatic and being able to tell these stories in an emotional way. I want to do more horror films. I want to be performing at all times — whether it’s acting, singing or on the stage. My job is so fulfilling.”
