Rachel Kylian Is No Longer Under The Radar

The actress is ready to expand her resume 

French American actress Rachel Kylian may be new to viewers of the Apple TV  dark comedy, Physical, starring Rose Byrne, but she’s an industry veteran with multiple credits to her name. These TV and film credits include Lifetime’s The Wrong Man, Universal’s comedy Almost Christmas, Michael Angelo Covino’s The Climb, sci-fi film The Interpreters, and the CBS reboot of MacGyver. Directed by Stephanie Laing (I, Tanya) ,Physical follows an 80’s housewife, Sheila (Rose Byrne) who discovers her love for aerobics and a way to merge this newfound passion with the burgeoning technology of videotape to start a revolutionary business.  Kylian portrays a character who idolizes Sheila. 

For Kylian, acting is more than a job: it’s a passion. Born in the South of France, Kylian moved to Hollywood in 2010 to pursue it. Outside of acting, Kylian does voiceover work, most recently being heard as the French voice behind the app Fitbit and on various TV and film productions such as Colin Trevorrow’s Jurassic World: Dominion, The Affair, Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders, and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.  She also wrote, acted and produced her first film for Glasscore Entertainment titled It’s Time. 

On a recent Monday afternoon, Kylian chatted with Rival Magazine LA to discuss co-starring in Physical, her journey in the business, and her love of writing. 

You’re co-starring in the Apple TV dark comedy Physical alongside actress Rose Byrne. What has working with her been like ? 

I’m co-starring on episode 9 (airs Friday, July 30 on Apple TV)  of Physical , the new Apple TV show starring Rose Byrne. My co-stars in the episode are Della Saba who played “Bunny” and Lou Taylor Pucci who played “Tyler.” I played “Lois” , an aerobics enthusiast and a fan of “Sheila” , played by Rose Byrne. My character is actually looking for “Sheila” in the episode. Hopefully, there is a season 2 and Lois gets to meet her idol.

You grew up in France during the 90’s and had to go back to the 80’s in the US for Physical. What did you love about that time period while working on the show?

I am a huge fan of aerobics. I used to do Jane Fonda’s workout when I was younger. My mother had her videos. I love to work period pieces and immerse myself in another era. I was excited to work on Physical  for the fashion, the hair,  and the music.

 Physical deals with an issue that so many women can relate to: finding their passion and themselves in the midst of life and other obligations. What have you learned about your own journey of finding your passion while working on the show? 

Acting is my passion, so it was great to get back to set after the pandemic. Staying in shape during the pandemic was a challenge , since the gyms were closed and I am a foodie. But once I booked the TV show and realized what my role was , I had a strong desire to fit in my costume , so I worked out. 

Physical is a female centered story that humanizes the struggles that women go through, one of many that are being written now. Do you think that this trend will continue? 

Many women have to deal with physical appearance issues, eating disorder issues, self-esteem issues. I think a lot of women will relate to Sheila and I loved that it’s a show created by a woman, and I hope there are many shows that will continue that trend of female centered stories. It’s a very interesting POV and now that all the platforms are looking for content, it’s time for women to rise and tell our stories. 

 You recently wrote, acted, and produced your first short film, a comedy titled “It’s Time”, with Glass-core Entertainment. What inspired you to write scripts and what is the comedy about? 

I have always loved writing, since I was young. I moved to Hollywood and have been focused on acting, but the pandemic provided me with a great time to write again. I have multiple script ideas wanting to be made. As soon as we were allowed to film again, I decided to produce It’s Time. I was very lucky to team up with a female director Tammy-Anne Fortuin from South Africa, an award-winning DP Tigan Mutafyan, and their production company Glasscore Films, and an amazing cast Leticia Castillo and Sean Scott McCracken. I get inspired by people, by art , by nature, by books , by movies. For that project I was inspired by people who are afraid of dying . It seems like they forgot we are not immortal. I wanted to tell a funny story to remind them that we are mortal. 

Your film credits span multiple genres: thrillers, romance, and comedy. Do you have a preferential genres and how do you go about choosing roles? 

I love romance, drama, and action. I prefer drama. I love to go on a journey when I read a script , that’s how I determine if this a project I want to join. 

You’re also a voiceover artist, who, among other things, is the French voice for the app Fitbit. What do you love about voice over projects? 

Voice-over is a lot of fun. I love that I get the freedom to create all kinds of voices (monster, grandma, kids, etc.,) see some films before anyone else when I do ADR in post-production, and be the voice of many different brands. It’s usually a small group of people in the studios and the work hours are very easy. 

You have such a varied, impressive resume. Has your definition of success changed over the course of your career?

I give myself a lot of challenges in life and I do my best to overcome them. Every accomplishment is a success for me. 

You’ve said that acting is more than a job for you ; it’s a passion. What sparked that passion? 

I have always loved movies and TV shows when I was a kid. I was inspired by one particular French Black actress Noemie Lenoir ; I was on vacation in the U.S. and I saw her on TV, and I thought that if she can do it, I can do it too. I have been surrounded by amazing people who encouraged me to become an actor: my sister who created her first short/musical when we were teenagers, my uncle who put me in his play, my producer friend who put me in his music video , and my theater teacher who told me my voice would take me far. All these influences helped me find my true calling. 

You’ve worked with many talented people in the industry. Who would you like to work with in the future?

I would like to work with James Cameron on his next Avatar movies, Ryan Coogler in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Kaley Cuoco in The Flight Attendant, and I would love to work with Leonardo DiCaprio, Shah Rukh Khan, Cate Blanchett, and Christopher Nolan, to name a few.

Meet the Author

Ashley is a freelance music and entertainment music journalist whose work has been featured in Ebony, The Daily Beast, Cosmopolitan Magazine, and more. When she's not writing or catching up on the latest celebrity, entertainment, or culture news, she's down for rollerskating, discovering new music, and a good bowl of pasta.