Lexi Janicek is the spunky actress who plays Lisa Loud on Nickelodeon’s The Really Loud House which has been recently nominated for a Kids Choice Award. Recently, I was able to interview Lexi about what it is like playing Lisa Loud as well as upcoming projects for 2023.
Tell us how you got started in the business.
When I was little, I had a friend who acted in a local nursery rhyme web series. My mom thought that might be something I would enjoy because I was always performing for my family. We thought the web series was an activity like ballet or soccer or something you could just sign up for, but instead, my friend’s mom gave us the name and number of their talent agent… We wound up meeting with the agent and while I never worked on that web series, it’s actually how I got started in the industry! I signed with the agency and from there I started submitting auditions and eventually taking classes as I got older. It’s been really fun to experiment with so many different characters and personalities in the audition process over the years!
You play Lisa Loud in The Really Loud House. What was the audition process for that?
I originally auditioned for the role of Lisa Loud in 2020 for the TV movie A Loud House Christmas. The production wound up getting delayed because of the pandemic, so I auditioned again in early 2021. At that time, the audition process was still totally virtual, so I submitted a self-tape first. I honestly didn’t expect to hear anything back because Lisa and I don’t look alike at all. I was shocked a week later, when the casting team and director requested a ‘live’ callback over Zoom. A few days later my agent and manager called and asked to speak with Lisa Loud… I was super confused for a minute but then I realized that they were telling me that I was going to be Lisa Loud! I had booked the role! Such a cool phone call. I’ll never forget it!
Tell us how Lisa Loud is like you.
Lisa and I don’t really look alike at all. I have long, blonde hair and I don’t normally wear glasses, but Lisa has short brown hair (that she cut herself!) and she wears glasses all the time. Our personalities are a little different too. I’m kind of bubbly and energetic, but Lisa is much more reserved. She is very into studying, getting various degrees (lol) and conducting experiments. Don’t get me wrong, I like school and learning, but definitely not as much as Lisa! I don’t expect to get my PhD or dental license anytime soon! I also enjoy sports, parties and sleepovers, but Lisa has said she ‘would never partake in anything quite so pedestrian’ -haha. Even though we have a lot of differences in personality and appearance, we do have some similarities! We’re both rule followers, we also enjoy list making and following a schedule and we both really love our families. We both love the color green too!
The series was filmed in New Mexico. What was it like filming in an entire other state?
Filming in New Mexico was great! Most of the cast live in other states, so we relied a lot on each other for support and social interaction off-set and on the weekends. I think that helped us grow closer as a TV family. We were able to do a lot of fun activities together; laser tag, rock climbing, concerts etc. So grateful to have such a big, fun set family in New Mexico. It’s still definitely hard to be away from my real family while we’re filming, but my mom is always with me and we were able to get home quite a bit!
What was one of your favorite moments on set?
We’ve had so many fun and memorable moments on set, but I think my favorite was my 11th birthday. We were already having a really fun day because it was the day we filmed our Loud-A-Palooza concert (episode 10, part 2 of “The Princess and the Everlasting Emerald”) Later in the day, as they were calling the cast to set, the production surprised me with cupcakes, cake and a big round of Happy Birthday! I was so touched seeing everyone smiling at me and singing to me, that I started crying! One of my favorite moments for sure. I felt so special.
What is it like growing up with older siblings?
I absolutely love having three big brothers! They’re so funny and even though they tease me sometimes, they’ve definitely taught me to laugh at myself and not take myself too seriously. They’ve always been really good about letting me tag along with them too. I’ve gotten to do a lot of fun things with them. It’s not so bad being the youngest kid and the only girl in my family! The only bad thing is that they usually eat all the snacks and treats in the house!
Tell us something people would be surprised to know about you.
Because I live in the south, I think people would be surprised to know that I absolutely love downhill skiing. Unfortunately, we don’t get much snow in Tennessee, so it’s not an option to ski there. We try to get out to Colorado at least once a year to get some skiing in. I’m able to keep up with the rest of the family now which is awesome. We have the best days together on the mountain. I always wish those trips could last a little longer!
Do you have any upcoming projects you can share?
I had a few fun projects coming out at the end of 2022; The People We Hate at the Wedding with Kristen Bell is now available to stream on Prime Video and military thriller Echo 3 with Luke Evans is out now on AppleTV+. I spent most of 2022 working on the first season of The Really Loud House. We filmed 20 super fun episodes that are currently airing weekly on Nickelodeon. New episodes come out on Thursday nights, so we’re always excited about that! You can also see me at the Kids Choice Awards on March 4th where The Really Loud House is nominated for Favorite Kids TV Show! For other upcoming projects, I’m actually on location right now for more filming… I can’t say what it’s for just yet. 😉 You’ll have to stay tuned!
Where can we follow you on social media?
On Instagram you can find me @lexi_janicek
