Sometimes, a true-crime drama comes along that simply stops you in your tracks. Hulu’s Under the Bridge is one of them. Based on acclaimed author Rebecca Godfrey’s true-crime book, the miniseries tracks the events surrounding the disappearance and murder of teenager Reena Virk in November 1997 in British Columbia.

Lily Gladstone (Killers of the Flower Moon) and Riley Keough (Daisy Jones & The Six, Sasquatch Sunset) headline the story, playing a cop (Cam) and an author (Rebecca) respectively. The former childhood friends are shaken by the disappearance of Virk, played with exceptional nuance by newcomer Vritika Gupta. Chloe Guidry, Javon “Wanna” Walton (Euphoria), Izzy G., and Aiyana Goodfellow portray the teens suspected of foul play. Archie Panjabi (The Good Wife) and Ezra Faroque Khan also star, playing Reena’s parents.

“I just wanted to tell the story of Reena Virk, and I wanted the whole Virk family to feel justice from this,” shared Walton of why he wanted to star in Under the Bridge — he plays Warren Glowatski, one of many teens who surrounded and confronted Reena of that fateful night under the bridge. “The book Rebecca Godfrey wrote was great… the script is very similar,” he added. “Obviously there’s going to be some fictional aspects, but they definitely hit the mark on this one.”

In excerpts from this exclusive MovieWeb interview, Javon “Wanna” Walton and Chloe Guidry unpack their experiences shooting Under the Bridge and touch upon bullying, career, and a love of boxing. Read on.

Why Playing Ashtray on Euphoria Was Pivotal for Javon ‘Wanna’ Walton
Under the Bridge (2024) 4.5/5 Release Date April 17, 2024 Cast Riley Keough , Izzy G , Chloe Guidry , Ezra Faroque Khan , Archie Panjabi , Vritika Gupta , Javon Walton , Aiyana Goodfellow , Lily Gladstone , Anoop Desai

Javon “Wanna” Walton is no stranger to complex roles. Having made a dent in such series as Prime Video’s Utopia and Umbrella Academy on Netflix, it was his performance as teenage drug dealer Ashtray on HBO’s Euphoria that helped catapult him to fame. Ashtray, of course, was the young, fierce sidekick to Fez, played by the late Angus Cloud. No official word yet on when, or if, Season 3 will drop.

When asked how the role of Ashtray may have helped inspire the character of Warren Glowatski in Under the Bridge, Walton said:

“
Honestly, I just feel like that role definitely helped me as far as a steppingstone for just future roles. That was one of my first projects I’ve ever filmed. So that was definitely just a help in the acting world. But I don’t think there’s anything specific that helped from that role to
Under the Bridge
. You know, shooting this, I was super prepared.
This is a role I wanted to hit super, super strong
. I wanted to make sure the story was told right, and I feel like I did that.”

Related: Under the Bridge Review | Lily Gladstone & Riley Keough Lead Stellar True Crime Series

Walton’s Warren is drawn into a wicked web, spawned by foster teens Josephine, Kelly, and Dusty (Guidry, Izzy G, Goodfellow). Suddenly, the police eye him, hoping to unravel how Reena Virk died. Walton exhibits a powerful range of emotions throughout the miniseries, offering a riveting turn in later episodes.

Under the Bridge Scenes That Stood Out

To the series’ credit, scenes involving violence are featured respectfully. As the tale moves along and police officer Cam begins questioning people, the character of Rebecca (played by Riley Keough) is empathetic to Walton’s character, Warren. The two form an unlikely bond and develop a true connection. While many scenes were impactful, Walton recalls one scene that stood out for him during the shoot.

“There was one scene for me, we just kept rolling for well over 20 minutes just in one take,” he explained. “And I didn’t want to stop until I got the exact one I wanted. There were a few scenes on hard nights and hard mornings like that for me, where it was just like I didn’t want to move on until I knew I was happy with my performance… one of them was when we were tripping out on acid. That one was a pretty crazy scene. That was a long scene.”

5:01 Related Under the Bridge Creator and EP Say Lily Gladstone and Riley Keough Were “Brilliant” On Set Creator Quinn Shephard and executive producer Samir Mehta dive deep into their new true-crime drama and the actors who helped bring it to life.

Chloe Guidry on Playing Josephine

After watching Under the Bridge, you’ll never want to run into somebody like Josephine. Chloe Guidry brings a fierce spark to the troubled foster teen, who ultimately turns on Reena and hatches out a plan to startle her. Unfortunately, there’s a loss of control and a bizarre twist of fate.

“I tried everything I could to research, and definitely using Rebecca’s book really helped me,” Guidry said of diving into the character. “I love to figure out every detail it takes to bring Jo to life. It was really important to me. I love challenging roles because, you know… I come from a small town in Louisiana, so it was definitely a stretch to play this character — finding out why Josephine acted in the way she did and her unhealthy habits in her past… She’s a complex character.”

Related The 10 Most Disturbing True Crime Series and Docuseries on Netflix Some of these disturbing Netflix crime series have turned into popular cultural phenomena.

Josephine is rough all around. Verbally, she’s masterfully combative. On the fateful night of Reena’s disappearance, the teens surrounded and confronted her, most of them fueled by Josephine and her minions. When asked if she ever experienced bullying in her own life, Guidry said:

“
I feel like being a teenager is really hard and everybody goes through that stage where you’re just trying to find who you are
. And people can tear you down, but just knowing that you’re going to get out of it is important to me. And just find who you are, and that’s okay whoever you are. It’s finding that.”

How the Actors Stay Grounded in Real Life
Hulu

Life in the 2020s can be precarious. The good thing about dramas like Under the Bridge is that they provoke thought and, when most effective, allow audiences to reflect on their own lives and circumstances. This outing, like Euphoria, Yellowjackets, and Mare of Easttown, also reveals how challenging teenage life can be.

“I feel like family is so important to me,” Chloe Guidry shared of what helps her through challenging times. “You know, having those roots and having the people that you can rely on that will be in your best interest is really important.”

“I’ve had the same group of friends since I was eight years old,” Javon “Wanna” Walton shared. “It’s kind of important to keep your circle tight and keep the people around you that you know are going to be there for you and help you out. But also make sure to check you at times when you need to be checked.”

7:03 Related Under the Bridge Stars Unpack Their Deeply Moving Miniseries and Working With Lily Gladstone Vritika Gupta and Aiyana Goodfellow discuss bullying, finding connection, and why Under the Bridge is a cautionary tale.

On the Horizon

Under the Bridge will surely garner attention for all of its younger stars. Keep an eye out for Guidry, Walton, Gupta, Izzy G., and Goodfellow, who are certainly worthy of award nominations. In the meantime, the actors are tight-lipped about upcoming projects, with Walton noting:

“I’ve got some things in the works right now that I can’t really talk about, but also with boxing…very excited about that.
Hopefully, I’m fighting soon. But for me, it’s the boxing, and sticking with acting
.”

Boxing, in fact, is where the name “Wanna” originated, and Walton recently generated buzz for his match with Joshua Torres, whose boxing nickname is “Pitbull.”

“I’ve done it for 14 years of my life and there’s really just something special about it,” Walton said of his love of boxing. “Like the work you put into it is unlike no other. It’s like, the acting stuff can be hard at times, but the amount of work that I put into the boxing… it’s an insane amount. So, it’s the reward after winning, too. It’s a good feeling.” Watch how Under the Bridge packs an emotional punch on Hulu. You can watch it through the link below:

Watch Under the Bridge