Emma Ferreira is making her mark. The Unstable star plays a pivotal role as Ness in Netlfix’s hit music dramedy Neon, opposite Tyler Dean Flores (Santi), Jordan Mendoza (Felix), and Courtney Taylor (Mia). Ness spearheads a mission to make her pal Santi one of the hottest reggaeton artists in Miami. Dreams of fame and fortune are part of the playlist. But the core of the series focuses on friendship, connection, and living your dreams.

One of the more interesting plot twists the series offered was the hypersexual bond — and kisses — between Ferreira’s Ness and Fast and the Furious star Jordana Brewster, who plays hotshot music industry diva Gina. “Jordana was great,” Ferreira beams about her costar. “She’s such a professional and good at what she does. The dynamic between Gina and Ness was so much fun to play. It’s very sexy, it’s very dangerous, and doing those scenes with her was a lot of fun because, yeah, they’re on fire. But it’s also funny, so all of those layers coming together was really fun. She’s just a joy to work with.”

In this exclusive MovieWeb interview, the talented star chats up her other costars and what’s next in the Neon universe. Dive in.

Why Neon Strikes a Chord
Neon Release Date October 19, 2023 Cast Tyler Dean Flores, Jordan Mendoza, Courtney Taylor, Emma Ferreira Main Genre Comedy Seasons 1 Studio Netflix Creator Shea Serrano, Max Searle
Neon is the brainchild of Shea Serrano (Primo) and Max Searle (The Ranch). The series tracks three early 20-somethings who move to Miami in the hopes of breaking into the music business. Music star cameos abound in this Entourage-like show, which thus far has featured Jon Z, Brray, Jowell, and Daddy Yankee, who also serves as producer.

“I hope that people are connecting with these characters who really just want their dreams to come true and are coming up against the realities of what the industry is,” Emma Ferreira shared, quickly pointing out that pals Ness, Santi, and Felix are also trying to maintain their faith and energy and keep it going throughout the series:

I think that’s something that people in general can relate to, but also just artists working in any industry. It’s tough. To have a show that represents that, but is also goofy and funny, I think people are connecting with the trials and tribulations of the hustle, so to speak.

Her Take on Reggaeton

Without a doubt, reggaeton has captured the public’s interest. But that’s no surprise to Ferreira. “Reggaeton is having such a moment. It’s been having such a moment. You know, when I got the audition and I saw the script, I was like, ‘Oh, wow, we’re really here. We’re really truly in the zeitgeist. Reggaeton is a genre and a type of music that necessitates life… energy and dancing and people being amongst each other.

“That kind of infectious energy is helping propel it forward and why it’s become such a massive part of North American culture in the past couple years,” she added. “I think that’s why Bad Bunny is having such like a crazy moment because the music is just good. The beat is good. It’s Latino, it’s African, it’s all of those things. People are just really connecting with how it makes them feel, which is really cool to experience.”

Will There Be a Second Season?

The music may be Neon’s soul, but its characters, especially Tyler Dean Flores’ portrayal of Santi, is its heart. “Tyler was awesome. I mean, he truly is my brother. We took a road trip to Miami prior to filming, so we got to spend time together one-on-one. Jordan was off being a movie star [in No Hard Feelings]. I mean, Tyler moved to Puerto Rico, I think, months prior to the project just to reconnect with his roots and with the culture. He really spent a lot of time delving into the character.

“This was such a dream,” she went on. “As people who grew up listening to this music and that part of our culture being so near and dear to our hearts, it was really cool to be able to go through the process with somebody who also was having the most mind-blowing experience. But yeah, he’s absolutely incredible as Santi in the show.”

As for Neon’s plot twists and a potential season two, Ferreira said she hopes audiences fall in love with these characters because, “each one of us has our own individual quirks, and we’re all individually lovable and fallible, and all of those things. I hope to see more Ness and Mia [Courtney Taylor]. I love getting to work with Courtney. Just selfishly, it’s something I want to do, but I also think there’s so much that they can learn from each other, and there’s so much that they can do together. I would love to see that they have put their foot in the door, and what it’s like to take on the more professional world.”

A fun possibility for season two, perhaps. In the meantime, catch season one of Neon on Netflix below.

Watch Neon on Netflix