The Virginia native (who, in 2018, received her MFA at the University of Washington) has found her footing on major television projects; before The Good Doctor, her most high-profile gig came when she played Ms. Magazine editor Margaret Sloan—another character who eagerly stands up for her convictions—on the Hulu-FX miniseries Mrs. America, opposite Cate Blanchettand Rose Byrne. Henderson and Noah Galvin,who plays Dr. Asher Wolke, both joined The Good Doctor as recurring guests and became series regulars this year on Season 5. Drs. Allen and Wolke often butt heads since she is a faithful and committed Baptist and he left his family’s ultra-Orthodox Jewish faith and leans heavily toward atheism. Dr. Allen is a strong, Black woman with a great deal of moxie and pluck—and like Henderson, she finds strength and comfort from daily prayer. When she is not performing, Henderson spends her time as a volunteer who enjoys tutoring young people and being involved in her community. She has traveled to Africa to assist with lessons at a Nigerian school and created youth programs there. Being on The Good Doctor has been more than a blessing for this hard-working actress. Not only does Henderson work with series lead Freddie Highmore as an actor on the series, she has been involved in episodes in which she was also directed by him; something that clearly has left an indelible mark on her. “One day on set I was doing a monologue I really enjoyed doing because I felt like that was the first time on the show in which I had more a line here or two lines there,” Henderson exclusively explained to Parade.com. “Freddie Highmore gave me a director’s note and I just remember I lit up inside,” she says. “When, as an actor, I light up and you make me excited to try something new, that’s when I know you are a good director. It’s like, ‘Let’s go! Let the cameras roll!’ So yeah, he’s nothing short of brilliant.” Keep reading for more of Parade.com’s exclusive interview with Bria Samoné Henderson!
Bria, how did you get the role of Dr. Jordan Allen on The Good Doctor?
Well, last year we were all stuck in the house, and as actors we are used to going in for auditions, scene casting, meeting people, and having a reader in the room with us. But last year, and even still to this day, we’re doing Zoom auditions, and self-tapes. So, I received a breakdown of Jordan Allen, and I read it and I was like, “Oh my gosh, I haven’t read many breakdowns that look like this, sound like this, and that actually excites me.”
Why is that?
I’m a plus-sized woman, and sometimes when I get these breakdowns the character is normally described as full-figured, a big girl or plus size, and she has insecurities, she hates her body, and she’s hiding. Jordan is full-figured, stylish, confident, she’s a devout Christian, an entrepreneur, she’s a hustler and she loves money. I was just like, “Wow, that kind of sounds like me. This is a breakdown that actually makes me light up and gets me excited to play.” What came to mind was representation, and how whoever was going to be able to play this woman would be representing a lot of women that we just haven’t often seen on TV.
How do you feel about becoming a season regular?
Deep down, I kind of knew that I would be coming back. So, when I knew for myself, I was very excited, I was very happy about what this could do for my career, what this could do for my life, and how my life was already changing just from Season 4. When an actor books his or her role as a first series regular your mind is like, “Oh, my gosh, it happened.” So, I think I’m still a bit in awe of it, too.
How would you describe your camaraderie with Freddie Highmore?
Freddie is so easy to work with, and he’s also like a walking Masterclass. He does amazing work. He is a joy to watch, study and work with all at the same time. There are times when we film scenes you do a fake exit. So, on the show, it’ll look like Jordan has exited the room, but I’m right there while the scene is still playing out. During a recent episode, I was able to just watch Freddie work, and how he just played different tactics each time. He tried something new but the choices were always strong, bold, and full.
How did you approach Highmore’s character on The Good Doctor?
I think with Shaun’s character, I don’t think I ever questioned how Jordan would show up in his world. I just allowed myself to just be on set, and once I had the first scene with him it informed how Jordan sees Shaun. And how Jordan wants to deal with Shaun and how Jordan works around Shaun and orbits around him. It’s something that I’m still developing because we’re still learning about each other. With Jordan being new to that world, she is still learning who Shaun is.
Freddie Highmore also directs a lot of these episodes. What is it like being directed by him?
I worked with him last year on the episode he directed and it was great. He’s patient and smart. I like working with directors who are also actors because they just know how to talk to an actor. Because it’s all about whatever note or whatever idea you give an actor, it should always activate their senses. Actors work from senses, that’s how we make people feel. Because our senses are activated. And how do we do that? You have to think about sight, smell, taste—all of that. And so, his notes were just so good.
How much did you know about autism and savant syndrome, and how much have you wanted to learn?
I know the general things about the challenges that one with autism can face. My main research as an actor was watching the show. I think before I flew into Canada, I watched the show because I wanted to watch the actors and how they play. Because I knew I was coming into a very already fleshed-out world with fleshed-out characters that they already had this solid foundation. So, I just wanted to figure out how me just being another piece being added to this puzzle of how I was going to fit in.
Many fans do not like Salen Morrison, the new owner who is shaking things up at St. Bonaventure Hospital. Any thoughts?
Well, if you hate Salen that means the actress, Rachel Bay Jones, is doing a really good job. So, that’s a compliment to the actor, but she’s definitely bringing in a twist to the world, she’s shaking things up in the hospital, as well as in Shaun’s world. It’s always interesting to see how one little thing can just change everything. As a viewer of the show and a lover of storytelling, I find it exciting. But I know that to fans who have been with this show from day one, they’re like, ‘Who is she?! She needs to leave now!’ And I love it. It’s exciting.
What are your feelings about how autism is portrayed in this show?
I just love how the writers and producers take care of Shaun Murphy as a character. They really dive into the nuance and the complexities of autism. I love that they do that. The recent episode, with the hand dryer and that moment that Dr. Shaun had? Yeah, I thought it was beautiful to show. It gives a voice to a lot of voiceless people and a lot of people connect with it. Yeah, making space for stories like that, that is what art is supposed to do. And so, I think that the show does it. Especially being a network show, it does it very well, and it holds space. It always holds space for it and that’s what I love about the show.
What feedback are you getting about the show?
I love a lot of the Black women who tweet me or contact me on other social media to say how much it means to them to see someone that looks like them on the show now and how it warms their hearts. Or Black women that are in med school, they’re watching, they’re like, “You remind me of me.” And so, it’s exciting, and it’s always fun to talk about the show because, of course, they don’t talk about it like it’s a TV show, they talk about it like it’s real life.
Why did you become an actress?
One time I was heading to see a play when I was in high school with my best friend and her mother. And I remember it was a program for high school-aged students. It was an after-school theater program where you get bused to the school, you rehearse a play, and then you put on a three-day. And I asked my best friend’s mother to put in a word for me with the director because I think that was something I would want to participate in next year.
This sounds like a very strong memory.
Yes, she took me backstage before the show where I met the director, and she put in the word for me. And the director looked at me and said, ‘Well, would you like to go on tonight? Because one of my actors just called in sick and I just need someone to say the lines.’ And I said ‘Yes,’ and within 40 minutes before the show I learned the finale dance, I rehearsed my scene with my scene partner, and then she handed me the costume. And I remember like, this is going to be the moment. Because I’m a big girl, I’ve always been a big girl, and costumes, you can’t just hand me a costume thinking it’s going to work. But I remember going to the bathroom, trying it on, and it fit. Like it fits perfectly; it wasn’t too tight, it wasn’t too loose. I think for me a lot of people say that acting found them, and I say acting fit me, and it has always fit me. And so, it’s something that I could never run from because once I was on a stage and once I was able to make people smile, and feel, and entertain, and have peoples’ attention for good reason, that was all I wanted to do.
Are there other projects or other things on your wish list after The Good Doctor?
Of course. My first two gigs were Mrs. America and The Good Doctor. They’re both dramas. The funny thing is, I definitely am a dramatic actress of course, but comedy has my heart. It’s always been where my heart is. And so, it’s just funny that the first two gigs in the TV world have been dramas and not comedies. And so I am now taking on some different heads. I’ve always been a writer; I have my own solo show and then I’ve written a couple of scripts. I just produced my first indie pilot this summer called Virginality. I’m really proud of it and I’m in post-production right now as of this week. We’re going to start submitting it to different festivals and try to gain some attention. Hopefully, I’ll be pitching it too, because it’s a series loosely based on my life as well that I’m really hyped about actually.
Do you get a holiday break to go back home to Virginia?
Yes, so I’m excited this year. Because this year we were all stuck in Vancouver, Canada for Thanksgiving, so it was me and the four newbies. So, me, Noah, Summer, and Brian, we were in Noah’s hotel and he cooked for us. And we had Thanksgiving food there We brought desserts and wine, and then we just chilled and watched YouTube videos and just imagined we were actually with our families and we had a good time. Of course, it was sad because we all missed our people, but this year I get to go home for Thanksgiving. Also, I get to go home for Christmas, and I’m really excited about that! The Good Doctor airs on ABC on Mondays at 10 p.m. ET Next,The Good Doctor Is In! Check Out Everything We Know About Season 5, Including the Latest Trailer
