Don’t ask Riley Voelkel why America is the best country in the world!

Photography by Jeff Vespa

Even though she is Canadian, that question has been a prosperous one for her and as of now she is inextricably linked to it. If you tuned into HBO anytime over the past 6 months you will know who Riley is, she is the girl in the new show “The Newsroom” starring Jeff Daniels who sends him into a tailspin when she asks “Can you say why America is the greatest country in the world?” That scene played out thousands of time in the promo for the show to the point where if you reference it, everyone knows that scene, but unless you were completely curious and read the credits in the first episode you didn’t know her name until now. We got a chance to talk to Riley recently about her life growing up and how she got where she is today, tetering on the Verge!

RV: I grew up with a very supportive family, in Calgary. They supported me in doing anything I had an interest in. I was very involved in sports and school. I was rally commissioner at my high school and would create themed rallies every week and dress up to speak in front of the whole school. I loved it. I was quarterback for my powder-puff football team and pitcher on my softball teams. I played competitive softball for 9 years and motivating and leading my team was a passion of mine. I also grew up wanting to be a positive role model for my little brothers, and still to this day this affects the decisions I make.

I did not take drama or do theatre in school. At the time I was very involved in sports, leadership and schoolwork. I was preparing not only to get into a UC school but for a career as a structural engineer. I was a month away from going to college when I heard over the radio that a modeling scout was coming to town and I decided to just go and see what happens. After going to an event and being picked up by a scout I went to New York to meet some agencies. None of them wanted me and I was heart broken. As a last attempt I came to LA to meet some agencies and almost all of them handed me contracts. It was the scariest but best decision I ever made. Looking back it was clear I was never meant to go to New York and model but was meant to be in LA to act. Almost all the heartbreaks I have had throughout my career have lead me to exactly where I am and absolutely make sense now.

I first moved to LA to model and then I joined an acting class that my modeling agency recommended to me. I loved class, I could tell it came naturally to me and was something I craved and wanted to learn more about. That is when I got the acting bug. I started booking commercials soon after. I continued to take class and then after about a year and a half met with theatrical agents and started acting full time.

Once I came to audition with the wrong characters’ sides and had to try to learn a three-page monologue in 20 minutes. I explained to casting my situation and they told me to just do my best. I thought I was going to bomb the audition but somehow as I started my audition the words just continued to flow and I managed to do the whole thing off book. It was a pretty cool feeling. I have had some bad audition experiences as well. One time I walked into a directors session, excited I was close to getting the role, only to find my self running out the room after I firmly denied an invitation to the “casting couch”.

One of the slightly more embarrassing roles I played was actually for a commercial. It was for a feminine product company and I remember not wanting to audition for it. After deciding it would be silly not to, I ended up booking the role. It was a little embarrassing having all my friends call me and tell me that they had seen me on a pad commercial but I am very grateful for that commercial as it helped me pay my rent for two years.

My first big break into the industry came when I went to my first film audition for the role of a club girl in The Social Network. I got the job, went to Boston for a week and worked on set with the incredible cast and crew. When I got back from Boston I signed with an agent and booked my first lead in an independent film, The Secret Lives of Dorks releasing in 2013. When I saw the screening of The Social Network and I realized I had a little part in something so inspiring and great it was a surreal feeling. Knowing that the world would see this film and be affected by it made me see the power the voice of an actor had. That’s when I knew I would do this for the rest of my life.

My current project is playing Jennifer Johnson on the HBO series The Newsroom. I originally booked the role that was meant for just the pilot, but later turned into the character of Jenny. I couldn’t be more grateful to the series writer Aaron Sorkin for writing this character; it has been an honor speaking his words. Coincidentally, I first met Aaron on the set of The Social Network doing my very first role as an actor and not knowing we would be working together again.

Riley can be seen on Season One of The Newsroom on HBO.