Lexi Underwood stars in Cruel Summer‘s season 2 as Isabella, replacing Eloise Payet after the character was reworked. So, who exactly is Lexi?
Lexi, 19, had a breakout role in Hulu’s Little Fires Everywhere, playing Pearl Warren alongside Kerry Washington. She also played Malia Obama in the Showtime series The First Lady. Other notable works includes Just Beyond, Raven’s Home, Will Vs. the Future, The Crooked Man and Henry Danger. She has an upcoming starring role in Sneakerella for Disney+, which releases in May 2022.
It was announced on April 21 that Cruel Summer would return for a season 2 with a brand new cast, showrunner and storyline for its second season. The latest installment is set in an idyllic waterfront town in the Pacific Northwest and follows Megan, Isabella, and Megan’s best friend Luke throughout their intense teenage friendship set during Y2K.
Lexi joins previously announced series regulars Sadie Stanley, Griffin Gluck and KaDee Strickland, Lisa Yamada and Sean Blakemore and Paul Adelstein. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the decision to redevelop and recast the role of Isabella was made following the cast’s first table read. Now Lexi will play Isabella, who is the daughter of foreign diplomats and spending a year as an exchange student with Megan’s family. Her presence shakes up life in the small town, but the truth about her past can’t stay hidden forever.
In addition to acting, Lexi formed her own production company, Ultimate Dreamer Prods, where she produced an initiative centering Gen Z voices committed to racial justice, called “We the Voices of Gen Z.” The series followed a panel of actors, activists and experts all reflecting on the Black Lives Matter movement and anti-racism activism.
“We the Voices of Gen Z is a documented round table of Gen Z voices, from diverse backgrounds, discussing social and political issues,” the actress said in an Instagram caption alongside the first episode. “The goal is to spark peer dialogue, encourage action, and create sustainable solutions that support our collective right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness for all Americans regardless of race, color, socio-economic status, religion, gender, age, or sexual orientation.”
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