‘Genera+ion’ Star Nathanya Alexander Talks Complicated Characters and Importance of Found Family (Exclusive)

In an increasingly saturated market of teen shows, HBO Max‘s Genera+ion stands out with its complex queer representation, nuanced characters, and a genuine sense of joy. The dramedy wrapped its emotional first season on Thursday, leaving its diverse cast of characters wondering what comes next. Relationships rekindle, relationships end, and caught up in all of that is Nathanya Alexander’s brash Arianna.

Alexander spoke to PopCulture.com, opening up about Arianna’s rough exterior and how that hides an insecure heart. Arianna is the daughter of two fathers, played by John Ross Bowie and J. August Richards, but is prone to making extremely homophobic jokes and using edgy humor as a defense mechanism. After being forced by her dads to join the Gay-Straight Alliance at school in the hopes of curbing her problematic tendencies, Arianna starts a complicated relationship with her best friend Naomi’s (Chloe East) closeted bisexual brother Nathan (Uly Schlesinger).

Alexander explained that she was drawn to Genera+tion‘s “unapologetic and so bold” script, particularly regarding Arianna. “It was a surprise to read a lot of her lines because she’s so funny, but at the same time she can be extremely harsh and I fell in love with her character as well,” Alexander said. “Just how bold she was, and unapologetic. The interesting about her is that she has an arc throughout the season where you get to see who she really is and her vulnerability.”

Alexander explained that it’s “easy to judge a character when you first meet them” but “there’s always things that people are trying to hide, there’s always something behind that.” Ultimately, Alexander hopes that viewers are “patient with her and patient with people in general because they tend to show who they really are in the end.”

A major theme of Genera+ion is Gen Z’s embrace of found family, often viewing their friends as even more important than the relatives that they’re born with. “Gen Z is sometimes misunderstood and they find common ground with their peers and they find a family within their peers because there are things that your friends would understand and not your parents,” Alexander said, pointing out that Arianna gravitates towards her girlfriends since her relationships with her fathers is so tense. All episodes of Genera+ion now streaming on HBO Max.