By Joe Puccio

It’s difficult enough for venerable adult actors to conjure up all the necessary feeling and emotion required to achieve the desired effects in the scenes they’re working on. For younger, less experienced performers, it’s even harder to succeed in accomplishing the integral task of captivating the audience with the endowment of characterization. Except for Olivia Edward, that is.

“It always felt to me like I was living two lives, so I had my life as Olivia and I had my life as Duke, and I loved both of them because as I grew up and learned the lessons that someone my age would learn, Duke was going through similar things that she sometimes handled differently,” shared Edward, during a recent conversation with Generation X Wire, referencing the dichotomy between her flawless rendering of the youngest child on FX’s Better Things from 2016 through 2022 and her real life. “It was such an interesting dynamic to see how we both navigated our life experiences, and I tried to use that for Duke.”

Better Things, a critically acclaimed hybrid of comedy and drama, focused on a divorced actress, played by show creator Pamela Adlon, and the obstacles she faced in raising her three daughters, played by Mikey Madison, Hannah Alligood, and Edward. Throughout the show’s five season span, Edward was widely applauded for her poignant portrayal of Duke Fox, a role that she landed when she was just nine years old. But even as an adolescent, the precocious artist had an abundance of talent that resulted in her becoming beloved for all the endearing qualities she brought to the character. “The environment of Better Things was always so nurturing, and we were like a real family,” Edward remarked. “It was a really cool bond that only grew stronger each year we were all together.”

The years that Edward mentions were, perhaps more than any other cast member, most pivotal to her as they equated to an impressionable period in her life – the ages of nine through fifteen. And in keeping with the realistic nature of the program, Duke went from an adorably feisty preteen in its early seasons to a more complex and moodier young adult towards its latter half, a challenge she welcomed.

“I was excited to explore the change in my character because it’s something that is very normal when kids are going through those formative years,” Edward opined. “They’re growing and trying to figure out who they are.” The stark, 180-degree turn, however, was also met with some trepidation, despite her confidence. “Admittedly, I was a little nervous since I knew everyone was happy with Duke as the lovable ‘mama’s girl’ and that was changing. But I made peace with it early on. My goal was always to have everybody at least understand Duke. If we lost some diehard fans of the character, it’d be okay,” she added. “I just wanted to explore the deeper topics and how she dealt with them.”

The seeds of the deep relationship between Edward and her television family were planted as far back as her audition with Adlon. “I was only seven when I first read with Pamela for the part. From the moment I first met her, I decided that she was the coolest woman ever,” she gushed. “She emanated cool. She has this innate ability to connect, to nurture, and to effectively communicate exactly what she wanted of me. I’m still in awe of her.” Edward’s admiration of Adlon came not only from her topnotch acting and cultivating personality but from her directing prowess, having helmed a whopping 44 of the series’ 52 episodes. “Working on Better Things meant I went to the University of Pamela,” she smiled. “I was able to watch a woman, at such a young age, not only star in, but direct, write, and produce a show. To watch her wear so many hats really inspired me, and I’d absolutely love to do the same.”

As for her onscreen sisters, the connection was also immediate. “During the first season, the three of us had a sleepover at Mikey’s house,” Edward recounted. “We made slime, we cooked, we watched TV, we shared stories. They’re truly my sisters and we still keep in touch.”

Born and raised on Long Island in New York, Edward’s interest in the arts coincides with her earliest memories as a child. And although her father is well-known psychic medium John Edward, the gifted actress makes it clear that her foray into show business was by no means pushed upon her. “It was something that I decided from a very young age. Starting at around two years old, I was singing, making up songs from gibberish,” she laughed. “I’ve always just loved performing for others.” Edward even recalls her very first break. “I had just turned six and it was a Con Edison radio commercial. I still even remember my lines.”

It should be noted that Edward’s abilities expand even further than acting. Singing and dancing, especially musical theater, have both been lifelong passions for the now 19-year-old woman. “Right before I was cast on Better Things, I had the honor of singing with Kristin Chenoweth,” she beamed. “She’s one of my favorite people and it was one of the big moments of my music journey. It’s something I would love to pursue.”

While there are no imminent plans for a Better Things reunion, Edward is absolutely on board with reconnecting with the Fox family in the future if it ever does come to fruition. And said future is clearly bright for the starlet, whose past credits include Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt and The Mysteries of Laura. Currently in post-production, Edward will next be seen in The Accompanist, starring Susan Sarandon and Aubrey Plaza. “It’s an incredibly moving story and was an amazing experience,” she stated. Additionally, the self-professed bookworm (Bram Stoker’s Dracula is her favorite) has recently gravitated to writing. “I’ve been trying to home in on that specific area of my craft, and I’ve been working on a manuscript. So, I’m trying to have fun with that by exploring, playing, and learning.” 

It’s unmistakable that Edward’s career has a very long and successful path still on the horizon. “I’m grateful that I was able to start at such a young age and I’m looking forward to everything that’s coming.”