A Conversation with Caroline Arapoglou
Taking a moment to dive into the impressive résumé of Atlanta’s rising star.
Caroline Arapoglou
Almost right off the bat, Caroline Arapoglou’s story resonated very close to home with me. A fellow Atlantan, she graced the theater stages I grew up watching shows on, attended colleges I once toured and is a mainstay in television shows filmed in my home city. Like Stranger Things and Atlanta, several Atlanta filmed series have gone on to win numerous awards and critical acclaim from critics and viewers alike, and it is cast members like Arapoglou who help make that happen. I wanted to dive headfirst into her life and career leaving no single detail out.
Indeed, Arapoglou’s zest for life and performing is obvious from her laundry list of successes. A native of Springfield, Illinois, Arapoglou found herself in Atlanta — during a time when the television and film industry was making new waves in the South — and has since built quite an impressive résumé. Gracing the stages of famous theaters like the Tony award-winning Alliance Theater, the Aurora Theater, and the Atlanta Lyric Theater, Arapoglou’s move to the big screen was the natural next step. And she has made herself at home on leading series from the likes of FX’s Emmy award-winning Atlanta, Netflix golden child Stranger Things, and now her latest debut on Netflix’s Outer Banks — a fiery teen drama set in a town on the outer banks of the North Carolina marshes, surrounding the discovery of lost treasure and the chaos that ensues. Arapoglou portrays Rose Cameron, a trophy wife, and realtor proves you should never judge a book by its cover. More on that later.
Arapoglou has made herself at home on leading series from the likes of FX’s Emmy award-winning Atlanta, Netflix golden child Stranger Things, and now her latest debut on Netflix’s Outer Banks.
Working with a star-studded cast can be daunting for up-and-coming actors. For Arapoglou, it seemed to be just another day at work. When asked what it was like to share a set with famous actors like Donald Glover, Tiffany Haddish, Rose Byrne, and Zazie Beetz, Arapoglou says that “Zazie and Donald were wonderful to work with. I got to spend the day with Zazie and she let me pick her brain on what it was like to be a series regular and spend so much time on set.” And as for her Like A Boss costars? “Tiffany and Rose are at the top of their game. It was really fun to watch their process and then get to jump in and work with them. They both are masters of improv, but a lot of work and chemistry building goes into being able to improve that freely. They were great leaders, but also let everyone else find their moments of improv and creativity, it was a very welcoming environment,” shares Arapoglou. The actress went on to talk about the Stranger Things set. For those of you who aren’t Atlanta natives, it is a well-known secret that Stranger Things season three was filmed at an abandoned mall just outside of the city — Gwinnett Place Mall to be exact. Hearing how Arapoglou reminisces about the set brought back memories of the time I visited last spring, saying, “Stranger Things was surreal because by season three I was already a big fan of the show. That set is magical because they transform every detail and put you in a completely different world. Walking into the Starcourt Mall to film episode three took my breath away. I got to spend a summer wearing fabulous spandex and working with Cary Elwes, so my stint on Stranger Things was pretty charmed.”
Arapoglou’s depiction of the set is spot-on. From this point in the conversation, it seemed to be an easy transition into her debut Netflix original series, Outer Banks. Set on an island amid a quest for real-life treasure, the show follows a group of teenagers seeking riches. Arapoglou’s character, Rose, is a wealthy young stepmother married to one of the most powerful men in town. What she loves most about Rose is that “It would be easy to label her a trophy wife, but she’s a very successful realtor in her own right. She’s not just there to wear amazing clothes and be arm candy, she becomes a bit of a power player in the search for the gold.” The actress continues, “This show has everything you want from binge-worthy escapism, romance, a clash of classes, danger…it takes you on a ride. And it is gorgeously shot and has a great summer soundtrack.” So what makes this show different from the sets she has worked on in the past? “This is the first time I’ve gotten to craft a character over an entire season from the ground up.” She explains that there is a correlation between past teen-dramas, pinning Outer Banks as, “The OC meets Bloodline meets The Goonies,” and reveals that “every teen and twenty-something is going to wish they were in the main friend group,” grinned the insider. One thing is for certain, Arapoglou’s unique talent and experience, paired with the show’s killer premise, is sure to leave viewers entertained and wanting more.
When asked what actors or directors she hopes to work with in the future, her eyes light up. “Oliva Wilde and Laura Dern. [Laura] Dern makes these dynamic, theatrical choices that for so many actors wouldn’t ring true on camera, but she manages to create these larger than life characters that are still completely nuanced and grounded in reality.” And as for Wilde? Caroline respects Wilde’s “ballsy” directional choices and unique points of view. With all of her success in the industry, I was eager to uncover how Arapoglou keeps grounded in a Hollywood lifestyle. Funny enough, the actress swears, “the industry itself can keep you pretty grounded. There is a level of glamour to parts of the career, but a good portion of it, at any level, is rejection, grueling hours, and an emotional roller coaster. I feel so grateful to be doing what I’m doing, but at the end of the day, you remind yourself it’s just your job.” In her spare time Arapoglou is dedicated to her love of animals, no doubt a major influence in her advocation to the ASPCA.
After all of the professional chatting, I had to take a moment to dive into Arapoglou’s personal life, her future aspirations, and what makes up her day-to-day life right now while we are all facing the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. “Every day is different,” says Arapoglou. “I usually read the news with my morning coffee, write in a journal, exercise. Anything to fill the time. I’ve also connected with so many groups of friends over Zoom and FaceTime, it has reminded me how easy it is to stay connected with friends spread all over the country and world.” Touching on her day to day life pre-social distance, “When I’m not working, my favorite days are spent pushing my niece on the swings at the park and having cookouts with my family. I’ve been missing them all so much since the onset of quarantine, and I can’t wait to see them again.” Being reminded of the short amount of time together, we relay well wishes and safe encounters during this uncertain time, and seeing the true nature of Arapoglou’s heart, she closes our time together by urging anyone who can to stay home and offers the most heartfelt thank you to all healthcare and essential workers on the frontline right now keeping us all safe.
Outer Banks is now streaming on Netflix.
