Women in Motion: Chiara Aurelia

Photography by Megan Morgante

It is a renowned learning principle that the art of curiosity plays a significant role in exploration, essentially, going along hand in hand. With this being said, the individuals with the greatest amount of curiosity, tend to go exploring into the innermost parts of themselves, leading them to greatness and unmatched potential. Rising star, Chiara Aurelia, is a vouch worthy example of the previous sentiment, as she explains how her wide imagination and sense of alluring uniqueness lead her to the world of storytelling, substantially allowing her to enter a world where she can venture into her most exceptional capabilities. Now, as her exquisite talents are coming into the light, Chiara can be seen in the new Amazon drama-thriller series, Tell Me Your Secrets. In this exclusive interview, Chiara discusses her note-worthy upcoming projects, including the highly anticipated Freeform series, Cruel Summer, challenges she has overcome throughout her career, and how her involvement in Tell Me Your Secrets has shaped her as an actress and as a woman.


Chiara Aurelia: There are so many things that inspired me to pursue acting. It was just in my nature from when I was young, it always felt right. There was something special to me about being able to have such a wide imagination, to play freely, and feel like there were a lot of opportunities for me to express my uniqueness. I loved Judy Garland and really classic musicals like Wizard of Oz and The Sound of Music.

MM: Can you give an overview of your past in the entertainment industry and how it led you to where you are now?

CA: I started by pursuing small school theater in elementary school. I just had a passion for acting and everything performance-oriented. I started professionally working in the industry when I was eleven or twelve. I started auditioning and something about it just clicked, it really felt right. I ended up working on Tell Me Your Secrets in New Orleans, which was incredible. It's all just been a ripple effect from there and it's been a wonderful journey.

MM: The new Amazon drama-thriller series Tell Me Your Secrets just launched…. Congratulations! Can you give us some insight into what we can expect from this new series?

CA: You can expect the unexpected [laughs]. It's a really unique show that takes place in New Orleans, Louisiana. The story follows three different characters, watching their journeys, and seeing how it all collides together. It’s this psychological thriller, edge-of-your-seat, twisty-turny storyline.

MM: How was it filming a thriller? Was it different than anything that you've ever done?

CA: It was definitely intense, but, intense in a good way. All of us actors were all on the edge of our seats the whole time we were filming, not really knowing what to expect and what was coming next. It was a really good experience. I've learned a lot from some of the adults that I was permitted to act alongside. I did a lot of my scenes with Lily Rabe, and I felt like she taught me a lot about the woman and actress that I want to become in the future.

Photography by Megan Morgante

MM: Speaking of Lily Rabe, what was your experience like working with the rest of the cast, the crew, and everyone involved in the production?

CA: It was amazing. I was very young when we were filming, I went from fifteen to sixteen during production. There was a lot of growth, finding myself as an artist and also as a human. I felt really fortunate to be a part of a production with such strong, powerful women on all sides of the camera. We had an amazing female creator, Harriet Warner, and amazing producers and crew members who are women. The story also follows two really strong female characters and I felt like it was a really in-depth story, driven by the power of the female.

MM: You’re also currently in the process of filming a new Freeform series, Cruel Summer. Tell us a little bit about that and what we can expect to see from your character?

CA: Filming Cruel Summer is amazing. It’s another psychological thriller that takes place in the 90s’ and it’s shifting perspectives of different characters, so it's a really interesting show. We have some amazing producers and co-stars on board with that as well, which is incredible and I'm really excited to see where the show takes us.

MM: Do you have any hobbies or passions that you enjoy partaking in when you’re not acting?

CA: I love to cook and spend time with my family, and I also sing. All the cheesy stuff [laughs].

MM: Did you pick up on any of these passions or hobbies during quarantine?

CA: I started drawing a bit, journaling, and trying to read more. I started cooking a lot, burning foods and recipes [laughs], but also learning how to be self-sufficient and trying to ground myself.

Photography by Megan Morgante

MM: Have you ever experienced any notable challenges throughout your career?

CA: Every day. Life right now is a challenge. I think that the real challenge is pushing through and trying to be committed to your craft, your characters, and trying to stay focused. I mean, life right now is hard, and it’s really challenging being in this industry. There's a lot of pressure, especially from a young age. It’s important to persist and strive for what you want, set your goals really high, and push yourself to the best of your ability, while also respecting your boundaries as a human. I think we're all still learning to do that.

MM: If you could give a piece of advice to your younger self, what would it be?

CA: Trust yourself. Trust your gut and believe in yourself. We all have to learn to be our own biggest supporters and to be kind to ourselves.

MM: Where do you hope to see yourself in five to ten years? What would you be doing and what would your life look like?

CA: Continuing to work in an industry that I love and continuing to follow my dreams and my passions. I'm so grateful and so lucky to be working right now and I hope that I can continue to have a platform to speak my truth and share my art with the world.

Photography by Megan Morgante