APARNA BRIELLE IS DONE PLAYING IT SAFE
BY EBBY MAGAZINE
She’s stepping into her power with clarity, confidence, and heart. From high-stakes action in FUBAR to redefining what it means to lead with purpose, Aparna Brielle is rewriting the rules on her terms.
PHOTOGRAPHS BY DYLAN SNYDER
“I’M A BIG PROPONENT OF MINDFULNESS… I’VE FOUND THAT THE BEST WAY OUT IS THROUGH. LOOK TO YOUR LOVED ONES, AND LOOK TO YOURSELF THE ANSWERS ARE ALWAYS THERE.”
APARNA BRIELLE, ACTRESS
There’s a quiet power to Aparna Brielle the kind that doesn’t shout but still holds the room. She’s sharp, stylish, and magnetic in that way; only a true storyteller can be. In Netflix’s globally popular action-comedy FUBAR, she returns as Tina, an NSA analyst whose brain moves faster than the bullets. She shares the screen with Arnold Schwarzenegger and doesn’t just hold her own, she reshapes the energy, one sharp glance or dry quip at a time. The series, which crackles with spycraft, satire, and surprising humanity, marks yet another high point in Aparna’s rising trajectory, and this summer, she’s back for season two, more fearless than ever.
But Brielle isn’t just stealing scenes, she’s shifting the spotlight. Since breaking out as the brainy, take-no-prisoners Sarika in A.P. Bio, she’s carved a space for complex, multidimensional South Asian characters in American television, characters who don’t whisper at the margins, but speak up, make mistakes, lead, love, and laugh out loud.
Off-screen, Aparna is equally intentional. A proud Indian American woman from Portland, she’s a passionate voice for representation, mental health awareness, and doing the work without losing yourself in the noise. When she’s not cracking codes on set, she’s meditating, curled up with a good book, or in deep conversation about the power of stories and who gets to tell them.
With FUBAR returning for its highly anticipated second season, Aparna Brielle isn’t just part of the moment, she is the moment. And trust us, she’s only getting started.
What does being present mean to you in this season of your life?
In this season of my life, being present means fully experiencing the moment with all my senses. It goes beyond sight, smell, sound, touch, and taste. Being in touch with how I feel in my inner world, without thinking about the past or future, allows me to hone in on what the present really is.
You’re returning as Tina in FUBAR Season 2. What felt different about stepping back into this role the second time around?
On this season of FUBAR, the audience knows my little secret – that I’m a mole for Russian Intelligence. It was key for me to make sure I played with the audience without letting any of the other characters know what I was up to because that secret is life or death for Tina.
FUBAR blends action, comedy, and high-stakes drama. What drew you to this kind of storytelling, and what do you hope viewers feel from Tina this season?
Life is full of comedy, tragedy, and everything in between. I’m always looking to explore stories through different lenses, and FUBAR has allowed all of us to do that in the most fun way possible. Tina is absolutely someone who lives in a gray area, as most humans do. People are complicated; they have their own stories and experiences that shape who they are. My hope is that people can see Tina’s complexities and understand why she does the things she does – and that they have fun along the way.
Working alongside legends like Arnold Schwarzenegger and Monica Barbaro, what have you learned from this ensemble experience?
I’ve been really lucky to get to work with this whole cast, who I’ve admired in some way, shape, or form over the years through their various projects. Everyone is so inclusive and fun, and we really got close, even if some of us didn’t have scenes together.
Monica Barbaro is the definition of a superstar to me – unbelievably talented in so many avenues, gorgeous, kind, and a blast to work with. Her grace and support through our work and our lives in Toronto really gave me a strong idea of what kind of an actress I’d like to be. To say I’m beyond excited about her career is such an understatement.
Carrie-Anne Moss is just as badass and cool in real life as you’d imagine – perhaps even more! This season, I got to do my own stunts for the first time; she and Arnold were giving me all of their best tips over dinner for it to be the most fun it could possibly be. I’m forever grateful for that. I see them both as mentors in many, many ways.
Arnold’s always set such a strong example for the rest of us about the true value of teamwork. In his own words, he’s not a “self-made man;” he’s where he is today because of the collaboration it takes from everyone to get any project made. That goes for movies, for his Governorship, for anything. It motivates you to show up every day, ready to give 100% for everyone you work with. You just know it’s a fantastic experience when everyone is excited to get to work at 4 in the morning (and most of us aren’t early-morning people).
What has your journey through Hollywood taught you about creative resilience and longevity?
Let’s face it: this is an industry of rejection. It’s really easy to take it personally, but you have to remember that it’s not about you. There are a million reasons someone might not be cast in something and might not be given certain opportunities – but you have to know who you are and what you can do, and the rest will come with time. Luck is really just about opportunity meeting preparation, so you have to be as prepared as you can for any opportunity that comes, but if they’re not coming, you’ve got to make some for yourself. I’ve discovered so many ways to express myself through creating immersive theater experiences, dance, music, and painting. But I’ve also used every single opportunity, regardless of the result, to really sharpen and hone in my craft. It’s all a learning experience, and when we look at things through that lens, it relieves a lot of the pressure of being in the industry.
What does living with intention look like for you, and how do you return to yourself when life pulls you in every direction?
I’m a big proponent of mindfulness, which involves being present in the moment as much as possible. So, for me, living with intention is just that – being as present as possible, as much as possible. Of course, that’s not always the easiest thing to do; life is full of peaks and valleys, and it tests our ability to live in the moment at times. I’ve had plenty of difficult periods in life, just like the next person, and I’ve found that the best way out is through. You have to process your feelings about whatever you’re experiencing, lean on whatever your support system looks like, and find ways to ground yourself through the turbulence. For me, meditation has been a big game-changer; I’d always heard people talking about the effects of it, but this year, I’ve made it a point to meditate daily. I can truly understand where my body is experiencing my feelings, and I’m getting better at being able to use that to guide myself into whatever form of healing is most appropriate for me at that time. Look to your loved ones, and look to yourself – the answers are always there.
“BEING PRESENT MEANS FULLY EXPERIENCING THE MOMENT WITH ALL MY SENSES… BEING IN TOUCH WITH HOW I FEEL IN MY INNER WORLD, WITHOUT THINKING ABOUT THE PAST OR FUTURE, ALLOWS ME TO HONE IN ON WHAT THE PRESENT REALLY IS.”
From A.P. Bio to Boo, Bitch, your roles have had humor, edge, and depth. How do you choose the stories you want to be part of?
What struck me most about these two projects, in particular, was that the scripts were startlingly funny. I saw the opportunity with both of these roles to take stereotypes and subvert them, which was a challenge I was excited to take on. Boo, Bitch was a limited series, so my goal was to make Riley as likeable as possible despite her being the ‘mean girl’ of that world. I wanted people to see that insecurity beneath her surface. And as someone who was not the popular girl growing up, I felt like I was kind of in on the joke there. With A.P. Bio being a four-year show, it was really cool seeing the writers pick up on the subtle maniacal nature I was trying to infuse into Sarika. They’d begun writing more crazy scenarios that allowed me to share what made her a multifaceted and interesting human being, which was beyond fun to play with.
What’s one moment in your career so far that felt like a turning point or personal awakening?
For me, booking A.P. Bio really changed the game. It was my first ever pilot season in Los Angeles, and it was incredibly validating to have booked such a pivotal role with people I greatly admired so early on. Glenn Howerton and Patton Oswalt were such great mentors and friends to all of us, and as someone who spent a lot of her college days watching It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, that was fairly mind-boggling. We’re still in touch, too, all these years later. It also helped me to understand what a pitfall impostor syndrome can be and that I don’t deserve to put myself through that. Nobody does. In moments where I question myself, I think about how hard I worked to book that role and how it’s led to everything else in my career so far. That alone is a good reminder that I’m exactly where I was always meant to be.
How do you stay rooted in your values while navigating an ever-evolving industry?
I have high standards for the quality of people I let in my life, and I’m beyond lucky that my community is full of people that surpass those standards in every way possible. My people really keep me grounded in my reality; they’re a constant reflection of who I am and who I aspire to be. I always want to be someone they are proud to love, and that keeps me focused on what’s important. At the end of the day, any major industry or career has the potential to consume you; I check in with myself regularly to see if I’m still connected to who I know I am. My community has only become stronger and more “in touch” over the past decade, which tells me I’ve continued to stay true to myself. What more could I ask for?
What does success look like for you now—beyond the roles and recognition?
Success, to me, is about knowing your truth and living in it as fully as possible. The roles and recognition will come and go, but at the end of the day, you’re still there. Have they made you a better person? Have they made you worse? Finding your baseline and understanding how you want to grow as a human being – through your empathy, your curiosity about the world, your love for those around you – and then committing to your growth… That is what success is to me.
What are you most excited to step into next, both as a woman and as an artist?
I’m excited to continue to explore unique stories from interesting voices. I’m passionate about taking on challenges; if something is too easy for me, it isn’t something that will make me grow. I’m looking forward to the roles that allow me to show the complexity and depth of what I’m capable of as an actress. And as a woman, I take the same approach – I’m excited to continue to grow into my best self and to continue to find the whimsy and beauty in even the most mundane moments in my life. At the end of the day, I truly believe life is a great adventure, and it’s on us to learn how to get in touch with the magic that’s happening around us every day.
