Photograph by Sarah Krick
As a child growing up in Atlanta, Priah Ferguson’s personality was so big and vivacious that she seemed destined to become an actor. Even on trips to the local grocery store, Ferguson’s mother would warn her before entering, “We’re just going to get some eggs. Please don’t start a conversation with everyone.”
By the age of 9, Ferguson was so fascinated by all kinds of movies, television shows, and storytelling, that she asked her mother, “How do I get on TV?” Over the last decade, Ferguson has emphatically answered that question herself, appearing on episodes of Atlanta, Mercy Street, and Daytime Divas, as well as in the movies The Oath and The Curse Of Bridge Hollow.
Ferguson’s biggest role by far, though, has been as the assertive Erica Sinclair in the hit Netflix sci-fi fantasy series Stranger Things, the fifth and final season of which will be fully released by December 31.
“I have so many memories of working on Stranger Things,” Ferguson says when reflecting on the impending conclusion of the show. “I loved making the trips to the crafts table with Joe Keery and Maya Hawke. They’d have coffee and I’d get a Coke. Being in the hair and make-up trailer was always fun. We’d sing songs from Hamilton. We’d always play games while waiting for the next shot to be set up. It was so much fun. There are a lot of different memories.”
To mark the release of Stranger Things season five, Atlanta spoke to Ferguson about filming the show, her rise to TV stardom, and what’s next.
Photograph by Sarah Krick
Are you still based in Atlanta?
I was raised in Atlanta, Georgia. I went to school out here. We filmed Stranger Things here. So it kind of just worked out. I’m bicoastal now, though. I do live here, but I travel a lot. I forget that I live here sometimes.
What attracted you to becoming an actor?
I love great writing and movies with great storytelling. I did acting, dancing and I played sports as a child. My mum told me to pick one. I took a few classes at local theaters. That’s where I realized it was something that I wanted to do. I went to a few workshops. The acting coaches would always say, not to toot my own horn, I was the best one there. This guy called my mom, and was like, I think you should take this more seriously. That’s kind of how I got into it.
What were your favorite films at this point?
I really like the movie Daddy’s Little Girls with Idris Elba. [We watched it a lot as a family because it was my favorite movie.] I liked Titanic a lot when I was younger. Those are the kind of movies that inspired me to start.
How did you grow creatively in Atlanta?
I did a few workshops. One of the workshops that I did was with Jemal McNeil, who worked with Taraji P Henson and Octavia Spencer. He was the one who actually called my mom to tell her, I think she has a gift and to take it more seriously. From there, my mom took me to acting classes in local theaters. There my mom met a lady who knew an agency. I did short films and commercials. I transitioned to a bigger agency and that’s where I got the audition for Stranger Things.
How do you feel like being from Atlanta impacted your creative voice?
Atlanta has definitely given me a certain work ethic and confidence. This is something that I was able to do because I saw so many people doing it in Atlanta. I was like, Ok, this is where I want to do this. I didn’t just go to LA. I wanted to make sure that my work was really respected here before I spread my wings out anywhere else. Once I got the respect from one of the big agencies here, that really told me this is what I’m meant to do and that I should definitely keep going.
How emotional was it to film the final season of Stranger Things?
It was certainly a tender moment for me. This show has been a part of my life for a decade. After we wrapped each season, I always had this anticipation to see what Erica might contribute to the arc of the story. Not being able to feel that excitement is emotional to me. It feels emotional because I’m wrapping up my childhood.
Was there a particularly difficult moment shooting season five?
Not really. Our ultimate goal was definitely to tell this story one last time. We all had this energy to do it right and an excitement to tell the story. But as everyone was wrapping up their final scenes and days, there was a countdown. It became more emotional. The energy kind of shifted and it became more sad.
What was the biggest lesson you learned working on the show?
Just how important the chemistry of the cast is. We all came together to tell a great story. I loved the momentum we created and want to bring it to other projects as an actress, I just get really excited to tell a great story as an actress and put it all out there.
Why has Stranger Things struck such a chord with viewers?
The show speaks to people of all ages. People who grew up in the 80s, like my mom, would come on set and point out things that she had in her house growing up. It also speaks to Gen Z. I know a lot of people who I grew up with love it because it portrays so many different characters from so many different backgrounds. A lot of people related to that. They grew up with the show and with these characters. I think that’s why it speaks to so many different people. They saw us transition from youth to teenagers and all of the different emotions that involved. People related to it.
What are you working on next?
I have a podcast series called Hard Drive. It’s created by the Neese Brothers, who worked on Umbrella Academy on Netflix. I play Dasha. She’s basically a young woman who discovers a hard drive, which allows her to experience her grandfather’s memories, and along with it a global conspiracy of population control that only she can stop. So that’s really fun. I’m also a part of the new Jean-Michel Basquiat biopic movie. I’m really excited about that.
What do you want to achieve going forward? Are there any actors you’re looking to emulate?
Honestly, I do get inspired by actors. But I’m not sure about following their path. Only because I don’t really feel like I should compare my path to others. I would also like to work with actors and actresses that people might not know about. I just think it helps to tell great stories when you take names out of it. I guess I’m just hoping to work with great actors and to tell great stories.
