“ YOU GO IN THINKING THINGS WILL UNFOLD A CERTAIN WAY, AND THEN YOU REALIZE YOU HAVE TO ADJUST CONSTANTLY JUST TO MAKE IT WORK. THAT’S THE REALITY OF YOUR TWENTIES.”

“ YOU GO IN THINKING THINGS WILL UNFOLD A CERTAIN WAY, AND THEN YOU REALIZE YOU HAVE TO ADJUST CONSTANTLY JUST TO MAKE IT WORK. THAT’S THE REALITY OF YOUR TWENTIES.”

David Gargiulo __ Looking back at the shoot at the Fairmont Breakers, what was your favorite moment from the day?

Nicholas Duvernay __ I think it was the last look, the all-black Tom Ford look in the Halo, the rooftop bar of the Fairmont Breakers. We were all hanging out, and we even ordered a few drinks while we were still shooting. By that point, it felt like we'd all known each other for a long time. We'd been together all day, but there was this sense of casual closeness. It didn't really feel like work anymore. I was also wearing a beautiful Omega Seamaster, which I loved. I've always been a fan of Omega, so I felt great. What made the moment even more special was that I could see my first apartment in Los Angeles from the rooftop. It was right down the street from where we were shooting. Ending the day with a view of the place where my journey in LA started felt incredibly full circle. It was surreal and a lot to take in. There were so many great moments throughout the shoot, but that one definitely stands out.

DG __ There were definitely a lot of people watching when they came up to the roof.

ND __ Yeah, it was busy. People were constantly walking through and trying to figure out what was going on. But I actually enjoy those moments when people unexpectedly enter the space. It breaks up the rhythm a little bit and keeps things fresh. It takes you out of your head, and you come back to the work with new energy. I always welcome those interruptions. 

DG __ You looked like someone who already knew well how to move in front of the camera.

ND __ Thank you. I'm still learning. I'm figuring out angles, poses, and the fluidity that comes with having your photo taken. People don't always realize how much movement is involved. It can feel awkward in a lot of different ways, but I'm really enjoying the process. I've always loved fashion, and getting the opportunity to wear clothes the way they're intended to be worn and presented is a lot of fun.

DG __ If I'm not mistaken, Los Angeles is home for you. But you spent several months in New York shooting Not Suitable for Work. What happens when you switch from one city to another?

ND __ Honestly, I love it. It's one of my favorite parts of the job. Getting to live in different cities for an extended period of time means I can explore them: find my favorite restaurants, discover new hobbies, and build routines that make the place feel like home. That's always my first order of business. I find a gym I like, figure out my go-to spots, and settle into a rhythm. Once I have that, I can feel comfortable living there instead of just passing through. I was actually born in Long Island, although I moved away when I was very young. I still have family throughout New York, so I've always traveled back and forth. But this was the first time I lived there on my own for an extended period, and I loved it. I love the pace of the city, the fact that you can walk everywhere, and how social it is. New York encourages you to get outside and engage with the world. In Los Angeles, it's easy to say, "I don't feel like dealing with traffic today," and stay home. In New York, it feels like the possibilities are endless. 

DG __ If you had to describe Not Suitable for Work in your own words, how would you describe it?

ND __ Not Suitable for Work follows five twenty-somethings navigating life in New York City while trying to balance ambition, relationships, and everything that comes with early adulthood. At its core, it's about finding a work-life balance, which is something a lot of people struggle with. We live in a time where people work incredibly hard just to keep up, and the show explores the tension between career goals, friendships, romance, family, and the pursuit of personal happiness. For viewers in their twenties, I think it'll feel 

“ I FEEL VERY FORTUNATE TO BE WORKING ON THE SHOW, WHILE ALSO PLAYING SOMEONE WHO'S STRUGGLING TO GET THERE. THAT CONTRAST CREATED A KIND OF EMOTIONAL LOOP: ON ONE HAND I UNDERSTAND THE STRUGGLE DEEPLY, AND ON THE OTHER, I'M LIVING A VERSION OF THE DREAM I WAS CHASING.”

For everyone else, I hope it brings back a nostalgic feeling of the excitement, uncertainty, and possibility that comes with being young, living in a new city, and chasing your dreams. What I love about the show is that it feels like a slice of life. New York City becomes a character in its own right. We filmed in so many iconic locations, and the energy of the city adds so much to the story. There's a sense of nostalgia to it, but it's still very much about the realities and experiences of this generation.

DG __ You mentioned some classic New York locations. Can you give me a few examples?

ND __ We filmed at The Plaza and Katz's Delicatessen, which is one of the city's most iconic spots. We also shot in Central Park and several historic locations throughout the city. One thing I loved was how immersed we were in New York itself. Even when production tried to secure locations, there were always real New Yorkers walking through the background, stopping to watch, or filming on their phones. That added an authenticity you can't easily recreate. We also filmed some of the classroom scenes in one of the oldest girls' schools in New York. There was a lot of history in the places we worked, even if viewers don't immediately realize it while watching.

DG __ One thing I remember is the apartment. It's pretty big for New York. [laugh]

ND __ It is! My character, Kel, happens to be living with a couple of pretty well-off roommates, so that definitely helps. Maybe they pay most of the rent. [laughs]

DG __ Kel is still trying to figure out his acting career in the show. Since you're in the same industry, were there aspects of his journey that felt familiar to you?

ND __ Almost everything about his experience felt familiar. When I was younger, I was on a pretty traditional path, applying to colleges because that’s what I thought I was supposed to do. My older brother went, and it felt like that’s just what comes next after high school. It almost feels like a requirement, and it’s hard to tell your parents, “I don’t want to go.” I remember applying to all these schools, paying application fees, and thinking, “I don’t actually want to go to any of these.” The idea was always that I could study acting on the side wherever I went, but eventually I just thought, if I go to LA and really commit to it, and actually train and take classes there, it’s probably going to be more valuable than spending years getting a degree I don’t end up using. When I told my parents, they actually agreed 100%. But I think a lot of people still get in their own way at that stage. There’s this fear that chasing your dreams isn’t going to be taken seriously, or that it’s not acceptable in some way, so you delay it. And looking back, I realize I was even part of that hesitation. I was applying to schools I didn’t really want to go to, kind of doing it for everyone else. Which is funny to admit now, because you end up realizing how much of that is just fear. I also relate to Kel in terms of the work you do while you’re chasing something bigger. In the show, he ends up in this environment that unexpectedly supports him, and I had my own version of that in real life. I did a bit of everything, photography on the side, helping my acting coach by recording students’ self-tapes, DoorDash, Uber Eats, Postmates, all of it. At one point I was even working overnight shifts at a bakery, making muffins for the morning rush. You do whatever it takes to stay in the city and keep your dream alive. In a way, it was cathartic to play that from the other side. I feel very fortunate to be working on the show, while also playing someone who’s struggling to get there. That contrast created a kind of emotional loop: on one hand I understand the struggle deeply, and on the other, I’m living a version of the dream I was chasing. They end up informing each other. One side understands the reality, and the other holds onto the hope.

“ WHAT I THINK THE SHOW REALLY CAPTURES IS THAT MISMATCH BETWEEN EXPECTATION AND REALITY.”

—  NICHOLAS DUVERNAY ON HIS ROLE IN NOT SUITABLE FOR WORK

DG __ Except Kel didn’t have supporting parents [laughs]

ND __ No, not at all. [laughs] That was something I really had to draw from other people for. I have friends who’ve been in situations like Kel’s, so I leaned on their experiences to understand that kind of pressure and anxiety. I was lucky in that sense. I wouldn’t be where I am without my parents’ support.

DG __ So that’s the parallel between you and the character. What did you have to resist bringing into the role from your own experience? What didn’t you want to carry over? 

ND __ From Nicholas? What did I have to hold back? Honestly, nothing really comes to mind in a clear way. What drew me to Kel was that I read the script and thought, “This guy sounds like me.” And as an actor, that can feel a little dangerous in a way, because you don’t want to look at your filmography later and feel like you’re just playing versions of yourself. But with Kel, there were so many parallels, career, friendships, relationships, that it felt almost inevitable that parts of me would come through. In a way, it was a gift. I found myself questioning things while I was working, like, “Is this Nicholas, or is this Kel?” The line started to blur because the overlap was so natural. I think a lot of me is embedded in Kel. And when that happens, it can become difficult to separate what’s personal and what belongs to the character. Even with certain reactions or thoughts, you have to step back and ask where they’re coming from. It’s a tricky space to be in when so much of yourself is involved, especially when it’s all subject to interpretation from the outside. But that overlap is also what made it feel real. 

DG __ For a lot of people in their twenties, the path from ambition to stability feels less and less clear. Do you think the show taps into that uncertainty?

ND __ Absolutely! I think individually, across each storyline, you see how much of your career is actually out of your control, how much you’re dependent on your boss, the industry you’re in, and how inconsistent all of that can be. With Kel, for example, you have someone stepping away from a more traditional, stable path like medicine and trying to pursue something creative. That idea of leaving something socially “secure” for something uncertain is something a lot of people in their twenties can relate to, even if the specifics are different. And then you have other characters navigating their own versions of that instability, trying to use whatever they have available to create opportunity for themselves, whether that’s connections, experience, or simply finding a way to be useful in the room. What I think the show really captures is that mismatch between expectation and reality. You go in thinking things will unfold a certain way, and then you realize you have to adjust constantly just to make it work. That’s the reality of your twenties. You’re always juggling. Career, relationships, identity. Nothing is fully stable yet, and you’re kind of learning as you go.

DG __ Maybe for the best, Kel wouldn’t have made a great doctor. Fainting at the sight of blood probably wouldn’t have worked in his favor. [laughs]

ND __ Right! He might need a different specialty. Something like physical therapy or similar. [laughs]

DG __ There’s obviously chemistry between all of you on the show. Did that click immediately, or did it take time to find your rhythm as a group?

ND __ It definitely clicked instantly. I think everyone in this group came in with a real openness and eagerness to get to know each other. And when everybody wants it to work, it does. We had our first table read together and it genuinely felt like we’d known each other for years. There was already a shorthand. I’d met Avantika previously during a chemistry read, but I met Ella and Will for the first time that day, and it still felt like we were stepping into something familiar. That feeling never really went away during the shoot. It stayed consistent the entire time. Nobody drifted, nobody got weird. We still hang out regularly. We watched a Knicks game together a couple days ago, then went to Disneyland, and after that we went to an Ariana Grande concert. It’s been like that the whole time. We genuinely like each other.

DG __ What does a normal day in LA look like for you?

ND __ A pretty normal life. I’ve realized recently I’m actually pretty much a homebody. Especially now, I really like being in my space in LA. I’m not home most of the year, so when I am back, I genuinely enjoy it. Right now I’m still kind of settling into a new place,

“ YOU DO WHATEVER IT TAKES TO STAY IN THE CITY AND KEEP YOUR DREAM ALIVE.”

BEHIND THE STORY For Izabel Pakzad, Find Your Friends began long before the cameras started rolling. Inspired by a frightening real-life encounter during a trip through the California desert, the experience lingered long after the moment had passed. Rather than letting fear have the final word, Izabel transformed it into her debut feature, turning a personal experience into a story about survival and strength.

Editor-in-Chief Kevin Sinclair, Stylist Avo Yermagyan (The Wall Group), Interview David Gargiulo, Groomer Araxi Lindsey (The Wall Group), Assistant Stylist Mary XXX, Talent Nicholas Duvernay (The Lede Company), Location The Fairmont Breakers Long Beach.