You know the narrative: boy meets girl, boy wants girl, boy’s best friend gets girl. Add to this, a story of redemption with Will Arnett in the lead role and make Mitch Hurwitz, co-creator of Arrested Development, executive producer, and you’ve got Flaked, a comedy that courts drama with quirky persistence.
Coming to Netflix on March 11th, Flaked tracks the life of a self-help guru—notably self-proclaimed—named Chip (Arnett), as he finds his way back from rock bottom. Unfortunately for his best friend (David Sullivan), this trajectory leads him straight to the object of his unrequited affection, London, a pixie-esque waitress with a bohemian spark, squarely cut with the gang’s Venice Beach locale.
In the role of London is Irish actress, Ruth Kearney (The Following). A relatively new face stateside, the beautiful and sprightly Kearney, promises to garner attention as the centre point in the love triangle between Arnett and Sullivan’s characters. As for how London turns heads, that, according to the actress, is a matter of playing up her character’s inner iceberg. Translation: look below the surface, people. “What I found interesting about London is [that] she comes across as one thing when we first meet her, but as the series goes on, the audience and the other characters will see there’s a lot more going on that doesn’t initially meet the eye,” explains Kearney. “I think that this mysterious quality is something that makes her quite attractive to Will and David’s characters. She lends an air of the unknown, which makes her desirable.”
Taking on her first comedy opposite genre heavyweight, Will Arnett, proved more of a giddy education than an intimidating induction into the world of deadpan and satire for Kearney. “Will was amazing to work with,” she gushes. “Not only was he the lead on set, but he was completely invested in every aspect of the show, having co-written every episode. I feel like I learned a lot from him, he was always so positive and so fun to be around.”
A devout Netflix’s viewer herself (she’s currently watching The Master of None), the appeal of her own Netflix original series is in how it finds the genuine humour in life’s everyday ups and downs. “For me, it perfectly captures the real comedic moments that often sit alongside some of the deeper complexities of human relationships,” she comments.
Like her character London, Kearney too, has her own enigmatic appeal. A newbie to young Hollywood with killer fashion sense, we predict we’ll be seeing much more of Kearney on the style pages. For the actress, who prefers to wear “an eclectic mix of vintage finds and modernist clean cuts,” fashion is about comfort and personal tastes, more than chasing trends. She shares, “[I] Love combining feminine textiles with relaxed tailoring. I enjoy fresh seasonal trends teamed with timeless wardrobe staples.”
With Valentine’s Day upon us (and women everywhere getting ready for the ultimate date night), we wanted to know what Netflix’s newest girl-next-door/heartbreaker packs in her purse to keep herself looking like the sort of woman two men might come to blows over. Below, the products Kearney—a natural beauty who likes to “keep it simple”—can’t live without. (Particularly luxurious—and Valentine’s Day appropriate—when fished out of spring’s must-have accessory, a Lady Dior bag in red patent leather.)