Alison Araya Talks ‘Peacemaker,’‘Brazen,’ and Her Love for Superheroes [Interview]

Alison Araya is an overnight sensation in the land of social media thanks to her scene-stealing acting on Peacemaker.

Araya plays Amber Calcaterra, the wife to Evan Calcaterra, hilariously portrayed by Lenny Jacobson. The two are introduced on Peacemaker Season 1 Episode 2, “Best Friends, For Never,” when Peacemaker, portrayed by John Cena, takes the pair hostage in their apartment.

Araya and Jacobson steal the episode with their hilarious back-and-forth banter as Cena ties the pair up with their help. The chemistry and energy in the air is magnetic and downright hilarious, leaving viewers wanting more from everyone involved.

You may recognize Araya from her many previous roles on television shows such as Riverdale, Lost in Space, Julie and the Phantoms, and Supernatural.

I recently had the opportunity to speak with Araya about what it was like to film with James Gunn and John Cena, why her portrayal as police chief in Brazen (Netflix) is important, and her love for the Julie and the Phantoms fandom.

Her love for Amber was immediate after her first glance at the script. But her admiration for James Gunn, John Cena, and their brilliance is what sealed the deal for her. “From the moment I read Amber, I thought, ‘what a dynamic firecracker of a woman.’ We got to explore this really fiery, you know, beautiful woman in this world, and I loved that,” Araya said.

“The opportunity to work with both James Gunn and John Cena was an opportunity that I wasn’t going to pass up,” Araya continued. “It was amazing. It was the most fun I’ve had on set so far. The worlds that James Gunn creates are so incredible.”

“And you know, it translates to the way we work on set. He was just magic to work with and so encouraging, supportive, and allowed us to be creative. And then working with John is just amazing; there’s so much fun, chemistry, and he’s super professional, so much fun to work with. I had a real blast.”

What she didn’t expect when accepting the role of Amber Calcaterra is the overwhelming support and love that has been radiating from fans. “I’ve been overwhelmed, so pleasantly surprised, and just in this space of receiving all of this love. Never in my wildest dreams did I think Amber would be such an iconic hit, but she seems to have resonated with a lot of people.”

While Amber may be a minor role, fans are guaranteed to see the hilarious Amber Calcaterra make one more appearance in Peacemaker before the end of the season. “We get to see Amber again; you’ll just have to keep on watching to see exactly when. But I think you know, one episode of Amber isn’t enough,” Araya said.

Within her extensive resume of television roles, Araya has been in various superhero shows such as Supergirl, Smallville, and Arrow. Along with minor roles in movies such as Superman Returns, Watchmen, and X-Men Origins: Wolverine.

When prompted with the question of what superhero she’d like to embody in the DC Universe, her mind immediately goes to Amber. “Oh my gosh, you know, if Amber became a DC comics character, I would pick that up in a heartbeat.”

“I think what’s so cool about the superhero universe is that more and more characters evolve. And who knows, maybe there’s a character just waiting to be embodied by yours truly. I love being a part of the superhero world. I think it’s such a grand scope of storytelling, and we’re seeing some beautiful stories, not just action and entertainment, but the real humanity in these stories, which is a real positive,” Araya continued.

Another aspect of storytelling that Araya loves is representing her culture, breaking down barriers, promoting Latinx representation, and playing women in charge. In Netflix’s new Alyssa Milano-led thriller Brazen, Araya portrays Captain Rivera, the level-headed captain in control over the investigation of Grace’s sisters’ death.

“I love the opportunities to play strong women in leadership roles, and when I read the scripts, and read for the police cast in there, I thought, ‘this is such a great opportunity for me to step into these roles,’ and especially portraying these characters that are written Latinx. It’s a real point of pride for me.”

“It’s important to see representation and to see Latin women, women period, and then Latin women in roles of leadership I think is really empowering. So, I’m always honored when stories come my way that enables me to step into these characters,” Araya continued.

One thing she’s thankful acting gives her is the ability never to be stuck doing the same thing. In a world where actors can be typecast easily, Araya strives to be a chameleon.

“I love it all, you know, variety for me is so important. I said this before, being a Gemini, variety is really important. I love that I get to jump around from different genres and different worlds. I think if I had to stick to one particular genre, eventually, the satisfaction would wear off. Being able to jump from, you know, the teen show to the movie of the week to the sci-fi, action, and superhero stuff gives me so much space to play and to wear different hats, so to speak.”

“So, it keeps me on my toes. And it forces me to always better myself because I’m never doing the same thing. I’m always working on something completely different. Which, to me, you know, it can be stressful at times. But I really love that peace. And I love the challenge that it offers me,” Araya continued.

While she’s been in a myriad of television shows and movies, there’s one actor that she’s not had the pleasure of sharing the screen with.

“Right now, if my team called me and said, ‘you have a starring role opposite Pedro Pascal,’ I could die. I’ve been a fan of his work for so long. And not just because he is a fellow Chilean, but because he’s a brilliant actor, and I just love what he’s doing. So, that would be my number one commitment for sure,” Araya said.

Julie and the Phantoms was officially canceled in December 2021 after a grueling year-long wait for the news. But that doesn’t mean fans have given up on their beloved show. A growing petition online has garnered over 150,000 signatures calling for its renewal for a second season. Araya would love to reprise her role as Aunt Victoria in that event.

“In a heartbeat, I could just burst into tears. The love the fans have shown us over the last two years has been so incredible. I absolutely adore the phantoms and the entire movement. I’m so aware of the actions that they’ve been taking, the petitions, and bless each and every one of them. If there is some miracle and we find a new home and a chance to reprise Julie and the Phantoms, I am so there. Try and stop me, is the question,” Araya said.

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Peacemaker airs Thursdays on HBO Max and Brazen is available to stream on Netflix.

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