Prioress is a time-traveling warrior who uses her intellect to navigate the spaces of time. Porter believes that people could see her character as a control freak, but she thinks Prioress is a zealot – using what she’s got to get what she wants.

Jumping into the world that exists beyond “Paper Girls” for a moment, the show is setting the landscape for audacious choices in television. Porter described how she is given autonomy to make bold choices with her character, but the work doesn’t stop there. The Amazon series prioritized diversity by having varied representation among its cast.

“I adore that the leads in this show are Asian girls and Black girls. They are not relegated to cute, sassy best friends. Of course, this is a ‘coming of age,’ story with universal themes to which we can all relate, but there are unique aspects specific to Asian American and African American cultures,” Porter said.

This representation in the show is critical to Porter and her work as an actress. She believes representation leads to relatability, especially in sci-fi and horror genres.

“Wearing my natural hair in performances is important to me; I want girls who look like me to be able to relate to my characters. And maybe, in a small way, help give them permission to shine, as well,” Porter added.

Josh Rodgers