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Riley Davis: Why Vertical Drama Villains Have More Fun · Breaking The Meta

• Mike Winson: you you start Riley Davis: Ooh, yes. Mike Winson: off with a bang in that video by taking your arm and plunging it through the chest of your sister and grasping Riley Davis: Mm-hmm. Yes. Mike Winson: her heart. What? What was that like? Riley Davis: So actually that was the very last day of filming. And yes. Yes, that was the very, very last Mike Winson: Was it? Are you kidding? Of course it was. Riley Davis: day. Mike Winson: Hello everyone and welcome to Breaking the Meadow. My name is Mike Wins, and today we are sitting down with the star of such shows as The Alpha King's Chosen Mate. I'm having babies in economy. They're making babies in first class. And my husband made me have his uncle's baby. Her name is Riley Davis. Hello, Riley. How are you doing today? Riley Davis: Hi Mike, I'm so good. How are you? Mike Winson: I'm so good. You know, I've gotten to do quite a few interviews now and my I think one of my favorite parts is when I do the intro and I read off I pick like three or four of the verticals you guys are in and read them off. It's never yesterday's had one whoop. There we go. Riley Davis: her she likes she's an iPad kid so Mike Winson: Ha ha ha. Riley Davis: she will she likes to attack my phone sometimes. Mike Winson: No, you're good. so yeah. yesterday I got to I got to read the word zaddy on a on a on a vertical and that's something I never thought I would do ever. So Riley Davis: Yeah, some of these titles are a little crazy and Mike Winson: Yeah. Riley Davis: but hey, it catches our attention, which is exactly what they wanted. So Mike Winson: It sure does. It sure does. Okay. So to start off, I love to just get to know you and and kind of learn a bit, a little bit about your backstory and how it started. So you grew up in Kentucky. Riley Davis: I did, yes. Mike Winson: East Coast people are my favorite. Amen. Riley Davis: Yeah. Mike Winson: I grew up in Massachusetts, but I live in North Carolina now. So always, always love meeting with the East Coast people. so how how like where what was the what was the store what was the what was the timeline of from Kentucky and and and I know you did you either were going to go to New York or you did go before you decided to to go to LA? Let's how how did we get from A to B to C? Riley Davis: Yeah, so basically I was in northern Kentucky. I was, you know, wanting looking at schools for theater and I looked at Amda and Amda was amazing. I went and toured and the one in New York, but something came over me and I was like, I don't know if I want to live here. I love to visit, I love to travel, but I just don't know if this is the place that I can live. Mike Winson: Mm. Riley Davis: So I decided instead of doing the whole musical theater college experience, I wanted to have more of a state school experience where I could go and watch football and you know, all go to all the games, join a sorority, have like more of a traditional like call American college experience, not a conservatory. So I decided to go to Western Kentucky University, which was literally the best. decision I could have ever made. So there from point A to point B. And now we hit point C, which Mike Winson: Yes. Riley Davis: starts with COVID. So COVID happened and I was so for going to New York because I had just been studying like musical theater. I was like obviously New York is where I need to go. And I freaked myself out because I was like New York is small and everyone's wearing masks. And it's like I would be really scared because like it's such small confined space. I don't think the masks are gonna help. Like I'm freaking out. So I was like, I need to go somewhere where there's more space, there's more air and everywhere. And I decided California because I was like, I've never been to LA. I have always dreamed about it. It has been in my Facebook profile like since I made a Facebook when I was like way too young to have it. Mike Winson: Ha ha ha. Riley Davis: that I lived in Los Angeles. So I was like, I feel like this is where I should be going. So Mike Winson: Yeah. Riley Davis: from point A to point C, it was kind of like a lot of decisions back and forth. But COVID happened and and I needed more fresh air. I needed more space. I needed something that was going to be a little bit more spread out. And I felt like California was definitely that place for me. Mike Winson: So what had you done what kind of acting had you done before you went to LA? Riley Davis: just musical theater. I mean, I took a film acting class in college, but it wasn't really that much different necessarily. you know, like all of the acting classes that I took were all very based in truth. They were all very based in in, you know, like finding it like, you know, more like Meisner techniques and and things. So I had always kind of just been acting but When you're acting for stage, it's very much like dramatic and big and you know you're acting to the people all the way in the back. so I've never actually done like just like a film film where your face is blown up onto a giant screen and you know you can see every little eye twitch and everything. whereas on stage you can't. So Mike Winson: Yeah. Riley Davis: The kind of acting that in in musical theater, I don't know if it necessarily helped me in in the smaller film things that I did. but it's definitely helped me out in the vertical space for sure. Mike Winson: And how long from when you got to LA did the verticals cause verticals were verticals being done a lot during COVID, or did you go and just kinda get yourself situated before I feel like I remember hearing from people Riley Davis: No. Mike Winson: that that verticals didn't really become a thing, at least in LA until almost twenty twenty three. Riley Davis: Yeah, yeah. And I actually didn't get into it until like 2025. Mike Winson: okay. Riley Davis: I so I fun fact, I don't know, I don't know what it's called, I don't know where it is, I don't know even if it's out, but I did background one time in I think it was at the beginning of 2024 for a vertical. Mike Winson: Okay. Riley Davis: And I didn't even know that it was being filmed vertical, like I genuinely just like walked on set. It was like a totally like professional experience. it was exactly like walking onto the set for the offer, which I like had done not too long before then. And Mike Winson: Mm-hmm. Riley Davis: so I was like, Okay, this is like interesting, but you know, we'll like kind of see where it goes. And then it wasn't until I got my manager in May of last year that I really started to book because I had maybe auditioned for a couple of them, but at that point it was like right after the strike. It was like, you know, I was really focused on music at that point. that I wasn't auditioning as much. And then I was like, the acting bug is eating at me. Let me go get a manager. And I did, and he was the one that started booking. So I've only been doing verticals for like a little over a year. Yeah. Mike Winson: wow. Riley Davis: Yeah. Mike Winson: Wow. So what so what kind of stuff were you doing a lot of before the vertical stuff came into a into your world? Riley Davis: Yeah, I think like obviously besides music, which, you know, when the strike happened, I was doing a lot of background before the strike happened. Mike Winson: Okay. Riley Davis: because I had like pretty much just moved out here. There was still COVID regulation. So it was like there were still things happening. but it was definitely like from what I've heard from people in the business, was that it was kind of slow, but there was a little bit of a pop that was happening. so I did background for, like I said, the offer. I think they called it Family Swap. it's on Netflix with Jennifer Gardner and Ed Helms. Mike Winson: okay. Riley Davis: yeah, I I I did like a bunch of different like movies and TV shows, just trying to like get on set to figure out, okay, am I gonna understand the film lingo, all of that? Mike Winson: Mm-hmm. Riley Davis: but then once the strike happened and you know things were slowing down, I actually did a lot of student films. because I felt like if we were going to take a pause, there was definitely gonna have to be something for me to build up my book so that I didn't fall behind. and when student films were still going, it's like, you know, these people still have so much passion. And it's like, yes, you're using school film equipment, or you know, maybe some of them got the budget that they were able to, you know. get get something a little bit nicer, but whatever Mike Winson: Yeah. Riley Davis: it was, it was like the student films were so much fun to me. And I did quite a few. because it was like we got to work with people that were just as equally as passionate about what we were doing as I was. So it was such a fun experience and I built up a really nice book. with everything like all of my reels and all of that stuff. A lot of that came from student films. and then I got my manager and he pretty much was just like, All right, are you cool doing verticals? I'm like, I don't care. Just give me all screen. Mike Winson: I'm like, I want I wanna get paid. Riley Davis: I just won't get paid. And he's like, that's my job. You just work on auditioning and getting everything together. So I yeah, and and I had done like one like short film before then too. but that was that was pretty much it before all of the the vertical stuff kind of started happening and my life turned to vertical land. Mike Winson: So what verticals are interesting. some of the some of the topics, some of the perspectives, some of the titles, as we've already looked at, are are very unique and not always not always the the best perspectives, especially when it comes to how they treat women, especially. what what went through your mind the first time you you did a like you were You got a script for doing like a real, like a vertical, vertical, not just a like a small background of one. Riley Davis: Yeah, I so the first the like first like vertical that I did where I was like the villain, I was totally bullying the girl that was bigger than me. And it's like I was like, god, I have to say these things. And the director's looking at me, and she's already done a few, and she's like, yeah, whatever. And I'm like, Mike Winson: Ha. Riley Davis: I'm like, fuck, what did I sign? I'm gonna get canceled. Like, I'm full on gonna get canceled. But then Kelsey Smoot, who was my co-star, was just absolutely amazing. She had already done a few, and she's like, girl. She's like, this Mike Winson: Yeah. Riley Davis: is so like vertical. And I was like, what is happening here? I'm like, what are what did I walk into? And I think like from that point, it was like, I looked at the script and I was like, this is a little crazy, but I know that people talk like this because you see it on the internet all the time. And it's like, and if I can relate this story in a more truthful way because it's something that does actually happen. Like, okay, maybe we're not everybody's not models and on magazine covers and walking down runways, but you know, we're walking to the coffee shop and there's somebody that makes a comment about your outfit or what you're wearing, like, Mike Winson: Yeah. Riley Davis: you know, or you post a picture on social media and somebody comments something really, really awful, or you hear your friends talking behind your back. Like these kinds of things do happen. so just trying to relate something that is very dramaticised and trying to find the truth in it. that kind of helps me kind of ground the vertical scripts because you're right, they do get very crazy and I'm like, what is happening here? Like Stop This would not ever happen, but it does. Some Mike Winson: No. So Yeah, no, no, they absolutely does it does happen sometimes. It's so wild to me to see the verticals just take it up like they they take that notch and they just turn it like one little one little number Riley Davis: Mm-hmm. Mike Winson: or two higher on everything that just to make you go. Riley Davis: I feel like when my grandmother was alive and we watched Days of Our Lives, that was no different. Like the stories, like now like looking back and thinking about it, I'm like, some of the stories are very similar. Like, you know, Mike Winson: Yeah. Riley Davis: it it's it's maybe, you know, cause it's a different network and things like that. It's like it's still the surprise, like, that was her brother. Like, you know, it's it's Mike Winson: Yeah, yeah. No, you're try that's true. Yeah. Riley Davis: Right. And and the formula has worked in China for what ten plus years. So it's like, you know, and that short form content of everything being so bam bah bah. It's like of of course the formula is gonna work, you know? Mike Winson: Yeah. So you you were talking about that you were a villain. In a lot of the ones you play, you you you tend to be a villain or a or a villain of some sort. is that something you enjoy doing? Do you have a desire to play the good character? Because I will say, in prep for this, I've watched some of them. You play a really good villain. And I and I say that with all the love in my heart that I can that I can put Riley Davis: Thank you. Mike Winson: out there. Riley Davis: Thank you. Yeah. I mean Mike Winson: Ha ha ha. Riley Davis: honestly, like the one thing that I can say about playing the villain versus playing the lead is that the the villain, we always have more room to play. And what I mean by that is the leads are always typically very damsel in distress. It's always they're crying, they're always which is a A beautiful thing, don't get me wrong. Like it's a it's a beautiful skill to have to be able to cry every, you know, 10 days and a million different scenes. Mike Winson: Yeah. Riley Davis: but with the villains, it's fun because I feel like always the directors and or the clients will be much more open to our ideas about maybe like changing the script so we're not yelling all the time. It's like, you know, I can, I can kind of find ways to build that tension without having to be screaming all the time or doing like this one specific, like the leads always have to cry. The villains always have to be this evil screaming, And it's like, I love being able to play around with my characters, find something different because people aren't just born inherently evil. What happened to get them to that point? And with the characters that I play, it's very much like they've they've been hurt a lot. So, you know, I would love to play a lead, of course. I think that, you know, I think that I do have those chops. And I I think maybe as a five eight lip filler, Botox, 24 inch extensions is not very damsel in distress. so if I did play a lead, it would probably have to be something a little bit more like, you know, badass. Mike Winson: Yeah. Riley Davis: Well, maybe even a like lawyer kind of esque style. Like, Mike Winson: Mm, you would be good at that. Yeah. Riley Davis: like something a little bit more like, yeah, Olivia Benson kind of, you know, very much like cop that realm of, I like, I can't just be like a Cute little housewife, because Mike Winson: Yeah. Riley Davis: I'm I'm also not five two and and blonde. Like I have bright red hair. I like totally get why I get cast as the villain. but it would be fun to play the lead. And I have had a few lead auditions recently that have been popping Mike Winson: Ooh. Riley Davis: up. So let's see. Mike Winson: So speaking of of interesting directions that you play as a villain, let's talk about your most recent release, which is the Alpha King's Chosen Mate. you you start Riley Davis: Ooh, yes. Mike Winson: off with a bang in that video by taking your arm and plunging it through the chest of your sister and grasping Riley Davis: Mm-hmm. Yes. Mike Winson: her heart. What? What was that like? Riley Davis: So actually that was the very last day of filming. And yes. Yes, that was the very, very last Mike Winson: Was it? Are you kidding? Of course it was. Riley Davis: day. And we I like that was such a fun set. I mean, like having Madison on there and Cayman and, you Mike Winson: Yeah. Riley Davis: know, just like everyone that was involved with that, I could name literally the entire casting crew. And it like I'm telling you, like it was genuinely one of those sets where we all just got super close. It was so much fun. So by the last day, of course we were all like, we haven't slept in five days and it's Mike Winson: Well, I guess that works for being crazy and and ripping out the heart of your of your sister. Riley Davis: Exactly. I played into it because during that scene, you know, we're very much like, you know, fighting sisters. And I'm just like so done because she's taken everything from me. And Mike Winson: Mm. Riley Davis: I kind of brought in those same ideas of, it's the last day. Like I really do need to go out with the bang and I really just need to go for it. So I took in those, all of those emotions and really just like played into that being like. opening scene, but it's the last thing that I do. Like, you know, it has to come out strong for people to want to continue to watch. So that was yeah, that was that was actually the last day of filming. Mike Winson: That's crazy. for those of you that are listening that haven't watched it yet, the storyline is basically your sister in in it, who is played by by Madison West is is it's a one of the it's a werewolf, it's a werewolf episode. So she is bound to Braxton Angle, who And in the beginning, they're like just got together, and then you rip their heart out, you rip her heart out, she dies, and and then you die, and you both you're the moon goddess brings you back in time, Riley Davis: Aha. Mm-hmm. Mike Winson: both of you, and you try and you know get her life, she ends up marrying or getting together with someone else. I'm not gonna get rid of I'm not gonna tell everyone the story. Because you gotta go watch it. Riley Davis: You have to go off. Mike Winson: but it it's a it those kind of stories are actually really fun to me. Of all the verticals that Riley Davis: Mm-hmm. Mike Winson: I watched, those ones are actually really interesting and fun to me because it's like it almost gives you that you sit there and you go, like my brain goes is constantly going, what if I did something differently? What if I made a different choice this time? And it plays into Riley Davis: Right. Mm-hmm. Mike Winson: that, which is really nice. What is there it do you have a story from that from you know the recording of that that that like fun something that happened that you're just like you it's you remember the most from from this recording? Riley Davis: Honestly, okay, this is kind of like I it has it has really nothing to do with the show itself. but we were sitting there one day and I'm just like, you know, talking, you know, just and I and I when I get comfortable with people, I start to slip back into that Kentucky accent. Cause sometimes, sometimes it it, you know. Mike Winson: Yep. As someone who grew up around Boston, it can it can happen. Riley Davis: You know, there's certain moments where it comes out, you know, drinking, if I'm, you know, comfortable laughing, you know, like whatever. It it's it does start to slip out. Well, I'm, you know, talking with Cayman, we're just sitting, chatting, and I don't know what I said. I genuinely cannot still tell you exactly what I said, but it sparked something in his brain where he goes, Where are you from? Mike Winson: Ha ha ha. Riley Davis: And I was like, Huh? And he's like, he's not like redneck. Where are you from? And I was like, Mike Winson: Excuse me? What are you talking about? Riley Davis: I literally went, Kentucky. And he goes, girl, I grew up in Georgia, but I was born in Kentucky. And I was like, What? And come to find out, we lived in Lexington, Kentucky, 20 minutes away from each other during the same time when we were both younger. Yeah. So Mike Winson: What that's so cool. Riley Davis: it's just funny to see, you know, like those kinds of like connections where it's just like, Maybe we didn't cross paths, but I know exactly the school where his brother went to school. And I know the, you know, places like that he was talking about. Like I know exactly where those are. So it's like it's so cool to see like now, many, many, many years later, after he moved to Georgia, I was, you know, out of Lexington, Kentucky, and, you know, Mike Winson: Yeah. Riley Davis: living in d in totally different spaces that we can both come together and be like, We were literally, you know, living in the same place at the same time so long ago. And like, who knows? Maybe Mike Winson: That's wild. Riley Davis: we were at the same restaurant one time or like maybe we were, you know, like I don't know, at the same park doing something, right? Mike Winson: Yeah. Riley Davis: but that was definitely one of the most memorable points because it solidified mine and Kamen's friendship. It like it solidified my feeling of like, I am like I now have friends in this in this space because Mike Winson: Yeah. Riley Davis: when Cayman and I were talking, it was, I mean, we were, you know, talking for a good while, talking about all the people we knew and all the people we were close with. And him and I have a very good mutual best friend, Aaron Orcutt. you know, so it's like we are always like, you know, like finding these connections. And that was kind of the defining moment where I felt very solidified almost in this space because I felt like I had met so many amazing people and now we're hanging out outside of the vertical space, which is always like the most amazing thing. Mike Winson: Absolutely. Well, speaking of Aaron, because that is the first that is the first video of yours where I realized that how good of a singer you and to an extent Aaron, although I kind of had seen other things of Aaron singing, but I saw the video of you two singing together and Aaron was playing the guitar. Riley Davis: Mm-hmm. Mike Winson: so you are also a musician who also has an album out, right? You Riley Davis: I do. I it's it's it's technically an EP because it's not as that many songs. Mike Winson: Okay. Riley Davis: but I but I do have singles released and I have quite a bit of music on Spotify. Mike Winson: Yes, and I saw a video of you performing on stage too. so country, it's country pop, right? Is is what so were you when you were in Kentucky, was was doing I obviously you were a music theater major, so music was always a part of you, but was doing was doing music like this always something that you wanted to do, or is it something that kind of came from Time or whatever. Riley Davis: Yeah, I mean, honestly, Mike, to be quite clear with you, I never thought that I would be doing my own stuff. I was like, I'm not that good of a singer, like sololy, like I can do the choir. And I like because I did choir my whole life. And yeah, I I when I was doing my singing for musical theater and I was doing things solo, it was like, okay, this is great. I can slip into a character and do a character voice when I'm singing and Mike Winson: Yeah. Riley Davis: I can make it sound really good, which is why I also, funny enough, played a lot of the villains. in like I was I was Vivian and Legally Blonde. and you know, so it was like I had always been able to have that very much like bright sounding musical theater belt. but when it came to like my own voice or like singing pop, I was like can't sing pop. I sound stupid Mike Winson: Mm. Riley Davis: singing pop. and then come college time, my Amelia Rawlings shout out to Dr. Amelia Rawlings. She, I wish I would have paid attention more in Mike Winson: Shout out to Dr. Rawlings. Riley Davis: class. I unfortunately was high a lot of my college experience, Mike Winson: Ha. Riley Davis: which was great. Don't get me wrong. I still got A's and B's. I was like very much like, you know. Mike Winson: Hey, that's all that matters, right? Riley Davis: But I Wish I would have paid attention to what she said more. And Mike Winson: Mm. Riley Davis: I looked back on class notes and like all the time still about voice pedagogy and things like that. Cause she was the one that made me do like a six-song book. And it was like different. It was I wanna be loved by you by May Monroe, all the way to One Perfect Moment from Bringing All the Musical. So I had like things from way, way back in the day to very modern to Mike Winson: Yeah. Riley Davis: I do Reannon by Fleetwood Mac. Like that's in my book. so it's like I have now such a wide range of of music that I was like, fun. And I can sight read really well. Like somebody hands me Mike Winson: Mm. Riley Davis: a sheet of music and I can look at it and be like da da da da and I can like you know full sing it. But then I was here strike happened and I'm like, I need to do something. Should I audition for musicals? Should I do this? Should I like what what should I do? And somebody presented to me that I should go to this place called Green Tea Studios, which I still work with them to this day. And they were like, my God, you need to just record your own song. Like why don't you go and just work with a producer, see what you can come up with. And I was like, Are you sure? And Mike Winson: me? Riley Davis: I went and we created a couple. Mike Winson: Was there somebody else here? Riley Davis: I know I was like, huh? I was like, are you talking about me? Like, I don't sing my own song. I've never written a song. I don't sing Mike Winson: Mm. Riley Davis: my own stuff. If somebody writes me a song and produces it and wants me to just like come sing on it, absolutely. so then I just like, you know, decided to go to the studio. I worked with this guy two points. Noah. He is absolutely amazing. and we did an e EDM song at first. And a very, very it Mike Winson: EDM, there you go. Riley Davis: was yeah, it was like kind of interesting. it was a great song, don't get me wrong, but I'm not an EDM person. I just wanted to do something that was so outside of my comfort zone because I was already outside of my comfort zone. So Mike Winson: Right. Riley Davis: then I did that, and then I did a pop song, and I was like, Something's not feeling right. And then somebody was like, girl, you're basically Carrie Underwood. Like, why are you not doing country? I was like, huh? You're right. And that's kind of how it fell into country. Cause I I grew up listening to country music. I mean, obviously, with my mom and Mike Winson: Kentucky. Riley Davis: Yeah, exactly. Just just being around, being in a southern school, like, you know, an hour north of Nashville, Tennessee. It was like we were. surrounded by it growing up. I resisted it a little bit in college because I was like, I'm cooler than these people. I'm from northern Kentucky. I'm a little bit Mike Winson: Mm. Riley Davis: more civilized than you, which in grand scheme of Mike Winson: Civil. Riley Davis: things, not at all. but so, you know, and I I loved listening to like rap music and like, you know, old hip hop and and I grew up on eighties rock music. My dad turned thirteen in nineteen eighty and this never let me forget it. so yeah, he I I definitely have like a bunch of different Mike Winson: Yeah. Riley Davis: music genres in my in in my repertoire of of music, but I think Mike Winson: Heck yeah. Riley Davis: I fell into country pretty pretty quickly and and it was the best decision ever. Mike Winson: So I I was I was looking at at a different songs that that you'd put out and one of the ones that I j I just need I need I I need you to tell me the story behind it is called two shits. Riley Davis: Much time do we have? Mike Winson: how much time do you need? Riley Davis: Let me give you a very actually give me it just a second. Mike Winson: Okay. Riley Davis: One of these because it definitely needs Mike Winson: Ha ha ha. Riley Davis: if I'm gonna tell this story quick, I gotta have some like extra juice. Okay. Mike Winson: Okay. Riley Davis: So basically, long story short, I was in an acting class. We formed a little friend group with us, people in the acting class, plus like a couple outside people. Well, we all decided for, you know, years and years and years to hang out for birthdays and everything. I mean, this core friend group, it was like about 10 of us, did everything together. When I started doing music, I decided that I was going to have my friends be in the band because I have so many, so many talented friends, played Mike Winson: Yeah. Riley Davis: guitar, played millions of different instruments, playing, you know, like singing, bass, guitar, whatever it was. I had people at my disposal that I knew that I were like amazing and I wanted to give everybody that showcase because it's like when I win. All of my friends win. And when my friends win, I win. So Mike Winson: Yeah. Riley Davis: we were like, I had so many people right in front of me that I'm like, I want you in my band. Well, I don't know what happened. I don't know if there was there was something said one night where we were all in a jam session and this guy that like wasn't in our friend group, and I was like, whatever. I I guess said something like somebody played a riff. And I was like, ooh, that was really good. Keep that in your brain. Like, I want to use that in one of my songs. Like that was, that was super cool. I liked that. Well, the guy that was outside of our friend group turns to the guy that was playing the guitar and was like, Riley always bosses you around. She's such a bitch. Mike Winson: no. Riley Davis: And like this guy had just moved here. Like when I tell you, like this guy like had maybe hung out with our friend group like twice because he was moving in with his high school best friend who was in our friend group. And so I'm like, I didn't obviously hear any of that. I just started seeing a couple people pull away. And I'm like, something's off, like something's weird about this. Mike Winson: Mm. Riley Davis: Well. I didn't say anything. I'm just like, you know, still hanging out with people, whatever. come my birthday, I they totally came, drank the free alcohol, and then just left. And I'm like, what the what is happening here? And so I said something, and it was two people that were dating, two shits, little foreshadowing here. And they, I just started noticing that they were being a little. Chitty. And I was like, so then I at that time was doing Polar Express, which is an interactive train experience. I was singing and dancing on a moving train, singing about Christmas. It was like the most amazing thing ever. Well, Mike Winson: That sounds awesome. Riley Davis: I had I had two free comp tickets to give to somebody. So I decided to give them to the two people. Cause I like had noticed that they weren't. hanging out with our friend group. They weren't going out as much. I knew the guy didn't have a job. So he was living off of his girlfriend at the time. and so as a good friend, I I offered, I said, hey, you can take these two tickets and, you know, I'd love to see you guys there. They didn't, they, they were like, yes, we'll find a time to come. That's so nice. Thank you so much. Never use the tickets. And so then This was fast forward a few weeks. January happens. I lose my job because my I worked in the Pacific Palisades and the fire happened and burned Mike Winson: Mm. Riley Davis: down half of our work. so I am now unemployed, freaking out. And Desert Five, my favorite bar on the whole planet, reaches out to me and they say, Mike Winson: Shout out. Riley Davis: Hey, do you want to come do a a fire relief show? All the proceeds are gonna go to the To the Palisades fire and the Al Tadena Mike Winson: Mm. Riley Davis: and Pasadena fire. So I said, yes, let me start texting my friends. I text the whole friend group. There's like three people that want to go. S one of the the girlfriend of the two shits was like, I'm not going there. And I was like, hey, it's it's it's not just for me. Like, it's for the fires. Like, let's go raise some money. And she was like, Yeah, Mike Winson: Yeah. Yeah. Riley Davis: fuck that. And we were like, okay. So then, fast forward, they decided that they just hated me so much because there was Apparently I was full of myself, which I try and be very selfless. I don't know. They this is just what I heard that they said. Mike Winson: Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Riley Davis: they called me, they called me selfish. They said that I was full of myself. They said that I was not talented either, which I digress on that. That's matter Mike Winson: Yeah. Riley Davis: of opinion. but they were basically they started saying all these things that got the entire friend group to turn on me, except for one person, my best friend Allie. And Allie was like. There's something very off about them. Like I started calling people out about the the two people out about being a little abusive towards each other. And I was like, hey, you can't do that in public. That's that's not okay to like grab somebody like that, even if you guys are dating. it made people uncomfortable, but I was the one that spoke up because I always speak up. And come to find out a year later, the rest of the people in that friend group went. shit, Riley was right from the very beginning. We fucked up and turned around and came back to me. literally, they didn't know about the song, but I had just Mike Winson: no. Riley Davis: written, I had just written and released the song, and it was about to be released in like a week or so. It was like, it was like less than two weeks. And thank God that nobody in that friend group. Is friends with those two anymore because Mike Winson: Mm. Riley Davis: they the song was about the two people that turned on me Mike Winson: Yeah. Yeah. Riley Davis: after doing all of this crazy stuff. But it was funny because after I had already hit the release button and it was set to release and it was just like, you know, in the cloud of of music releases, the entire friend group, something something really big and and like I think the police should have gotten involved, but it didn't. Mike Winson: Mm. Riley Davis: something big happened and everybody went, shit. They we fucked up. Riley was right the entire time. Riley didn't deserve that. They all came back and apologized to me and was like, Hey, we're really sorry for you know doing this, like this, that we we totally fucked up. And it was like the first time that I was like, I am healed from from this situation. Mike Winson: Ha Riley Davis: And Every single big friendship breakup that I've had that has made it to the point of we don't talk anymore and there's been no I'm sorry or you know, no explanation given. It was very healing to Mike Winson: Mm. Riley Davis: hear those I I'm sorry from them because it was so genuine and I can tell that like the people are trying to be very much more like open to Mike Winson: Yeah. Riley Davis: a relationship with me again, which is amazing and it makes me feel very good. But also, too, it was very healing having that song released. So when you listen to the lyrics of it, those are actual things that like happened. They like Mike Winson: Mm. Riley Davis: called me, they were like, they were like, Bradley thinks she's like the queen of everything. Well, now you're the queen of cold hearts because you're a bitch. So you know, and when I mean like to fit your basic clothes, like she was basic. and she called, she she had the nerve to say things about me and my outfit. So I'm like, you know what, we'll play fire of fire here a little bit. But when Mike Winson: That's right. Riley Davis: I say, like, you know, to the closet in your castle must be huge because you've got all these things and you're fitting your boyfriend there and his baggage. It's like he was living with her rent-free, and didn't have a job for almost an entire year. And I'm like, which is totally fine, but how do you how do you live off of somebody for an entire year? You get kicked out of the place that you were just in because it was a family friend and they were letting you live there rent-free. But then they're like, hey, you get you don't have a job. Like you're like you w we want to light a little fire under your ass. He Mike Winson: You're just mooching. Yeah. Riley Davis: moved right in with his girlfriend and didn't get a job. And I'm like, go get a job. Just go get a job. We all have to make money somehow. I Mike Winson: Jeez. Yep. Riley Davis: I have five million jobs other than an actor. I'm also a nanny. I also do house sitting and dog watching and everything like that. And it's like, I get it. Like we all don't have traditional jobs here, but you have to be providing for yourself somehow. And he just was smooching off of everyone. So Mike Winson: That's crazy. That's crazy. Riley Davis: that's the story behind two shits. Really, really small cliff notes. There's so much that happened. I hope I didn't talk very long, but Mike Winson: No, you're good. It was it, you know. I love hearing I'm not gonna talk about it here, but I'll definitely at some point tell you. I'm writing a song too. So I've got stories behind. Yeah. So we'll talk, we'll talk later. so I want to go back a little to the acting side of things to verticals quick. Is there a kind of trope, a kind of vertical that you haven't done yet? That if you could snap your fingers and say, I want to do I I want to do this kind, what what would it be? Riley Davis: Western, western, western, western, western please. Mike Winson: What so you can so you can get that Kentucky Southern in? Riley Davis: Exactly. I think I think when it comes to kind of like those tropes, it's mainly like the they're trying to sell it's it's very yellowstone coated. They're trying to sell the farm and then you know somebody comes in and then they fall in love. You know, it's a it's a very much like enemies to lovers kind of trope, which I would love to do. I think like definitely when it comes to the westerns, it is a little bit limited on those tropes, but I feel like There's definitely so many of them out there that are very like badass, that are very, you know, like just great storylines. I mean, I'm thinking off the top of my head, I think it's called American Sniper is Mike Winson: Mm-hmm. Riley Davis: one of them that my friends, a couple of my friends did, and I saw clips of it and it was like, like, like I wanna be in one of those. You know, and I mean I I would love to do like the fantasy tropes, like, you know, the werewolf ones are always great, you know, the forbidden lovers kind of fantasy trav time travel, those kinds of things are always fun. But I think now I'm really, really, really leaning towards wanting to do a Western. Mike Winson: Heck yeah. Heck yeah. All right. So I've got, I call it a speed round. Easy questions, no stress answers. go to coffee order. Riley Davis: Latte with either lavender or any kind of like fun floral rose flavor or something like that. Mike Winson: Okay. I th I I've never gotten floral in my coffee before. It's ne something I've never done. Riley Davis: Lavender lavender coffee ice amazing. Yes, so good. Mike Winson: Really? Okay. Well, I might have to try that. sweet or savory breakfast. Riley Davis: Sweet. Mike Winson: What's your go to sweep? Riley Davis: I don't actually make breakfast for myself. It is always my husband because he is my chef. And Mike Winson: Yeah. Riley Davis: I made him make elote pancakes, which it like like it's basically like cornbread, Mike Winson: I love a lotes. Yeah. Riley Davis: which I would think which I would think would be more savory, but then adding the maple syrup and the honey and everything else on top, it definitely makes it more sweet. So Mike Winson: Yeah. Yeah. Riley Davis: that that's my go to breakfast is my elote pancakes. Mike Winson: beach or mountains? Riley Davis: Beach. Mike Winson: Beach. go to karaoke song. Riley Davis: Before he cheats by Carrie Underwood. If anybody's ever been to Desert Five, they would know. Mike Winson: I can so see you singing that right now. Riley Davis: I actually started singing at Desert Five because I walked up to the guy that was the host of of the Thursday night like singers spot. He was hosting Wednesday night karaoke and I said, I'm gonna go up there, I'm gonna sing this song, and you're gonna book me for Thursday night. And he was like, Huh? I sang that song and I've been singing that song since I was like eight. So yeah. Mike Winson: Heck yeah. I think I know the answer to this one. Dogs or cats? Riley Davis: Dogs. Mike Winson: Really? Riley Davis: So the only reason why we have these two little shits is because our schedules are both so crazy. I'm such Mike Winson: Mm. Riley Davis: an animal person. Like I love animals. However, these are my two the first two cats that I've ever had in my whole life. I do love cats, but cats scare the crap out of me. I think that they're gonna claw my eye out the like every day. so but I I am actually a dog person. I love big dogs. I had Rottweilers growing up, so I I would love to be a cat person and I think that these two really have helped me be that, but I'm such a dog person. Mike Winson: Gotcha. go to comfort food. Riley Davis: Skyline chili. Mike Winson: Ooh, yeah, 'cause you were born in Ohio, right? Riley Davis: Technically, yes. I was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, which is right across the river from where we were from. So my mom and labor driving into Cincinnati to have her baby, so which is me. Absolutely. Uh-huh. Mike Winson: Gotta have that skyline chili from if you're from Ohio. last show you've binged. Riley Davis: Keeping up with the Kardashians, the old, old, old seasons. I Mike Winson: Okay. Riley Davis: have been like, my Miguel needs some American culture and I feel like that is just like the most American thing that I can like make him watch that is just like crazy. Mike Winson: Yeah. morning person or night owl? Riley Davis: Night owl, for sure. Mike Winson: Favorite Season. Riley Davis: Summer. Mike Winson: Okay. Riley Davis: Yeah. It's cold Mike Winson: I can't stand. Riley Davis: back home every like in the winter and I hated it. And I'm like, California has sunshine all year round. It's hot all the time. This Mike Winson: Yeah. Riley Davis: is why I moved here. Mike Winson: There you go. one food you refuse to eat. Riley Davis: There's not much that I wouldn't eat. I love to eat. I I'm gonna give kind of a answer and just say fish just because I'm allergic to it. if Mike Winson: Okay. Riley Davis: I ate that, I would literally blow up like a puffer fish. So I'll say fish. Yeah. Mike Winson: Yeah, let's let's not do that. That works. sweet treat you can't say no to. Riley Davis: My little candy cigarettes that I found for our wedding. I've eaten Mike Winson: Ha ha ha. Riley Davis: the entire box. Mike Winson: Do you always do you put it in and puff out the smoke first before you eat it, or does it not do that? Riley Davis: It goes straight down the pipe. Mike Winson: Yeah. Riley Davis: Those things, I have such a sweet tooth, and I found these a l like a while ago and I bought them for our wedding and the entire box came. Yeah. Mike Winson: That's hilarious. I love that. dream duet partner for like karaoke or acting. Riley Davis: Well, I can't say somebody I've already done. Ooh, she would out sing me so bad, Kelly Clarkson. But that would be a dream. That would be a dream. Truly, truly. Mike Winson: that would be amazing though. That would be amazing. Yeah. That would be so cool. if you had a free day and had zero plans, what would you do? Riley Davis: Lay on my couch, cuddle with these two and Mike Winson: Ha. Riley Davis: schmerk some fun stuff that I can buy legally here in California and watch movies. That's literally what I would do. Mike Winson: What what movie would you would be your first first choice to watch? Riley Davis: To be quite honest with you, I am so bad at picking movies because I act so much, I would rather just watch reality TV. Mike Winson: okay. Riley Davis: so I genuinely would probably call my brother, who's a huge movie buff, and I would ask him what Mike Winson: And just say what? Riley Davis: tell me something to watch. And he would give me a list of 12 things. So it would probably be something that he suggests to me, because I always am texting him about that. Mike Winson: That's fair. for people that want to find you on like social media or want to find your music, where can they find you? Riley Davis: Anywhere where you can stream your music. I'm on Amazon Music, Spotify, Apple, YouTube, Riley Davis. You can search up Riley Elizabeth Davis as well. I I have heard that both have popped up. so yeah, Riley Davis on all of those streaming platforms. You can also go to my Instagram or my TikTok because they're linked there as well, which is Riley Elizabeth Davis. Mike Winson: Yep. Yep. Riley Davis: And Yeah, that's where you can check me out. If you look up on my IMDB too, if you wanted to see some of the acting stuff, a lot of the things that I've done are on IMDb as well. Mike Winson: Yep. Yep. Make sure you go check out our most recent the Alphas, Alpha Kings Chosen Mate. And that's on short max. Yes. Riley Davis: Yes. Mike Winson: Riley, thank you so much for sitting down and letting us get to know you a bit. This was this was a lot of fun. I appreciate it. Riley Davis: Mike, you I think you you've seen on the vertical queens that I like to talk. So Mike Winson: Yeah. Riley Davis: I very much appreciate you hanging out with me today. I love doing interviews and getting to meet new people. And like, Mike Winson: Yeah. Riley Davis: Mike, we're cool now. So every time I see you, Mike Winson: Yeah, yeah we are. Riley Davis: I can't wait to be like, my god, Mike. Like Mike Winson: Heck yeah. Riley Davis: literally, you know how I am with the vertical queens. Like I Mike Winson: Yep. Yep. Riley Davis: just, I like absolutely like love this space and being able to talk to people and just Being able to, you know, hang out and meet new people and from North Carolina, thanks for coming in all the way from there. So yeah, this Mike Winson: Yep. Yep. Riley Davis: was fun. Mike Winson: Yeah. for everyone else that lists that has listened or watched, I appreciate you. Please hit all those buttons down below. Like, subscribe, comment. Makes it possible for me to keep doing what I'm doing, which is interview amazing people like Riley here. And for those of you that may be new to what breaking the meta is all about, just you know, breaking the meta is about having hard conversations when necessary, fighting to break the status quo and the idea that all people, no matter your race, religion, gender, identity, deserve rights, respect, dignity, and safety. Again, Riley, thank you so much for being here. And for everyone else, we'll see you next time on Breaking the Meta. Bye, guys.