Twenty-five year old actress, singer, producer, and dancer Regan Aliyah is taking the world by storm. Whether you’re watching Netflix Original “XO Kitty” or eagerly anticipating Marvel’s “Ironheart”, your eye can’t help but be drawn to her dynamic presence. Hailing from Los Angeles, California, she uses her platform to uplift those around her, unafraid to speak out about social issues. Regan took the time to talk with us about her television and film experiences, as well as some other things she’s thinking about right now.

You come from generations of performers: has this background influenced or impacted your own career path?
Yeah absolutely! My family has impacted me in so many ways. I owe them everything and I hope to one day be able to give them everything. They taught me the true meaning of hard work, perseverance, and dedication. You know what, talking about my family feels complex in a world that loves everything to be so black and white, where nuance often gets overlooked. It’s either you’re a "nepo baby" who’s never faced a struggle—or you're the perfect success story who rose from nothing on your own. I come from a lineage of entertainers, but not in the way people might think—no Google-worthy net worth, no Jackson 5 or The Osmonds. In my eyes, the talent was always there, just never given it’s just due. It deserved to be on those big stages for a lifetime. But through it all, my family didn’t just love art—they lived for it, working relentlessly to honor music, dance, and creation, even when they had to pivot. By the time I was born, most of my family who I lived with had regular jobs, many in the LA school system—my grandma as a librarian, my grand-aunt as a cafeteria worker. I heard words like financial assistance, payday loans, and eviction like they were just a casual part of life. I have this vivid memory of inviting a friend over, and the next day she went around telling everyone I was broke (because of my tiny un-gentrified apartment). It spread like wildfire through my friend group, and suddenly they were like, “Why would you want to follow in your family’s footsteps if it means being poor?” I mean, they really thought we’d signed up for the “starving artist” lifestyle on purpose. I told my grand-aunt about it, and after going on a good rant about “kids not having no manners”, one thing she said, really stuck out to me— “If you create art for the money, you’ll spend your life never truly creating art.” What’s had the deepest impact on me is how my family, no matter how much this industry burned them, always made sure to push the next generation to chase our dreams with full integrity. They never let the struggle diminish the value of art, because they understood its power and importance on a level most people don’t. I may not have had much money growing up, but I was rich in something you can’t measure or buy.

Jewelry: RARE-ROMANCE
Top: Hoodbaby LA
Pants: Madison Jewelinski

What does it mean to you to portray Juliana in XO Kitty as a member of the LGBTQ+ community yourself?
Oh man, it honestly means everything to me. Playing a character I would have loved to see on screen as a kid is like a dream come true. I totally get why so many actors say that—it really is a healing experience. There’s something so powerful about being part of a show that doesn’t shy away from its queer characters or make you piece together clues about their sexuality. They just are. It’s just naturally a part of the story, it’s real, it’s relatable and it’s normal. I think that feels groundbreaking to be a part of, especially because we don’t see it nearly as often as we should. I mean, 4 out of the 6 main characters are queer—that’s so wild to me. I’ll never take that for granted. It really has been an absolute dream to play Juliana and I’ll miss her when I don’t get to step into that K.I.S.S uniform again.

Is there anything you’ve learned from playing Juliana? Is there anything you wish she could learn from you?I didn’t get the chance to come out in high school, so playing Juliana really hits different. It’s like, ‘wow, this could’ve been what it was like,’ and that’s an interesting space for me. I relate to her a lot, and if there’s anything I could teach her, it’d probably be to just breathe and relax. She has to understand that there’s no blueprint for how to handle her feelings, her relationship, or even her breakup. It’s all new territory for her—for all of them. It’s their first time going through these intense emotions and they’re just kids. So, honestly, I’d just tell her to breathe and trust that everything’s gonna be okay.

Jewelry: RARE-ROMANCE
Sweater Set: Natashia Studio

What, if anything, do you hope to represent for young viewers of the show?
I hope people have a good time watching the show. I want them to feel seen, to relate, to find comfort, and to laugh. I hope it makes more people feel out and proud. Honestly, one of the reasons I came out was because I watched a TV show that had a storyline I could really connect with. So, if even one person watches XO and feels comfortable enough to be their true self—that would be... wow. That would mean everything.

How does it feel to join the iconic franchise of the Marvel Cinematic Universe for “Ironheart”?
The question almost makes me wanna skip it because my eyes tear up each time. This is my dream, and having it come true at such a young age, I can’t even process it. I grew up in a comic book household—my mom collected them, so you best believe she had me, a 9-year-old, standing in line to see the first Iron Man. It became our thing—opening night, every movie. I’ve sat through a 32-hour Marvel movie marathon because it’s that serious to me. So, to be where I am now? It’s so full circle. It’s honestly unreal.

Jewelry: RARE-ROMANCE
Orange Suit: Itaii

How did the process of filming your feature film debut, PLEASE DON’T FEED THE CHILDREN, differ from your experiences with television series?
Stepping into the film world felt like someone lit a fire under me. It deepened my love for acting, especially in the indie space. You’re surrounded by people who are genuinely passionate about the craft, and that’s something I really want to do more of. It’s different from TV in some ways, but the approach to learning lines, rehearsing, all that—it’s pretty similar. The biggest difference for me, though, was the emotional space PDFTC required. It’s high-stakes, so I had to prepare myself to tap into those intense, emotional moments—especially for the crying scenes. I had to be ready to stay in a constant state of panic, and that was a whole new level of preparation.

You’re a woman of many talents… is there a common thread that ties them all together for you?
Delusion and Passion

**Left:**
Jewelry: RARE-ROMANCE
Orange Suit: Itaii
**Right:**
Jewelry: RARE-ROMANCE
Top: Hoodbaby LA

What do you do to balance your time and energy between dance, music, and acting?
I am the world’s worst time manager. Every day is just me diving into a million things like, ‘Yeah, I can totally do all this!’ I just bought a bass because I’m definitely going to start playing, but at the same time, I’m trying to direct my friend’s music video while finishing my own debut EP. I have no clue how to manage time or energy, but somehow, it’s all kinda working out... except for maybe a few missed calls or texts.

Do you have a dream role or project that you would love to be a part of at some point in your career?
I’d love to do sci-fi and action. I want to be in something where I’ve got long green ears, one eye in the middle of my head, or I’m out here fighting aliens. I just love that whole world—it’s so me.

You use your platform to advocate for social issues and support others: is there anything specific weighing heavily on you right now?
We’re witnessing so many devastating changes happening at lightning speed—immigrant deportations, ethnic cleansing, the erosion of trans rights, environmental destruction, women’s rights and abortion care being dismantled... the list goes on. I can’t emphasize enough how crucial community is right now—mutual aid, supporting each other, and protecting one another. We’re all scared, but there’s no time to let that stop us. Now, more than ever, we need to unite and keep fighting.

CREW CREDITS:
Talent: Regan Aliyah
PhotoBook Editor-In-Chief: Alison Hernon
PhotoBook Creative Director: Mike Ruiz
Photo Creative Direction: Regan Aliyah & Cameo Adele
Photographer: EVERS
Lighting Assist: Dylan Hernandez
Fashion Stylist: Cameo Adele
Hair: Ryan Asher & Cameo Adele
Makeup: Julia Franco
Tearsheets by Daniel López, Art Director, PhotoBook Magazine
Interview by Logan Dutra, Contributor, PhotoBook Magazine

The Multi-Talented Regan Aliyah