Adia Smith-Eriksson was born on the 16th of June 1996 in Cambridge, England,
raised in Stockholm, Sweden. She is an actress, known for portraying the role
of Ranger West in Atlas (2024), Barry (2018) and Odd Man Rush (2020).
From a very young age she gravitated to the performing arts, attending a
weekend musical program already from the age of 4. She continued her studies
in Sweden, attending the musical program at Kulturama, followed by the
Theatre Program at Södra Latins Gymnasium in Stockholm. She’s also a classically trained pianist, completing exams through the London
College of Music.
In her spare time, she’s very active and outdoorsy, hiking, climbing, roller
skating, and if there’s enough snow, then you’ll find her on the slopes.
Adia welcome to OLC! Now “Atlas” marks your debut in a high-profile role opposite Jennifer Lopez and Sterling K. Brown. How did you prepare for your role as Ranger West in such an intense Action/Sci-Fi film?
Thank you so much for having me! To answer your first question, in terms of preparing for this role… I’m always happy when an opportunity to portray this kind of role comes my way, I like to think it’s a reflection of myself, and my own power and strength being conjured from within to play such a badass. I had no idea what to expect going into this experience, but I was surrounded by an amazing, supportive crew that made even prep for being in the arc suit as easy and painless as possible.
You were born in England, raised in Sweden, (a country that’s high on my bucket list can I add) and now work in America. How have these diverse cultural experiences influenced your acting career and approach to roles?
Firstly, you should definitely visit Sweden, it’s such a beautiful country. I will say that growing up there, I felt a little like a fish out of water at times. There wasn’t much representation in film and Tv over there, any diversity I experienced came from foreign media, so when it came time to take my own acting career seriously, as per my Swedish theatre teacher’s suggestion, I sought to work abroad. I’ve definitely been thankful for the opportunities that have come my way since the move, and that I’m able to use my multicultural multitude to my advantage, and it does give me a certain edge, it was what helped me book my first SAG film quite early on.
Working with renowned actors like Jennifer Lopez and Sterling K. Brown must have been exciting. Can you share any memorable moments or learning experiences from the set of “Atlas”?
Being in that environment, working with seasoned actors such as J-Lo and Sterling K Brown felt a little daunting at first, there I was, pretty new to the scene, and not wanting to step on any toes. But I had to remind myself that I had also earned the right to be there, and having the opportunity to learn from J-Lo’s professionalism and experiencing Sterling’s effortless charm and the grace with which he brought to set was so educational. The best moments were during the group scene with all of the rangers, Sterling and Jennifer, just pure fun banter in between the takes!
In addition to acting, you’re a classically trained pianist and enjoy various outdoor activities. How do these hobbies and skills complement your acting career?
One of the things that’s helped me thrive and fully be able to appreciate my acting career, has been not obsessing about it too much, finding fulfilment beyond my profession. I take great pleasure in my many hobbies, and it makes it that much more interesting when it’s something that can also be utilised for my career. Literally the best of both worlds!
Growing up with a karate-trained, former police officer mother must have been quite unique. How has her influence shaped your approach to action roles, particularly in “Atlas”?
My mother is my number one role model, I would not be where I am, who I am, without her influence. When I think of strength and resilience, she’s the first thing that comes to mind, and she raised me to have that within me also. So when I got to play a cool, badass role like Ranger West, it made it that much easier to harness my inner badass, because that’s just who I am!
You’re also known for your supporting roles in “Odd Man Rush” and TV series like “Barry.” How does working on a film like “Atlas” compare to your experiences in those other projects?
I really enjoyed “Barry” in particular as I’ve long enjoyed watching that show, and have so much admiration for Bill Hader, who did not disappoint in person, absolutely lovely human being! I have to say though, Atlas was just a mind blowing experience. It had it all, the sci-fi action element of it particularly excited my nerd brain. Being in the ARC suit, getting to play in this green screen world, whilst slightly daunting at first, was honestly the most I’ve felt in touch with my inner child for a while, it really required using my imagination and being like, “yeah, I’m definitely in space, navigating around debris and other flying objects to then save Atlas’ life, this makes toooootal sense!”
As a major comic book enthusiast, do you find any parallels between the worlds of comic books and the Action/Sci-Fi genre of “Atlas”? Do you have any favorite comic book characters or stories that inspire you?
To somewhat tie into my previous answer, the unlimited possibilities that green screen offers makes creating this world that much more magical. It really is amazing that they discover plants or the randomness of how uninhabitable certain parts of the planet are. My all time favourite comic is “Saga” by Brian K Vaughn, and one of the things I love about it are all the different planets, environments and people the characters encounter, you never really know what to expect. I definitely think I have a little Alana in me, such a powerhouse character!
“Atlas” features a rich cast of characters and intricate plotlines. What can audiences expect from your character, Ranger West, and how does she fit into the larger story of the film?
Ranger West is perhaps not the most welcoming character, I believe she’s confident in her own strength and abilities and has little patience for anyone not on her level. I think we can all relate to having that substitute teacher we maybe didn’t listen to quite as much as our real teacher as kids, and I think it’s a similar vibe when Atlas comes in to brief us on the situation to be met with some resistance. But I think my character redeems herself and has an important part to play in Atlas’ survival.
Do you have any future roles coming up or on the horizon you can tell us about?
Current updates, I finished filming an indie film about 2 months ago, and that will hopefully come out this fall. As for what’s next? The hustle continues, I’ve definitely come to realise that I really feel at home in action especially sci-if action or fantasy! I can only hope that I continue to thrive in that genre and have more action packed film roles come my way. Maybe in a James Gunn film someday?
