Credit: Birdie Thompson
Interviews exclusive @ouchmagazineny
How are you? You have an interesting name, can you break the origin down? It is pretty unique.
I am good, thank you for asking! My name is of Malagasy origin. My first name, Faly, means Happy and my last name, Rakotohavana, means Mr. Family. So, in full my name means “Happy Mr. Family”.
You are involved in a cool project Secret Society of Second Born Royals, how did you come across this role?
When I first heard about the Secret Society of Second Born Royals it was just an audition that my agent had sent me. I came home from school one day and my mom told me that my agent had a cool project for me to audition for, and I was very excited about it.
Can you explain your role in Secret Society of Second Born Royals?
In Secret Society of Second Born Royals, I play the young prince, Matteo. He is a very shy and awkward character, which was fun to play because I am the complete opposite of him. He really wants to fit in and be a part of something, but he’s afraid of what people might think of him.
What was the most exciting moment you had filming?
The costumes! There’s this one costume in particular that I wore, and I thought to myself, “Wow this is really happening.” Costumes brought the film to life for me.
What do you miss about acting before Coronavirus?
In-room auditions! I miss being able to stand in front of a casting director and show what I’ve got in the 5-10 minutes that I have in the room. Now everything is online! So, all of my auditions are submitted through self-tapes.
What are you really looking forward to in 2021?
My graduation! I graduate in 2021 and I’m really excited to start my post-high school life. The high school has been fun and all but I’m ready to see where my life’s going to take me.
What's in your music library? What song can't you live without?
I’ve been listening to a lot of Dominic Fike! She Wants My Money has been replaying in my head for days! A song I could never live without is Mr. Brightside by The Killers. That song makes me so nostalgic for some reason and it’s one of those songs that you can sing to, cry to, scream to…it’s just a song to shout from the rooftops!
How do you stay focused and in the moment during things times?
A big problem I have when trying to focus is my insane ability to overthink absolutely everything. I use my music as a way to escape the constant flow of thoughts that flood my brain. If I can focus on my music, I can focus on anything. Plus, it’s also very relaxing
What is your dream project to be a part of and who is your inspiration?
I want to be a part of a crazy adventure that people my age only dream of going on. I want to be a part of something thrilling but at the same time, I want it to be a project that makes people want to get out and go do something. Movies like Holes and The Goonies really make me want to go out and have some adventures. Chadwick Boseman has always been an inspiration to me. To see him go from Jackie Robinson to Black Panther was so crazy to me and I aspire to work alongside him.
Where can fans reach out to you via social media?
Fans can follow me on:
Instagram: @falyyyyy_16
Twitter: @FalyRakoto1
Snapchat: @falyyyyyyyyyyy1