Alisha Boe starred as Jessica Davis in the fan-favorite Netflix teen drama 13 Reasons Why from 2017 to 2020. The series, which follows the aftermath of a high schooler’s suicide, helped inform Alisha’s approach to online trolls and bullies in recent years. The 24-year-old opened up to HollywoodLife.com about her experience with cyberbullying and how the Netflix show shaped her ahead of her CO. Spaces roundtable in honor of National Bullying Prevention Awareness Month. “I grew up on that show. It was like my college years, and learned so many things. Specifically, through the show, I really learned how important the sense of community is,” Alisha told HL in an EXCLUSIVE interview. “On screen and off screen, my classmates and I would take care of each other, whether that was doing a scene or because we were all having this shared experience of the show becoming very popular and us having to navigate that as new young actors.”
She continued, “Playing Jessica Davis, specifically, taught me what resilience really is, and how important it is to be nice to people, because you really never know what the other person is going through. It’s actually something I learned when I read the book when I was about 14, and took with me through middle school and high school. The sense of community, resilience and being kind to others.”
Alisha is bringing this knowledge with her as she hosts a roundtable conversation on Oct. 28th at 6 PM ET on Instagram Live with CO. by Colgate in honor of National Bullying Prevention Awareness Month. “I really wanted to be part of that conversation and really want to use my platform to raise awareness and spread positivity. I definitely connect really deeply with any form of bullying or cyberbullying, as I’m Gen Z myself and literally grew up on the Internet,” she explained.
Alisha admitted she’s “definitely had my fair share of internet trolls” and that “it can be really overwhelming.” “It may make you question your self worth and it makes you feel very alienated. But, my advice for those young people who are also going through that is to reach out to your support system in real life. It will help you feel connected, and know you don’t feel socially alienated, you have support and love.”
The roundtable, hosted on Co. by Colgate, will include Alisha Boe, and The Cybersmile Foundation, a nonprofit organization committed to digital wellbeing and tackling all forms of bullying and abuse online. The event will focus on the prevalence and emotional impact cyberbullying has on Gen Z, as well as best practices for addressing cyberbullying and contributing to a more positive experience online. CO. by Colgate is a new oral beauty experience for the next generation of Gen Z users. Powered by Colgate’s 200+ years of oral care expertise, CO. by Colgate incorporates best-in-class technology and science to create innovative, effective, and trusted products to help you achieve bright, healthy smiles. More than a line of transformative oral beauty products, CO. by Colgate is a purpose-driven brand founded on the values of inclusivity and authentic self-expression.