With professional training from renowned institutions including the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts, Marymount Manhattan College, and the Stella Adler technique, she has built a career defined by versatility, authenticity, and artistic excellence.
Beyond her impressive résumé, Brianna is known for her sweet heart, caring soul, and radiant spirit. She brings warmth, kindness, and genuine compassion to everyone she meets, qualities that shine both on and off the screen. Whether portraying complex characters, creating meaningful stories, or advocating for the environment, she approaches every endeavor with grace, curiosity, and intention. Brianna is truly a creative force whose talent is matched only by the light she brings into the lives of others.
THE INTERVIEW
1 - Dezert Light: Where were you born, and what are some of your favorite memories growing up that helped shape who you are today?
Brianna OPP: I was born in Pasadena, California! My favorite memories growing up were playing dress up and never wanting to leave the house without a costume on. I also loved making Barbie towns and making each Barbie a character.
2 - Dezert Light: What’s your zodiac sign
Brianna OPP: I am a Pisces sun, Virgo rising, and Sagittarius moon according to Western astrology.
3 - Dezert Light: You trained at several prestigious institutions from a young age. When did you first realize acting was more than a hobby; it was your calling?
Brianna OPP: There was a teacher in New Orleans who said, “This is how you do it,” referring to the way I was performing. That made me feel like I am doing what should be done. Then, when I did the Harley Quinn webseries, so many children and adults mentioned how much my performance meant to them. That made me feel like I am giving this gift of performing to help the world.
4 - Dezert Light: Your career spans acting, producing, writing, comedy, and stage performance. Which of these creative roles feels most like "home" to you, and why?
Brianna OPP: I think as a Pisces I am a vessel or channel. Sometimes I am channeling an energy, sometimes a character, sometimes an article, sometimes someone else’s project. I think my North Star will always be on camera acting, but I love to have many homes.
5 - Dezert Light: You are passionate about environmental stewardship. What inspired that commitment, and how do you incorporate it into your everyday life?
Brianna OPP: I travel often. It always inspires me to see such clean and environmentally friendly countries like the Netherlands or Singapore. I always think to myself, I might not be the leader of the universe to enforce environmental protections, but I can at least do a little here and there. I love planting trees and managing a garden. I also pick up trash wherever I am or can. I love scuba diving, and I always pay the fee of enjoying the ocean by cleaning up the trash I find at the bottom of the ocean. I also love clothing swaps, rentals, and vintage shopping rather than buying new stuff. I also limit my usage of single-use plastic bottles. Lastly, I have reached out to local politicians wherever I have lived about litter that I see to get some sort of effort to eliminate it.
6 - Dezert Light: Winning Best Supporting Actress for Honey Pot was an exciting milestone. How did that recognition impact your confidence and career?
Brianna OPP: That award gave me so much confidence in my acting abilities. I felt like that propelled me forward at a time in my life that wasn’t easy. I was struggling to stay afloat, but that award made me believe in myself. It also made me work hard to pick up as many jobs as possible to keep my dream alive.
7 - Dezert Light: You have worked in drama, comedy, and action. Which genre challenges you the most, and which one brings you the greatest joy?
Brianna OPP: My favorite genre is comedy. I grew up watching Adam Sandler and Will Ferrell during some difficult moments in my life. I was so grateful to experience laughter during those times and always. I hope I can do the same for my audience. Laughter is the best medicine, and I want to give the people the medicine I love that tastes like pina coladas! The genre that challenges me the most is drama. I have experienced some dark times in my life, and sometimes when doing dramatic work, it is difficult to let the scene go when I get home.
8 - Dezert Light: Love often influences the way artists see the world. How has love shaped your life and your creativity?
Brianna OPP: The love of my father has always helped me believe in myself and push through every chapter of my life. My wife is my greatest cheerleader and scene reader! Having so much love in my life helps me come from a place of abundance rather than lack. I am not scared to fail because I have so much love to come home to. Also, I now see failure as a lesson or something I can add to a character that I am creating. No one is perfect, and those imperfections are what make people and characters interesting to watch in the movies and in real life.
9 - Dezert Light: What qualities do you value most in a partner, both romantically and as a best friend?
Brianna OPP: My wife has the most integrity out of any person I have ever met in my life. I value honesty. As I mentioned before, no one is perfect, including me. My wife will tell me, “That outfit doesn’t look good, or I think you should try that scene again.” I appreciate that. I am real with people, and I hope people are real with me. Romantically, I think it is important to communicate your needs and appreciate one another. Life gets busy, and it is crucial to support your partner through the good times and the challenging times. I also love leaving little love notes for my wife, and I think that sparks magic for us. I love surprising her whenever I can. With a friend or a lover, I think it is good to remember we’re all human. In the past, I’ve been with partners who were insecure and had a lot of rigidity and rules. That just doesn’t work for my wife or me. We always come from a place of love, and I always know that whatever we do comes from the intention of helping each other succeed. I think everything should be discussed with your partner. Also, it doesn’t matter at the end of the day who is right and who is wrong. It matters that you love each other more than the need to be right or superior.
10 - Dezert Light: Finally, if you could leave the readers of Dezert Light with one message about courage, love, and living authentically, what would you want them to carry with them for the rest of their lives?
Brianna OPP: I have a few things to say here. I have seen the sunshine, and I have seen the rain. Tomorrow is a new day, and you never know what amazing surprises are around the corner. You never know what someone is going through. Giving the gift of grace is free, so give it often and freely. Love is everywhere. Start by loving yourself. What do you love that makes you feel alive? Fill up your own cup otherwise, how can you fill up the cups of others?
We are born alone and die alone. There are no rules to live by. Do what you want to do and live how you want to live. We are lucky enough to have so much freedom in 2026, so why not live how you want to live!
Everyone is human. Some people might be born into royalty and others in a ditch. Why not spread joy and love to lift up the human spirit around the globe? You can start with smiling at a stranger. They might not smile back, but it doesn’t matter. Do things for the gift of giving rather than a reaction. Do what you can; sometimes in my life all I could do was hold space or give advice. Sometimes you don’t have a lot to give, but what are you capable of giving? Do that. You never know how you’ll change someone’s life.
Lastly but certainly not least, I read a great quote in a book called Illusions of a reluctant messiah. Remember, argue your limitations, and they are your own.
briannaopp.com
@boppz