Andy Allo is getting plenty of deserved praise for her performance as Nora in Prime Video’s comedy-drama Upload. Nora’s smart, driven and more of a romantic than she lets on—a character who it’s easy to root for, and to want to know where she goes next. With season 2 now streaming, I had a chance to chat with Andy about how Nora’s story picks up and how she sees the relationship between Nora and Robbie Amell’s Nathan going from here.
Plus, we take a second to chat about her recurring role as Wendy Seager on NBC’s Chicago Fire (which she reprised in February) and her career as a singer and songwriter. Get to know more about all of Andy’s talents in our interview.
Brittany Frederick: Nora’s life gets a lot more complicated at the end of Upload season 1, but she seems to be good at complicated. Where do we find her at the start of season 2?
Andy Allo: Season 2 picks up right where season one left off. She’s thrown right into the Ludd camp and all the politics and dynamics of the Luddites. And she’s a little judgey sometimes of people, but I think one great quality about her is that she inevitably gives them a chance and she always sees what she can learn. It might get a little messy, for sure, but she learns a lot—which informs so many of the decisions she makes throughout the season.
BF: Her feelings for Nathan have been well-established by now, so what are your thoughts on their relationship? Are you rooting for them to get together in season 2, or as an actor, are you thinking maybe it’d be more fun to slow-burn this for a while?
AA: I’m such a big fan of the show myself. If I wasn’t in it, I would be watching it and I’m always rooting for the couple to get together. Greg [Daniels] and the writers do such a great job of crafting [Upload] and I remember thinking like, “Oh please, please, I want them to get together.” Just so there’s that satisfaction.
I hope fans enjoy this season. I think there’s a lot of twists and turns. In season 2, Nora ends up having a relationship with someone else and she and Nathan are going in completely different directions, So there’s a lot of plot twists, and if you thought the cliffhanger in season 1 was bad or epic, season 2 is…just hold on. (laughs)
BF: The way Upload is set up, and how vast the universe is, we don’t get to see Nora interact with all the other characters as much as Nathan. Is there anyone that you wish you had more scenes with?
AA: One hundred percent. I wish I had more scenes with Kevin [Bigley], who plays Luke. That character is so hilarious and Kevin just nails it every single time. Every time I’m watching his scenes, I’m just dying laughing. I wish Nora had more scenes with Luke in some way, so hopefully that happens.
BF: Upload has been a great showcase for your talents. What have you learned or experienced from the show?
AA: I think I’ve learned so much from Nora. She just has such a big heart and [an] ability to see the best in people. In season 1 she sees Nathan and is like, “Oh, what a douche,” and then, you know what? Okay, I’m going to give him a chance to get to know him as he is now. And in season 2, same with the Ludds and giving them a chance to get to know them. I think that’s one of the biggest things I take away from Nora, is her ability to always see the best in people. She really cares at the end of the day.
BF: While you’ve been filming the show, you’ve also made time to continue your recurring role on Chicago Fire. Has anything about Nora informed Seager, or vice versa?
AA: Seager and Nora have a lot of similarities, in the sense of they really believe in what they’re doing. Nora is a bit messier. She sometimes gets herself in trouble—even if her intentions are good, sometimes it doesn’t end up very well. There’s a bit of that drama in season 2, where her ideas backfire in some of her relationships. But with Seager, she’s very passionate about what she does, but she’s by the book. I think it’s really fun playing a character who’s a little more confident and self-assured. What’s cool in season 2 of Upload, Nora gets her footing a little bit more and she starts to own her voice and turns into this leader. Which I think innately Seager does have.
BF: What fans of both shows may not know is that you have a musical background; you’ve got two albums out on iTunes. Is there any chance that your music finds its way into Upload, or are you working on anything musically right now?
AA: I’m working on a new album now, so I’m hoping some of the new songs will make their way into the future seasons. It’d be amazing to have that cross.
BF: What’s one thing you really love about Upload that you want the fans to know?
AA: I think one of the things I love about this show is just how well our cast works together; I have a similar energy going into Chicago Fire. But to be in something from the ground up—what Greg Daniels has created is so intricate, it’s so layered and all of us feel like we’re in it as a family. We all are super-excited about the show. We’re really passionate about it, and we all get along. There’s no egos, there’s no divas. Everybody’s so excited about this and it makes going to work so fun.
I just take moments to watch everyone doing their thing. And you’re like, “Wow, this is so cool.” In the world that we’re living in now, season 1 was very much was a break. We came out right when we were in the middle of the pandemic and we’re still in it, but we’re all kind of used to it a bit. And I hope season 2 has the same thing of it’s light, it’s an escape, and you get to just enjoy the ride with these characters.
Upload season 2 is streaming now on Prime Video. Fans can also see Andy Allo in the Chicago Fire season 10 episode “Fire Cop,” which is available on Peacock.
Article content is (c)2020-2023 Brittany Frederick and may not be excerpted or reproduced without express written permission by the author. Follow me on Twitter at @BFTVTwtr and on Instagram at @BFTVGram.
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