Alexandria Riley Talks Silo, Power, Morality and the Before Times

Alexandria Riley is a Welsh actor whose work across television and theatre has established her as a compelling performer drawn to emotionally complex characters.

Following acclaimed performances in Baby Reindeer and Lost Boys and Fairies, Riley returns as ‘Camille Sims‘ in the third season of Apple TV’s Silo, where the dystopian drama expands beyond the confines of the underground world to reveal the “Before Times“.

As Camille steps into a position of greater influence, Riley explores a character forced to confront impossible moral choices in the pursuit of survival.

She shares insights into Camille’s evolution, the timely themes at the heart of Silo, and why stories that embrace the complexities of human nature continue to resonate.

Please introduce yourself …
Hey, I’m Alexandria Riley. I’m an Aries. Half Welsh, half Caribbean (St Vincent and the Grenadines to be exact), and I was born and raised in Newport, South Wales.

Describe your life in one word or a sentence …

Unpredictable. I genuinely never know what’s coming next. And that’s beautiful, but as someone who likes to be organised and in control, it also stresses me to my core.

Why are we here? 

We’re connecting right now because I currently play ‘Camille Sims‘ in the Apple TV show Silo (which is great by the way).

Season 3 expands the world of Silo, taking audiences into the “Before Times” while the present-day Silo is still recovering from rebellion. As an actor, what excited you most about returning to a story that is broadening its scope so dramatically?
All the cast who worked on this show have been invested. We didn’t know where the writers were gonna take the story until we were about to shoot. So the question we were all constantly asking was “how did we get here?” I didn’t read the books before filming because I didn’t want to make premature decisions about other characters. I wanted it to be authentic and in the moment. So when I eventually saw what was to come, I was excited. Introducing the ‘before times’ really elevated the story and the stakes. It gives the audience a whole new team of characters to care about and provides nuggets of information that directly affect the fate of present-day Silo. Camille’s arc this season is what excited me most. She steps into a more powerful position, faced with impossible decisions.

Camille’s had her Lady Macbeth moment, helping her husband rise. Now she’s the one with influence; what has that revealed about her?
I think Camille’s new position makes everything much more complicated for her. She’s always tried to be a few steps ahead of the game so that she and Robert can secure their son’s future. Their tactic has always been to stay close to the people at the top. So at first Camille sees this new role as an opportunity to gain more information and some element of control. However, with the increasingly questionable and difficult things she has to do, all for “the greater good”, a much darker version of the silo is revealed to her. And as much as she’s capable of doing shady things, the immorality of it isn’t lost on her. She starts to struggle emotionally and mentally with what she uncovers. This creates a wedge between herself and her husband, who has been her ‘ride or die’ throughout. But with the tension of this new shift in her status, their bond, which has been such a staple in this show, really begins to crumble.

Silo‘s world feels so real, from the costumes to the production design. What’s it actually like stepping onto those sets?
Our designers did an incredible job creating that world. The sets were huge. You were truly in the Silo when you stepped onto those sets. It was dark, damp, and really felt never-ending. That staircase was so imposing. All of that had such a huge effect on the scenes. You were trapped. It really got into your psyche. Camille’s season 3 arc was very intense, but in the best way. And the sets really helped to ramp up the tension and the energy. There was just this brooding intensity in the air.

One of Silo’s greatest strengths is how timely it feels. It explores authoritarianism, misinformation, class division and conspiracy theories, themes that resonate strongly today. Were there any scenes or storylines that hit particularly close to home for you, or made you reflect differently because of their real-world relevance?
Great sci-fi always feels so relevant. It has this way of reflecting our world back to us no matter when it was written because it asks those big questions that never go away. It takes fears that feel recognisable and pushes them to the extreme to make them thought-provoking. We were privileged enough to be performing in a fictional show for entertainment; it’s the real world that makes me the most nervous. So I took the more hopeful themes of the show away with me. Unity, community, strength, and the bravery of people who aren’t afraid to question what they’re being told.

The Silo fan community has grown massively over the years. What’s it been like seeing viewers become so passionate about the story and these characters?
It’s a great feeling to know people are responding so positively to something you’re a part of. All credit has to go to Hugh Howie, who created the world in his books, and our amazing team of writers who adapted them for screen. We all truly care about this show, and loved making it. So to know people are enjoying it is just so satisfying.

You’ve spoken proudly about being Welsh throughout your career. You’ve worked all over the world, but what do you think growing up in Wales gave you that you might not have got anywhere else, both as a person and as a creative?
Wales is just home. There’s an innate pride here that is really compelling. All my memories are here. My family; tight-knit communities. Not to mention how beautiful it is. I think I have such a strong sense of pride for it because I felt I had to fight to lay my claim to it growing up. This is my home. This is where I was born. So it’s made me very protective of my Welshness. Wales is so rich in creativity. The opportunities and support within the arts here are incredible. If you connect with one person in the industry, you can guarantee that person will mention you to another and so on. There’s a real feeling of people wanting to help one another succeed.

You’ve built a career playing women who often carry enormous emotional weight, whether in Baby Reindeer, Lost Boys and Fairies, or now Silo. What is it about complicated, morally ambiguous characters that speaks to you as an actor?
Stories that delve into every corner of the human condition really interest me. Real people, from all walks of life, in real situations excite me. Because you have the opportunity to portray someone that a group of people, or even just one person, may look at and think, ‘I relate to this‘. There’s a rawness and authenticity to those kinds of stories. Life can be ugly and messy, but that’s also what makes it beautiful. It also allows you to try to understand certain behaviours in people to a degree. The layers and complexities that only we, as human beings, have is fascinating to me. Those kinds of characters and stories are also the most challenging. And, as an actor, you always want to feel challenged. That’s where the most satisfying work is.

Getting to know you…

If not this, then what? If I wasn’t an actor, I think I’d like to be a film producer. That behind-the-scenes role, the creation of film from beginning to end, interests me.

What’s made you sad, mad, & glad this week?
 This is an eye-roll of an answer, but I didn’t get to the gym once this week, which made me quite sad. Actually, it made me more annoyed with myself. The state of the world makes me mad every week, to be honest. Silo season 3 drops on Apple TV this week, which I’m really glad about.

What are you watching?
 I’m currently watching Imperfect Women, which stars Kerry Washington, Elisabeth Moss and Kate Mara. Incredible actresses. Incredible show.

What are you reading?
 This is another eye roll, but I’m currently reading Wool by Hugh Howie (the book Silo is based on). I didn’t read the books before filming, because I didn’t want to make premature decisions on any of the characters. Now I can fill the void of finishing the show by reading the books.

The last film you watched?
 The last film I watched was Michael. I really enjoyed the nostalgia.

The last play you saw?
 The last play I saw was Retrograde, which was about the amazing Sidney Poitier, played by Ivanno Jeremiah. Incredible.

The last live music event? Is a musical theatre show a live music event? If so, I went to see The Harder They Come at Stratford East Theatre. Based on the movie from back in the day. It features all the great tunes of Jimmy Cliff. Superb.

What’s currently on your playlist? My playlist is pretty eclectic. I go from Bill Withers and Sylvia Striplin to A tribe Called Quest, Erykah Badu and Naughty by Nature. Then we take a detour to Jodeci, SWV, Brandy and Jagged Edge. But I’ve been on a Brandy vibe more recently. The Never Say Never album. I love Angel in Disguise.

Which podcast are you listening to? The last podcast I listened to was Shreds: Murder in the Dock. A difficult listen about a tragic incident and miscarriage of justice that took place here in Wales in 1988.

What’s on your bucket list?
 My bucket list consists mainly of places I want to visit. Number one is New Orleans. I’m desperate to go. I’ve come close twice, but something always comes up. I will make it eventually.

Where’s your happy place? My happy place might sound a bit boring, but it’s at home. I love nothing more than being in my house having a movie night with the family or just lounging in my bed.

Celebrate someone else … I am a huge fan of Ruth Negga. I first saw her in Shirley, a biopic about Dame Shirley Bassey (Welsh icon) and thought she was just phenomenal. I then saw her in Loving and Passing, and most recently in Presumed Innocent. She executes every role flawlessly, with such depth and precision. She has an elegance and grace to her that’s just captivating on screen. All whilst keeping a rawness and realness to each character. I really admire how she navigates the industry with such dignity too. Very inspiring.

Celebrate yourself … I think I’m still learning to be proud of me. You can sometimes forget to celebrate yourself when you’re in the hustle of trying to achieve things. I always wanted to act. Since I was like 5. But you grow up, life happens, and those ‘plans’ become dreams that seem a little further out of reach with every year that passes. I decided to go after my dream at 32, which was seen as a bit late at the time. But I went back to drama school, family in tow, and got a master’s in acting for stage, screen and radio. Graduated in 2016, and the rest is history. I started working straight after graduation, performing in some incredible theatre productions and radio dramas, and have also been in multiple BAFTA award-winning shows. I’m a BAFTA Cymru-nominated actress, and have been lucky enough to appear in hit shows for Netflix, ITV, BBC, Sky, Apple TV and more. I’ve worked with some of the most superb, much-loved actors, and experienced the most incredible things. I give thanks every single day.

What’s next?
 I’m currently in the middle of press and promotion for Silo season 3. I’m nervous and excited for people to finally see it!
I also have some exciting new projects that I’ll be starting soon, which will be announced soon. But I’m back to the hustle of auditioning for new things now, which I love.

Where can we find you? I have a love/hate relationship with social media. It terrifies me. And I’m not very good at it. So I’m not extremely active on there. It’s @Alexandria.riley_

Where can we watch you at work? You can watch Silo season 3 from July 3rd on Apple TV. New episode each week. If you missed the first two seasons, they’re available to stream now so you can catch up.