Nikki Caster is Here to Entertain You

As one fourth of the extremely popular Cherry Bomb talk show team, Nikki Caster – the “engaging, edgy, earth girl” – has established herself as a respected voice and personality within the world of lesbian entertainment. On Cherry Bomb, Nikki – along with Tatum DeRoeck, Dalila Ali Rajah, and Gloria Bigelow – discusses all things of interest to our community and does it with a wit, intelligence, outspokenness, and coolness that has quickly earned her loads of devoted fans from all over the world. Taking her talents beyond the talk show format though, Caster has been keeping busy in the acting arena and is set to star in several new films, including two upcoming features by FEED mastermind, Mel Robertson. Cherry Grrl recently caught up with the busy actress and host to discuss the latest Cherry Bomb news, her excitement about the much-talked-about Sweet Cruise, and the many places where her fans can find her next.

Cherry Grrl (CG): How did you first get involved with Cherry Bomb?
Nikki Caster (NC): It was really cool – I was shooting a pilot and I was doing a “Man On The Street” out in West Hollywood and Dalila passed by and was watching as I interviewed some girls.  We had a mutual friend and so we were introduced and I would see her out and we would talk and she knew that I enjoyed interviews and people and she picked up on my energy and vibe. So she was like, ‘I’m going to be filming this talk show and there are three of us girls an we want a fourth and we wanted to see if you’d be a good fit.’  She was like, ‘you seem like it, let’s try it out.’ So I went and we filmed some shows and it was SO much fun – the time just flew by and I got along really well with the girls and it was just fun. It was cool because we do feel differently about things but the conversation just flows.

CG: It does. And it seems like you all have a really good time with it.
NC: Yeah, I love it. It’s just fun – you get to share your opinions, you get to share yourself, and the coolest part is – especially after time – the fan base is such a large, international fan base and you get a lot of younger girls watching and people feel connected and they feel comforted and they talk about issues that are taboo. They just have something to go to to feel good about themselves and feel OK. And also I think it gives them hope and some inspiration. I think there’s just a lot of good that has come out of it. It makes me really happy.

CG: What have been some of your favorite topics that you all have covered so far?
NC: Well the ones I get most passionate about are like cheating… And it’s funny because Gloria and I… I love sharing the couch with her. I love it. Because she’s so funny and she keeps it light and I feel like sometimes Dalila and Tatum are grey – we always kid around that they’re the grey couch and we’re the clear couch. But some of the things that I really enjoy are when we have talked about coming out or cheating or monogamy – I find it so interesting. I have had many different types of relationships but I just find it interesting that there are so many different viewpoints and you know, sometimes I think that people think the grass is greener but also I understand that people need to learn though experience so, you know, I’m not to judge. I just know what works for me and it’s really good to hear that different things work for different people. And thank God there’s someone for everybody.

But there are a ton of things – I feel like there are so many things we have talked about and every time I am super stoked. You know, even uncomfortable things like STD’s… That’s not really like, “Oh let’s go in there all smiley and bubbly!” – it’s uncomfortable but it’s also amazing because these are things that are real and people need to know that they can go to the gay and lesbian centers or go and get tested and treated and it’s OK. And there is so much comfort in things that are uncomfortable to talk about. I think it’s just cool. But as far as my favorite shows, I think it’s the ones when we get most passionate – when we really get a rise out of each other and disagree. Those are the fun ones for me.

CG: How about some favorite guests that you have had on? Any stand out for you as being especially fun or interesting to bring into your discussions?
NC: You know, we talked about gay marriage and Prop. 8 and I’m really happy that we covered that as much as we could in the time that we had. I just feel like there are some things that are so pressing and are very present that can help evolve where we are right now so those ones, the guests that we have had for those, make me really happy because they are informative and really clear and they are just such amazing people. That’s what they’re doing, that’s their work, and thank God they’re here for us. So I just give a lot of praise to them. Because we have had celebrities on the show and they’re really sweet and really cool and I love them talking about their work and their art and their self expression but I also just love the people that are like doing the day to day job of keeping us connected and healthy and informative. Those people are rad.

CG: So what’s the status of the show now? We heard you got picked up by Canadian Television?
NC: Yeah, we did! We got picked up on OUT TV in Canada. They picked up 43 episodes, the first two seasons, which is awesome. And our third season will come out this summer and hopefully the UK will be next. The international market is responding so well and we keep having meeting after meeting here so I believe it’s just all in good time and it could happen over night or it could happen in a couple months… who knows. But it’s exciting – we’re stoked.

CG: And some other exciting projects that you have going on involve your starring in two Mel Robertson films – one of which is a movie about soccer that co-stars Meg from The Sweet Adventures of Nat and Meg. What can you tell us about that?
NC: Well I love it – I’m so excited. The soccer movie is going to be a blast because I actually grew up playing club soccer and I traveled around so I know exactly how it feels to be totally in love with the game. I mean, I am an athlete in general, I’ve played a lot of sports – I ran Cross Country and was number 1 in the nation when I was a Freshmen and I swam and played baseball with the boys – but soccer, that was my passion. That was my love. So I know how it is to connect with the players too because when you love a sport and it’s like… to be passionate about something and be able to share that with someone or be on the same team as someone and share that love for it – it’s great. And the soccer movie is a love story. We have a love for the sport and Megan is going to be playing my love interest and we love the sport and we also find that it’s a first love for each other. And my character’s background is that I’m at home, my parents are split, my mom’s not even in the picture, and my dad’s abusive. But he also loves the sport so I love that he supports me in that but it’s pretty shitty because he’s abusive and everybody at school knows it. And I have this hard edge about me – I’m a free spirit, I’m wild, but I’m also a bit of a beaten puppy. Like, you know when someone has something going on at home – you remember from being a kid – that you knew that something was not right and they walk around with this front, trying to be protective of themselves, but they’re really sensitive and hurt inside. However, there is a lot of responsibility – they grow up fast. So it ends up that Meg and I are like inseparable and then her dad gets a job and she’s going to move to Texas and her mom feels for me because she knows that I’m being abused at home and she knows how much her daughter loves me so she wants to take me with the family. But Meg writes me a letter and my dad gets it and beats the shit out of me and I don’t end up going. So we’re split. And Meg tries to continue on with her love for soccer and I continue on with my love for soccer and we’re separated for a while and then we reconnect trying out for the national team. And I grow up a lot – I’m vulnerable but I’m also very honest with myself and time has passed and we love the sport and we’re happy to be around each other but time has passed so there is some catching up to do. So it’s just a really awesome love story – and soccer is like a huge part of it.

CG: So when will that one be hitting audiences?
NC: Well right now we are meeting with investors and promoting it – like on the Sweet Cruise, etc. – creating a massive buzz. We plan to secure the funds by December and start shooting in March.

CG: Speaking of the Sweet Cruise, you will be on board with the Cherry Bomb crew and with Meg and Mel… are you excited about being a part of that?
NC: It’s going to be soooo fun. Heck yeah! I’m so excited. Because we get to go out to New Orleans and help rebuild and do volunteer work and that makes me so happy. Because you can do your part throughout the day and you can be humanitarian in so many ways but just the fact that we’re going on a mission to do that – it feels good. And take money and take everything out that’s material and it’s people helping people. And I’ve never been to New Orleans so it’s really cool just to be able to go there. And then we’re going to the Caribbean. And I’ll be doing live shows with Cherry Bomb and interviews and I just live for that – I love hearing stories and sharing stories. It’s so real that it feels good. And Meg and Mel and I will be running around a little bit with the camera and there is just so much going on. It will be rad. I definitely feel like Sweet has just exploded in a really revolutionary way. This cruise is just going to be amazing – they’ve got such amazing talent and comedy shows and they are just so smart in how they go about it. It’s just a different feeling that I haven’t felt before of excitement and inspiration among other people. It’s just really powerful and I’m stoked. It’s very good for everyone.

CG: Well it seems like you definitely have a lot going on – what are some other things you’re working on that you can tell us about?
NC: Well there is the second film with Mel, Heroine, and I’m filming a short in three weeks, and I just filmed a movie, and we’re doing a documentary – like there are just a million things going on. With acting and Cherry Bomb it’s going really well. In the movie that I just finished I play this over-the-top character where I’m totally in love with myself and it’s just a stupid, silly character but it’s fun. And I’m shooting this short film in like three weeks where I’m in therapy and I’m beaten down, have got a lot of issues, and I’m wound up but I’m going to confess that I’m in love with my therapist. I lose myself in these characters but it’s good and fun and therapeutic.

CG: And have you been interested in acting and entertaining from a young age?
NC: You know, as a kid I was always doing really silly things. I would do a lot of prank calls with a lot of different voices and everyone would come around and then they would all just be pissing their pants because I would have all these different characters and voices. And I remember I traveled all around with my soccer team and we would go to places to eat and I would grab the salt and pepper shaker and have the person turn up like “Pretty Woman” and I would go around the entire restaurant dancing. And my best friend and I would set up the video camera and put on like talk shows together and then we would also play out scenes from movies like Ace Ventura – but like full-on dressed up and full-on in character. It’s all like play time – it’s so funny and so stupid but it’s such a free for all and you can just laugh at yourself… it’s just so great.

Photo credit: first and third photo from the top by Natasha Bedu (www.natashabedu.com).