Scarsdale's Ali Whitney Premieres in "Find Me Falling" on Netflix

Scarsdale’s Ali Fumiko Whitney premiered on the big screen this week, starring in feature film, “Find Me Falling,” that debuted on Netflix on Friday July 19, 2024.

The movie was filmed in Cyprus and also stars Harry Connick Jr. who wrote an original song that they perform in the movie. In the film, Connick plays aging rock star John Alllman who is taking a break from his career to reclaim his spark after a flop album. He moves to an isolated cliffside home on the idyllic Mediterranean island of Cyprus. His dream of keeping a low profile is derailed when he is routinely confronted by desperate souls and later faced with even more complicated surprises when an old flame reignites.

Whitney plays a local girl who sings, waitresses and connects with Allman, ultimately learning a long-buried secret about her past. She uses both her acting and vocal skills to win the hearts of viewers.

Whitney graduated from Scarsdale High School in 2013, where she wowed the auditorium with her stellar performance in Guys and Dolls. At the time, I remember thinking, “this girl is going places.” And she has! We asked her a few questions about how growing up in Scarsdale shaped her path and here is what she shared:

Tell us what inspired you to start acting .... what were some of your earliest experiences?

My mom, Elizabeth Reiko Kubota (Whitney), was an actress in the 80s. I’ve always wanted to follow in her footsteps and pursue acting/performing! Growing up our home was filled with music and a respect for the arts. I went to my first Broadway show (Beauty and The Beast) when I was just four years-old and I instantly fell in love. My mom still has my Fox Meadow artwork from the fourth grade that reads “my dream is to be an actress on Broadway one day”.

One of the many benefits to growing up in a town like Scarsdale, was its close proximity to NYC and the Broadway world! While I didn’t get serious about my training until college, I always found ways to perform as a kid, including many Scarsdale led productions.

What are your best memories of acting at Scarsdale High School?

My favorite memory of acting at SHS is without a doubt playing Adelaide in my senior year musical’s production of Guys and Dolls. This was my first ever experience of playing a leading role in a musical. I still remember running into my parents’ room at 6 am Fall of 2012 screaming “I GOT THE PART!”. I credit this show and this role for giving me the confidence to audition for college musical theater programs, and thank goodness for that. I can’t imagine my life without my four years at UCLA’s School of Theater, Film, and Television.

Did you have any local mentors?

A lot of the mentors I have in the industry came from my mom’s group of acting friends who were working actors in New York and LA throughout my childhood. However, I feel so lucky to have grown up in Scarsdale because we had incredible family friends and my groups of childhood friends who have been my biggest supporters since day one. In an industry full of rejection, it is so important to surround yourself with a community that helps lift you up. My Scarsdale community certainly provided that for me as evidenced by over 100 of them showing up to my Netflix film Premiere last Tuesday July 16th.

How did you break into the business?

After graduating from UCLA’s Ray Bolger Musical Theater program, I was fortunate to have booked jobs in the theater world. My first big gig landed me in Las Vegas where I performed at the Paris Casino six nights a week and earned my equity card in Marilyn! The New Musical. I worked regionally throughout southern California on musicals until eventually I decided to take a leap of faith and move to NYC to pursue Broadway. When the world shut down in 2020, my career took a shift from theater to film and I have been so lucky to have worked on some amazing indie films since then. You can watch The Road Dance on VOD to see my first ever feature film that we shot that year!

What will you do next?

My hope is to continue working in film while also breaking into the TV industry, and of course, my dream is still to be on Broadway one day. I always say that one opportunity opens doors for the next. I am beyond grateful for the visibility Find Me Falling has given me now that it is streaming worldwide on Netflix! I’m really looking forward to what comes next after this. I also have a horror film, ALL MY FRIENDS ARE DEAD, coming out in select theaters and on demand August 2nd so keep an eye out for that! :)

How much time did you spend in Cyprus? What’s it like?

I had the pleasure of living in Cyprus for a little over two months in the late Spring/Early Summer of 2022. Cyprus is one of the most beautiful countries I have ever been to. The people, the food, and the sights are truly incredible. When I moved there, I was on my own living in a foreign country, but the locals took me under their wing along with Harry Connick Jr. and made Cyprus feel like home!! I hope audiences will want to travel there after watching our film as I think it does a fabulous job at displaying the country's spirit and beauty. If you like Mediterranean food, clear-water beaches, and lots of lively music and spirited locals, then Cyprus is certainly the place for you!