Charlotte Delaney Riggs has been acting since she was eight, building a career across film, television, theater and voice work. Now 20, the actress is taking on more demanding roles, including her first action film, Run Hide Fight: Infidels, in which she plays Farrah Abel, an outspoken protest leader whose personality is nothing like her own.

Riggs, whose credits include Alita: Battle Angel, HBO’s The Leftovers, National Geographic’s The Long Road Home and Maximum Ride, was drawn to Farrah precisely because the character was unfamiliar. Having never worked in the action genre, she welcomed the opportunity to try something different.

Farrah’s confrontational nature presented an unexpected challenge. Riggs describes herself as easygoing and rarely raises her voice, while her character spends much of the film shouting orders and commanding attention. Even rehearsing proved difficult because she needed somewhere she could practice the dialogue at full volume.

To make the performance convincing, Riggs studied footage of real-world protests, paying attention to how speakers addressed crowds and expressed emotion. She also experimented with different deliveries until Farrah’s dialogue felt natural.

Her research helped shape the character’s emotional journey. Rather than focusing on Farrah’s political beliefs, Riggs approached the role through her relationships and the consequences of her decisions. One pivotal scene initially played as a moment of sadness and confusion, but she found that adding anger better reflected Farrah’s need for control.

“Farrah is a strong female who obviously likes to be in control, so adding a touch of anger to this moment felt more accurate to who she had been throughout the rest of the film,” Riggs explains.

Working with writer-director Kyle Rankin, Riggs appreciated the clarity of his direction and the opportunity to explore different interpretations of a scene. One particularly memorable filming day involved the nighttime “Tent City” sequence, which unfolded almost exactly as she had imagined while preparing.

Riggs often visualizes scenes before filming, considering how the finished sequence might look and using that mental picture to guide her performance. Seeing those expectations realized on set was especially satisfying.

Her preparation has evolved considerably since her early acting days. Where she once relied primarily on understanding a character’s motivations, she now studies real people with similar personalities and behaviors. Her experience working behind the camera has also given her a better understanding of what directors and production teams need from actors.

“One thing I love about helping behind the camera is how I get to have a sense of what everyone else is looking for from me when I’m in front of the camera,” she says.

Although Riggs has spent most of her life performing, she admits that her younger self would never have imagined appearing in an action thriller. The experience has encouraged her to continue exploring unfamiliar genres rather than settling into one type of role.

Horror and comedy remain among her favorites, but she is also interested in science fiction and teen drama. With Run Hide Fight: Infidels, she hopes audiences see her versatility and that the performance leads to opportunities she might not previously have been considered for.

Her next project, an upcoming road trip comedy feature, will give her another opportunity to try something different. After growing up in the industry, Riggs is still discovering the kinds of characters she wants to play, and she has no intention of limiting herself to just one genre.