First Person
Talent Runs
in the Family
LILY BRAHMS, model, actress and Millburn
High School senior, is a relative of Johannes
Brahms, and talented in her own right
How do you manage the demands of school, the college
application process and your work? I have to set bound-
aries, and tell my agent sometimes that this is getting to be too
much, and book time off. That took a long time and courage
to do. The hardest thing is to fit in a personal life. Last years
I worked every weekend between November and May, so
I hadn’t spent a weekend with my friends. It is about setting
boundaries and prioritizing.
How do you organize yourself when you have to miss
school? As I was acting first, I had a work permit and the
school understood I had special circumstances. I had to
increase communication with my teachers, and let them
know this is what I do and I am going to be gone sometimes.
I learned about self-advocacy. My grades got better after
I started modeling more because I just had to make time.
I had to focus; I learned time management. If I can work
on a paper due next week, I will get it done in advance.
Tell us what you have been working on… I was working
all summer. I did my first traveling job; I got to go to San
Francisco, which was great as I have family and friends
there. I have been doing a lot more editorial (magazine)
work. Hopefully soon I can do some runway work.
Runway involves more traveling, and the schedule is
more hectic, which I enjoy.
16
MAY 2017 MILLBURN & SHORT HILLS MAGAZINE
You played Clara Chickerling, the sister of one of the
main characters on The Nick. What have been you
favorite acting and modeling jobs? My favorite acting
job was on The Knick. That was a really fun show to work
on because the wardrobe was fantastic! It took place in
1900, and you learn all these weird things about New York
back then. I got to wear a corset, which was painful, but
fun. I loved the modeling shoot I did for Nylon because it
was in the Gramercy Park Hotel, in the penthouse suite.
I got to sit in my robe and have my nails done. It was a
busy shoot day but the clothes were amazing.
In an image-driven industry, how do you keep yourself
looking and feeling healthy and strong? I do Pure Barre
to stay fit, between three and six days a week. You have to
not compare yourself to others, which is kind of impossi-
ble, but you have to keep it down. You are being scruti-
nized for your looks. You have to tell yourself you are here
for a reason, they wanted to see me, and that is the key to
staying healthy.
What advice would you give a fellow student interested
in modeling? Have other aspirations too. Modeling isn’t
something that works out for a lot of people. You have to
realize it is such a disposable career. Your face can go out
of style! Your whole look can suddenly not be desirable
anymore so it is important to have other options and to
focus on school.
What does the future hold? I want to go to college on
either coast; I am limited to New York and Los Angeles.
I might defer to work full time for a year and make some
money and travel. Traveling is a big dream of mine, and I
would like to see as much as I can while I have the chance
to get paid for it! ■
AS TOLD TO JO VARNISH
L
ily Brahms, 17, is not your typical Millburn
High School senior. On her father’s side,
she’s related to the great German composer
Johannes Brahms. As an actor, she graced our
screens in Cinemax’s The Knick as Clara
Chickering, and as a model she has appeared
in Nylon, Seventeen and CoverGirl. When she moved to
Millburn from San Francisco in 2006, Lily took acting
classes at Maplewood’s Acting with Emily, and The Paper
Mill Playhouse. She was scouted at a New Year’s party in
Millburn during sophomore year, and is now represented
by New York Model Management.
We sat down with Lily at Rock ‘n’ Joe to discuss how
she juggles her high school work and college applications
while navigating the world of modeling as one of New
York’s rising stars…