A new HBO MAX series based on the award-winning book Showtime: Magic, Kareem, Riley and the Los Angeles Lakers Dynasty of the 80s from Jeff Peralman is set to make its premiere on March 6, 2022.
The name of the series is Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty. It tells the story of one of the sports’ most admired and dominant dynasties that defined its era on and off the court during the 1980’s. Carina Conti, who plays as Paula Abdul is one of the main characters of the series. Along with Carina, the ensemble cast will feature newcomer Quincy Isaiah as Magic Johnson, Adrien Brody as Pat Riley, Sally Field as Jessie Buss, Jason Clarke as Jerry West, Solomon Hughes as Kareem Addul-Jabbar, and many others.
At the age of six, Carina moved from Germany to Orlando, Florida. Since she was a child star, she has appeared in over 30 commercials for brands like Disney, Universal, Chevy, and Chiquita. Her early film credits include “Barney and the Land of Make-Believe” and “Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, Jr.” Her most recent roles include Roxie in Chicago, and Lucile in a translation of Molière’s “The Bourgeois Gentleman” at the City Garage in Santa Monica.
Carina graduated from Dartmouth College in 2012 with a BA in Romance Languages (she speaks French, Italian, and German) and a minor in Theater. In addition to studying acting at the Lee Strasberg Institute in NYC, the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts, and Anthony Meindl’s Actor Workshop in Los Angeles, Lindsey has acted on stage and screen throughout the United States and abroad.
In this exclusive interview, Carina Conti goes over auditioning for her role as Paula Abdul, her overall thoughts on the series, and what Paula Abdul said to her when they spoke for the first time!
