Even after an intense workout, Inanna Sarkis looks bright-eyed and animated through the Zoom camera. Her chestnut brown hair is pulled back in a ponytail, revealing an open face and expressive hazel eyes, her tan skin luminous against an electric blue sports bra. It’s no wonder that the actress, brand owner, producer, and new mom has garnered millions of YouTube and Instagram followers — her zealous energy is absolutely infectious. 

Despite her fresh-faced appearance, Sarkis reveals her dark side onscreen. The 27-year-old, who brought spunk to fanfiction-turned-Netflix movie After with her biting performance as Molly, can play the hell out of a mean girl. Her upcoming role in horror film Seance brings her signature wit to a brand new character. Sarkis plays Alice in the movie, which stars Suki Waterhouse as the new girl at the elite all-girls Edelvine Academy.  

“I always play the bitch!“ Sarkis joked. “Like, do I just gravitate to those? Or am I naturally just that person deep inside?”

This time around, the actress plays a more dynamic role: with her low, commanding voice and magnetic confidence, Alice is the uncontested leader of her friend group, especially after the mysterious death of one of their own. 

“I feel like there’s definitely more depth into this Alice character and I got to play with more of a range of emotions rather than just one tone,” she said. “Even if she comes off as a bitch, or whatever, I feel like at the end of the day, she’s still looking out for her friends and just everyone around her.”

Those protective qualities come naturally to Sarkis with her most important role yet — she and her long-term boyfriend, model and actor Matthew Noszka, became first-time parents to daughter Nova in September 2020. Their almost eight-month old daughter was conceived while Sarkis was shooting Seance, she revealed with a giggle. 

Nova’s name comes from Supernova, meaning brightest star. The moniker is also an homage to Sarkis’ Bulgarian roots, translating to new. “It just signified new life and a new beginning for Matt and I so I thought it was the perfect name,” Sarkis said.

As a new mom, one of the biggest changes career-oriented Sarkis experienced was putting her daughter’s needs above all else. “This is a different type of love,” she said of her daughter. “I don’t think there’s anyone else in my life that I would put before her.” 

Along with the guidance of Sarkis’ mother, who temporarily moved from their home city of Toronto to L.A. to help raise Nova, Sarkis is adjusting to all the unexpected changes that come along with motherhood — namely the lack of sleep. 

“I can’t tell you the last time I have had a full night’s rest,” she said. She and her boyfriend do their best to split up baby duty evenly, attending to Nova in shifts. “I have a different level of respect for women who are single mothers because I would not be sane.”

Undeterred by their restless nights, the couple still finds the energy for their dedicated workout routine. Noszka has helped train Sarkis post-baby, documenting her progress with the help of his eponymous fitness app.

“He definitely was super involved in getting me back into shape and I owe it to him a lot for motivating me after the pregnancy,” said the new mom, whose toned physique speaks for itself. She worked her way up from mild walks and bodyweight exercises to weight lifting and HIIT (high-intensity interval training) with the guidance of her boyfriend. The pair is excited to release a four-week workout program called Revenge Body in the near future, inspired by Sarkis’ postpartum recovery. 

The seemingly tireless couple does take time to rest — when they’re not working on their myriad of passion projects, they enjoy quiet nights in while Sarkis’ mom babysits Nova. The pair was introduced by their agent at a Robert Pattinson movie premiere in 2017. Although Sarkis had first written Noszka off because of his good looks, she fell for his genuine disposition. 

“He literally can have a conversation with anyone,” she said. “We’ll go to Starbucks and he’ll sit there and talk to the sales associate for like, 20 minutes. I’m like, ‘Okay babe, can we just, like, get the coffee?’ But he’s just so charismatic and so sweet to literally anyone and I feel like that’s his best trait.”

Being a first-time parent alone is enough to give most people whiplash, but not for Sarkis. Aside from her new film and rigorous workout routine, the multi-hyphenate also owns a streetwear brand, VISUS, and is producing a scripted podcast. The six-episode thriller series will star Sarkis as Zaya, a Middle Eastern student living in Brooklyn whose life is turned upside down after her brother’s kidnapping. 

Getting to play characters from underrepresented backgrounds drives Sarkis’ passion for acting. “I’m just thinking of the end goal and how it’s going to make somewhat of a difference to maybe bring a voice to the voiceless,” she said. “It’s bringing life to that subject matter and hopefully, bringing a new light into it and making people understand that person in a different way.” 

With her dizzying schedule, it seems like Sarkis is trying to take on the world — and then some. In reality, the ambidextrous actress’s most salient aspiration is to touch people with her work.

“I feel like my motivation is just overall trying to make a change or make an impact on someone’s life or make them smile,” she said. “Even if it’s just one person out of whoever’s watching and if they’re having a bad day, hopefully, I can turn that around for them.”

As her 28th birthday approaches, Sarkis’ boundless ambition and grounded values serve as a guiding light towards her future endeavors. 

Keep up to date with Inanna’s whirlwind of projects and journey as a new mom on her Instagram, and catch her new film Seance in theaters and VOD on May 21.