If there’s one thing Josie Totah knows how to do, it’s own the room; whether she’s commanding the screen, shaping stories behind the camera, or cracking jokes with friends. The actress, writer, producer, and comedian is a certified quadruple threat; a multi-hyphenate talent shattering the industry’s mold as opposed to molding to it. At just 23, she’s already built a resume that seasoned veterans would envy and the rest of us would admire. 

From early roles on Disney Channel’s Jessie to Ryan Murphy’s Glee, and voicing audacious characters in Netflix’s Big Mouth and Human Resources, Totah has always delivered range and edge. Her role as Lexie in Saved by the Bell earned her a Critics’ Choice nomination and a GLAAD Award win. “Acting is not so much a learned skill as it is a muscle that you continue to build,” she explains.

Having grown up in front of the camera, Totah undoubtedly built a profound reservoir of knowledge regarding the tumultuous lifestyle of Hollywood. Her advice to young creatives navigating identity and ambition in the spotlight? “As far as identity goes, I would remember [that] this industry, or any industry that you’re in, it is [about] what you do, not who you are.” For Totah, her investments in both parts of herself are equally important. “It’s all a long marathon, and perseverance is the greatest skill.”

Extending her skills far beyond performance, Totah is producing, writing, and championing stories that center queer, complex, and, by her own definition, “deranged women”—“I want to see more flawed queer women. I think in every project I write, the women and their unabashed flaws are always at the forefront.” 

Most recently, Totah brought depth and defiance to Apple TV+’s The Buccaneers as Mabel Elmsworth, a sharp-witted outsider navigating love and tradition in a reimagined 1870s England. For the fans ardently awaiting Season 2, you will be ecstatic to hear that “You can expect a fulfilling love story for Mabel that feels both full circle and open-ended.”

Now living in New York City, she draws inspiration from her roommates, childhood friends, and the wild, unpredictable rhythm of the city. If Totah’s journey proves anything, it’s that you can be many things and still be entirely yourself. 

This story appears in the pages of V155: now available for purchase!

Photography Mico Corvino

Fashion Roberto Johnson

Hair Ginger Ryan using Highland Beauty and R&Co

Makeup Shaina Ehrlich using 111 Skin & Hourglass

Manicure Nori (See Management) using Dior

Editor/Casting Kev Ponce

Text Tatiana Cooper

Studio Splashlight

Photo Assistant Meg McConville

Stylist Assistants Maya Jones, Starr Callahan