'On My Block' Star Sierra Capri Teases 'Shocking' Season 2 of Netflix Show, Says 'Everyone Will be Changed' After First Season Tragedy

On My Block is set to return to Netflix, meaning old heads will be reminded what it's like to be a teenager once more. The refreshing yet relevant series helps adults otherwise preoccupied with bills, jobs, politics and other headaches reconnect with simpler times, where heartache was one of the worst things you could experience. But being young isn't always associated with ignorance and naivete. The characters on On My Block are forced to deal with some of life's hardest moments head on.

The series—helmed by young actors Sierra Capri, Jason Genao, Diego Tinoco and Brett Gray—gives viewers a glimpse into the pangs of adolescence teens face as they balance school, family and friendships. Even more, On My Block expands the perspective of adolescence within the underserved and underrepresented communities of color in Los Angeles, particularly from the characters Monse (Capri), Ruby (Genao), Caesar (Tinoco) and Jamal's (Gray) viewpoints.

Sure, these kids are navigating the same old challenges of puberty, crushes and passing math tests like every other high schooler, but they're also dealing with parental abandonment, poverty, gun violence and many other detrimental circumstances endured in a gang-riddled neighborhood. Yet somehow, even when their innocence is tested by the tragedies of life, they're self-endurance and love for one another helps each of them get through the day.

Season 1's final episode ended with the crew facing perhaps their most devastating moment, with Ruby being shot smack in the middle of the school year. Speaking with Newsweek recently, Capri said the event would take a cataclysmic toll on everyone involved. However, the actress noted that despite the many changes the group experiences on the upcoming season, they would still have each other.

Read Newsweek's interview Capri below. On My Block returns to Netflix with Season 2 on Friday.

How was the energy returning to set after the shocking way Season 1 ended?

I think we were all just really curious to see how things were gonna play out. Nobody knew what was going to happen. We were all eager to see what was going to happen. I cannot wait for everyone to see Season 2. I think they'll be really surprised.

How has the tragedy in Season 1 changed the dynamic among the group in Season 2?

Everyone will be affected by it. That was definitely a tragic situation. Some people will be affected more than others, but everyone will definitely be changed afterward. For Monse in particular, it will force her to grow up. Her perspective on life and how things work will shift a little bit. She was aware of the fact that life's full of trials and tribulations, but now more so than ever, she realizes that you're gonna have to deal with things you're not always prepared for and you have to take life as it comes.

Not to just outright blame Caesar for the shooting, but it was his role in The Santos gang that sparked tension with Latrelle [Jahking Guillory], a Prophet. Will this drive Monse and Caesar apart considering how bothered she was by his gang life to begin with?

In Season 1, Monse was so focused on everyone else except herself. She was more worried about keeping her friends together. She would always put them first and neglect her own wellbeing. So in Season 2, I think fans will be pleasantly surprised when we see the shift happening with her as well as her dynamic with the group and her dynamic with Caesar. She focuses more on the things I think she should be at her age and timing herself, and that will have an effect on all her relationships, Caesar included.

Will we learn more about why Monse's mother left her family?

Definitely. In Season 1 she saw a woman, and we weren't sure if that was her mother or not. In Season 2 a lot of those questions will be answered.

You're a young adult now. What was it like jumping back into teenage mode and reliving that high school experience?

It was interesting because I know teenagers go through a lot, but having to put myself back into those shoes—everything you're dealing with during that certain time, especially as a freshman in high school, trying finding yourself—it wasn't easy. At this particular point in my life I feel like I know myself much better than I when I was 14, so having to be Monse and basically feel that confusion about who I am and not knowing where I fit in, it was definitely challenging at first. In Season 2 I think everyone got into a rhythm and we finally realized and started putting the pieces of our characters together. A lot of the time, we would be figuring out our characters along the way during filming. Reading the script, [some aspects don't] always make sense until we're actually acting it out like, "Ohhh ok, now we understand what he means, or what she means or where this person's coming from." That was definitely the case with Monse. With a lot of her decisions, I wasn't 100 percent sure about why she picked them, but Season 2 [there was a better understanding]. By the end of it, we all were very happy with our work and the way it turned out.

Did you draw any inspiration from the friendships in your own life to help portray Monse's relationships with the boys?

I didn't have that many male friends growing up. I mostly had female friends. However, I do have three older brothers. So I was able to use my experience with them. Sometimes you are frustrated with your family, especially family that's the opposite sex, and you guys annoy each other. But at the end of the day, it's love. You care about each other and will always be there for one another. I was definitely able to use that to help me portray Monse and make these relationships believable when they had to be. Now at this point, we are all as close as we seem on camera. I love [my castmates] with all my heart, and I'm so glad I've met them. I honestly didn't think I could have three male best friends in real life and now I actually do because of the show.

Who's the funniest of the guys?

Jason and Brett. They are two of the funniest people ever. Jason is really funny and people don't realize how funny he is because his character is so suave and such a gentleman, but he is so hilarious.

What can young people learn from watching their friendships on the show?

It's ok to explore, and it's ok to not have people in your life that aren't meant to be there. The people are meant to stay in your life, they will be and they'll gravitate towards you, so just be yourself. And you are going to grow. You'll grow apart from certain people, but some things you experience might bring you closer together. It's all a part of life, especially being a teenager. It's a part of growing up. I know for me, certain relationships I would try to hold on to, friendship wise, just because it was a person I knew since I was a little girl and we were best friends, or it was someone that I confided in, but that's just a part of growing up. It doesn't mean anything's wrong with you or what you're feeling when you let certain relationships go. I think a lot of people are going to be able to relate to that in Season 2 because Monse's finding herself, and that's really what it's all about.

How does it feel to be on a show representative of urban, Latinx teen culture in a neighborhood that's been heavily overlooked in media?

It's a blessing because until recently there wasn't a representation of certain communities and how we really are day to day. It was glossed over. I don't think there's anything like our show, in particular, right now on any media platform. That's why a lot of people can relate to it, and why they love it so much because it does deal with real-life situations. Like the tragic situation in Season 1, that's real life. And life's not always happy, it's not always sad. You have to take the good things with the bad. There's gonna be a lot of experiences that [people] deal with. I'm from Baltimore, Maryland, and a lot of what these kids [on the show] are dealing with is honestly just the tip of the iceberg and it's experienced by teens in neighborhoods everywhere. Things [like what happens to Ruby] happen so frequently in some communities and then people see it on TV they're like, "Oh my gosh, how did this happen?" But [these type of things] happen a lot. It's just not televised as often as it needs to be. As long as we can keep creating more shows like On My Block and considering what the world and society need right now, I think we'll be ok. We just have to keep going.

Describe Season 2 in 3 words.

Shocking. Heartwarming. Life changing.