Diksha Sundriyal
In Netflix’s ‘My Life With the Walter Boys,’ Jackie Howard finds herself torn between Alex and Cole Walter. The second season leans into her dilemma, as she tries to process the events of the Season 1 finale, where Alex declared her love for her while Cole kissed her. Her sudden departure to New York leaves Alex heartbroken, and in the second season, he decides to move on from her. He turns towards rodeo, especially as he develops an interest in bronc riding, which is where he meets Blake, with whom he develops a close relationship. SPOILERS AHEAD.
Blake is Set Up as a New Love Interest for Alex
Alex’s love for rodeo is not new, but in the second season of ‘My Life With the Walter Boys,’ he seriously starts considering it a career. Furthermore, he becomes interested in bronc riding, and considering that he will not change his mind about it, his parents decide to get him a trainer, who will help him get into it safely. This is where Blake comes in. When Alex is told he will have a trainer, he assumes it will be a man, but it turns out to be a girl. Blake is a little older (18) than Alex and is also much more experienced in bronc riding. She prepares Alex for all the challenges he will face when he starts competing in the sport, and through her guidance, he establishes himself as a promising talent who can give tough competition to even more seasoned riders.
Apart from being his mentor, Blake also becomes Alex’s friend. She helps him navigate the world of bronc riding, but also brings him out of his shell by introducing him to new people. She even gets him to do line dancing, which he didn’t do even with Jackie. Alex loves spending time with her and learns a lot from her, and soon enough, it becomes clear that there is mutual attraction between them. There comes a time when they almost kiss, but Alex steps back because he is still processing his feelings for Jackie. Later, when he and Jackie get together and Blake discovers it, she becomes jealous of Jackie. The disappointment over being unable to be with Alex is mainly because Blake feels alienated in the male-dominated field where she is constantly underestimated, despite being better than most of her male contemporaries in the sport.
Alex had proved himself to be different. He seemed to understand and appreciate her, which is something she didn’t have before. As he rises in bronc riding, especially when he is selected for Blake’s dad’s program, she warns him that his free time will be dedicated to training now, meaning sustaining a relationship with someone outside of this world will be difficult. This remark is directed towards Jackie, but Alex shrugs it off. Still, this shows that Blake’s feelings for Alex haven’t gone anywhere. Moreover, as things get difficult between him and Jackie in the finale, the third season might explore Alex and Blake’s relationship, which means she will have a more fleshed-out role.
Blake’s Mix of Strength and Vulnerability is Brought to Life by Natalie Sharp
Being a woman in a man’s world is not an easy task, but Blake does it with her head held high. She has had to work twice as hard to prove herself equal to, if not better than, her contemporaries, and the loneliness of this endeavour shows in her eyes. Actress Natalie Sharp brings these complex emotions to life with a deep sensitivity for the character. Hailing from Vancouver, British Columbia, Natalie turned towards acting at a young age. Her journey into arts started with music and dance, which led her to theatre, where she took on variety of roles, like Sandy in ‘Grease,’ the evil stepsister ‘Cinderella,’ Jafar in ‘Aladdin,’ Louisa in ‘The Sound of Music,’ the March Hare in ‘Alice in Wonderland,’ and Ralph in an all-girl version of ‘Lord of The Flies.’
Graduating with a bachelor’s in theatre and a business minor from Loyola Marymount University, Natalie has worked in a variety of movies and TV shows which includes, but is not limited to, ‘Supernatural,’ ‘Loudermilk,’ ‘Hit The Road,’ ‘Beverly Hills 90210,’ ‘The Flash,’ ‘Miracle Season,’ and ‘Wilderness.’ Apart from acting, she has continued to nurture her passion for music and songwriting and has released a few songs of her own. In her free time, she loves to travel and spend time with her family and friends. She also runs a dedicated social media account for her dog, whose name is, ironically, Walter.
Read More: Who is Zach? Who Plays Him in My Life With the Walter Boys?
