When most actors saying they’re ‘selective’ about their roles they tend to mean parts in intense emotional dramas or high-concept Oscar bait. No so for Whitney Peak. Of course, she’d absolutely adored working on hit television series Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, Home Before Dark, and Gossip Girl, as well as films Molly’s Game and Hocus Pocus 2. But as she moved from teenager to young adult, Peak realised she’d never really sat down and thought about what she really wanted to do. She only knew if a project was right when the script was in front of her.

After careful consideration (and watching a lot of blockbusters), Peak sat down her manager to discuss the possibilities of being in a “really cool action movie,” she tells Luxury London. And so: Trap House. Directed by Man Seeking Woman, Stuber, and 8-Bit Christmas’ Michael Dowse, it was one of the first scripts shown to the eager Peak – and she immediately saw its appeal.

Set in El Paso, Texas, Trap House opens on two undercover DEA agents (played by Dave Bautista and Bobby Cannavale) raiding a drug den. The teenage children of the undercover agents, meanwhile, fully aware of how dangerous their parents’ jobs are, have formed a unique bond. Jack Champion, Sophia Lillis, Peak, Zaire Adams, and Blu del Barrio’s characters keep each others’ spirits up whenever raids are happening.

When one of their parents dies during an attack, forcing the rest of the family to move, the remaining children use DEA tactics and intel to rob a dangerous cartel in a bid to get their friend back to El Paso.

“I just knew it would be a really, really, really fun movie to make,” says 22-year-old Peak. “I really liked the idea of the kids taking charge, because most young people in this type of situation would feel so helpless.”

What struck Peak about Gary Scott Thompson and Tom O’Connor’s script was how empathetic and smart the teenage characters were. “They felt really connected. They’re really open with each other and are there for each other. They hold each other accountable. It’s such an unexpected friend group, but because their parents work for the DEA, they have this shared language and understanding.”

While the emotional depth of Trap House was an appeal, it was the action scenes that Peak was really excited to shoot. “I really do love jobs where I get to do anything that’s physical or something that distracts the mind,” enthuses Peak, who appreciates being able to focus on choreography or even a weather element instead of performance, allowing her to be present in the moment.

Peak, however, may have been a little bit too eager while filming the fight scenes, ending up covered in bruises after the first few takes. “I think I maybe threw my head back a little too hard. I was doing too much for no reason.”

Putting as much effort as possible into her performances, however, is exactly what Peak has been doing ever since she fell in love with acting as a child. Born in Kampala, Uganda, Peak moved to Canada in 2012, aged nine. While she always loved television and movies, she initially pursued competitive swimming, and never thought of acting as a plausible career choice.

After enrolling in acting classes, Peak landed parts in the Aaron Sorkin drama Molly’s Game and Hallmark movie Campfire Kiss in quick succession, and built a solid foundation for her career by securing recurring parts in CW, Netflix, Apple, and Disney+ shows, which would result in a leading role in the critically acclaimed horror film Eye For An Eye earlier this year.

Peak is unsurprisingly delighted at the progress of her career so far – but also notes that researching characters and learning acting techniques has helped in her personal life. “It made me understand and better handle the relationships in my life. I stopped victimising myself. I try to understand different perspectives now. Try to connect with people more. I think through acting I was able to learn and listen. My favourite part of acting has always been learning about different types of people.”

There are many ways to be “affected in this industry and it’s really easy to get lost,” says Peak. Self-aware beyond her years, Peak is aware that being empathetic and sensitive of others, while meeting creatives from all walks of life, has helped her “maintain her sanity” while growing up on film and television sets.

“I’ve not mastered any of this,” Peak quickly adds. “It’s definitely a work in progress. I think you really have to anchor yourself. You need a good sense of self-respect. I’ll be working on it for the rest of my life, but I think having that idea in the back of my mind is really comforting.” Learning from each role and production helps to keep Peak grounded. During Trap House, she was hugely impressed by how Bautista conducted himself on set, approaching everyone involved with grace, humility, and kindness, no matter their position. “He was so kind and gentle. He knew everyone’s names. It just made a world of difference. You could tell he really cared.”

No doubt Peak echoed Bautista’s genial approach while filming her hugely impressive slate of 2026 releases, including an adaptation of graphic novel 4 Kids Walk Into A Bank, survival thriller Shiver, and the hugely anticipated blockbuster The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping.

Yet, while her stock continues to rise, rather than seeking out a genre like she did with Trap House, Peak is back to waiting for the right script to land in her lap. All she knows is that she doesn’t want to repeat herself. “I don’t have a specific idea in mind for my next thing. I’m just going to wait and see. Anything that is challenging. Anything that I haven’t done before. That’s what I’m open to.”

Trap House is in cinemas now.

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