There is a specific kind of gravity that Chase Infiniti brings to her roles, the kind of focused intensity of a person who knows exactly why she’s here. She’s graceful, humble, self-assured and at 25, she’s already a household name.

Her meteoric rise is one to note, lately playing rebels rising for a cause—from the defiant Willa in Oscar-winning film One Battle After Another to her current role as Agnes in The Testaments, a spin-off of The Handmaid’s Tale.

Based on the book of the same name, The Testaments follows two young women’s journey that collide at Gilead, a school for future wives led by Aunt Lydia (Ann Dowd). Agnes (Infinity) has grown up in Gilead while Daisy (Lucy Halliday) is a new student from Toronto. Together with the other Guilead women, they forge a sisterhood that defies the norms set by Gilead.

During a recent press conference, Infiniti’s gaze softened when the topic turned to the generation rising behind her. “I think, for me at least, looking at the new generation… I feel very hopeful, actually,” she says, leaning in. “The strength that they carry and the resilience to so much is something that I find to be very inspiring.”

But for Infiniti, being a role model is a tactical responsibility. “I feel a strong sense of responsibility from even me and the generation above me because we have to be there to also support them and nourish them and protect them in a way… especially young girls,” she says. “I think that that’s something that we need to be there for them as much as they’re going to be there for us in the future.”

Infiniti’s filmography is intriguing, seeking out characters who navigate the terrifying transition from silence to speech.

“I think they’re intentional in the sense that I want to be a part of work that not only is saying something, but can also be a face of connection for people,” she explains further in an interview with S Magazine. For Infiniti, playing characters like Willa and Agnes – girls who find their agency in the wreckage of their worlds—is about providing a roadmap.

“Standing up for yourself, standing up for people, can seem very terrifying, and both Agnes and Willa kind of learn how to do it on their own at such a young age,” she notes. “If these two characters can be a connection point… they can take a piece of that and use it forward in their life. I think that those are things that I really hope to continue to do with my work.”

If One Battle After Another was her trial by fire, The Testaments is where she found her tribe. While the world of Gilead is built on isolation and fear, Infiniti found the exact opposite on set: a sense of community.

“The thing that Agnes really taught me is… the power in community and in sisterhood,” she says. “You already have a kind of general idea of how important it is to be with your crew and be with your group of people, but especially in a revolutionary sense, you can’t do anything by yourself. You need a group of people around you because you’re only stronger in numbers. That’s something that I took from Agnes and has kind of carried forward into my life, and has shifted my mindset with that as well.”

This “ensemble-first” philosophy is rare in an industry that often rewards the individual. Infiniti credits her time working with director Paul Thomas Anderson and her One Battle After Another cast, led by Leonardo DiCaprio and Benicio Del Toro, for teaching her the concept of gentle leadership. “I think the thing that honestly shifted in my mind is from One Battle, I learned a lot from all the people who are on that set, from the entire cast, from the crew and from Paul,” she reflects. “I really admired [their idea of gentle leadership] and I wanted to, in any way possible, if I could be a leader in a scene or in a space and just be there for people, I really took that and tried to carry it forward onto set.”

Luckily, building that onscreen chemistry was an easy task on The Testaments. “We did not have to try very hard to build it because we all love each other so much,” she laughs.

Despite the “dark and scary” themes of her work, Infiniti radiates an infectious energy. She admits that her work ethic has shifted, becoming more “eager” and “fun” as she tackles the complexities of Agnes.

“I wouldn’t say it kind of changed my confidence or anything, but if anything, it made me more eager to do the work, which also made it more fun to tackle The Testaments.”

It seems that Infiniti has a strong head on her shoulders and is mindful about the roles she inhabits, choosing ones that empower, foster a “crew-first” mentality on set and looking out for the next generation of girls. She is building a new kind of stardom, one where the most powerful thing you can do is hold the door open for the person behind you.

The first four episodes of The Testaments is now streaming on Hulu on Disney+ in Canada with new episodes weekly.

FEATURE PHOTO BY STEVE WILKIE, COURTESY OF DISNEY.