There’s something really special about Storm Reid, and the world is taking notice.

For those who have been a stan of hers for years, all we can say is, “It’s about time!”

Although she has graced the big and silver screen with some of Hollywood’s most revered names in the business, from Oprah Winfrey to Ava Duvernay, Reid is taking it all in with grace and stride.

"This is proof that you can do anything. I'm just a young girl from Atlanta, GA," she said in part during her acceptance speech at this year's 75th Primetime Emmy Awards when she won for her role in Max’s “The Last of Us.”

Still, as humble as she is, Reid is not just, anything. 

She is the moment.

While taking Tinseltown by storm (no pun intended) one role at a time, she is also fulfilling her obligations as a college student, majoring in Acting and a minor in African American Studies at the University of Southern California. When she is not serving stand-out performances on screen, Reid is teaming up with iconic brands while unleashing fresh ideas for a modern generation that all demographics can enjoy. 

Reid recently linked with Coca-Cola for the brand's newest flavor, Coke Spiced which combines a kick of raspberry and the iconic charm of the fizzy beverage for "an uplifting taste experience." The launch was accompanied by a pop-up shop in New York City that fuses the iconic juggernaut and AI for an immersive taste and art adventure for fans.

"They used AI [with] some of my words and inspiration after I tasted the Coke to turn it into this amazing building. The flavor reminds me of a sunset, or double dutch, or a spring day so they were able to take those words and my inspiration from the flavor and created an art installation," said Storm of her collaboration with the brand. "It's just a way for consumers who love Coke to be able to really immerse themselves in the flavor and the textures," she added.

BET.com sat down with the star as she reflected on her most recent career achievement, how she balances life as a college student, and the impact of setting healthy boundaries.

BET.com: Earlier this year, you won an Emmy for your portrayal as Riley Abel in "The Last Of Us." What do you remember from that moment when your name was called out during the ceremony?

Storm Reid:  I was shocked. It's a blessing and something that I'm outstandingly grateful for, but at that moment, I wasn't expecting my name to be called at all. I was just preparing for one of my peers to be called and for me to celebrate them. So I don't really think I had any thoughts going through my head while they were announcing who was nominated in the category. Then once my name was said, it was kind of a blur.

BET.com:  It's been about a month since that history-making moment. Has it sunk in yet that you are an Emmy-winning actress?

Storm Reid: No, it hasn't. I don't think it will for a really long time.

BET.com: Has this award inspired you to reach EGOT status in the future?

Storm Reid: That's funny [because] I was thinking about that last night. You never know what the universe has in store. Hopefully, I will be able to reach the "O" and the "G," but I don't know about the Tony, but maybe one day. 

BET.com: You have worked with some of the greatest trailblazers in the industry since you starred in your break-out role in 2018's, "A Wrinkle in Time." Which living legends continue to inspire your journey in Hollywood today?

Storm Reid: There are so many people that I've been able to work with and that have been able to pour into me and really help shape me not only as a young artist but as a young woman. I'm biased, but Zendaya is a living legend in my eyes and I'm really close with her. To be able to just see the trajectory of her career is really inspiring and gives me hope for not only my career but just being a young woman in this world. As a young Black woman specifically, it can be difficult, but to see women like her pave the way and be unapologetically themselves is really cool.

BET.com: Throughout your career, have you faced any challenges while on a TV or movie set?

Storm Reid: There are many challenges before getting to set. It's like, "Am I being afforded the same opportunities as other women in the industry? Am I being put in the same conversations as other women?" When you get onto set and you are able to have the opportunity you've been blessed with, sometimes on set there are issues with hair and makeup. It sounds like they're minuscule problems, but they are big problems to me and they do matter. Thankfully, I've been able to be on set where my voice was heard and I felt comfortable expressing myself, but there definitely have been some times when things haven't been as easy as I feel like they could have been or they should have been.

BET.com: Some of your fans may not know that you are also a student at USC. How do you balance being an in-demand actor and a student? What's your secret?

Storm Reid: It's just all about scheduling and making sure that people are aware of my goals. School is very important to me, and I'm almost at the end of my junior year; I've come way too far to not finish. And it's something that I am going to accomplish no matter what, no matter what gets in the way or no matter what people think.

Bet.com: Does it ever become challenging when you have to say "No?"

Storm Reid: I love saying no. I've never been a people pleaser. I'm always about a compromise. So if we can come to a common ground where you're happy and I'm happy, then perfect, but there's not going to be any situation in my life where somebody is benefiting from something and I'm not, or I feel uncomfortable about something to make somebody else happy. It's just not the type of space that I operate in, so "no" is going to be the answer before it's "yes."

People have to be respectful of your time and have to be respectful of your goals.

Bet.com: Your collaboration with Coca-Cola fuses creativity and AI to provide fans of the iconic beverage with an immersive experience, but many believe that AI could stifle the artistic voice. 

Storm Reid: In this partnership, specifically, AI was just used as a tool for inspiration and to give us ideas. It wasn't in any way trying to take the artistic likeness away from anyone [and] I didn't feel like I was being shorted in any way. I think AI can be very beneficial to enhance things or give better explanations or [to] get a better understanding. I [also] think there are two sides to every coin.

BET.com: When you are not busy in your bag with brand deals or when you're away from set, or even school, how do you obtain quality TLC?

Storm Reid:  I have recently been in my apartment a lot by myself and lying on my couch or lying in bed. I've been very sleepy and tired recently. So I have been taking my self-care moments to relax, take a deep breath, binge some TV shows (which I don't normally do), and catch up on some TV from the last couple of years. And, I love hanging out with my family and my friends. So as long as we're relaxed and there's a couch nearby, then I'm fine.

BET.com: How has your career in the limelight affected your relationship with your loved ones? 

Storm Reid: My family is my family and my friends are my friends. Thankfully my friends are excited about what I do, but that is not why they're my friends. They see me day to day. They see the real, the uncut, the ugly, the good; they see it all, the same with my family. So just to be able to have a support system that is very encouraging and allows me to be myself and keeps me grounded, I think is really important, especially in this industry. So I'm just glad to have my family and my friends. They are a blessing.