Everything I do now is a first.
I realize how fortunate I am to have found what I love so young. I’ve had some really incredible opportunities. ..I tend not to go much further than planning my day out. The future is so unpredictable. I don’t have a specific place I want to be or know where I’m going to be five years from now.
The idea of revenge coming from a 14-year-old girl isn’t, you know, exactly right.
My very first audition was on the lot of Paramount, and I was put on tape and it was very nerve-racking. I think it was about 15 pages.
I was just another girl.
I love the film route and I’m gong to try my hardest to stay on it.
Well I was eight years old, and I have an older cousin who is three years older than me and she was doing acting, commercials, and modeling at the time and… to see my cousin doing that was really inspiring and I wanted to do it. So I went to my mom and I asked her if I could do it, and for the acting part of it, she made me study for a year.
My first modeling job was Gap, and my first time in front of the camera was for a Soda Pop Girls commercial – it’s one of those Bratz dolls, Barbie dolls…one of those.
I don’t know if it has set in or not. Honestly, it’s crazy. It’s such an amazing honor. I remember thinking back to being in my room waiting for the call to see if I got the part. It’s like winning the lottery. I’m proud to be a member of such an amazing cast – that’s the best award of all.
Child actors come off as work being their life and doing it 24/7, but I still have those days where it’s totally, like, whatever: shopping, movies, adventures.
My grandfather, my mom’s dad, was half African-American, half Filipino. And Filipinos, I’ve learned, have many wonderful traits – the main ones being passion and pride. I went to the Philippines for the first time this spring, and it was amazing.
I’ve had a passion for singing for as long as I can remember.
It needs to be said and heard: it’s OK to be who you are.
My mom taught me to live by the three p’s: to always be passionate, persistent, and prepared.
When I was 13, I looked like I could play 16, and I wasn’t mature enough to play 16.
There’s a different energy with a female director, a female at the head of the production. I don’t prefer one over the other, but they’re definitely different experiences, and I would love to have more of them.
I find that with period pieces, you’re sort of able to really take advantage of what’s around you because prop-wise, wardrobe-wise and location-wise, it’s all so specific due to that time.
I feel like every day I discover new actors and new filmmakers and different genres, and it’s just so cool.
Actors play different characters in every project they do. Though it has nothing to do with my craft, the red carpet gives me the opportunity to show who I really am and be myself.
Fashion is something I’ve always been interested in… I used to watch the Oscars but paid no attention to the awards… It wasn’t until I started attending red carpet events and was flown out to Paris for my first show, and saw how much is put into it all, that I had this new appreciation for everything.
I really love all types of music. I’m really open to that. I really love Bruno Mars, Justin Timberlake and some James Taylor and Elton John stuff.
Whether I’m a bit of an old soul or not, I am who I am, and that doesn’t change, whether I’m with adults or with my friends.
Singing is something I’ve always loved to do, and I’d never considered taking it further than the shower.
I love to hang out with my friends and go to the movies. My mom and I are involved in the Mother/Daughter Organization – national charity work. Whenever I get free time, we volunteer. It’s an organization so mothers and daughters can spend time together while volunteering.