action Magazine
An interactive entertainment & news experience
March/April 2023
Cover model, actor and writer Grayson Thorne Kilpatrick talks career and more
Artist Jessica Ortega brings life to art through her visuals
Get to know singer Jordan Orionn and her new single, "Reciprocity"
Action Magazine 2023
It all started with Take Action Apparel & Gear. With first-hand knowledge that bullying has become a serious epidemic in schools across the nation, Gabriel L. Silva wanted to help give kids like him a voice! "I was a victim of repeated bullying. I am small for my age and kids would make fun of me for my size. Eventually, the verbal turned physical. I know that not everyone is going to like me, and I am actually okay with that. But disliking and mistreating someone physically, verbally, or emotionally for basically being different and not taking the opportunity to get to know them for who they are, is not okay. I had an opportunity to travel to LA for pilot season, when I came home, I found out that three of my friends had had an even harder time than I did at school. I knew what they were feeling, but I was helpless to help them. I wanted to do something. So, we got together with a group of experts and some really cool designers to create Take Action Apparel & Gear." Fast forward through time, and as a result of Take Action Apparel & Gear, Action Magazine was born, giving a worldwide platform for both adults and kids in the industry, who are passionate about taking a stance against bullying, a place to share their stories. Effects on children that either are the bully or that are being bullied go well beyond the school day and sometimes last a lifetime. Students who are bullied sometimes resort to suicide and the bullies often find themselves incarcerated by the time that they are adults. "Action Magazine is a great way to showcase amazing talent within the industry, while at the same time, giving them an opportunity to let kids know that they are not alone and help them to feel empowered. I found my voice through acting/modeling and practicing Tae Kwon Do, I stopped focusing on the negative and was able to discover the positive in me. If we help just one by sharing our stories, then Action Magazine is doing what we have created it to do."
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
pg. 26 Cover courtesy of James Stovall and above photo courtesy of Charles Kilpatrick
Meet the talented Jessica Ortega Who is in this issue's Entertainment News? Get to know Grayson Thorne Kilpatrick New Music Debut: "No Cap That's Fact" What are we binging on Netflix? Remember those lost due to bullying Meet EOTM, Nikita What are you watching on Disney+? An exclusive chat with Jacqueline Carrington Vincent Gao is in our talent spotlight
Click on links, buttons, AND images throughout for an interactive experience!
Learn more about Action Magazine here!
AM Founder actor/model Gabriel L. Silva
NEW SITE, NEW ADVENTURES, ENTER HERE!
Jessica Ortega holds a Bachelor of Digital Arts degree, focusing on visual artistic arenas. She is a true stand out talent with her photography, direction and production of audiovisual projects. In her work, we can find inspiration and references to nature, femininity, the magical/mystical, music, and pictorial and graphic art. The main objective of her work is to transmit complete emotions, feelings and moods, as well as an intimate vision and point-of-view through the synergy generated between collaborators and the people who surround her. Jessica loves to tell stories and share them with the world. Action Magazine is honored to highlight the artistic work of this talented young lady. Check our her answers to our staple game of Q&A. And of course, as always, don't forget to follow her on Instagram, you won't regret the journey!
Self-portrait by Jessica Ortega
What are five things that you can't live without? I couldn't live in a world where there was no music, my headphones are my best friends. Nor could I live without my camera and my cell phone. I have to photograph everything beautiful that I see. And, I would add the tote bags and my diary, I have to write everything down so as not to be a disaster hahaha. What's your life's motto or advice that you live by? The main song of one of my favorite movies: Drive it like you stole it - Sing street (2016) What's your favorite color? I love earth colors, but especially green, orange and brown. What is your favorite movie? That's a hard one haha, my top favorite movies are: 1. Once by John Carney 2. The Virgin Suicides by Sofia Coppola 3. Sueño en otro idioma by Ernesto Contreras 4. Nochede fuego by Tatiana Huezo 5. Eternal sunshine of the spotless mind by Michel Gondry What is your favorite TV show? First Love by Yuri Kanchiku, I cried seas while watching this series. Do you have any pets? If so, what kind and what's their name? Yees! I have four kittens, their names are Vilu, Guachita, Horchata and Milky. What is your favorite place that you've traveled to? I really love the capital of Guanajuato. Many people hate it because it is very difficult to move from one point to another or because it is always full of people and tourists, but the truth is that I really like the artistic and student atmosphere that it has. I would like to live there for a while. I would also add Oaxaca for almost the same reasons. It is very cultural, it is full of museums and history, the food is delicious and it has the most beautiful hills I have ever seen. And I cannot forget Mazamitla, it is a magical wooded town in the state of Guadalajara. It has beautiful landscapes. What is your favorite food? The mexicanized Sushi hahahaha, also Pozole and boneless wings. If you could have dinner with anyone in the world, who would it be with and why? I would like to have dinner with my current favorite artist, Silvana Estrada, and ask her about her creative processes. Or with Ana Harff, a Brazilian photographer that I greatly admire. How did you get started with photography? Photography began to interest me when I was in high school art class. In a class we saw the work and life of Tina Modotti and I was very inspired by her photographs. But it wasn't until university when I started taking photography, as part of my classes and homework, and that's when I noticed how observant I had been since I was a child and how good it felt to photograph those details and moments. That's where it all started. You also work with Caja Negra P.A. as a audio visual director. How did you get started doing this? Just like photography haha, it all started at university as a design project I had with my boyfriend and later it evolved into an audiovisual production company and two more friends joined. Currently, the team is still made up of my boyfriend and I. More people have been joining the team depending on the project we carry out. What are some of your favorite things to shoot? Why? I really like portraiture and nature. If I can and the project coincides, I always try to combine both things. I love photographing the person as they are and also their ability to show themselves totally different. In terms of nature, I like its sensitivity. I also really like documentary and street photography because I like the idea of capturing moments that cannot be repeated and are very difficult to capture. Where do you find your influences behind the lens? I am very inspired by cinema, music and graphic and visual arts. Also in Mexican traditions and daily life. What has been your favorite shoot so far as either a photographer or with Caja Negra and why? It's hard because I really enjoy all the sessions I do, but I would have to say that the most recent one I've done is a series called "Flowers" that I did in February to celebrate self-love. In addition to all that you do, what other things are you are passionate about? (charity work, volunteering, etc.) Can you tell us about this work and why do you feel that it is it important? I have little free time but I also really like to share my knowledge with others and help where I can. I am always open to give advice or collaborate with other emerging artists. I am also a high school art history and visual arts teacher. Who is your favorite actor/actress and why? My favorite actress is Tilda Swinton. She's a chameleon. She can play totally different characters and she does it super well, like in Suspiria. Also, Timothée Shalamet, I loved his work in Beautiful Boy. How would you describe your fashion style? I don't have one haha, but I really like monochromatic and relaxed. Garments with which I feel comfortable. Who are some of your favorite people that you have worked with? They are 2 dancers from the city of León in Guanajuato named Gama and Paulina. We made a video with them for my boyfriend's musical project, "Carpyro," and we had an incredible time. Also, two other guys we met through them named Venice and Aldo. They also have a musical project and a music school. With them the ideas and the work have flowed super well. Also, with the whole team of friends with whom we recorded the first short film I directed, they were very stressful days but, in their company it was more bearable and special. What advice would you give other kids that want to break into doing what you do? Don't be afraid to do things. Surround yourself with people who support you and nurture your creative spirit. Never stop studying because we never finish learning and don't get discouraged if things get difficult, that's when creativity comes out. Have a lot of patience and love for what you do. Who would be your dream collaboration and why? There is a production company from the north of Mexico called "Neuderts" and they make amazing music videos. I would really like to work with them and with other big production companies like "No Ficción" that do super interesting documentary projects. I would also really like to do sessions with my favorite artists. What is one thing that nobody knows about you? Not many know that to relax I watch videos of tours of tiny houses and apartment searches hahaha and also super nice buildings in the SIMS, the video game hahaha. Have you ever been bullied? Yes, when I was little, I went to ballet classes and there were some girls who bothered me because of my skin color and because I was chubbier than them. In the end I ended up dropping out of classes because of them. What is your advice to kids that are suffering from bullying? There will always be good people to help and accompany you in those moments, never stay silent, say what is happening or ask for help if you need it or see that someone else is going through it. If you could talk to your future self, what would you tell her? Tell me what I have and what I don't have to do hahaha... Seriously, I don't know if I would like to talk with my future self. I would like everything to be a surprise. But, if I had to ask you something it would be if we are totally happy.
Flowers by Jessica Ortega
by Jessica Ortega
New Music Q&A: Shelia' Celine pg. 82 YouTube Feature: "Little Mermaid" pg. 92 Fabi Aguirre: pg. 96 Rising Star: Mason Blomberg pg. 104 Movie/TV Review: "Freeridge" pg. 124 Summer Coleman: pg. 134 Jennifer Michele: pg. 142 Jeanine Nerissa Sothcott: pg. 166 Jordan Orionn: pg. 172 Taylor Morgan: pg. 180 AJ Hazel: pg. 186 Meitar Paz: pg. 194 Filmmakers Showcase: pg. 210 PR Corner: pg. 224
Our staffers all know where to find a story. From Tinseltown and beyond, they capture their "by-line" by talking to some of the most interesting people either already in the public eye or soon will be.
Get to know those in the news this issue. These talented individuals definitely need to be on your watch list!
We wouldn't be us without them. Each issue you will get to know them and their clients better!
GTK PR Talent Agency Imagine PR Group Key Elements PR Lynk PR Millennium Public Relations
Learn more about our PR partners on page 224.
All Photos courtesy of Charles Kilpatrick
Grayson Thorne Kilpatrick began his acting career in small student and Indie films in the Southeast. Grayson Thorne Kilpatrick was born in Huntsville, Alabama. Grayson's professional resume includes projects such as: Documentary Now!, Chicken Girls: The Movie, This Isn't Working, Daddy's Home, Cinemax's Outcast, Netflix's Wet Hot American Summer: Ten Years Later, Your Pretty Face Is Going To Hell, Vikes, American Horror Story, To Tell The Truth and FX's Dave, among others. In addition to acting, Grayson is also interested in the writing and directing. In 2017, he wrote his first SAG Short Film called John Foley: Motivationally Speaking in honor of one of his favorite actors, Chris Farley. In the skit for which he won Best Actor in a short film at the Young Artist Awards, Grayson plays John Foley son of Matt Foley. Grayson is a member of SAG-AFTRA since 2016. Grayson plays guitar, ukulele, flute, oboe, and harmonica. Grayson is a huge Rubik's Cube fan. He has over 100 Rubik's Cubes of all sizes and styles, and he usually has at least one of these on set with him. His hobbies are archery, Rubik's Cube and watching College Football (Alabama Crimson Tide). Action Magazine is honored to learn more about this truly incredible young man. Check our his answers to our staple game of Q&A. Don't forget to follow him on Instagram, you won't regret the journey!
Photos courtesy of FabuRocks
What are five things that you can't live without? When I first read this question, I had to smile. A few years ago, I was working on film called Hurricane Bianca, actor Roy Haylock aka Bianca Del Rio asked me a similar question what the three things I cannot live without, and I told him God, family and pie. He laughed and said he would never forget me or my answer. So that was in 2016. Now, the five things I can not live without would have to be God, family, friends, acting and my Rubik Cube. I currently have over 200 Rubik’s Cubes. What's your life's motto or advice that you live by? Live everyday as it would be your last. My grandmother who I called "Nanny" died January 1, 2019, at the age of 98. I was very close with her. She would talk to me about what it was like growing up in her time and living in the depression and she would say this to me all the time. I took it as live your life with no regrets, go after what you want in life because we never know when it will be our time to no longer be on this earth. What's your favorite color? My favorite color is red. I guess that has been my favorite color since I was six-years-old and found my love of college football. I am a huge Alabama Crimson Tide Fan, so RTR (Roll Tide Roll). In the South, college football is almost a religion. When we are in Los Angeles, it seems, it is more about the NFL. But in the South, college football means the year starts in September. My mom and dad are huge football fans too. When I was five, I got the best gift, an Alabama Crimson Tide signed football from Coach Saban and the whole team. It was one of the years they won the National Championship in 2009 against the Texas Longhorns. If you ever go to a college football game in the South you will love it, the tailgating, going to quad before the game, it is very electrifying being at a game. What is your favorite movie? I have so many favorite movies this is a hard question. I loved Good Will Hunting, 1917, Split, Get Out. These movies just moved me when I watched them. In Good Will Hunting, Robin Williams has been my all-time favorite actor, when he passed away in 2014, I cried for days. Robin could do comedy, drama, action he was such a diverse actor watching him when I was younger in Mork & Mindy, Good Will Hunting, Good Morning, Vietnam, Mrs. Doubtfire, The Birdcage, Hook and Patch Adams. I was just in awe. When you go to watch a movie and you get chills or it moves you to believe this is happening that’s what kind of actor I want to be. I want to be able to make someone feel the way I do when watching Robin Williams. I felt this when watching 1917, Split, and Get Out. In Spilt and Get Out, I love these psychological thrillers. I would love to write and film a movie like these. Watching Split, James McAvoy changed my life. I watched him change from character after character in this film. I was like how can I do this? He was able to adapt to each of these personalities and were believable. I want to be like that. What is your favorite TV show? Well, I have several and all for different reasons. When I was a kid, I was never a conventional kid I liked the old cartoons like 1960’s Pink Panther, Mister Ed, and Gilligan's Island. Now, I think one of my favorites is Resident Alien and sadly the HBO Max series that was canceled, Peacemaker. I think looking back I loved Pink Panther because he didn’t talk at all, but they were able to convey a funny start with the cartoon without words. I have all six seasons of 1960’s Mister Ed series, a talking horse. For some reason, that was hilarious to me and anytime I feel down I go back to watch some of my favorite episodes. I got my parent hooked on Resident Alien. I have always loved actor Alan Tudyk and was honored to meet him once. I loved how he could change his voice for all the voiceover characters he has done but watching him on Resident Alien, as Harry Vanderspeigle has been epic, he is hilarious, but you can believe his character. Do you have any pets? If so, what kind and what's their name? I do I have Teacup Pomeranian named Cinnamon Grace and I have a cat called Luna. What is your favorite place that you've traveled to? My favorite place I have traveled to is Breckinridge, Colorado. I hope one day to be able to live in this town one day. When me and my mom were traveling from Los Angeles back to Alabama to visit family, we decided to go through Colorado. At first, I loved the town of Silverthorne, Colorado as we went through Dillion, Colorado, there was a lake called "Lake Dillion Reservoir". I asked my mom to stop so I could get out and look around. When I started to walk around the lake there was a large rock I climbed on, and I just sat there looking at the mountains and lake. It was during the summer, but it was so quiet and surreal, I just sat there for hours looking at the calm waters thinking I could live here forever. We went on to Breckenridge, I felt like I was home with the mountains surrounding you. The people were so nice and town felt like a small community. Since then, every time we travel back to Alabama, we go thru Breckenridge and I love it more and more each time. I pray someday I can afford a place there. I can say you will not have much cell signal there. It is for sure a get away from the hustle and bustle of daily life. What is your favorite food? I love Italian and French food and hope to travel to Italy one day. Each year for my birthday, my mom makes me Coq Au Vin it is so good I know it takes a good day to make this and I appreciate the time that goes into this meal. My mom makes a mean Bolognese that must be my favorite. Every year on my birthday, my mom also makes me my favorite cake, an Italian "Torta 900". It takes two days to make this, but oh my word, it is that the best cake in the universe. I love seafood of course and even though my mom will not eat anything out of the ocean/water, she still makes me my shrimp and cheese grits. I love when we are traveling to eat at a place we have never eaten at before to try new things. I love to cook as well. I make a mean Shepherd’s pie. If you could have dinner with anyone in the world, who would it be with and why? I would love to have dinner with actor J.K. Simmons. I would love to pick his brain on his acting technique. J.K. Simmons has been in over 200 films, he has done movies like Whiplash, Spiderman, Night Sky. He played Fred Mertz in Being the Ricardos and voiced a character in Invincible. Now, I see him buffing up for his role as Santa Claus in Red One with Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. He has such a range in his career. I want to sit down with him at dinner. One the flip side, I would like to sit down with Daniel Radcliff. Not for his role in Harry Potter, but to find out how he was able to do get into the role as Ezekiel Brown in the Miracle Workers. He had a scene in this series where he sung "She’ll be Coming Around the Mountain." I was like how can an actor change his whole personality to do something like this?! It was like Rocky Horror Picture Show meets Gunsmoke. What made you want to start acting? I had a traumatic experience that changed my life. I do not talk about this incident much, but my parents and I lived through a home invasion. My parents are my heroes because my mom was able to convince the invaders that they had the wrong house because they did. This gave her enough time to lock the door behind them and get me and my dad into a back room of our house until police arrived. I was three at the time. After the home invasion, my parents wanted to put me in child play therapy. It was a place where a young child could go after a traumatic event. Children could act out their feelings to help them cope with whatever was bothering them. I know even several months after the home invasion when I heard a doorbell, I would run and hide under a kitchen table. A few years later, mom ask me if I wanted to take an acting class and I usually would reply “Nah”. She told me a few years later, she thought I had a talent, but she did not want to push me into something she was not sure I wanted to do. In 2012, my dad read in the local newspaper that Grayson Russell (Diary of a Wimpy Kid) was in town filming his new movie, Space Warriors, at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center. Grayson Russell was going to be at a local movie theater viewing the latest release in the Diary of a Wimpy Kid movie series with fans and would be signing autographs before the movie. So, my dad got our family and one of my friends, Mason, a ticket to go watch the movie with Grayson. Grayson Russell was great! He took the time to answer my questions and took pictures with me. At the screening, Grayson mentioned they were looking for extras to be in the movie he was filming. I asked my mom if she could take me to see if I could be an extra. She did and I got to be an extra and fell in love with the environment. I loved watching the crew move their equipment around to do the same scene but to get the shot from different angles. The next week, my mom enrolled me in a local acting school called Hollywood Huntsville. I took classes under Bill and Ayoka Billions and later took acting classes from Gray’s Studio out of LA. We would travel to Nashville to participate in an intensive weekend class once a month for two days and this is where I met Mr. David Gray of Gray Studio out of West Hollywood, CA. I booked my first web series in 2013 called, Unplanned Motherhood. After that, mom found me a talent agent in Nashville, Atlanta, and New Orleans. It was in March 2013, I booked my very first movie called Campin’ Buddies. I got to work with legendary actors like Don Most, Tom Lester (Green Acres), Ray Stevens and Victoria Jackson. Tom Logan was the best director for my first film experience. I also had a great mentor actor, Danny Vinson. I still send him messages and ask him questions. We were in the movie Heaven Bound together and I was lucky to get to film with Torry Martin, Jamie Costa, Victoria Jackson (my second movie with the SNL legend), Michael Joiner and Nancy Stafford. When production found out it was my birthday, they had craft services bake me a cake and sang “Happy Birthday” to me. I also got the chance to ride a horse around the set! How cool is that? Thank you, Adam Drake, director of this great movie, for giving me an opportunity to work with you! What is the most difficult thing about being an actor? I think the most difficult part of being an actor is the things you have to give up being an actor. For me, I had to give up being in school because when I filmed, I was missing too many days, so it was better for me and my schedule to be homeschooled. I had to give up playing football because I was missing too many practices and holidays. I love being in Alabama to be with family during holidays, but sometimes we would film right up to Thanksgiving and then I would need to be back on set Monday after Thanksgiving, so I usually stayed in LA. How do you prepare for auditions? When I get an audition, I start by breaking down the sides and reading them over and over. Then, reading them out loud to see how it sounds to make my decision on how as I going to out this particular line. Sometimes, I call my private acting coach and run over the lines with her to see if she sees the same thing I do with the lines. I research the production if there are any episodes already out or the director to see what they have produced to get a sense of their other films. The industry is full of rejection. What is your advice on how to handle it? Well, it is never easy to get a rejection, but my acting coach Danny Vinson used to tell me just do your best and after your audition forget about it because you must get your self prepared for the next audition. I can tell you its not easy, you can not wear your feelings on your sleeve. This is hard business and you had to role with the punches. I was on hold for almost 2 months for It. I was disappointed that I didn't book the role, but happy for the actor did. My mom told me something I like to remember she said, "Grayson if you don’t get this role that’s fine, it was not meant for you. There is a perfect role for you and when it is meant to be it will." So, I am waiting on that perfect role. You have had many wonderful roles.What has been the one role that you relate to the most? I think the one I can relate to was in horror film Black Pumpkin I played the role of Lawrence "Pork Chop" Chubb’s. My roles were similar to that of Chunk in The Goonies. I related to that as well to the upcoming role of Ethan in the recurring TV Series Chad. If you could write the perfect role for yourself, what would it be and why? It would have to be completely different than my previous characters, and like I have said, it would have to be a psychological thriller where I could show my range of acting. I would love to be in anything with DC Comics or Marvel. I mean there is one character that would fit me perfectly It’s all about the Bounce Legion of Superhero #9 The Bouncing Boy (disambiguation) aka Chuck Tain. In addition to acting, what other things are you are passionate about? (charity work, volunteering, etc.) Can you tell us about this work and why do you feel that it is it important? I am always passionate when it comes to animals but I think the two charities I support are Eli’s Block Party and the Los Angeles Shriners. Who is your favorite actor/actress and why? Wow, I have a few but I think J.K. Simmons and James McAvoy. The late great Robin Williams and Chris Farley. I will forever honor Chris Farley as I did in my short film I wrote, starred in and directed John Foley: Motivationally Speaking. I am still “living in a van down by the river”. For actors/actress still living, James McAvoy and J.K Simmons both of these actors have such broad range of acting abilities. How would you describe your fashion style? Do I have one? Lol. Listening to my parents, I don’t have one, but I love wearing jeans and hoodies but when I go to set or go to an event luckily, I have a great stylist that tells me what to wear. She is amazing. I like the classic look for sure, I think I was born 60 years too late. What advice would you give other kids that want to break into acting? I would say go for it. I have had some people message me that they want to be in the entertainment business my first question to them is why? If they tell me for fame, I tell them that this might not be for you. I say this because acting is not an easy life it is hard work and repetitive. You know when you’re on set you may refilm the same scene several times at several different angles. I am not in the entertainment industry for the fame or the popularity. I really love what I do. I hope one day I can be considered a ‘A, B or C lister.’ Right now, I just want to be on set and work. I hope one day I can book more lead roles. Who would be your dream on screen collaboration and why? It is so hard to name just one I have like four that I dream to work with one day. M. Night Shayamalan, Taika Waititi, Jordan Peele, and J.K. Simmons. M. Night Shayamalan does all these amazing psychological thrillers that mess with your head. It would be a dream to be able to be in one of his films as a serious actor and really show my range of acting. I would love to work with any kind of film Blumhouse Productions is involved with. I think Taika Waititi is a master of directing and acting. I have such great admiration for him. Jordan Peele's first film I watched I was hooked. Get Out is one of my all-time favorites. I purchaed Nope as soon as they hit Amazon Prime. What is one thing that nobody knows about you? I am an extreme heavy sleeper. My mom can run vacuum, the fire alarm can go off if, and I am asleep. It is hard to get me to wake up. Have you ever been bullied? Yes, I think everyone has some point in their life. I hate it! I hate bullies, even though I get cast in films as one a lot. When my career first started, I was bullied horribly, but not by kids, by teachers. I was miserable every time I had to take off school to go film. It was horrible coming back. When mom finally took me out of school in the fifth grade, I was relieved but sad. I loved going to school and seeing people, interacting. When we moved to Los Angeles, my parents found a school I could go to once a week to be around kids my own age it was great. When COVID hit in March 2020, it started to get hard again. We could not see anyone so, I would play on the PlayStation or Xbox with my friends which were great. Then the bullying went to a new level. Again, it was an adult, a parent of a person I thought was a friend and an actor. My number for my online account was given out and I had people that called me telling me what a horrible actor I was and to stop acting. They said that, I needed weight loss surgery. They called me names. Finally, I just stopped playing online and have not played online since. I was depressed. I didn’t realize I was just sleeping and not interacting with people much. Then, my mom took me to talk with a counselor. I still go to this day. I have a trainer I work with three times a week now to get to be healthy. It is hard, but we should never body shame people. That is why I am working hard to show my range of acting there is more to me if you can look past the physical. What is your advice to kids that are suffering from bullying? I would say talk to someone, never allow yourself to get so depressed enought to consider suicide. Talk to a parent or a counselor. You are worth so much more and you have something to give back. If you could talk to your future self, what would you tell him? I think I would ask myself if we made it. Did we book my dream job? Did we get to go to the Oscars? Are we happy? Was I able to do something nice for my parents? Are we living in Breckenridge Colorado?
continued on pg. 46
Shelia’ Celine is a model, actor and recording artist. She began working in the entertainment industry at the age of 5. On the acting front, she plays Little Tony in the television series, If I Knew You Were Coming and Shanice in the film, The Last Hero. Shelia’ has walked the runway at New York Fashion Week and has been published in numerous fashion magazines. In September of 2022, Shelia’ released her first original song “No Cap That’s Fact”accompanied by a music video. Not only is she known for her many talents, but for her big heart. She has traveled to orphanages in Sonora, Mexico working with Mighty Me, a non profit organization that provides proactive support for the social and emotional well being of children and their families. During her free time, Shelia' enjoys skateboarding, playing mobile games, and pretending she's going on a music tour. Action Magazine caught up with this amazing talent to get to know her a lot better. Take a peek at some of her answers to our staple game of Q&A on pg. 82. Don't forget to follow her on Instagram. But first, make sure to listen to "No Cap That's Fact" and let us know what you think!
Music Cover Art source: ditto.fm
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Stay-at-home and binge! Here are some of the top titles that are on our action picks for Netflix! Click on the thumbnail to view trailers. Some trailers may not be suitable for all ages. Trailers provided by
continued from pg, 28
Speak up! Speak out! Step up!
1 out of 4 kids is bullied every month in the U.S. 1 out of 10 children drop out of school due to bullying. 160,000 kids miss school each day for fear of being bullied. Every seven minutes, a child is bullied on the playground at school. 4,400 deaths occur each year as a result of bullying. Bullying can be… physical, mental, verbal, and can occur in person or in cyberspace. The epidemic can be eradicated if we stand together and remember, silence can be deadly...
Suffer in silence no more
Victims of bullying are never anonymous.
The effects of bullying have lasting consequences that affect those involved for a lifetime. Together, we can bring an end to bullying.
Remember their faces. Know their names. Hear their voices. Tell their stories.
On the next page, tune into what we are listening to by clicking to watch the video!
Note: Some videos and/or music may not be suitable for all ages. Parental guidance suggested.
Our Top five favorite playlist tunes...
Source: Billboard Hot 100
SHAKIRA || BZRP Music Sessions #53
Thought You Should Know by Morgan Wallen
Kill Bill by SZA
Anti-Hero by Taylor Swift
Flowers by Miley Cyrus
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on the move...
Whether they are actors, models, singers, musicians, dancers, or a combination of all of the above, these young entertainers are definitely on the move and you don't want to miss one step!
Entertainers
All Photos Credit: Jaci Judelson
Fashioning her songs with grace, emotion, and soft haunting vocals, the New York-bred multi-instrumentalist released her debut single “Elegance,” on February 27, 2023. In celebration of the song dropping, she performed it live as part of the We Found New Music showcase at Hotel Ziggy in Hollywood, CA. Nikita crafts music that is honest, confident, and mature for someone who is just about to turn 19-years-old in April. Not afraid to speak her mind, she introduces a tension between nostalgia and modernity on “Elegance.” As she penned the lead single off her forthcoming “Clearly Misunderstood” EP, she examined the juxtaposition between entering adulthood and the carelessness of being a free-spirited youth. “I was experiencing intense writer’s block when I wrote the song so it has some risk in it that I like,” Nikita says. “I was thinking about what it feels like to be a kid, when you think you know everything, and how as an adult you feel like you don’t know anything. It was the mature side of me looking at the present and also at past actions mixed with this element of wanting to retain the wonder of being young and playful.” Hinged with guitar, piano, and drums, the song showcases Nikita’s rich, lower-register vocals that call to mind influences like Lana Del Rey and Phoebe Bridgers. Produced by artist, singer, songwriter, producer, and music director, Eric Scullin (Dysplay, RZA, Mark Needhman [The Killers]), the ambient track was recorded in Los Angeles in his home studio. “I’ve been working with Eric since November 2021 and it’s been really cool to see how my songs have expanded sonically. I’m in the process of learning more about production because I want to be able to have more creative license in that realm.” It’s not surprising the songstress wants a hand in her art. She grew up around family members heavily influenced by classical music. “I come from a family of musicians that performed chamber music together as well as my mom was in a band in the 1990s." Nikita picked up the flute and piano at an early age and by ten, she was learning how to play the guitar and write songs. Today, when she composes her music, she leans on the guitar or piano to come up with the melody. “I always know what I'm going to say first and the melody comes later. I need a narrative thread to hold on to when writing. The lyrics are the reason the song is being written rather than sonic motivation but I think both are equally important. So when I write, I’ll have a bunch of different lyric ideas. I’ll accumulate them on one page, map them out, and put them together like a puzzle. Then I’ll use the piano and guitar with the lyrics to see what melody works best.” To date, Nikita has written over 200 songs. Most of her songs carry a theme of longing, she says. “I like songs that are evocative, that are relatable, universal, yet ambiguous, I love a clever lyric,” she says. “I have always been inspired by artists that embody that; The 1975, St Vincent, Arctic Monkeys, Leonard Cohen, etc. Quite the variety.” Nikita is poised to make a dent in music this year. Following her first single (“Elegance,”) she and her management company, JV Agency, will debut her next highly anticipated song, “Like I Care,” plus a few more fresh cuts over the course of the year.
Action Magazine caught up with this talented young musician to get to know her a lot better. Take a peek at some of her answers to our staple game of Q&A. Don't forget to follow her on Instagram. What are five things that you can't live without? Air, Water, Food, Health, Dairy What's your life's motto or advice that you live by? Don’t put yourself through something painful to get where you don’t wanna go. Seems like pretty sound advice. What's your favorite color? Green or Indigo blue What is your favorite movie? Almost Famous What is your favorite TV show? Scrubs Do you have any pets? If so, what kind and what's their name? Yes, an Orange Tabby cat named Bingley. What is your favorite place that you've traveled to? Paris What is your favorite food? Tiramisu If you could have dinner with anyone in the world, who would it be with and why? Dead? David Bowie. He’s just got such an amazing mind and style and outlook. I feel like all the reasons are pretty self-explanatory. What made you want to start singing? I grew up in a very musical family so I don’t think there was a moment “I started singing” but the idea to make it a career probably came from Taylor Swift. I lived and breathed her music since I was four. It’s really not a new thing to be inspired by her, but of course I was, and still am. She’s untouchable as an artist and businesswoman I am in constant awe of her. What is the most difficult thing about being a musician? All the other stuff that’s not music. That’s the most difficult. Where do you find inspiration for your music? Life What do you hope people take away from your music? A lot of my music doesn’t even know what it is and it changes its mind and is convoluted sometimes. So what I hope people get from my music is that that’s allowed, and to feel understood by it. We’re not one-dimensional and clean-cut, it’s okay to be multi-faceted and remain undefined, change your mind, say the opposite thing from what you originally thought and have conflicting emotions and write about them! That’s something I’ve been learning recently. You have a new project, “Elegance,” tell us about this project? It’s a nostalgia about not wanting to be an adult but not being able to get away with acting like a kid anymore so you’re sort of stuck in this ‘limbo’. A loss of innocence and playfulness but replacing it with rebellion and a fear of becoming boring. In one word, how would you describe your sound? Ambivalent Who is your favorite musician and why? Impossible to pin it down to one favorite. I really love Jeff Buckley as a musician though. He was so emotional and complex and really good at the guitar. He really knew how to make a Rock 'N' Roll song out of a lament. How would you describe your fashion style? Huge variety of stuff, I like to mix genres but I’m a huge fan of a sick jacket. What advice would you give other kids that want to break into music? Let me break in first and I’ll let em know. Who would be your dream music collaboration and why? Fiona Apple. I just think she’s brilliant. What is one thing that nobody knows about you? Very little, almost nothing… I find it quite hard to maintain an air of mystery. Have you ever been bullied? I went to a very small school growing up so thankfully I never had to deal with bullies. What is your advice to kids that are suffering from bullying? I think the best thing is to talk to people you trust about it. Don’t bottle it up. Never helps. If you could talk to your future self, what would you tell her? I don’t know her yet, but I hope she’s having fun is all I can really ask of her. That’s what all this is for ya know?
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Shelia' Celine
Performance images courtesy of Eddie Ruvalcaba
Photo courtesy Shelia' Celine
What are five things you can't live without? Five things I can’t live without are my phone, my family, my favorite food Sushi, my collection of dolls, and my home. What's your life's motto? My life's motto is Stay Ready So You A'int Gotta Get Ready. What's your favorite color? My favorite color is pink because it’s so cute and pretty. What is your favorite movie? My favorite movie is Slumberland. I can really relate to it a lot personally. It’s about dreaming, and I think dreams are really cool. I actually got to attend a private screening of it at Netflix with Jason Mamoa and Marlow Barkley, which is how I was even introduced to the movie, so that for sure made me love the movie as well. What is your favorite TV show? My favorite TV show is That Girl Lay Lay. Lay Lay raps like me. I’m a big fan of her songs, and honestly she reminds me of myself a little bit. Do you have any pets? If so, what kind and what's their name? I don’t have any pets at the moment but my grandma has a dog that I consider my dog and her name is Chelsea. I’m trying to get my Grandmother to let her come and live with me. What is your favorite place that you've traveled to? My favorite place I’ve traveled to is New York. I attended New York Fashion Week with The Fashion Life tour, and I got to meet, and get coached by America’s Next Top Model alums like Kiara Belen, Naima Mora, Victoria Henley, and walked the runway for New York fashion week. I had lots of fun there. What is your favorite food? My favorite food is Sushi. I’m a California Roll type of girl. It’s my favorite snack. If you could have dinner with anyone in the world, who would it be with and why? To be honest, I would like to have dinner with Millie Bobby Brown. She’s my favorite actor. I love her work. I also think she’ll give me some good acting tips. What made you want to start singing? My mom used to sing and I think I inherited her talents. She gave me the inspiration to sing. What is the most difficult thing about being a musician? For the most part, being a musician is easy and fun but sometimes it could be unpredictable. I had one performance where I was performing, and out of nowhere some live instruments started playing and I was so confused like “what the heck??”. A live band had joined in my performance that had performed before my set. Even though things like that happen, I still always try my best to give a good show. Where do you find inspiration for your music? What do you hope people take away from your music? My mom used to rap and sing which made me want to do it. As far as inspiration for my songs, I kind of write them based on my mood or something important that happens in my life. You are also an actress. How did you get started acting? I got started acting because, I always used to tell my parents “I want to be on TV one day.” So, my parents put me in acting classes at around five-years-old. I got signed to an agency and booked my first commercial. One commercial led to another and here I am now. What is the one project that you have done that you can relate to the most and why? A project I can relate to the most is a project I created myself. It was my first music single called “NO CAP THAT’S FACT“ and it’s about everything that I do in my career. I love to act, model, and rap. I have a purpose in it. I also co-produced, and wrote the lyrics to it, so it was a really personal project. In addition to acting and music, you are also a model. How did you get started? What has been your favorite brand to work with so far and why? When I found out that modeling was offered at my acting school, I was really interested in it and wanted to try it. My parents enrolled me in modeling classes as well. I did my first fashion show for Macy's brand when I was about 7. Recently, I got to work with professional gymnast Nia Dennis, and Sylvia P. Athletic wear. I modeled the collection they collaborated on together. They had the cutest leotards, and I was gifted all of them. I also modeled with two of my friends for that shoot and got paid for just having fun! So far, Sylvia P. is definitely my favorite brand to work with so far. In addition to all that you do, what other things are you are passionate about? (charity work, volunteering, etc.) Can you tell us about this work and why do you feel that it is it important? Other things that I am passionate about is giving back. Whether it’s a back-to-school supply give-away or a charity to raise money for those in need of food and clothes. I like to support giving back to kids whose parents can’t afford certain things they need. I do a lot of charity performances to inspire others and help give back as well. I think it’s important because I like the fact that charity can bring people together for a good cause. Who is your favorite musician and why? My favorite musician is Kate Bush . I haven’t listened to a lot of songs by her but her song "Running Up That Hill” is my new fave. It’s a really relaxing song, and it makes me feel really calm inside. How would you describe your fashion style? My fashion style is a little diverse. Sometimes I'll mix and match a soft girly look with an edgy look, or a preppy look with a formal look. I have so many styles I can’t even describe them all! Who are some of your favorite musicians that you have worked with? I haven’t collaborated with anyone yet, but I do have a surprise collaboration coming soon so stay tuned! What advice would you give other kids that want to break into the entertainment industry? The advice that I would give other kids that want to break into the entertainment industry is to just work hard, put yourself first, and have fun! Who would be your dream collaboration and why? My dream collaboration would be with Lay Lay. I think we’ll sound so good together. I really like her music, and I think together we’ll have fun making a song. What is one thing that nobody knows about you? One thing that no one knows about me is I was born on a Navy base. I’m a military brat. Have you ever been bullied? I have been bullied and it was so tragic. People hit me, they tripped me, called me names and pulled my hair. I'm homeschooled because of those situations. What is your advice to kids that are suffering from bullying? My advice to kids that are suffering from bullying is always remember just because someone is a bully, making fun of your shoes, or they’re talking about your clothes, doesn’t mean that you have to stop yourself from continuing on. Remember that you have a bright future ahead of you so try your best to stay focused on your goals still and make them come true. If you could talk to your future self, what would you tell her? If I could talk to my future self, I would tell her, “You’red oing so good girl, you better keep killing it.“
The Little Mermaid/Wish The Walt Disney Studios Trailer.
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Fabi Aguirre is best known as a Broadway actress who made her debut as Little Cosette in "Les Miserables" at the age of nine where performed the role for eight months. She solidified her stature as a Broadway actress performing for 16-months as an original cast member of "On Your Feet!" in the role of young Gloria Estefan. As a television actress she has had a featured role in Amazon Prime's Mozart in the Jungle and a recurring role in Gone opposite Chris North. Her latest role is in the holiday film Snow Day along side Jerry Trainor. Born in Boston, MA to Ecuadorian parents, Fabi is passionate about giving back to her community. After rescuing her dog Bolt, she wants to lend her voice raising awareness about dog adoptions as well as chronic gastric issues in children through her work with the University of Miami Pediatric Gastroenterology Department. When not working, this bilingual young teen enjoys reading, baking, singing, and dancing. Action Magazine caught up with this talented young actress to get to know her a lot better. Take a peek at some of her answers to our staple game of Q&A. Don't forget to follow her on Instagram. This is one journey that you don't want to miss!
Photo courtesy of Shandon Photography
What are five things that you can't live without? Five things I cannot live without are my mom, workout clothes, a microphone, a journal, and my rings. What's your life's motto or advice that you live by? I have 2 mottos: Life is a journey with many different chapters. People are put in our lives for a reason, whether it is for the good or bad. What's your favorite color? My favorite color is green! What is your favorite movie? I have so many favorite movies but my number one is Titanic. What is your favorite TV show? My favorite comedy TV show is Friends, and favorite drama is La Casa de Papel (Money Heist). Do you have any pets? If so, what kind and what's their name? I have a rescue Pitbull mix, and his name is Bolt. He looks just like the Disney dog! He is the most loving, and caring dog ever. And the laziest! My friends are scared of his side eye because he comes off as judgmental at first, but is the sweetest once you get to know him. What is your favorite place that you've traveled to? Besides Ecuador, which is where my family is from, I would have to say Montreal. It is such a beautiful city and the people are very kind. What is your favorite food? My favorite food is pastaaa! If you could have dinner with anyone in the world, who would it be with and why? OOO Freddie Mercury all. The. WAY! He is my idol, and seems like such a joy to be around. What made you want to start acting? My mom says I would put on shows for the family since I was very little. Also, I would act in front of the TV all the time while watching my favorite movies, so I guess I could say it came naturally. I definitely became more passionate about acting the older I got. What is the most difficult thing about being an actor? The most difficult thing is rejection: being so close to booking a role and then not getting it. How do you prepare for auditions? I study the character a lot. I break down the role, and make assumptions about her past life-with the little information I am given, and create a whole backstory on her to see the purpose behind her motives. The industry is full of rejection. What is your advice on how to handle it? Rejection can be hard to deal with. It sounds very cliche, but ultimately, it’s the truth. Never give up, and as long as you believe in yourself, you are capable of doing incredible things! You have had many wonderful roles. What has been the one role that you relate to the most? Thank you for the kind words. I don’t think I relate 100% to one in particular. However, I think I found a little bit of myself in every role I have played. For example, Lane is very sarcastic, and I find myself to be a bit sarcastic, as well. Little Gloria loves music, and is proud of her Latin heritage, as am I. Finally, Little Cosette is hopeful, no matter what life throws at her. If you could write the perfect role for yourself, what would it be and why? Mmm, very interesting question. No matter what, I would write about how I would want my character to feel empowered despite of what obstacles she faces in life. In addition to acting, what other things are you are passionate about? (charity work, volunteering, etc.) Can you tell us about this work and why do you feel that it is it important? I am actually about to start helping raise awareness for research for Pediatric Gastroenterology with the University of Miami. It is something I am very passionate about, and would like to help millions of children who suffer with gastric illnesses. More funds means more research and faster/new treatments so kids can feel better faster. Who is your favorite actor/actress and why? My favorite actress is Kate Winslet, and my favorite actor is Christian Bale for his intense method acting. How would you describe your fashion style? It needs work. BADLY. Someone please send help, haha. Who are some of your favorite actors that you have worked with? When I was in "Les Miserables," I worked with Ramin Karimloo, whom I used to watch his YouTube videos as the Phantom when I was younger. I was so starstruck when I met him at nine-years-old. He was my Broadway idol back then. Also, I have to mention our incredible director for Snow Day: Mr. Michael Lembeck. He has directed my favorite childhood movies, and TV show! I learned so much from him and he has given me lots of great professional and personal advise. What advice would you give other kids that want to break into acting? Always remember that when one door closes on you, there will always be another one open. Never doubt yourself for a split second, and working hard, and staying humble, is the key to success! Who would be your dream on screen collaboration and why? I would have loved to work with Heath Ledger. I would also love to work with Robert Downey Jr. What is one thing that nobody knows about you? Mmmm…. tricky question! If I tell you, then everyone will know! lol People are surprised when I say that I have never read or seen any of the Harry Potter movies. Have you ever been bullied? Fortunately, I have been lucky to have never been bullied. What is your advice to kids that are suffering from bullying? Reach out to anyone you trust as soon as it happens. And remember that bullies are insecure people, who just try to bring awesome people like you down. Don’t let them get into your head. If you could talk to your future self, what would you tell her? I would say: “I’m proud of you!”
Photo courtesy of Bertrand Calmeau
FadeLife Clothing-Intoxicating Style
All photos courtesy of Kira Reed Lorsch.
Mason Blomberg
All photos courtesy of Shandon Youngclaus/Kelli Schloemer
Mason Blomberg plays the lead role of David in the upcoming Apple TV+ series Jane. He traveled the world for over a year filming this mission-driven series for kids and families inspired by the work of Dr. Jane Goodall. Jane is set to release April 14th. Mason has had guest starring roles on 9-1-1 Lone Star with Rob Lowe, Sydney to the Max with Caroline Rhea as well as a recurring role as Prince on Shameless with William H. Macy. Mason's other credits include a recurring role as Cole Baxter in The Baxters alongside Roma Downey and Ted McGinley and Dax Taylor in the feature film The Furry Fortune with Sean Whalen set to release in 2023. You may also recognize his voice as Young Chip in the new Disney live action hit film Chip'nDale: Rescue Rangers and he recently booked a role in an animation series. Passionate about animal rights and conservation, Mason became a vegetarian at just seven-years-old and is excited to work as an ambassador for the Jane Goodall Institute. A self taught CGI Animation artist, in his free time he enjoys football, basketball, golf, and swimming. Action Magazine caught up with this phenomenally talented young man get to know him a bit better. Here are his answers to our Q&A! Stay tuned, because we have a feeling that we will be seeing a lot more of Mason!
What are five things that you can't live without? My family, my friends, Veggie Burritos, phone messages, (otherwise we’d have to use carrier pigeons and who wants to deal with that?!) and acting. What's your life's motto or advice that you live by? 100 bad days makes a hundred good stories, 100 good stories makes me interesting at parties! These are lyrics by the band AJR but my mom and I always sing them when something bad because it helps to remind me that whenever something bad happens, it could turn into a positive eventually. What's your favorite color? My favorite color is purple because I think it is underrated and a very good color. What is your favorite movie? My favorite movie is Venom because I am a big fan of superhero movies, especially Marvel. I really like it because the CGI in it is off the chart! What is your favorite TV show? My favorite TV show is Stranger Things because I really like monsters and I love the creativity that went into the show. For example, the Demagorgon looks like a flower and is super cool. The actors are very good and so believable. This show is outstanding! Do you have any pets? If so, what kind and what's their name? I used to have two dogs. Haole was a Pomeranian and Rocky was a Boxer - they were so cute and the best of friends! They were also my best friends…as they say, dogs are a man’s best friend. Sadly, they passed away. I love animals and I really want to get another pet. But my mom has four kids, so she says she doesn't want “another kid” So, I just play with my neighbor’s dogs instead! What is your favorite place that you've traveled to? My favorite place that I have traveled to is definitely Africa. I was there filming for the show JANE that I am in. We filmed in Kenya. It is my favorite place because there is SO much nature. I am a big environmentalist and seeing these animals thrive makes me so happy. We went on two safaris,and we saw giraffes, elephants, monkeys (pesky but cute little buggers), lions, zebras, rhinos, and more. We even got to pet the last two living Northern White Rhinos! It was kind of a sad experience because we knew they would die eventually and that would mean another species is extinct. Hopefully people will learn from this situation, and from other animals who have gone extinct, and start helping the environment and our animals. What is your favorite food? My favorite is burritos because you can mix and match and try different ingredients. Also, I am a vegetarian and it's easy to make vegetarian burritos. If you could have dinner with anyone in the world, who would it be with and why? If I could have dinner with anyone in the world, it would be The Rock because I think we would have such a good time together. At the table we would just keep laughing and doing our signature “Rock eyebrows” together. What made you want to start acting? When my mom had me try theatre camp one summer, I LOVED it. I loved meeting all the new people and becoming a new character. It takes a lot to become someone you are not, and I really wanted to take on that challenge, not just on stage, but on camera too. Since I was little, I always loved making people laugh. When I am in comedy roles, I get to make even more people laugh - not just my friends and family- and that makes me very happy! What is the most difficult thing about being an actor? The most difficult part of being an actor is having to memorize lines for auditions because you can sometimes have many auditions due at the same time and only 1-3 days to memorize all the lines for them. It can get confusing because you have to memorize them at the same time, but they can be totally different characters. Luckily, because of all my experience, I have become a very fast memorizer and that definitely helps! How do you prepare for auditions? The first step is to read the character and plot descriptions. After that I read the sides (these are the part of the script that you are using to audition). Now that I know what is happening in the scene, I start to memorize. To memorize, I go in a quiet place because it is difficult to memorize with distractions. I feel like when I go to sleep after memorizing lines, it helps the lines to stick in my brain! When it is time to tape my auditions, I set up the ring light, gather any props, and my mom makes sure my hair and outfit are good to go. Finally, the magic happens, and we tape the scenes! The industry is full of rejection. What is your advice on how to handle it? No doubt about that! When I don’t book a job, I take a deep breath and think to myself, “it's OK maybe this job wasn’t right for me and maybe something better is around the corner!” Then I will do something else I enjoy and take my mind off of it. I think that, of course you aren't going to book every audition, that is just part of acting. You have to know that you will audition for a lot more jobs than you will book. Every audition is a chance to do what I love! You have had many wonderful roles. What has been the one role that you relate to the most? The role I relate to the most is definitely the character David in the new Apple TV series I am in called JANE. He is really funny, even when he is in danger, and is always making punny jokes (yes punny, not funny). In real life I’m always cracking jokes too, just like I crack them eggs in the morning! The character David also cares a lot about the environment and saving animals and these are things I am also passionate about. In fact, I became a vegetarian when I was seven-years-old because I wanted to be part of the solution. Finally, David is a really good friend to Jane, and I feel like I am also a good friend to others. If you could write the perfect role for yourself, what would it be and why? I really love doing comedy so any role that allows me to show that side of me would be amazing. In addition to acting, what other things are you are passionate about? (charity work, volunteering, etc.) Can you tell us about this work and why do you feel that it is it important? I am very passionate about the environment, specifically conservation and helping endangered species. I became a vegetarian when I was seven-years-old because I did not want to be part of the reason animals had to die. The show JANE that I am on teaches other kids what they can do to help the environment. I am really excited to be a part of a show that sends this message. The show is in partnership with the Jane Goodall Institute. When I met the amazing Jane Goodall herself, she asked if I would be an ambassador for her Roots and Shoots program. This is something I am excited to become a part of. I am also hoping to create a program that will encourage kids at my school to pick up trash. I want to continue to be a part of movements and charities that are encouraging people to make positive choices for our environment and for animals. Who is your favorite actor/actress and why? My favorite actor is definitely The Rock! I think it would be so fun to act with him and be on set with him because he is hilarious! He also does his signature move - the eyebrow- and I can do that too! How would you describe your fashion style? I would describe my fashion style as casual. I almost always am wearing a T-shirt with a plaid button up shirt over it. But I have also always loved to dress fancy so I get excited when I get the opportunity to dress up. I even have a shoehorn that was given to me when I was little because I always wore fancy shoes. I have a huge bow tie collection, too. So, it all rounds up to my style being “fasual”-half fancy and half casual. Who are some of your favorite actors that you have worked with? One of my favorite experiences was working with William H Macy on Shameless (but he likes to be called Bill). He was so kind and fun to be on set with - in between takes, he would sit and do puzzles with me instead of going and taking a break himself. I’ve also had so much fun working with a couple child actors who have become my good friends- Juju Brenner when we filmed The Furry Fortune and Ava Louis Murchinson when we filmed JANE. What advice would you give other kids that want to break into acting? My advice would be that they should take acting classes because they help teach kids how to act as well as rules on set and tips for auditions. Acting classes will also help kids see if they like acting or not. Who would be your dream on screen collaboration and why? I would like to work with Tom Holland because it would be so cool to talk to him and get to know him. I really love all the movies and shows that he has been in and I can’t wait to see more of his work! If I’m lucky, maybe I will be a part of one of his next projects! What is one thing that nobody knows about you? Well I’m an open book! I don’t really have any secrets to share. Have you ever been bullied? I have been really fortunate that I haven’t been bullied yet. Of course, there have been instances where people have been mean, but I wouldn’t classify it as bullying. For example, when I was in kindergarten, I loved to paint my fingernails. One day at school, a kid made fun of it and said that only girls paint their nails. I just laughed it off and said,“No way! Rockstars paint their nails!” I don’t let it bother me; I just ignore those kinds of people. What is your advice to kids that are suffering from bullying? First of all, I feel really sad for the kids who get bullied and I am sorry that is happening to anyone out there. My advice to kids who are suffering from bullying is to try to ignore those people and brush it off. Don’t let them affect you or who you are - bullies are just trying to feel powerful. Another approach is to just laugh it off or say something witty so that the bullies don’t have the power. Often times bullies have struggles in their life that we don’t even know about and they may take it out on other kids to help them feel better. Don’t stoop to their level and be mean, try to be the bigger person. It is so important for us all to just be kind to one another. If you could talk to your future self, what would you tell him? I would tell my future self - I hope that you are a kind person who still cares a lot about people, animals, and the environment!
Photo courtesy of Karen Michelle.
Now Live!
What are five things that you can't live without? God, family/friends, snacks, music, the beach What's your life's motto or advice that you live by? Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.-Proverbs3:5-6 NIV What's your favorite color? I love black and purple, but if I could only choose one, it would be black. What is your favorite movie? Friday What is your favorite TV show? Shark Tank Do you have any pets? If so, what kind and what's their name? Yes, we have 3 cats-all boys. Their names are Linux, Movado and Ubuntu (Ubie,for short). What is your favorite place that you've traveled to? Belize. I just loved the chill vibe, the friendliness of the people, and the beauty of the lands. What is your favorite food? Fruit, but my favorite dinner is lasagna. You are the CEO of People of Color. Tell us how you got started in general as a businesswoman? I’ve always been an entrepreneur since I was a child. I would always have ideas to make money and would try them out. My brother and I use to make lemonade and cookies and sell them on the corner of our neighborhood to cars and/or people passing by. Since then, I’ve launched and tried several businesses such as a travel agency, bath & body, commercial/residential cleaning and more before launching and sticking with People of Color. For those who do not know, what exactly is People of Color? People of Color is a non-toxic, vegan, cruelty-free nail polish brand made to complement the various shades of brown skin as the first thought, not an afterthought. We celebrate and represent people of color from all over the world, and collectively tell our stories through our nail polish collections. What has been the hardest part about being an entrepreneur? What has been the most rewarding? The hardest part about being an entrepreneur is juggling all the hats, and staying disciplined in your work, even if you are not motivated to do the work. The most rewarding has been watching and experiencing an idea come from my mind and out into the world, growing and making a difference to others. How does your business look now as opposed to when you first started? My business from the outside has pretty much looked the same now versus when I first started. The biggest changes have been adding our full logo to the bottles in 2020 and upgrading our website when we switched from Square Space to Shopify. Behind the scenes, it looks totally different! It’s more organized, more strategic, growing, and the vision gets clearer and clearer as time goes on. How do you hope to see your business grow in the future? My goal is to become a global brand sold worldwide, continuing to share stories through our nail polish collections, while promoting healthy nails. I also want to launch our non-profit and contribute towards generational wealth-building for people of color through education, real estate, and business ownership. What is the one thing that you hope people take away/remember about your brand? I hope the stories behind our nail polish collections help drive a deeper understanding of different people and cultures. I also hope that people remember we all live in a world of color, and to embrace and enjoy it. In addition to being an entrepreneur, what other things are you are passionate about? (charity work, volunteering, etc.) Can you tell us about this work and why do you feel that it is it important? I love giving in various ways to others when and where I am able. I just want to be a reflection of Light in the world. It’s important for me to give back because it’s a blessings to be a blessing to others. Who is your favorite actor/actress and why? Sanaa Lathan - She’s always had a grace about her to me, both on-and-off screen. I have also always appreciated her natural beauty. How would you describe your fashion style? Casual and/or athletic. Being a mom of 3 kids doesn’t lend many opportunities to “dress up”, plus I’m pretty laid back and you’ll usually find me in casual wear and/or athletic clothing. I do like to dress up when the opportunity arises on date nights with my husband, or business related adventures. Who are some of your favorite influencers that you have worked with as a part of your brand marketing? We love the mission behind Brown Girl Hands, and have followed her account since it started. We finally were able to work together with Hannah on photo content wearing our nail polishes. What advice would you give other kids that want to break into entrepreneurship? Keep testing your ideas! You never know which one can change your life and the world. I tried so many ideas throughout my life to finally find “the one”. Also, don’t give up on an idea too early just because it may not “take off” right away. All good things that last take time! Who would be your dream collaboration and why? We would love to partner with The Lip Bar and created a matching lip and nail polish collection. I watched the brand originally presented on Shark Tank and loved their brand mission and story. It’s been amazing watching their continued growth and success leading up to and after Shark Tank. I believe our brands align in vision by providing colors that complement women of color skin tones as a first thought, while still being inclusive for all. What is one thing that nobody knows about you? Most people don’t know that I dislike chocolate, both the taste and smell. I’ve never liked it even when I was a child. Oddly, I love white chocolate cookies though. Have you ever been bullied? I couldn’t say that I’ve been bullied before in a way that’s typically known as bullying. I grew up playing basketball and had a good network of friends/support that didn’t partake in those types of actions, and we didn’t think it was cool if it was done to others. However, we must remember that bullying comes in many forms. Peer pressure can be a way of bullying, and it’s something I’ve experience. Sticking by my values and not easily being influenced helped me overcome any types of peer pressure. What is your advice to kids that are suffering from bullying? Speak up and out for yourself. Tell someone! Sign up for a self-defense class. If you could talk to your past self, what would you tell her? Trust the process, it’s all worth it!
Always having the desire to become an entrepreneur since she was young, Jacqueline Carrington saw an opportunity to "tell the stories" of people of color through the beauty of self-expression. The nail polish line, People of Color, is revolutionizing the industry. Action Magazine caught up with this phenomenal businesswoman to get to know her a bit better. Here are her answers to our Q&A! Stay tuned on Instagram for what is coming up next!
All photos courtesy of Jacqueline Carrington
Photo Credit: Max Baratos/Kelli Schloemer
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More About Freeridge: Freeridge is an American teen-comedy drama series created by Lauren Lungerich, Eddie Gonzalez, Jeremy Haft, Jamie Dooner, and Jaime Uyeshiro that premiered on Netflix on February 2, 2023. It is a spin-off of On My Block. (Per Wikipedia.org)
So, what do we think: For fans of the original series and newcomers alike, we believe that Freeridge has something for everyone. It weaves together a new and interesting story while also managing to keep the same charm of the original source material as fresh as ever. Our only complaint was the eight episode limit. And now, we patiently await news of the next season.
Synopsis: Here is a brief synopsis of what to expect from our March/April 2023 pick! A spin-off of the hit Netflix series On My Block, Freeridge follows a group of friends who accidentally unleash what they believe to be a deadly curse. As a result, they embark on an adventure to right their wrongs while unknowingly following the footsteps of teens who came before them.
Please note, some trailers on the following page may not be suitable for all ages.
About Double Entente Films: Double Entente is an international production company with offices in Paris and Los Angeles, specializing in luxury, high tech, and celebrity clients such as Louis Vuitton, BMW, Google, and Kanye West.
Double Entente is an international production company with offices in Paris and Los Angeles, specializing in luxury, high tech, and celebrity clients such as Louis Vuitton, BMW, Google, and Kanye West. About Bailey Kobe: Bailey Kobe is a graduate of the University of Southern California, well known for his commercial work, music video work, as well as the films Caterpillar’s Kimono (Ben Savage, Joey Kern), and The Babymoon (Shaun Sipos, Julie McNiven, and Jessica Camacho). He is currently adapting a high profile novel on the Must Read lists of Library Journal, Marie Claire, and Oprah magazin
What are five things that you can't live without? God, my family, friends, books, and music. What's your life's motto or advice that you live by? Often imitated, never duplicated. Every person is unique in their own way and there is not one person that is like the other. What's your favorite color? Pink. I have loved pink since I can remember. Everything looks better in pink! What is your favorite movie? I have always loved Princess and the Frog, but right now I am obsessed with the movie Elvis staring Austin Butler. What is your favorite TV show? Probably any shows that involve crime or medicine. I am really hooked on NCIS right now. Do you have any pets? If so, what kind and what's their name? I don’t have a pet right now but I would love a Maltipoo or a Yorkshire. What is your favorite place that you've traveled to? Probably Miami. I love being near beaches just because it connects me to my childhood and the trips my family used to take. Miami is fun and beautiful. What is your favorite food? Ramen definitely. It has become my favorite comfort dish. If you could have dinner with anyone in the world, who would it be with and why? Probably Naomi Campbell. I just have so many questions that I would love to ask her about her career and her struggles through the industry. How did you get started modeling? When I was in third grade, my teacher asked all the girls what we wanted to be when we grew up. I said modeling and it turned out that she had a modeling team. I joined the team and perfected my craft. Years later my mom asked if I wanted to start traveling and modeling. Of course I said yes, and the rest is history. What is the hardest thing about being a model? Having all eyes on you. Even if I’m not paying attention, I know someone, somewhere is paying attention to everything I do. Sometimes it gets to be a lot because you feel the need to be this perfect example for others when sometimes I just want to sit in a corner and read a book. As a model, what has been your favorite brand to work with so far and why? Avadora Mimouni for sure. Her bag collections are absolutely beautiful and each one is unique to each girl. There’s nothing a girl loves more than feeling beautiful with a beautiful bag. You also have your own fashion line coming out soon. Tell us about Ete Alexandrie. Ete Alexandrie is really an extension of me. I am a huge tights, sports bra, and tennis shoes type of person. But I feel as though you can be comfortable, engaging in your favorite activities, in style. That is what my brand is all about. When you see my line, models have on heels just to show that it can be dressed up or paired with a cute jacket and tennis shoes. In addition to modeling, you are also an actress. Tell us how you got started acting. I was fortunate enough to attend the only elementary school in my city that had the arts. I took dance, drama, art, music, and of course P.E. I knew I wanted to act the moment I stepped foot into drama class and then the school’s drama club. If you could write the perfect role for yourself, what would it be and why? I would love to play the role of a girl in a huge family that is absolutely hilarious. The role I would play would be of a girl that is trying to navigate through life and all her battles. That role mirrors my life perfectly and I would really be playing myself which is probably the easiest role. In addition to all that you do, what other things are you are passionate about? (charity work, volunteering, etc.) Can you tell us about this work and why do you feel that it is it important? I’m very passionate about speaking up for those who don’t have a voice or are in a situation of a power imbalance. Whether it be a girl who is being put down for simply being her or a person wrongly accused. I think my passion for that is what really influences my interest in law as a career. Who is your favorite actor/actress and why? I’ve said it before and I will say it again…Angela Bassett! She is amazing in every role she plays. She’s the definition of an icon in my book. How would you describe your fashion style? I have a very chill but swagged out vibe. I don’t feel like there’s a category or word for my style because it really depends on my mood which influences what I put on. Who are some of your favorite fellow models that you have worked with? Savannah Boren, Kayla Kotsch, just to name a few. What advice would you give other kids that want to break into being a model? Whatever opportunities that are for you will come. When someone says “no” just know it wasn’t for you and you’re even closer to your yes. Who would be your dream collaboration and why? Probably a collaboration with Fabletics due to the fact they have a wide variety of audience and I know a collaboration together would be off the charts. They have many pieces I love for me personally. What is one thing that nobody knows about you? I think some people know this but I have an obsession with squishmallows. At night, I line all my squishmallows on the side of my bed that I don’t sleep on and that’s the only way I can sleep. I will wake up out of my sleep and if I see that one has fallen, I pick it up and go right back to sleep. Have you ever been bullied? Yes I have. I went through my struggle in middle school with girls and people not liking me even though they didn’t really know me. But I made it through and even though it was hard, it made me grow thick skin which is not something I would want anyone to go through. What is your advice to kids that are suffering from bullying? Hold your head up and continue to be you. Don’t change yourself for anyone. Just know one day it will all be over and you will find people who love you for you. You just have to make it over this hump. If you could talk to your future self, what would you tell her? Protect your heart, whatever happens keep going, and you’re not alone. Do what’s best for you and know I am proud of you despite what anyone else says.
Summer Coleman is a 17-year-old model, actress and designer of Ete Alexandrie. She is a native of Chattanooga, Tennessee and is currently in her 11th grade year of High School. Summer has participated in many New York Fashion weeks and traveled many places for modeling. Summer’s goal is to inspire girls around the world to be who they are despite what others might think. Action Magazine had the extreme pleasure to catch up with this amazing talent to get to know him better and we are extremely glad that we did! Check out his interview and don’t forget to follow him on Instagram. You don't want to miss a minute of this amazing journey!
Photo Credit: @kimberly_l_smith
Photo Credit: @sherridvorkincarter
Last two photos provided by Shakondi Lee.
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Your passion will find you in these cool tees. If your child is a sports enthusiastic kid than this is the best tee shirt they will ever wear. If they can’t find their sport here, it doesn’t exist anywhere. Image on gray heather sport tee also available in white print.
Jennifer Michele is best known for her lead role as Ella in the Lionsgate family film, Joey and Ella and her guest starring role on Fox's hit show 9-1-1 and recurring roles on Just my Luck with Sophia and Maya and Manny's Garage Sale: A Hitchcock Knott. An award-winning writer, director, and producer, Jennifer has been nominated for 4 Young Artist Awards including Best Actress, Outstanding Producer, Outstanding Director and a win for Outstanding Writer for the short film Riley for which she also won Best Actress at the Los Angeles Cinematography Awards. As a model, she has appeared on the cover of Harper's Bazaar Vietnam and had a national print campaign for Claire's. This multi-hyphenate young Influencer knows the power of giving back to her community, devoting time to Food Forward, feeding the needy of LA. When not working on her craft, Jennifer plays polo with the California Polo Club as well as enjoying painting, sculpting, dancing, and playing the piano. Action Magazine had the chance to catch up with this super talented young lady. Check out her answers to our Q&A and don’t forget to follow her on Instagram. This is one journey that you don't want to miss!
Photo courtesy of Bella-Saville
Photo courtesy of Russel-Bear
What are five things that you can't live without? Coffee, Chapstick, sketchbook, headphones and perfume. What's your life's motto or advice that you live by? Always follow your heart, never give up and be kind to others. What's your favorite color? Green What is your favorite movie? Life is Beautiful What is your favorite TV show? The Peripheral Do you have any pets? If so, what kind and what's their name? Yes, a miniature German Shepherd Husky mix, her name is Dutchess. What is your favorite place that you've traveled to? Vatican City What is your favorite food? Dijon Salmon with roasted vegetables. If you could have dinner with anyone in the world, who would it be with and why? My Grandma. She recently passed on and I miss her dearly. What made you want to start acting? Watching my favorite movies made me want to act, and my love for movies made me realize I wanted to tell stories. What is the most difficult thing about being an actor? Rejection and learning to not take it personally. You are also an award-winning writer/director/producer. Tell us what made you want to go behind the camera? I love everything about making a story and bringing it to life. It’s exciting to see your vision unfold from start to finish. Where do you find inspiration to write/direct others? I find inspiration in music, movies, books and art. Most of all, I find it in my own life experiences. In addition to what we have already mentioned, you are also a model. Tell us how you got started modeling? I was scouted when I was out shopping in the mall when I was a little girl. Someone asked me to model for them, and then it started rolling from there. Who have been some of your favorite brands that you have worked with? I really enjoyed working with Claire’s, because I love earrings and jewelry. In addition to all that you do, what other things are you are passionate about? (charity work, volunteering, etc.) Can you tell us about this work and why do you feel that it is it important? I really enjoy working with Big Sunday and Food Forward. Big Sunday is an amazing charity. I really enjoyed the time we painted the school. Food Forward also does amazing work, and does a great job in feeding the community. I love working with them as well. I always was passionate about helping others and my community. It’s great that we have these organizations, so people can join them and have a great opportunity to help others. Who is your favorite actor/actress and why? Audrey Hepburn. I love all her movies and her style, and she spoke so many languages. How would you describe your fashion style? Chic and fun, with heels and a pop of color. Who are some of your favorite people in the industry that you have worked with? I enjoyed everyone I’ve worked with, I really couldn’t choose. I am very grateful for all the opportunities and wonderful experiences. What advice would you give other kids that want to break into the entertainment industry? Do different things you might like, so you can discover what you like the most. It’s really important to find out what you’re passionate about. Who would be your dream collaboration either on screen or behind the camera and why? I would love to get a chance to work with Hans Zimmer. He is an amazing composer and I feel he brings such life to everything he works on. What is one thing that nobody knows about you? When I go out to eat,I always order dessert first. Have you ever been bullied? Yes, I have been bullied. I feel unfortunately that this is something a lot of people are dealing with. What is your advice to kids that are suffering from bullying? Reach out to someone you trust and talk to people. Don’t try to deal with it all on your own. If you could talk to your future self, what would you tell her? Always keep Dreaming!
Photo courtesy of Walter Tabayoyong.
Talent
Vincent Gao is a YouTube and TikTok personality, in addition to being an actor. Vincent first gained fame through his funny videos shared on TikTok and YouTube. Action Magazine had the opportunity to catch up with this amazing talent for an exclusive interview in our talent spotlight. Check out what he had to say and add him to your watch list. You won't be disappointed!
What are five things that you can't live without? Oh gosh, that' s a difficult question depending on the scenario. We’re in a modern era so would definitely need my phone, laptop, bank account, WiFi, and my friends. What's your life's motto or advice that you live by? My life’s motto is do what you love to become who you loved. What's your favorite color? Yellow for sure. What is your favorite movie? Rise of the Planet of the Apes What is your favorite TV show? Tom and Jerry Do you have any pets? If so, what kind and what's their name? I did have pets. I had a Chihuahua and an Akita dog. They both passed away when I went away for college. What is your favorite place that you've traveled to? I don’t really know. It’s a hard decision to make because each place is so unique and have their own special design. But, I really love Seaside, Florida. What is your favorite food? Poke Bowl If you could have dinner with anyone in the world, who would it be with and why? Kevin Hart. Dude’s below average height but he’s so bold and confident. I wonder what he went through in life to come to this point. A lot of what’s online about him doesn’t really show every milestone he went through to reach this point. Everything online is filtered so I want to meet him unfiltered. How did you get started as an content creator/YouTube/TikTok personality? It was during college when this girl left me, right when TikTok was new and blowing up in America back then, so I saw it as the gold rush. It was now or never. I’m so grateful I took a leap of faith. What is the hardest thing about doing what you do? When nobody around you is supportive of what you’re doing but you continue to push forward. There are days when I doubted myself but I’ve grown stronger and stopped doing that. The beginning was so hard. Now, the difficult thing is finding the right people to work with. Also, sometimes you come across choosing love or career. I always chose career. Tell us about what types(s) of content you produce? I make both comedy, Vlogs, pranks, and also reality TV type content. Keeping “real life” and “content creator life” separated is difficult. How do you do it? I don’t see it as a creator life or business related. Everything I do online is just basically me making memories for myself. When I become 100 years old, I can look back and say, Damn Vincent, you fulfilled your life. I don’t care what others think or judge of me, they watch me because they like me. They can support me if they enjoy being around my personality. Who would you say is your target audience? I mostly target middle school, high school, college, and young professionals. But I’ve also had many mid-age adults come up to take pictures. I think my videos target a variety of people. As a content creator/YouTube/TikTok personality, what has been your favorite video that you have posted to date. Why? It would be the one where I spoke Chinese trying to buy gum and this lady got so pissed at me and chased after my friends and I. I don’t mind that people are not okay with me speaking foreign language, but I loved the fact that my friends were with me enjoying the moment. Just the memories that I treasure is all I need. In addition to doing all that you do, what other things are you are passionate about? (charity work, volunteering, etc.) Can you tell us about this work and why do you feel that it is it important? Hell yeah. Deep down, I’ve always had a love for ocean, marine, and rainforest life. But the amount of money I see on the news being donated to these places is immense. I don’t actively know what’s going on in these area, and I have to see for myself one day. I want to Vlog these experience and let the world know. When I have a lot of money, then I intend to start my own foundation to protect these lives and locations, because I can control and see where the money is being expedited to and used for. I don’t want money to fall into corrupted hands. Who is your favorite actor/actress and why? Jennifer Lawrence and Alexandra Daddario. They’re so hot. I don’t have a favorite male actor cause I’m going to be everyone's favorite actor one day. How would you describe your fashion style? Classism, old school, quiet luxury. Nothing flashy unless I have to. Who are some of your favorite creators that you have worked with? Sadie Crowell is honestly my favorite right now. She really embraces the American culture as a girl being bold while doing girl stuff. Huge respect for her. What advice would you give other kids that want to break into being a content creator? Don’t worry about how others judge you. If you live with fear, you have less power. Go out and fail, you’ll gain more courage and become fearless. The more you fail, the more successful you become. Pick up the camera and go. Who would be your dream collaboration and why? Honestly, the NELK boys would go crazy. What is one thing that nobody knows about you? I broke my right knee skiing during middle school when I accidentally entered a double black diamond zone. Have you ever been bullied? Yes very often. I was born in America but was raised in China until 5-6. When I came back, I couldn’t speak English. There was a decent culture shock with how the kids were. My family moved to North Carolina for a bit, there was a group of bullies that would throw rocks at me after school because I couldn’t speak proper English and didn’t know my alphabet. I thought it was funny until the principal escorted those kids and taught me that these actions were basically bullying. I didn’t realize until later on. What is your advice to kids that are suffering from bullying? What goes around comes around. What comes up must also come down, and what goes down will come up. Kids who suffer from bullying get to see perspectives in life that the bullies won’t see until much later on in life when it creeps up on them suddenly. You learn the ability to defend yourself, how to avoid certain unnecessary situation and have better surrounding awarenesses. Not every good thing in life is good, and not every bad thing in life is bad. There are pros and cons to everything. But learning to stand up for yourself is the most important thing. If you could talk to your future self, what would you tell him? There are plenty of distractions in life. Don’t forget to keep pushing forward. There will be days when you are unmotivated but discipline has always been key and tha'ts what you’ve been doing for the past few years. If you can back then, you can now.
All photos provided by Vincent Gao
Talent Spotlight with Vincent Gao
Photos provided by Mandy Corrente.
What are five things that you can't live without? My husband and 4 children - my world; Acting - it makes me feel alive; The Gym - that’s my drug; Music - helps me keep moving; Make Up - I’m obsessed What's your life's motto or advice that you live by? Work Hard, Play Hard What's your favorite color? Red - especially lipsticks What is your favorite movie? The Godfather - after all these years it’s still the daddy of them all What is your favorite TV show? Fawlty Towers which I’ve just read that John Cleese is going to make a new series of. I have mixed feelings but hope it works. Do you have any pets? If so, what kind and what's their name? Yes, Barney the Cocker Spaniel puppy - he’s an adorable bundle of energy and we all absolutely love him to bits. What is your favorite place that you've traveled to? Monaco. I absolutely love it there - it’s so peaceful and everything there is just perfect. What is your favorite food? Lobster or Caviar. Or Lobster with Caviar ;) If you could have dinner with anyone in the world, who would it be with and why? My husband, the film producer Jonathan Sothcott as we just never get to spend enough time together. It sounds so cheesy but it’s absolutely true. What made you want to start acting? As far back as I can remember I’ve always been one of life’s performers - and to me acting is the ultimate expression of performing. What is the most difficult thing about being an actor? Knowing that you can’t play all the roles you want - no matter how successful you are nobody acts all the time, there are always gaps, often long ones and it’s a very hard void to fill. The industry is full of rejection. What is your advice on how to handle it? Don’t waste time on negative energy - don’t lose sleep over something you can’t change. It isn’t easy but it’s the only way. And always have something positive in your life that you can focus on apart from acting be it hobbies, fitness, whatever. You have had many wonderful roles. What has been the one role that you relate to the most? Sadie Morgan in Nemesis. The wonderful writer Adam Stephen Kelly wrote the role for me and there are definite similarities - we’re both married to powerful men, we would both do anything to protect our families and we both pack a mean punch wearing red lipstick. It was a gift of a role. If you could write the perfect role for yourself, what would it be and why? An Assassin or Hit Woman, I’d love to do something like that, as a villain preferably. You are also a dancer and phenomenal musician. Can you tell us about both of those? Well I was - I started dancing when I was 3 and was awarded a scholarship at The Royal Ballet but my dancing was curtailed by an injury. I then turned to music playing both piano and violin - I was First Violin in the Kingston Youth Orchestra. I still play the piano and I sing a little. In addition to all that you do, what other things are you are passionate about? (charity work, volunteering, etc.) Can you tell us about this work and why do you feel that it is it important? My youngest son Gabriel was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes aged 2 in 2013 and so that has become a massive part of my life - there is still so much confusion about the difference between Type 1 (an Auto-Immune Disease) and Type 2 (a largely self-inflicted condition). I have done everything I can to raise awareness and funds for Diabetes Charities such as Diabetes UK and JDRF, and have run The London Marathon three times for them. Who is your favorite actor/actress and why? Angelina Jolie - I’ve seen all of her films - not just Salt and Tomb Raider but the lesser known ones like Gia. I also love the fact that she’s such a devoted humanitarian. How would you describe your fashion style? Super classic - old school Hollywood glamour. Some of my favourite designers are Saint Laurent, Fendi, Vuitton and particularly Balmain. Who are some of your favorite people in the industry that you have worked with? I have been so lucky to work with such legendary actors in the last few films - Stephanie Beacham, Patsy Kensit, Bruce Payne, Ian Ogilvy, Louis Mandylor. I mean wow! I particularly loved working with Lee Majors, who I grew up watching and really is just the perfect old school star. And I love working with Billy Murray, not just a magnificent actor but a treasured family friend. What advice would you give kids that want to break into the entertainment industry? I think the most important thing is always have a plan B - the entertainment industry is not a meritocracy, no matter how talented you are you need to be lucky. And don’t give up your studies, they can only help you. Who would be your dream collaboration and why? I’d love to be in one of The Expendables movies - I just love those amazing ensemble casts of legendary 70s-90s actors that I grew up watching. I think as an actor you don’t just want to work with one person, it’s about the company - so if they make an Expendables 5 I’m there… and maybe they could get Al Pacino in it!! What is one thing that nobody knows about you? That I’m a real homebody and a nurturer - I’m never happier than when I’m at home cooking for my family, playing with the dog and watching a DVD. Have you ever been bullied? Yes growing up in the 1970s in a predominantly white area I was the victim of racial racist abuse, verbal and physical. I saw my mother attacked on the street by skin heads and was called the most vile names at school. What is your advice to kids that are suffering from bullying? To always tell someone - it might not even be your family but the more people you tell the more likely you are to get help. In the seventies we were just told to shut up and "get on with it" which is unacceptable. Never just give into it, it is totally wrong. If you could talk to your past self, what would you tell her? To knuckle down and study - and study more and more - I should have seen that as a way out of a situation that I didn’t like at home rather than going off the rails. I’d tell myself that things will get better - you create your own destiny and that if you work hard for it, you can realise your potential - it will happen but it will take time.
Jeanine Nerissa Sothcott is a British actress known for her roles in action and thriller movies such as Aura, Nemesis, (now playing on Tubi), and most recently Renegades opposite Lee Majors and Danny Trejo. Action Magazine had the opportunity to catch up with this amazing talent to get to know her a little better. Check out what she had to say and add her to those who you are following on Instagram. You will want to be a part of her journey!
Photo courtesy of Johnathan Sothcott
Photo courtesy Renegades/production still
What are five things that you can't live without? Water, Edge Control, my phone, mid-day naps if I have time, my family What's your life's motto or advice that you live by? Live Unapologetically. What's your favorite color? Purple. Specifically lavender or royal purple. What is your favorite movie? If I stay and Queen & Slim What is your favorite TV show? The Cosby Show Do you have any pets? If so, what kind and what's their name? No pets currently. However, my late Pomeranian, Murphy, was the apple of my family’s eyes. What is your favorite place that you've traveled to? To date it would be Ireland, but I would love to travel to the continent of Africa as well as Asia. What is your favorite food? French Fries. Anything with potatoes honestly! If you could have dinner with anyone in the world, who would it be with and why? Amy Winehouse. She’s one of my favorite artists, so I would simply love to get to know more about her, asking questions about what shaped her artistic view. What made you want to start singing? No one or anything particularly, however; I grew up with music and as I grew up, I began to gravitate towards songwriting and singing. What is the most difficult thing about being a musician? The hardest aspect of being a musician is being bold enough to put your work out to the masses. In the words of Ms. Erykah Badu, “I am sensitive about my (bleep).” So releasing my art to the world is nerve-wracking. Where do you find inspiration for your music? I find inspiration through my experiences. What do you hope people take away from your music? In short, a connection! Something they can relate and vibe to. You have a new project, “Reciprocity,” tell us about this project? Reciprocity was written as an honest moment to just put my wants out there. I want equal effort from those I care about, I want to be loved as hard as I love. In one word, how would you describe your sound? In one word I would describe my sound as captivating. In addition to music, what other things are you passionate about? (charity work, volunteering, etc.) Can you tell us about this work and why do you feel that it is important? In addition to music, I am passionate about mental health and representation within the entertainment industry. In a few months, I'll be obtaining my bachelors in social work! In due time, I want to be an advocate for mental health within the entertainment Industry and create a program that will focus on artist mental, emotional, and physical well-being. Regarding representation, I want to advocate for black and brown voices to be heard in spaces that they are often silenced in. Who is your favorite musician and why? Amy Winehouse. Started listening to Amy Winehouse at seven-years-old and I was drawn to her lyrics. How she constructed her thoughts and experiences in minutes in a song. How would you describe your fashion style? I would describe my style as casual. I love new balances and a good pair of flattering jeans. But when I put in effort, I am a girly girl. I LOVE heals and pretty dresses. Who are some of your favorite musicians that you have worked with? There are many amazing artists that I have had the pleasure of working alongside, but artists I have loved collaborating with are local creatives because we’re supporting and networking within each other. What advice would you give other kids that want to break into music? Advice I would give is, just do it. Be brave enough to put yourself out there. It’s okay to be nervous, but don’t allow your doubts to get in your way of sharing your gift. Who would be your dream music collaboration and why? My dream musical collaboration would be with Mark Robinson, DOCHI, Daniel Caesar, and SZA! I am a fan of all of them and I believe our sounds would mesh well together. What is one thing that nobody knows about you? I HATE the sound of Styrofoam rubbing against anything. Have you ever been bullied? Yes. a younger me was bullied which affected me for a long time. However, growing up and building my confident made me realize my worth. What is your advice to kids that are suffering from bullying? My major advice would be to affirm yourself by speaking and thinking positively about yourself. Easier said than done, but subsequently by practice that your confidence, self-esteem, and worth will increase. Where you can either speak up for yourself towards bullies or confide and seek help from your support system. If you could talk to your future self, what would you tell her? I would tell the younger me to relax. Everyday isn’t going to be a great day and that is okay. However, do not allow your negative thoughts to get in the way of you being the person you want to be.
Jordan Orionn's star is truly on a steady ascent up towards the heavens. This talented singer, song-writer, actress, and natural hair advocate is someone that you definitely have to get to know and we are unquestionably glad that we did! Action Magazine had the opportunity to look into Jordan's world through our staple game of Q&A! Check out what she had to say and add her to your Instagram list of those who you are following because you don't want to miss one minute of his exciting journey!
All photos courtesy of Jordan Orionn
All photos courtesy of @aguyinhumble
Taylor Morgan says that modeling is like getting that breath of fresh air after sitting in class for eight hours straight. Modeling is her safe place. It is her my home, and her passion. Every moment on set flies by and she is always hungry for more. Taylor has modeled for many photographers and companies over the past four years of her career and each of those opportunities she is beyond thankful for. She is dedicated, passionate, and hard-working, and lives by the motto,"never let anyone outwork you". She sees each day as a new chance to chase opportunity and excel in any environment that challenges her and pushes her to grow and learn. She is here to prove herself to the world and to spread the message of love. Action Magazine had the opportunity to catch up with this young rising star for a look into her world, and we are so glad that we did! Check out what she had to say and add her to your Instagram list of those who you are following!
What are five things that you can't live without? God, Spirituality, my boyfriend, family, the gym What's your life's motto or advice that you live by? Never let anyone outwork you. What's your favorite color? Black What is your favorite movie? The Hunger Games What is your favorite TV show? The Vampire Diaries Do you have any pets? If so, what kind and what's their name? I grew up on a ranch so I had so many pets but currently, I have a chestnut mare named Heidi, a cat named Christmas, and a dog named Cutter. What is your favorite place that you've traveled to? Las Vegas What is your favorite food? Asian Cuisine If you could have dinner with anyone in the world, who would it be with and why? Kevin Hart, I would want to learn how to build an empire the way he did and to learn the way he climbed the ladder in the entertainment field. How did you get started modeling? I was part of a modeling spokesperson group for Ayla Kiepert Photography during my senior year of high school and she had told me that I could be someone if I worked for it. I absolutely loved posing and being in front of the camera, but I never had the confidence to do it until she taught me confidence in her wonderful program. What is the hardest thing about being a model? The rejection. I have had people reject me to my face, which is better than sending an email and never hearing from them. It gets very discouraging, but every model hears “no”m ore than they hear “yes” and sometimes it can be hard to keep pushing forward and loving yourself after so many rejections. What has been the easiest thing about being a model? Making friends. Being on set with other models who love what they do and share the same creative mindset is a beautiful thing. Most of the ladies I have met on set became some of my closest friends and we get to see each other often as we travel for shoots. What is the one thing about being a model that was a “lesson learned” moment? Not everyone has your best interest at heart. Sadly, this career is cutthroat and some people would rather watch you fall as they grow, instead of growing together. The world can be a cruel and ruthless place, but the main idea is to focus on the shining moments and to keep pushing. As model, do you have any particular skin care routine that you’d like to share? My number one tip is to not try new products. Trying new products on your skin is a dangerous game. Pick your routine, find good products for your skin type, and stick with them. You will not have, nor need the same routine as your best friend or the makeup influencer you watch on YouTube. You will need a routine for your skin. For example, I have very dry skin so I cannot use a foaming facial cleanser on my skin, I have to use a non-foaming hydrating facial cleanser (CeraVeis my favorite brand for all skincare needs.) In addition to being an influencer, what other things are you are passionate about? (charity work, volunteering, etc.) Can you tell us about this work and why do you feel that it is it important? I am very passionate about the gym. I feel that the gym keeps a person mentally and physically fit as well as balanced. Our body is composed of three parts that all need equal attention: physical being, mental being, and spiritual being. The gym helps to keep each of those parts balanced and in tune. There is a bad stigma around the gym and I want to change that. Most hate going to the gym because they think of it as boring or too hard. However, your gym workouts should be tailored to you, where you stay entertained and challenged in all aspects, but to the point where there is growth and not to the point where someone feels defeated. It's all about balance. Not only that, but it grows your confidence as well. Who is your favorite actor/actress and why? Kevin Hart spreads so much love and joy in his movies and he has worked so hard to get to where he is now. He is a huge inspiration for me personally, and I love seeing his acting skills in all his films as well as listening to his motivational speeches. How would you describe your fashion style? Very, very alternative. 99% of my closet is made of abstract black or white clothing pieces. I like to wear pieces that I know no one else will have. What advice would you give other kids that want to break into being a model? Do not let others put a limit on your goals. If you are thinking of being a model, it is on your mind for a reason. There are going to be so many people who try to stop you along the way and some will be very very close family, but no matter who says what, you must keep going. It will be hard and sometimes it may even seem impossible, but do not give the haters the satisfaction of your failure. PUSH yourself no matter what. What is one thing that nobody knows about you? I started riding horses before I could even walk and I was showing cutting horses around the age of seven years old. Have you ever been bullied? I can’t remember a time I wasn’t bullied. I was bullied in elementary school through college. I was called many names and teased for my looks and awkwardness until about my Sophomore year of college. Just when I thought the bullying was over in middle school, I moved schools during my freshman year of high school from a 6A to a small 2A town called Centerville, and let’s just say the new school was not welcoming. I was called a“transplant”since I was not born and raised in Centerville. I was teased in the locker rooms after volleyball practice, I had to cut my hair from the silly string being smashed and tangled into my hair after a pep rally, I was tripped while running on the track in front of everyone, I was told the wrong directions to classrooms so I would be late and have to run across the school campus, and the list goes on and on. What is your advice to kids that are suffering from bullying? The kids who are bullying you now, will one day tell the story of how they met you. They will brag to others that they know you. Stand strong in the midst of the storm, for the people who bully you only do so for one of two reasons. 1 - They are jealous of you and want to try and tear you down, but never give them that satisfaction. 2 - They don’t understand you. As a creative-minded person, you are different from everyone else in the best way possible. You see the world for the beautiful thing that it is and that is an amazing gift. NEVER let anyone take that from you. If you could talk to your past self, what would you tell her? It gets easier. You are different, and that is okay. Some people will love you, some will not and both are okay. Take time to be a kid, you have the rest of your life to be an adult. Lastly, breathe. Everything works out in the end.
What's your favorite color? Tourquoise! I love the ocean and this color is pretty close. What is your favorite movie? This changes all the time for me but I’d say Inception. I like mind boggling and futuristic movies. What is your favorite TV show? I’m not a big TV show person but I do watch a lot of Anime and Naruto is still top spot. Do you have any pets? If so, what kind and what's their name? No pets! I had a dog when I was a kid and his name was Pit. What is your favorite place that you've traveled to? Hawaii for sure! You can’t beat paradise. What is your favorite food? Shrimp pasta! If you could have dinner with anyone in the world, who would it be with and why? Hmm, I would have dinner with Jay-Z and I wouldn’t take the money lol. Nah if we’re talking music I’d be down to have dinner with someone like Flume or Diplo. Feel like I could learn a lot from those guys. What made you want to start singing? Well I’m not really a singer, more of a producer. I mainly wanted to start producing because in college I was listening to a lot of Odesza “In Return” and the “Flume” album. For me, listening to the sounds they were creating made me want to figure out how I could do the same. What is the most difficult thing about being a musician? Honestly, the most difficult part for me right now is not being super connected to other musicians and relying on my own skillset when it comes to mixing/mastering. I feel like I could benefit a lot from being around other artists and picking up new habits. Where do you find inspiration for your music? Recently, I bought a vinyl record player and I’ve been listening to a lot of Marvin Gay, Isley Brothers, The Crusaders, etc. Their music is so unique and wholesome. I just feel like if you add anything from that era of music it’s going to sound nice. Outside of that, I’m on Soundcloud hitting up House Music Stations. What do you hope people take away from your music? I hope that people realize this is just the beginning. There’s still so much growing we have to do together. Like trying new styles, vocals, rhythms, improving the sound quality. It will be a fun journey nonetheless. You have a new project, “I’m So Fly,” tell us about this project? This song really started with the vocals. I found a catchy sample and I sped it up a little bit to around 126 BPM and started building around it. But if you look deeper, the lyrics are very telling. “If you just believe, there’s no obstacle.” That’s really where I’m at mentally right now. In one word, how would you describe your sound? I’m a perfectionist so I’d like to think my sound still has room for improvement until we get to a more polished level where improving is less “impactful” in my eyes. So in one word, I would describe my sound as adventurous! I’m in the stage where I’m willing to take risks and explore. In addition to music, what other things are you are passionate about? (charity work, volunteering, etc.) Can you tell us about this work and why do you feel that it is it important? I’ll be honest, I’m not involved in a ton of charity work. If I did want to give back, I would love to speak to the youth about how important it is for them to recognize that at their current stage in life, there are some things they are really good at or that they want to be good at and they should focus as hard as they can on those. Even if it’s not the most popular thing to do because when they get older it will become a valuable skill that will be so much harder to learn as an adult. Who is your favorite musician and why? My favorite musician is The Weeknd. Been rocking with him since High School. I would say he’s still my favorite because he had a huge influence on me during that time and he’s one of the few artists I can say I discovered before the fame and saw them grow into the artist they are now. How would you describe your fashion style? I love fashion but I’m not materialistic so I don’t spend a lot of money on outfits, which is tough because I feel like I could put together some nice fits but I just don’t want to pay for it haha! Who are some of your favorite musicians that you have worked with? I haven’t worked with a ton but at least for me it’s been fun working with my cousin. He goes by Napri and back in the day I used to get lessons from my friend Nolan Dickson who’s in a group called Noir Disco. What advice would you give other kids that want to break into music? The best advice that I received was in the form of a question.“Do you want to make music for yourself or for other people?” I think just that question alone could help a kid who’s just starting out. For me, it was natural in the beginning to want to make music that I loved and most advice you hear is to do just that. But if you think about the question, making music for yourself might be great but it’s not so great if it can’t be shared. I’ve come to think that there should be a balance between loving what you create and loving how it can impact someone else. Who would be your dream music collaboration and why? I mean in the world of house right now there’s so many notables. Walker & Royce, John Summit, Kyle Watson. But an all time dream collaboration has to go to Drake. He is the GOAT artist of the generation we live in. What is one thing that nobody knows about you? I am an anti-social extrovert 100%. I enjoy being alone until I start to feel like I haven’t hung out with anyone in awhile or all I’ve been doing is working on music. Then I’ll get together with friends until I’ve exhausted my social battery and go back into hiding. lol Have you ever been bullied? Ehh, yes and no! I played football as a kid so I think because of this I grew up with a chip on my shoulder. And to this day, I’m still not the type of person that is easily offended or won’t stick up for myself. What is your advice to kids that are suffering from bullying? There are two pieces that I think are important. 1. Don’t be afraid to be afraid. It’s totally natural. A lot of adults have terrible self-awareness. Being able to be honest with yourself about your strengths and weaknesses is how you build confidence. 2. This is just my personal opinion but standing up for yourself is key. This is how you build character and support from your peers. Looking for an underhanded way to get someone else in trouble in my opinion does not solve the personal trauma that’s going on in your head. If you could talk to your future self, what would you tell him? I would say to Keep going! You always knew where you would be once you put in the work and stayed consistent. Continue to remember all of the stepping stones that got you to where you are today. Remember those moments because that’s not what your life is like now!
All photos courtesy of @kushalholla
AJ Hazel is new to the house scene combining his unique and groovy sound with nicely tuned harmonic vocals. His music remains true-to-self, with AJ originally beginning his career by creating melodic instrumentals and beat oriented tracks. The evolution of his sound has certainly pushed a new standard forward for AJ Hazel. While the house scene has been around in many forms for decades, AJ Hazel is just getting started! Action Magazine had the opportunity to catch up with this amazing young man for a look into his world, and we are so glad that we did! Check out what he had to say and add him to your Instagram list of those who you are following!
Listen now to "I'm So Fly"
Photo Credit: Hamzah Saman.
What are five things that you can't live without? My family & friends, acting, music, singing and sweets. What's your life's motto or advice that you live by? Don’t call it a dream, call it a plan. What's your favorite color? Red & pink What is your favorite movie? Currently The Whale, but probably Shawshank Redemption. What is your favorite TV show? Game Of Thrones Do you have any pets? If so, what kind and what's their name? I currently don’t have any pets, but I love animals, and growing up I used to have a Dalmatian named Domino and a White Pekingese named Huggies. What is your favorite place that you've traveled to? Beijing, China. What is your favorite food? Gooey chocolate chip cookies with salt on top. If you could have dinner with anyone in the world, who would it be with and why? Chris Hemsworth. Do I really need to explain? lol What made you want to start acting? Ever since I was little, I was drawn to the stage and performing, but at the age of 14, I joined the Haifa Theatre youth group and it was love at first sight… As cheesy as it sounds, every time I was on stage, acting, doing what I love, I felt at home. I loved connecting with the audience and the incredible adrenaline rush before a show. The more I acted, the more I knew it was going to be an inseparable part of my life. What is the most difficult thing about being an actor? I’d say the uncertainty. It can be quite a rollercoaster at times. While other professions have a clearer “roadmap,” I feel like becoming a successful working actor requires a lot of trial and error. There’s no one truth, or right and wrong, you need to constantly work hard and explore the journey that works for you personally. You have to be proactive and determined, and if opportunity doesn’t knock- you have to build your own door. You are also a writer. Tell us how did you get started writing? I believe both actors and writers are storytellers, so it is important for me to create stories that will touch people's hearts and create a positive impact. Even as a kid, I was a passionate storyteller. My school’s notebooks were always full of short stories, poems, and songs I wrote. Through my acting journey, I wanted to try working on scripts that carried a personal meaning to me or told a story I found relevant and inspiring, so I started writing and exploring. In 2018, I wrote my first script “And They Lived…” A script about the confusing gap between a storybook romance and the harsh realities of today's relationships. After the film premiered for the first time, someone I know came to speak to me and told me how the film has assisted her in making a decision she was struggling with in her personal life. Knowing that my story has guided her to a helpful solution, definitely motivated me to create more original content that I’m passionate about, and hopefully others would be too. What is your favorite genre to write and why? Drama. I like writing compelling stories that explore a wide range of delicate human emotions and take the audience on a touching, personal journey. In addition to acting and writing, you are also a model. What made you want to get into the fashion world as a model? I feel like my acting training has made me very comfortable in front of the camera, which created an easy path to modeling. It’s amazing how we can tell a story even through a still picture. Who have been some of your favorite brands that you have worked with to date? I have been lucky to work with numerous, fantastic designers and brands. I especially like working with brands that give back to the community and are cruelty-free. In addition to all that you do, what other things are you passionate about? (charity work, volunteering, etc.) Can you tell us about this work and why do you feel that it is it important? I believe that acts of kindness truly make a difference. Kindness is doing what you can, where you are, with what you have. No act of kindness no matter how small is ever wasted. I used to volunteer in a running group called Etgarim, whose mission is to empower and socially integrate people with disabilities through outdoor challenge sports. I was so grateful to be a part of this amazing team and was constantly inspired by the triumph of the human spirit over the limits. Who is your favorite actor/actress and why? Joaquin Phoenix and Bryan Cranston. I love their raw, authentic emotions, their deep character arc, and how they excel in making the audience connect with their characters and root for them even when they are playing an anti-hero. How would you describe your fashion style? Artsy and unique Who are some of your favorite actors that you have worked with? Kevin Anderson (SleepingWith The Enemy), Zachary Levi. Great Actors and great human beings :) What advice would you give other kids that want to break into the entertainment industry? Be open and eager to learn. There’s always something new to discover. Be curious and dare to ask questions. Be specific. The more specific you are, the easier it would be for you to reach your goals. Acting is a marathon, not a sprint- work hard every day. Be patient, and persistent, and enjoy the journey. Don’t just wait for opportunities, create them. Who would be your dream on-screen collaboration and why? Meryl Streep. She is such a phenomenal actress and an inspiration. I hope to have an acting career as fulfilling as hers and would love to see her work process and learn from the G.O.A.T of acting. What is one thing that nobody knows about you? Not a lot of people know that I have a collection of Hedgehog items from all over the world. Have you ever been bullied? Thankfully I haven't been bullied, but in school, like most kids, I have dealt with some mildly unpleasant social situations. What is your advice to kids that are suffering from bullying? Don’t hesitate to ask for help. You may not have the tools or authority to put a stop to bullying, but someone you know might do. If you could talk to your past self, what would you tell her? That we are lucky to be doing what we love, and remind her that I love her unconditionally.
Photo credit: @johnkennedy_photography
Meitar Paz is an award-winning actress, director, and writer. She has appeared in many film, television, and theater productions worldwide. Meitar has won 24 awards for her film “Invisible Flags,” a film that she wrote, directed and played the lead in. Meitar was born in Haifa, Israel, and is fluent in both English and Hebrew. She acted for 5 years at the Haifa theater, performing challenging leading roles, and at the age of 17 she received an award for outstanding excellence in the field of acting. After serving as a sergeant in the IDF, Meitar arrived in Los Angeles CA, where she now works and resides. Action Magazine had the opportunity to catch up with this amazing talent to find out more about her and her world. And of course, we are so glad that we did! Check out what she had to say and add her on Instagram. You don't want to miss one minute of her journey!
Photo courtesy of Meitar Paz
Photo Credit: Julia Culbert/OhSnap Photobooth
What are five things that you can't live without? I hate to be that person, but my phone is the first thing that comes to mind. Second thing that comes to mind would be fruit, I absolutely live for fruit. The other things would be my favorite pearl earrings, my black crows skis, and my crystal collection. What's your life's motto or advice that you live by? Be fearless in the pursuit of what sets your soul on fire. -Jennifer Lee. What's your favorite color? Pink, always. My room is pink. What is your favorite movie? That question is nearly impossible for me to answer. I guess I’m always a sucker for A Walk to Remember, and recently I really loved The Dirt and Slumberland. What is your favorite TV show? I'm really loving the new show Wednesday on Netflix. I was super grateful to be invited to the premiere and it was such an honor to hear Tim Burton speak about his work in person. Do you have any pets? If so, what kind and what's their name? I have a dog named Albus, and he’s the best little man I know. Growing up I had horses, cats, dogs, guinea pigs, hamsters… you name it, I had it. What is your favorite place that you've traveled to? Again, nearly impossible to answer. I absolutely love to travel. So far the countries I’ve been to are New Zealand, Ireland, Scotland, Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Spain, Canada and Mexico. But honestly my favorite place in the world is Hawaii. I lived there when I was fourteen and it means a lot to me. What is your favorite food? Mac and cheese, always. Or pizza, but I put ham and broccoli on my pizza. If you could have dinner with anyone in the world, who would it be with and why? Brittany Broski, because I absolutely adore her. What made you want to start acting? I’ve loved acting ever since I was little. I grew up doing theater and I just loved to entertain. I was always fascinated by cameras as well, and once I turned 18 I got turned my passion into my profession. What is the most difficult thing about being an actor? You have to be prepared for anything, because you have no idea what your day to day schedule is going to look like. If you're a person who likes consistency and routine, this is definitely not the career path for you. Sometimes you find out at midnight that you need to be on set at 4 AM, and you just have to roll with the punches. How do you prepare for auditions? I record myself saying the lines in my voice memos, and then I practice the sides with myself as I go about my day, just playing the audio on loop in my headphones, until its burned into my brain. Its a lot easier to make creative choices and be confident at your audition if your lines are long since memorized. The industry is full of rejection. What is your advice on how to handle it? It's not personal. If you fit the directors vision, then you fit it. If you don’t, then you don’t. If you keep pushing forward and working on your craft, the right role will come. You have had many wonderful roles. What has been the one role that you relate to the most? Not necessarily the one I relate to most, but the one I had the most fun doing was “Diane” in Rishabh Trivedi’s The Theory of You. I spent the entire film trying to blame everyone else for my own mistakes, and just going through that process of building those layers to my character was so fun. If you could write the perfect role for yourself, what would it be and why? I have three answers to this one. From an acting perspective, I would really love to play someone in some sort of horror film who is truly insane, because I feel like the possibilities are endless, and there is so much you can create with insanity. From just a personal perspective, I’d love to do a movie where my character skis or rides horses, because those are my two favorite things in the world. In addition to acting, what other things are you are passionate about? (charity work, volunteering, etc.) Can you tell us about this work and why do you feel that it is it important? I’m passionate about mental health care and addressing the housing crisis in Los Angeles. I volunteer at a youth homeless shelter in West LA when I can, and I’m working on a documentary about the troubled teen industry and how it takes advantage of those struggling with mental illness. I’m hoping that later in life I can do more. No one deserves to fall through the cracks. Who is your favorite actor/actress and why? So, so difficult to choose. My top five would be Peter Dinklage, Miles Teller, Emilia Clarke, Kit Harrington, Sam Claflin, Woody Harrelson, Penn Badgley, this is more than five. How would you describe your fashion style? I see it, I like it, I wear it. Changes all the time. Who are some of your favorite actors that you have worked with? Miles Heizer, Adrian R’Mante and Brian Sutherland. Love all of them. What advice would you give other kids that want to break into acting? Just jump in! Everyone starts somewhere, and the most important thing is that you are enjoying what you do. You never know what could happen if you just put yourself out there. Who would be your dream on screen collaboration and why? I would love to do something with my friends Austin Woods or Brett Harrelson, just because I feel like it would be super fun to be on a set with someone you already know. Someone I’ve never met who I’d love to work with would be Jack Martin, from NBC’s La Brea. What is one thing that nobody knows about you? I’m really into skincare, and I spend an unreasonable amount of time researching new products for my skin. Have you ever been bullied? Yes, I have really bad anxiety and panic attacks, and when you’re a kid it’s hard to understand or explain what's going on when you have a panic attack. People would ostracize me because panic attacks are scary and they make everyone around you uncomfortable. Feeling alone and crazy definitely didn’t help with my anxiety either. What is your advice to kids that are suffering from bullying? How people treat you is always a reflection of themselves, and never a reflection of you. If you could talk to your future self, what would you tell her? I guess I would just ask her, did we do it?
Julia Culbert is a Los Angeles based actress, singer, and dancer, known for her lead role in Birdemic 3. She is currently working on the documentary Monarch which chronicles her time in the troubled teen industry and the abuse she endured while part of the "Monarch" program. This California native started her journey with background roles in such blockbusters as Ant Man and the Wasp, Bumblebee, and a featured role in the hit TV show 13 Reasons Why. Julia is a competitive Irish Dancer that trains every summer in Ireland with the renowned dance company Riverdance. Fluent in Irish (Gaelic) she is also a professional horse wrangler and skier. Julia is an accomplished musician on the violin, guitar, and piano and enjoys horseback riding, swimming, and skiing when not studying her craft. Action Magazine had the opportunity to catch up with this amazing entertainer find out more about her and her world. And of course, we are glad that we did! Check out what she had to say and make sure to check her out on Instagram. You won't be disappointed!
Photo provided by Julia Culbert.
El Labrador by Jessica Ortega
Jax Malcolm
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Jax Malcolm is an award-winning actor and filmmaker who's garnered 20+ awards and many nominations for his visionary work. Jax most recently won Best Trailer (2022 LA Live Film Festival) and Best Young Writer (2022 Young Entertainer Awards) for his horror feature film The Listening. He was recognized as Best Actor in a Comedy Series at the LA Live Film Festival (2021),and his series Jammin Across the USA was awarded Best Comedy. Jax stars in the holiday film Jingle Trails, currently streaming on Amazon Prime. Jax is a comedic powerhouse who's guest-starred on numerous Comedy Central shows. Jax is best known for his nominated work as an actor on The CW's Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, FOX's The Other Side of the Door, and FX's The League. Jax also stars in the multi-award-winning YouTube series Conservation Invasion, which teaches environmental stewardship to children. An up-and-coming fashion designer, Jax started showing his line Trident by Jax Malcolm in 2019. He is resuming fashion shows exhibiting his work in 2023, beginning with LA Kidz Fashion Week in March showing the Sand to Land Collection. A well-known Hollywood philanthropist, Jax has lent his star power as a Celebrity Ambassador to Heal the Bay, CAMP Clinics, CHLA, St. Baldricks, and the Starlight Children's Foundation, hosting an annual star-studded movie event raising much-needed funds for these organizations.
Who is Jax Malcolm?
I am currently in the final stages of securing funding to shoot my feature film, The Listening. The Listening is a horror script I completed during quarantine here in Los Angeles. Among other recognition, The Listening script has been selected as a semi-finalist at both New York Cinematography Awards (NYCA) and the Fantastic Indie Festival of Los Angeles. I won a Young Entertainer Award for Best Young Writer. As this was my first try at writing a script, I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the positive reception I’ve received. In the past few months, we were able to shoot the trailer with a phenomenal cast Kash Hovey (On Air with Ka$h), EMMY® Award Winner Kira Reed Lorsch (The Bay Series), Samantha Bailey (The Young and the Restless), Lance Alexander (Netflix’s Family Reunion), Gloria Garayua (How to Get Away with Murder), and myself bringing a small piece of the story to life. Gary Robinson directed the trailer that we screened at the Kash Hovey And Friends block At Film Fest LA At LA Live. It was an honor to win Best Trailer for a project I feel so passionate about bringing to the screen.
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Being happy. If you aren’t happy with what you’re doing life there’s no way to be successful. -Jax Malcolm
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Hi, I am Noemi Martinez, Founder and CEO of Millennium Public Relations. We are a boutique public relations agency with a goal to represent diverse talent in Hollywood. Our firm focuses on providing PR and marketing for artists, actors, and social media influencers that may be under-represented. We offer them opportunities to attend red carpet events, movie premieres along with press and magazine interviews. Below are a few of the events my clients have attended: HBO premiere – His Dark Materials Hispanicize StyleCon – San Diego Grammy Museum Events Sugar Rush LA Comic Con Millennium clients can be seen on various networks including Nickelodeon, Hulu, Showtime, Amazon, Disney, Netflix and CBS to name a few. Please free to contact me if you wish to interview any of my clients.
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Action Magazine is a bi-monthly, digital, interactive online entertainment piece that not only highlights pieces from the TAAG collection, but it shines the spotlight on young entertainers spanning, all genres from acting to YouTube personalities, and beyond. These individuals are all making a difference, putting into action the words-together, we can change the world! Demographic, Distribution, Readership: Age: 8 and up Gender: Male & Female Interests: Anti-Bullying, Acting, Modeling, Music, Fashion, Sports, Books, Poetry, Entertainment Social Media Outlets: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter Distribution: Action Magazine is exclusively available online via the Action Magazine website at www.actionmagazine.org. Visitors may also access the magazine through our social media links and the website of Gabriel L. Silva,www.gabelsilva.com. Readership: Action Magazine has both a national and international readership that is tracked across all distribution mediums including direct views, shares, additional websites, and social media links.
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