Teen Alist Magazine July 2022 Issue
Interview with Olivia Jellen from TV show Angelyne
Tell us a little about yourself and how you began acting.
I am 13 years old and in 7th grade. I live in Orange County, California with my parents and my older sister Sofia. I have 2 Pomeranian dogs named King and Prince & 1 chinchilla named Chinchi. I play volleyball as a Libero on a competitive traveling team. My hobbies are painting, playing tennis, soccer, basketball and surfing. When I am not filming I love spending time with my friends riding our e-bikes, going to the movies, shopping at the mall and hanging out at the beach. I wanted to become an actress since I was able to walk and talk. When I was 2 years old I would make up dance and show routines daily and perform them to my family so my mom started taking me to dance classes. I’ve been dancing for a few years now and been competing with a dance company. I studied various dance styles like hip hop, jazz, lyrical, tap, contemporary and acro. I also took Aerial silk lessons. I loved the feeling of performing in dance recitals in front of a big audience knowing that all eyes were on me watching me as I express myself on stage. It was so exciting and made me feel so good to hear the cheers from the crowd. That feeling spiked my interest in being in front of the camera so when I was around 5 years old I signed with a talent agency and started doing commercials, movies and tv shows. My first TV role was on the Gilmore Girls; A Year in the Life summer episode and my first commercial was a Disney Dream Big Princess where I talked about my dream of becoming an astronaut, my view of the world, my dreams, my friends and my family.
What did you do to prepare for the role of young "Angelyne"?
To prepare for the role of Young Angelyne I did a lot of research online to learn as much as I can about who Angelyne was and what was her life story. I looked online for articles and pictures and searched for as much information as I could find. I also read the full script that production gave me so I can get into character. I also had a lot of physical preparations that needed to be done before I even started filming. I had to get a wig fitting because when Angelyne was younger she had red hair. She also had blue eyes so I went to an optometrist to get fitted for blue contact lenses. When I would get to set before I would start filming I had to go to the hair and makeup trailer and start the process of transforming into young Angelyne. I had to get the wig on, then makeup applied to my face, arms and legs to make it look pale with lots of freckles and then a special contact lens technician would apply the blue contact lenses and make sure my eyes were ok during the entire day of filming. Going through this physical transformation process also helped me get into character and feel more like young Angelyne.
What is your favorite episode of "ANGELYNE"? My favorite episode of Angelyne is episode 5. It is my favorite one because I got to film it on the iconic Queen Mary in Long Beach, CA. It is the boat that Angelyne’s family migrated from Israel to the United States. Filming on such a special location was a lot of fun and the captain of the ship gave us a tour. But mainly It is my favorite episode because I got to film with Emmy Rossum and watch her sing so beautifully on stage during one of our scenes together. I will forever cherish this memory.
Tell us about the day you found out you landed the part.
The day I found out I landed the part of young Angelyne was one of the happiest days of my acting career. My mom picked me up from school and she called my manager from the car so they can tell me the good news together. I was so excited that I got the role that I started jumping in the car. It was such a happy feeling it’s almost impossible to put into words to describe it. I have been working so hard memorizing so many scripts and auditioning so much that booking a role like this feels so special. It’s a big reward for a lot of hard work, dedication and determination and it’s so important not to quit until something good like booking a role you really want happens. I know that it may take some time to book a job that is the right fit for you but when I do it’s well worth the efforts. Later that night I went with my family to my favorite sushi restaurant to celebrate.
Tell us about your personal style.
My personal is style is a mixture of sporty, chic, trendy, stylish and casual. I like to express myself through my outfits, my hair styles and my nails. It also depends on my mood that day and where I’m going to. If I have an early call time to go to set then I dress very comfy and I love that wearing pj pants finally became trendy to wear out as I’ve been doing it for the longest time. I know that I would have to be in set school for a few hours then in the hair and makeup chair so I have to feel super comfy.
If I’m going to a party then I’ll wear a cute dress with tennis shoes and to school I normally wear jeans, a cute top and air Jordans.
Do you have any special plans for this summer?
This summer is going to be a lot of fun. I am traveling to South Carolina with my best friend and her family We have the best time together. Then I am going to sleep away camp for two weeks. I look forward to going to camp all year. When I get back from camp my grandparents are coming to visit us from Israel for a few weeks. I am so excited to see them. This will definitely be a memorable summer.
Who's on your summer playlist?
My summer playlist is a mix of older music and newer like Bill Withers, Rick Springfield, The backseat lovers, The 502s, Tyler the Creator, Edison Lighthouse, Justin Bieber and Kanye.
What's your favorite social media app?
My favorite social media app is Instagram. I love the app because I enjoy looking at pictures and get inspirations, I can create a video to post on the main feed, stories, private story for my friends only or reel with some cool features. I can also attach my Instagram handle to auditions and castings that request it and it doesn’t cost any money. It’s not a difficult app to use and I can choose what I’d like to see, who I want to follow and who can follow me. It’s also a great app to stay in touch with my friends and family that live oversees. Follow my journey on my Instagram @OliviaJellen
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