Community>Interviews

Interviews We talk to the industry experts to bring you the latest news and advice, and help you launch your career!

Interview with International Casting Director Lilly Dawson 1 May 2010 StarNow: Melbourne based, International Casting Director LILLY DAWSON and one of LA’s premier Acting Coaches MARGIE HABER have assembled an exceptional team of industry guests to host a “HOLLYWOOD IMMERSIVE “workshop for students aged 13 – 19. Having successfully held the first workshop, we got in touch with Lilly to find out more about it. You have just completed your 1st Holly wood Immersive, can you tell us a bit about what this involved for the students? Lilly: Well we start with an initial chat to gauge interest and make sure the student is passionate and truly focused on acting. I then view resumes and show reels if available and then we line up auditions. I will send a script out and we audition either in Melbourne, or for those students that are interstate via Skype or preferably an audition sent to me via You Send It, Vimeo or a DVD. Read the full interview >>

Interview with Miss Wellington 2009 1 April 2010 StarNow: Congratulations on winning Miss Wellington 2009 – how did it feel when they announced you as the winner? Regan: I didn't really process it to be honest! I just thought, did they say MY name? They can't have! It didn't really hit me until I was at the end of the catwalk with my crown and flowers! Read the full interview >>

Top Model UK 2010 Christine Turner interview 7 December 2009 StarNow: At 15, you were the youngest contestant. You were only 14 when you first applied and just made the age cut off date by a couple of weeks. How did that feel? Christine: I think age is irrelevant as a model, just like you have many talented young actors. The question is whether you have the ability to perform in front of a lot of people and if you have the creativity to inspire great photographs. Let’s face it - you got to be a bit of an actress to be a good model. Read the full interview >>

Interview with True Blood Louisiana Casting Director 1 September 2009 StarNow: How much would an extra get paid on a TV series like True Blood? Brinkley: Here in Louisiana, the amount extras get paid is nothing like it is in Los Angeles! Extras generally get paid $100/12 or $125/12 (for stand-ins/photo doubles/featured roles). Also, since Louisiana is a “Right to Work State,” we cannot give out “Extra Vouchers.” All extras receive the same basic voucher for payment. Folks here generally are not looking to be a “star.” Therefore, most are having to take “vacation days” at their work to participate and experience being an extra for a day. Read the full interview >>

Interview with Tiffany Wright 1 August 2009 StarNow: Can you tell us about yourself and what you do? Tiffany: I’m a freelance journalist - which basically means magazines contact me when they are looking for specific stories and people, and I set about finding them, interviewing them and then writing the feature up. Sometimes, I even get to interview celebs – OMG, Daniel Craig was a dream! Read the full interview >>

Project Runway Model Interview 1 July 2009 StarNow: Can you please tell us a bit about yourself and how you got started in the modeling industry? Sarah: I started modeling when I was 17, although only just really started to get jobs when I was around 20. When I moved from Perth to Melbourne I was modeling full time for around 8 months and still get jobs here and there. Read the full interview >>

Interview with Kirsty DeVallance 1 April 2009 StarNow: How did you get started in the entertainment industry? Kirsty DeVallance: I started as a facilities assistant at the Nine Network, as well as doing auto cue in the news room for the early morning news. Read the full interview >>

Exclusive interview with US Casting Director Lana Veenker 1 March 2009 StarNow: Can you tell us how you got started in the casting industry? Lana Veenker: I had been a theatre actress and director, but hadn't ever really thought about working in film or in casting. I was a more of a starving artist/bohemian type and spent 10 years schlepping around overseas on a shoestring. I studied acting in Paris and Cambridge, crossed the Atlantic on a sailboat, had coconuts and machetes thrown at me in the West Indies, got stranded in a tiger park, lived through two South American military coups, crossed the Venezuelan Gran Sabana in an armored Lada Niva, started a theatre company and motorcycled 20,000 miles around India. And at one point on this odyssey, I landed a job at a casting office in London. I thought it might be a good fit for me, so when I returned to the States in 1999, I decided to start my own casting company. Read the full interview >>

Rachel Rice - Big Brother Winner 2008 5 January 2009 StarNow: Congratulations on winning Big Brother 2008 – can you tell us what it was like when they announced you were the winner? Yaneek Hepburn, London Rachel Rice: It was such a shock. I was chuffed to make the final 2 so when they announced me as the winner I couldn’t believe it. It’s still sinking in now. Read the full interview >>

Exclusive StarNow interview with Laura Coleman - Miss England 2008 1 January 2009 StarNow: Congratulations on winning Miss England 2008 – how did it feel when they announced you as the winner? Laura Coleman: Winning was something I dreamed of but never expected would happen to me. Read the full interview >>

Miranda Harcourt – Acting Coach to the Stars 26 November 2008 StarNow: What made you decide to become an acting coach? Val Bocking, London Miranda: I love teaching, I love directing and I love helping other actors to do their best work. Many of the productions I have directed have won best actor/actress nominations and awards. So when I decided to stop being the head of the acting department at the national drama school in New Zealand and return to working in the actual industry, I wanted to keep developing those skills helping other actors. My first job as an acting coach was with AnnaSophia Robb on "Bridge to Terabithia" (for that role AnnaSophia won Best Actress at the US Young Artist Awards this year, and was one of only 4 finalists for the prestigious Critics’ Choice Awards, along with Nikki Blonsky, Dakota Blue Richards and Saoirse Ronan). I absolutely loved working as a crew-member rather than as an actress — working alongside the key creative team and seeing the performances blossom. So I started looking out for other work in the same realm. It is only 2 years later and I am about to start coaching on my fifth feature, working in NZ and internationally. Now that I think about it I realise that I worked as a coach years ago – I coached Melanie Lynskey to win the role of Pauline Parker for Peter’ Jackson in "Heavenly Creatures". But it was not until "Bridge to Terabithia" that I decided to make this a career path. I still work as an actress. In fact, as I write I am in 33 degree heat on the Pacific Island of Rarotonga playing a lead in the BBC/TVNZ TV series "Paradise Café". But as a mother of 3 young children I cannot work as an actress fulltime, it is too demanding on my family. So I am mixing it up between these two passions. Mind you, on my last coaching job I was away from home for 3 months working 14 hour days in another city. I guess there are no cushy jobs in the TV and film industries, you have to be able to work very hard. Read the full interview >>

Adam Rickitt, Coronation Street & Shortland Street Star 4 November 2008 StarNow: As a young guy finishing his GAP year how did you feel when you landed the role of Nick Tilsley on Coronation Street? Adam: It was such a huge shift and eye opener. To go from the sheltered world of boarding school to suddenly the biggest show in the country at my very first audition was not only incredibly lucky but daunting and a huge change. Read the full interview >>

Mark Waddington - UK Talent Search Winner 22 September 2008 StarNow: Congratulations on winning the StarNow.com UK Talent Search – how do you feel? Mark: Thank you! I feel absolutely brilliant, my phone has been ringing off the hook with friends, family and showbiz friends congratulating me, it's been amazing! Read the full interview >>

Antonia Prebble and Antony Starr from Outrageous Fortune speak exclusively to StarNow.com 29 August 2008 StarNow: Have you always been interested in acting? How did you get your start in the industry? Antonia: Yes I’ve always wanted to be an actress. I started off when I was 11. My friend’s neighbour was an acting agent, so I got signed up to her. I started auditioning and got my first part on the TV series Mirror Mirror II a few months later. Read the full interview >>

Larissa Summers - Dirty Cows and Vanity Lair Reality TV Star 10 July 2008 StarNow: How did you get your start in the entertainment industry? Was this something you were always interested in? Larissa: I started off in this industry in 2003, when I was 19. One weekend there was a car show at the Birmingham NEC (Max Power) and they were looking for models. I had always wanted to do it but never thought I was good enough (I had the ugly duckling syndrome where I grew into my looks). I applied and got the job. I had hundreds of photographers wanting to book me for shoots after that. I started to do more car shows and began building up a portfolio. Eventually I joined a London based agency and a few Internet sites (StarNow) and began working as a full time model. Read the full interview >>

Jatinder Singh - Mr India New Zealand 30 May 2008 StarNow: Congratulations on winning Mr. India New Zealand, it is an amazing achievement. How did you feel about this? Jay: Achieving this win in front of 3000 people feels amazing in itself. I felt euphoric, excited and humbled by affection the crowd had given me. I felt privileged to represent the Indian community in NZ and be a role model for its youth. Read the full interview >>

Katie Richardson, Miss World Australia 2008 1 May 2008 StarNow: Congratulations Katie (http://www.starnow.com/534677) on winning this prestigious award, this is a fantastic achievement. How did you feel when you were crowned? Katie: It was very overwhelming, although you rehearse the possibility in your mind; when the announcement is actually made, it feels too good to be true. The reality of it has still not sunk in, however, I am very excited about the opportunities that have arisen, and the things that I will be able to do. Read the full interview >>

Georgia Horsley, Miss England 2007 29 April 2008 StarNow: Congratulations Georgia (http://www.starnow.com/MissEngland2007) on winning this prestigious award, it is an amazing achievement. How did you feel about being crowned The 2007/08 Miss England? Georgia: I was in complete shock when I was crowned Miss England 2007/08! Never in a million years, did I think I was going to win, and for the whole evening after that point was a blur! I was absolutely over the moon when I won. Read the full interview >>

Lindsay Peacock, Winner of the StarNow.com Australian model Search 12 March 2008 StarNow: Congratulations, Lindsay (www.StarNow.com/lindzo), on being the StarNow.com Australian Model Search Winner 2008! How do you feel about your achievement? Lindsay: I’m so excited! I really didn’t expect to be in the top three finalists, let alone be the winner! There were so many entrants it’s a great feeling. Read the full interview >>

Sally Arnott - winner of The Australian Swimsuit Calendar model search 2007 and StarNow.com member 5 March 2008 StarNow: Sally (www.starnow.com/SallyArnott) congratulations on winning The Australian Swimsuit Calendar model search 2007. This is quite an achievement - how did you feel when you won? Sally: Thanks! It came as a huge shock to me actually because I did not expect it. My friend had seen the online newsletter before I did and rung me up saying ‘Congratulations on winning the trip to the Bahamas’. I had no idea what she was talking about. But I jumped out of my seat when I got the confirmation e-mail. I got on the phone straight away and rang up the organizers to thank them. I felt so excited and could not get the smile off my face all day! I won this by receiving the highest number of votes from the buyers of the calendar. Thank you to all of them! Read the full interview >>