AMY JULIA ROSE

When did it all start?

I would say my passion for acting began when I was in my first play when I was six, but really it started long before that.  Before I even knew what it was like to deliver lines on a stage, I was already making up plays and stories and acting them out, whether with my physical self or with my dolls.  I started reading when I was two and writing stories when I was three, and even when the plots didn’t always make sense, I was absolutely fascinated with the world of characters and situations and feelings and stories.  I made up so many characters and created stories with them, reprising their roles from previous books and introducing new characters to their worlds.  I brought dolls with me wherever I went, and when I didn’t have any, I’d use things like forks and knives as placeholder dolls. 

When my little sister was old enough, I’d have her play characters too and read lines and take directions.  We’d choose our names, come up with a backstory and improvise the whole thing, and then once I started acting in plays and knew what a script looked like, I’d create my own, with stage directions and everything, and imagine myself as the lead role.  I was lucky enough to be raised by two parents who placed a huge emphasis on the arts.  There was always music playing in my house, our bookshelves were always full of colorful and exciting books, and my parents always made an effort to introduce us to the classics: old TV shows and movies they watched as kids, music they listened to, and funny stories.  My love of the arts was nurtured very well, so it’s no surprise that I started being creative, performing and making up characters before I started doing other things (like learning common sense!)

If you were an advertisement, what would your slogan be?

Depends what kind of product I am!  I guess I’d go with “you can’t spell ‘heart’ without ‘art’!”  I’m always playing with words and telling people what they can’t spell things without, and I love art and have a big heart, so it works perfectly.

What does your career mean to you?

My career is all about sharing universal stories and helping people connect with what it means to be human and experience emotions.  I hope that my art will make people think and reflect on universal themes but also serve as a form of escape from the real world.  My goal is to use my own imagination to help others connect to theirs.  Whether I’m playing a character, making music or writing stories, I want my audience to feel safe, welcome, and captivated.  Even the most lighthearted of comedies can affect us deeply and inspire us to be better people.  I consider myself very lucky to be an artist, as all different forms of art have helped me so much, and in turn, I get to help others through my creations.

What is your main motivation?

My family and friends.  They’ve been there for me every step of the way and are my biggest supporters.  Whenever I get a role, they’re the first people I tell and they’re always cheering me on!  Whenever I’m feeling lost, I just remember how I always have their love and support, and that even in dark times, they’ve always been there for me.  I’ve made it so far thanks to them, and I know I can make it even further!  I’ll have tons of people to thanks in my speeches when I accept awards!

What is the part you enjoy the most? And the worst?

Living and acting in my favorite city, surrounded by artists and people who think in all kinds of interesting ways, has been my favorite part of my journey.  Since moving here, I’ve met so many great friends who are also actors, and I know that many of them will continue to be my friends and creative partners for life.  I used to find it hard to make friends, but surrounding myself with other artists who share my deep emotions and big heart has made it so easy to connect with them.  Some of my best friends from back home have even met my new friends here in LA and I love seeing them immediately hit it off with each other.

As for my least favorite part, being an immigrant while trying to make it in LA has been a real struggle.  For the two years I was in acting school, I wasn’t allowed to work, and now that I’m on my OPT (the period of time between school ending and applying for a visa,) I can work, but only in the field of acting.  No matter how hard I search every day, it’s hard to find jobs.  I know that it’ll all be worth it soon, and I’m trying as hard as I can to not let the challenging parts bring me down!

Who are your idols?

I have so many!  I have huge admiration for the comedic greats, like Mel Brooks, Eugene Levy, Catherine O’Hara and Jim Carrey.  Some of the voice actors I look up to the most are Tara Strong, Nancy Cartwright, June Foray, Mel Blanc, Hank Azaria, Harry Shearer and Dan Castellaneta.  I love the work of multitalented double- and triple-threats like Julie Andrews, Gene Kelly, Meryl Streep, Ginger Rogers and Anne Hathaway, and I’m also inspired by iconic directors like John Hughes, Greta Gerwig, Judd Apatow, James Burrows and Dan Povenmire.  The list of artists I look up to goes on and on!

In case you need a break in your career, what else would you like to do?

That’s a hard question because I feel like I would never need a break from acting, but I would love to take my music career further.  I’ve been writing songs, singing and playing instruments from a very young age, and my goal is to release an album soon!  I recently performed my original music at Not Another Christmas Carol, a holiday concert at Gallery ThirtySix, where over 800 people attended.  I regularly perform at open mics around LA, like Kulak’s Woodshed and the Santa Monica Open Mic at Kavahana Bar.  If I were to do something unrelated to the performing arts, I’d definitely be a teacher!  One of the best experiences of my life was when I taught English to children in Italy.  I’ve also worked as a babysitter, tutor and camp counsellor, and I currently volunteer as a story reader at a bookstore.  My favorite age group to teach is kindergarten!

Do you consider that nowadays there are more or less opportunities for new artists? Why?

I think the answer is yes and no.  The industry is definitely trying to be more inclusive, and I think it’s a great thing that studios are prioritizing diversity and different experiences.  Now that TikTok and Instagram are popular, it’s easier than ever to put your work out there and have people see it and engage with it.  It’s a great feeling to go viral on TikTok – it’s happened to me a few times!  So, I would say that, in a way, new artists have more opportunities.  However, I’ve noticed that it isn’t very often that the work of new artists is promoted on a large scale.  In our society, there’s a lot of focus on celebrities who have been in the business for a very long time.  It annoys me when I overhear someone asking what a certain movie is about and the other person responds with a certain actor’s name, summarizing the plot but with the actor’s name in place of the character’s name.  When I’m in character, I want people to see me as the character, not just the actor.  While there are definitely A-listers I look up to, and whose work I admire, I would love to see some new faces in the media and see other artists having a chance to shine.

What would your idyllic life be like?

My dream has always been to live in a beautiful old house in Laurel Canyon, where so many of my idols lived in the 60s, or Beachwood Canyon, where my relatives used to live.  I would have tons of pets, mostly dogs, and a big, loving family.  My house would need to be very colorful and have a room full of wall-to-wall bookshelves and comfy chairs.  I would love to act every day – it doesn’t matter what kind of project it is, as long as I get to have fun performing!  I would have lots of artsy friends living near me, so we could get together every night and play music and go swimming and make art and look at the stars.  I want a nice, cozy, comfortable life – nothing too fancy.  I hope to someday make enough money to donate to various charities and help less fortunate people and animals.

What are your next projects?

I’m playing the female lead in the visualizer for Kovei’s newest song!  We just finished filming, and it was such a fun experience.  I also have a supporting role in an episode of a TV show, but I can’t disclose more information about that yet!  The second season premiere of The Order of Chaos With a K is in the works, which will feature my voice and original music.  I’m also putting on a staged reading of my original one-act plays, but the date hasn’t been set yet.  We’re planning and rehearsing, and it’s going to be full of laughs!