Here is the I Kissed a Vampire post part 2! I was able to chat with the lovely Amy Paffrath, one of the cast members of this vampire webseries and here is my interview with her!
Photo Credit: Amy Paffrath
1. So how did you land a job with E! News Now?
Well I got a random audition, just one of those things that came through from my manager. And I was so excited because when I moved to LA, this is my dream job; this is where I wanted to be. So of course when I got the call that I had an audition, I was like, “I’m going to spend so much time working on this. I really want to make this happen.” So I came in and just did the very best that I could! And I guess I did a great job because I got a call back and I came back from my call back and then I didn’t hear anything for a little while. Then 3 months later they called me in again, and I was like “Agh okay I’m going to do this again!” And that time is the time that they actually offered me the job. So it was about a 3 month process. So it’s crazy, but yeah I made it happen! I’m so happy it did.
2. Where are you originally from?
I’m from St. Louis, Missouri. The Mid-West.
3. When did you get started in journalism?
I did in high school actually. We had a thing morning news program at my school. And I helped produce that, I was more behind the scenes on that than I was on camera and I actually, in our media class, started editing for our senior videos. So I learned how to edit and put together stuff and I did a bunch of stuff for that. And that’s what kind of gave me the desire to go into journalism. So I decided to pursue it in college.
4. Did you have any previous education in journalism? Where did you go to school?
I went to the University of Missouri, in Columbia, Missouri. It’s a great journalism school; they have an amazing program. It’s very hands on. You get to actually work and report in the field and they have their own NBC affiliate that you work for so we were actually on air as part of our curriculum. It’s so cool.
5. So what’s your favourite part about being on ENews?
Well I work with a really great group of people, it’s always something different, of course we get fun clothes and amazing make up people so it’s fun to get all jazzed up and be girly. But I mean, this is what I studied to do, so it’s great to be able to use my degree and it’s fun! It’s entertainment so we’re talking about movies, and tv, and musicians and stuff that I’m interested in anyways, so to do it as a job, is almost unreal.
6. What is the hardest part about your job?
The hardest part I would say is, if you’re doing a red carpet, is to get a good answer out of someone. Because more than likely, you’ll get like 2 seconds with a person and you get maybe one question. So the hardest part is figuring out how to either weasel in more questions or ask one really great question with the time that you have.
7. Have you gotten to travel a lot on your job? If so, where?
I have! I’ve been very lucky. Well I’ve travelled once for E! News, which was more than enough and amazing. I would do it again in a heartbeat. But they sent me to the Bahamas on a cruise with The New Kids On The Block. So honestly, it’s kind of hard to top. I hope I get to go back out and travel again because that was just so much fun. But mostly, I’m here in the studio.
8. So have you had any embarrassing moments on set?
Yeah! It’s so funny, I was reading the prompter one day and I hadn’t read the script through yet. It’s embarrassing in the sense that I just should have read the word correctly and we were talking about Lisa Marie Presley giving birth to her daughters, her twin girls and I thought it said “And though tough doubles run in the family” but it said “And though doubles run in the family” so I said it as if it made sense. Like “Tough doubles!” And everybody was like what, what does that mean. And I’m like “I don’t know.” So it’s funny because I said it as if it made sense and of course this is right! So she started laughing hysterically and it took us like 20 minutes to compose ourselves again and then shoot it again. So thank god it wasn’t live. But it was funny, because sometimes you just read it and you’re totally saying the wrong thing, but if you say it like you mean it, I just sold it like “of course this makes sense!” And it didn’t.
9. Who has been your favourite celebrity interview so far?
Well I would say Dita Von Teese was really fun. She’s really cool. She’s a burlesque dancer, she was dating Marilyn Manson. She was really fun because her whole image is just so meticulous. She’s styled and she always dresses like that. So it’s just interesting to meet someone that is like that all the time, you know? Because I go on camera and this is what I look like at work, but on the weekends, I’m bumming around in t-shirts. But you would never catch her out in public like that. She has this whole kind of thing going on. So she was really interesting. But I interviewed Steve Carrell when I was working for another job. He is amazing. He’s so funny. I love interviewing funny people because number one: it keeps you on your toes and you have to kind of, you don’t have to be funny, but it makes me want to be like hey try out my humour with him. So it was fun to bounce jokes back and forth with him and he’s very sarcastic so it was very cool. And Tred Armiston, from Saturday night live, I interviewed him for another show too and he was really fun. I like funny people. It’s good times.
10. If you could interview any celebrity in the world, who would you choose and why?
That’s so hard! There’s so many! Well okay I’d have to think of somebody because I’d want to know more about them...I mean, because well for selfish reasons I would want to interview Brandon Flowers from The Killers because I love their band. And Hanson, I’m a huge Hanson fan. I love them! But I guess I’d have to go with...I think Angelina would be really cool and I think Madonna would be really cool. There’s so much bs out there about both of them, it’d be really cool to kind of get your own perspective and kind of see for yourself. So I’d say Madonna or Angelina Jolie.
11. So who is your favourite celebrity couple?
I don’t want to give the same answer...I have to think of some good celebrity couples. Well I love Brad and Angie, I do! I think they’re really cool. And it doesn’t hurt that Brad went to my college. So we have the same background! He’s a Missouri boy! I love that and I think Angelina is just gorgeous and I love what she does for the world. And she’s just a really great person and has a really big heart so I’d say them. And you know what, they have 6 kids, I’m one of 7, so people are like “how do they do it?” and I’m like well my mom did it and she didn’t have millions of dollars! And I think Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale are really cute. They’re one of my faves because they are just so adorable.
12. So you’ve recently been a part of the new web series I Kissed a Vampire. What was it like being a part of that?
So much fun, beyond! The talent in this web series is just through the roof. So it’s so cool to be amongst really good talent. I got to dance, I mean I was a cheerleader and a dancer back in college and high school so to be able to do that again professionally was really awesome. And then we get to wear the fangs and be all styled and it’s just really really fun. The music is so catchy. You can’t get these songs out of your head. So I am thrilled to be a part of it because you know, the vampire craze is so huge right now, but this is a very different take on it. It’s a musical comedy, so it’s not supposed to be Twilight, we’re not trying to be Twilight. It was incredible, an incredible experience just to say the least.
Photo Credit: Amy Paffrath
13. So you got to work alongside Drew Seeley, have you ever worked with him on projects before?
He and I did work on a small project maybe a year ago called Hip Hop Musical. Kevin Connelly from Entourage who plays E, he directed us in it. And it was basically an ad for American Eagle and I don’t think they ever put it out, but we did get to work on that together so that was really fun.
14. So vampires have been a pretty popular topic nowadays, so what are your thoughts on the whole twilight phenomenon?
Well I get it. I get why people are so into it because it’s forbidden and it’s sexy and it’s taboo. Don’t kiss the vampire, it’s bad; people always like what’s off limits. So I love it, I think it’s great. I think it’s awesome. I love how Twilight is sort of dark but it has an element of teen angst and love and it’s just got so many different story lines and themes going through it. I love it.
15. Have you read the books before?
I’ve read the first book. I have not read the second or the third because I’ve just got so many books right now that I’m reading, but I should get to that before New Moon comes out.
16. Have you been a part of any other movies or television shows?
I have, I’ve done some stuff for Style Network. I was a guest star on a show called Split Ends, which is like a hair styling show. I’ve done a couple independent films... nothing that has gotten any attraction that’s been huge but fun projects that I really liked working on. But I can’t say anything that’s made any waves, you know what I mean. I’m still an up and comer. E! Is by far the biggest thing I’ve booked and I think I Kissed a Vampire is going to be pretty huge, so I’m really excited for that. Oh I also had a small part in Fired Up, that cheerleading movie, so cool. That was really fun.
Photo credit: Amy Paffrath
17. If you could be a guest star on any TV show, which would you choose?
I love so many shows right now! I guess I would say 90210 because I just love the drama. I would love to come in and stir some stuff up, which there’s already a lot of....
18. What advice do you have for teens out there who hope to make it big in the entertainment industry?
Be patient. That’s number 1 because you’ll hear a lot of no’s. You have to get used to people telling you no and be like ok and just move on. Because if you keep pushing and you keep at it, it’s going to happen. It’s just a matter of time. So my advice is: be persistent, be patient, be pleasant...I don’t know why all these things are with P’s. But really, because being nice to people goes so much further than just being nice to them. People will remember kindness. You should always be gracious and respectful and just really appreciate where you’re at and how hard you worked to get there. Never take things for granted. But keep pushing ahead and keep looking forward and keep working on your talent. Never give up on it. If you really want it bad enough, you’ll work hard at it and you’ll keep trying until you get it. That’s what I live by. Smile. Smile all the way to the top.
19. So lastly, do you have any upcoming projects?
Well we’re shooting more episodes of I Kissed a Vampire in December, so we’re shooting 6 more then. And I get a song in it, so that’s going to be my first time singing on camera, which I am so excited for. I’m brushing up, taking private lessons, just to make sure I’m strong and ready for it. I also do a column, I write for Life&Style Magazine. I do the “fashion slip ups” there, so I’m in that every week. And I’m also working on a show called Style 101, which is geared towards teens and tweens, basically helping them dress for their bodies. It’s still in production so it’s in its beginning stages but I love this show because it’s an empowering show and it’s got a good message. It’s not just like “here’s some clothes and how to buy them.” It’s like we all have different bodies, it’s okay, but let’s find stuff that will look good on us and not think that these skinny jeans are going to look good on everybody’s body because it’s just not how it works. So it’s a show that answers questions for teens and helps them find out how to accentuate their best features and feel good about themselves. So I’m super excited about that. There’s also a show called Cheerleader Days which is in development as well and that I have a starring role in, so I’m super excited about that. It’ll probably be more next year that we get into that because, again, it’s in the production stages. It’s just about the trials and tribulations of girls on different cheerleading squads and going through their days and what they have to deal with and the pressure of being on a competitive squad and lots of fun stunting and things like that in the show. So that’s going to be really cool. I try to keep busy. I like keeping busy.
20. So which do you prefer, the writing aspect or the on screen aspect of journalism?
My favourite part of being a journalist is interviewing. So I guess it would be combining both because if you’re interviewing someone, you know you write questions, and you kind of have an idea but you also have to be off the cuff and just listen and be ready to respond however they lead your question. So I like that because you get to have a conversation with someone and be really in tuned to what they’re saying and you have to listen but yet keep thinking ahead to what you’re going to ask next. So that’s my favourite part and I think it combines both, it’s a little bit of writing and on camera.
Thanks again, Amy! She's such an inspiration :)
Be sure to check out my article in Youthink magazine in my IKAV Part 1 post!
-Christinaaa
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