Page 70 - Demo

70 || FASHION MAGAZINE || MAY / JUNE 2015FMM: Tell us about the first time you saw yourself in a national commercial.HR: I was in 4th grade and it was for the first Fur Real Friends talking cat. There were a lot of people who didn%u2019t know I was an actress so everyone would call the house and ask, %u201cIs that Haley?%u201dFMM: How do you prepare for a role? Any special routine?HR: Giving my characters a back story in my mind really helps flesh out where I need to take the role. I need to spend a few hours with just myself and the character to work it all out.FMM: What is it about acting and performing that makes you feel alive? How did you know that was what you were meant to do?HR: Being allowed to be someone else, to walk in their shoes and to bring them to life for an audience is joy to me. I know it sounds trite but I think some people are born to do this. That was probably a surprise for my family because I didn%u2019t talk until late. The true story is that when I was three I spoke the longest sentence I had ever spoken. %u201cI%u2019m not leaving with you Mommy. I am waiting on my real mommy to pick me up in her pink Cadillac and take me to Hollywood.%u201d That was years before I ever took an acting class. I still have a thing for vintage Cadillacs. FMM: What has been your favorite role so far?HR: I am having too much fun playing Brenna on Chasing Life. FMM: What do you do to relax and have fun?HR: I have a great group of friends and we%u2019re the %u201changing out%u201d kind of people as opposed to the %u201cclub going%u201d kind of people. I love walking our dog, cooking, %u201ctrailer%u201d camping because I%u2019m too wimpy to sleep on the ground, and vintage shopping.FMM: Favorite food?HR: I can%u2019t narrow that down! Tex Mex, Sushi, German food.FMM: How do your Texas roots influence you and your career success?HR: Texas women are strong women, and I think I%u2019ve still got a lot of Texas in me. I have a hard time taking no for an answer.FMM: What is your favorite thing about playing Brenna on the ABC show Chasing Life, your first series regular role on television?HR: The fact that Brenna is so human and not afraid to show it. She likes herself just the way she is. She doesn%u2019t believe in labels even though others try to label her %u201clesbian%u201d or %u201cwild%u201d. To Brenna, she is just herself.