An interview with actress Ava Bianchi: ‘The Curse’, ‘Hexengeddon’, and more

Ava Bianchi is a fifteen year-old actress who began acting in musical theater at the age of four. By the age of eight she was booked for multiple national commercials and co-star roles for shows such as Henry Danger, Conan, and others.

At age thirteen Bianchi tested out of high school and she soon intends to transfer to UCLA or USC to major in film and minor in theater. Now, in her freetime she also spends time volunteering for local charities such as the LA Mission, Samaritan’s Purse, and Big Sunday. She also has two movie projects coming up in 2021, The Curse and Hexengeddon.

We had the opportunity to ask Ava Bianchi a few questions – here’s what she had to say.

How did you get into acting? What drew you to it?

When I was 3 my mom took me to see the Broadway version of Annie and I was mesmerized.  I told her I wanted to be Annie.  My mom found a little theater in Hollywood and one of my mentors Joanne Mosconi was so sweet, she let a 3-year-old do a play with her and inspired me to want to be an actor.  The rest is history.  I was hooked.

Could you tell us a little bit about your history as an actor?

I have been acting since I could remember. I got an agent and manager when I was 6.  I have been on thousands of auditions in the last 10 years.  I had some early successes from when I was 8 – 10, I appeared in 6 national commercials, a professional play at The Zephyr Theatre on Melrose, and several shows for Nickelodeon, IFC, Comedy Central, and one of my favorite roles as the mini-Jack Antonoff.

I got to perform with The Bleachers on The Conan Show. The band gifted me a signed electric guitar, which is one of my most treasured possessions. I also worked on some films and other co-stars as a tween and teen. It most certainly slowed down until I became legal 18.

Can you describe your upcoming film Hexengeddon?

I am so incredibly excited by this opportunity! I was referred to audition for this film by a friend that I worked with on my first little Annie show when I was 4. I sent in a self-tape and I was so excited to be chosen for this role as a resident teen witch.

The filming was postponed due to COVID, but we are hoping to shoot in spring of 2021 in Atlanta and NYC. I cannot wait for all of you to see it. The cast is amazing with some really special actors!

What excited you about the film when you first read the script?

 The script at this moment is top secret.  Many projects won’t have you read the entire script and keep the actors in the moment during filming.

What’s your process when getting into a new character? How do you “get to know” them?

In this day and age, I have noticed that casting directors like to cast a person who already is the character or very similar to the character in real life. This role in Hexengeddon is very similar to myself as a person, with the exception of my special powers. I felt connected to her just from the sides of the audition. She is emotional and a typical teen. Not a far stretch.

What part of acting do you geek out about the most?

I love being on set! There is really nothing like being on set. Since those experiences can be far in between, I really enjoy every aspect of working. I love meeting the entire cast and crew and feeling like family by the time you finish the project. The feeling of being on set is the most wonderful feeling! To be doing a scene you rehearsed from audition to fruition. There are really no words to describe just how wonderful that feels.

If you could have someone create a soundtrack for your life who would you choose to compose it?

I love music so much and it would be so hard for me to choose just one person, but a person that resonates with me is Demi Lovato. I think she would be a great choice for a life soundtrack.

Do you have any acting tips for people looking to pursue it as a career?

The biggest tip I can give people is patience. Sometimes it is hard when it seems like all of your friends are booking like crazy and you aren’t. You have to stay positive and keep learning and training and keeping your skills fresh. Then when the right project comes along you will be ready. One of my favorite quotes “What’s meant for you will never miss you, and that which misses you was never meant for you.”

You also have a project called The Curse coming up, what drew you to this movie?

I must say I am truly blessed to have been chosen for this project. This is another project that came my way through a connection. I sent in a self-tape and booked it. I am very excited for this one which will film in Chicago in the spring.

I love that I will be travelling for work, but I also believe in the film makers of this project. Jennifer Karum and Ryan Atkins created a show called Conrad and it was amazing. They have such a gift for filmmaking that I am super excited to be part of this horror/thriller film which is such a great genre to work in. Lakefront Pictures are movers and shakers, and I cannot wait to work with them.

What’s your mission as an actor? Name the most important thing you want viewers to experience when watching your projects.

I want to feel true to my work. It is easy to pick and choose projects once you have made it but moving forward, I only want to work on projects that I believe in and that can elevate me to the next level.

A lot of people I know are into the whole influencer scene.  I admit I was caught up in it for a year or two when I was younger. I now have no desire to be “social media famous”. I want my path to be one based in reality and not be counting the number of likes. I think that path can be destructive and unhealthy.

Would you ever be interested in doing an episodic series in the future?

Absolutely, especially projects in the realm of Game of Thrones and Handmaid’s Tale. I study acting that is grounded and real, so I am striving to hopefully land something that reflects that. I worked with some amazing teachers, but Deb Dion really stands out to me and I would love to work on something that is true to her teaching.

What’s your favorite film of all time, and what did you learn from it?

Finding Nemo is my favorite film of all time. He must learn to ride the waves because he cannot change them. It’s a story about survival and discovery. I can watch this movie over and over.

Are you involved in any acting communities?

I am always taking acting classes (online now of course) and workshops. I am also constantly auditioning so I normally work with a coach for each one of my auditions.  This business is extremely competitive so you really have to put out your best work at each opportunity or the casting director will not call you back again. I have a bunch of coaches I work with and I love them all. I feel I learn something from each and every one of them.

Are you able to tell us about any upcoming projects you have? What are they?

I have The Curse and Hexengeddon coming up in Spring of 2021, and then I have a couple of projects in development and production that I helped write. One of them is a horror/thriller based on true events and another amazing project.

I believe in being multifaceted and creating content that aligns with your visions for the future. I am also a 15-year-old college student, so between all of that I am also busy studying a lot of the time between auditions and work.

Do you have a five-year plan? What is it?

I graduated early from high school at 14 and I am currently enrolled in college online. I am hoping that in the next 2 years I can transfer to UCLA or USC. I want to study film and minor in theatre.

This industry is all I know, and I am invested for my future. In the next 5 years I would really like to have some of the projects we created to have come to fruition. If you create your own content you can stay true to your own path.  I would also love to work on more film and television and add to my resume.

Who or what would you say your current acting influences are?

When it comes to acting influences the contemporary, [sic] I look up to is Brie Larsen. I recently watched an interview with her, and I just love her story and her journey. I can relate with it.

I also look up to the greats like Meryl Streep, Viola Davis, Helena Bonham Carter and Cate Blanchette. It would be a dream to work with any of them.

Have you worked with mentors in the past? How would you recommend people go about finding them?

I have so many mentors.  Most of them have come into my life as acting coaches. JoAnn Mosconi, Deb Dion, Melissa Hayden (from Beverly Hills Playhouse) Vicki Baumann, Reggie Watkins, Lori Lively, David Gray, Cynthia Bain and others. They are all people who believe in me and they continue to cheer me on. You can Google them; they are all amazing teachers and mentors.

 Finally, an easy one, cats or dogs?

Cats!

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If you want to stay up-to-date on Ava Bianchi’s acting career and all of her upcoming projects you can follow her on Instagram, Twitter, or YouTube.