Words by Carol Wright | Photos Courtesy of Lasting Legacy PR
From Nickelodeon’s The Haunted Hathaways to CBS’s Young Sheldon, actress Ava Cantrell has worked on a variety of exciting projects. We got to speak with her about one of her most challenging roles yet as the lead in My Father’s Joy.
When did you first realize you wanted to be an actress?
I realized I wanted to be an actress at a very young age. I have had AEFH, a top talent agency, representing me for over a decade. All the signs were there as a little girl that this was something I wanted to do from performing onstage to having a super active imagination. I wouldn’t let my puppy sleep with me as a young girl because in my head he would turn into a coyote at night and chase me. I couldn’t be convinced that wasn’t a real thing. I think actors have a space in their brain like that, that lives in an imaginary world. I was shy around people outside of my family, but put me on a stage or ask me to tell a story and all of a sudden the light would go off. My Dad was a kid actor and recognized those signs, and he helped me make those dreams come true. My family has taught me that being an actress is very different than being famous, and I think that by protecting the craft of acting, has also made the love long lasting.
How did the opportunity to work on Nickelodeon’s The Haunted Hathaways come about and how did it change your career?
The opportunity to play Penelope Pritchard came up through an audition. She is an over-the-top, doll-loving little diva. I went in full force for that role in a huge tutu and just went for it. Working on Nickelodeon or Disney as a kid actor does seem to have certain clout. My episodes still air on Teen Nick and around the world, so I still get a majority of new fans coming from that work which was years ago because it is still so popular. I love seeing so many people that worked on Nick and Disney now working on other networks and major motion pictures. Working as a kid actor is a great start for an adult career. Kid actors learn so much about being on set and professionalism. I am so grateful to get my start on Nickelodeon.
Your work has shown that you have a great range. Do you have a favorite genre of film/tv you like to work in? (Comedy/drama etc.)
Oddly enough I don’t have a favorite. Each genre lets me express myself as an actress in a unique way. Comedy is fun. Working recently on Young Sheldon was a highlight. Working with one of the masters of comedy and sitcom, Jason Alexander is a highlight of my career. Horror is really fun as well. I don’t like watching horror, but I love acting in horror. Being creepy is fun. Drama is challenging but very rewarding. I really hope someday to work on an action movie!
Tell us about your upcoming project My Father’s Joy. What drew you to the film?
I am so thrilled to play the lead on My Father’s Joy as Abigail. It is my next horror after the Warner Brothers blockbuster Lights Out. What drew me to this feature film is how messed up and evil Abigail is, but also totally capable of love. It is my first lead with a love interest, and I am really excited about that. There is a little bit of a True Romance feel to the script and I love the aspect of it’s you and me against the world feeling. Abigail was influenced as a young girl from her father, and everyone will see how that plays out in the movie. I really feel that this role is my next big breakthrough as well as possibly my most challenging.
What has been your favorite project you’ve worked on so far?
I don’t have a favorite. I have been working for a decade and have too many. I mean some of the favorites are not the most known projects. Working on those smaller budget short films, web series, and music videos were the projects that I established some of the relationships I still have in the industry. We got to grow together. Haunted Hathaways Nickelodeon: most laughs, Lights Out Warner Brothers movie: most intense, One Under the Sun feature film: most demanding and in the end most awards, “Not safe for work” a Universal Studios pilot: best dressing room! It was literally like a small apartment with an amazing cast of legends in comedy.
Can you see yourself getting involved in other areas of the industry such as writing, directing, or producing?
I have already been writing projects. I even got a pilot optioned. The crazy thing about writing is it doesn’t have an expiration date, so I am still hopeful about that project. I am directing a project called “Detention Boys” this early spring. I cannot wait. It is a comedy and that we will pitch to Funny or Die. I am so excited about that. A little nervous as well, feeling the pressure. I have a project that I am part creator, and will possibly produce. It will be out this summer that I am totally excited to release. So far it is under wraps, but it will be a complete change from anything I have done. I have been testing my limits this last year, and can’t wait to share all of my hard work this year and next.
What are your other creative outlets?
My two favorite creative outlets would be photography and surfing. Surfing is my happy place, and I always feel refreshed and rejuvenated after, and I love challenging myself on the waves. Photography is a huge creative outlet for me and I use my camera or edit my pictures almost every day. It is a big part of my life. I never worry too much about themes or developing my style. I let it come naturally. I love learning more about the technical and creative sides of photography.
What advice do you have for aspiring actors?
I would tell aspiring actors to find your niches and truly go for your passions. Just because everyone is doing it one way, doesn’t mean you have to. As a matter of fact, I like the roads less traveled. I like figuring out what people are not doing and then pave a path for myself. I want to have a long-lasting career in Hollywood, so I tend not to try to focus on the social media aspects of it, but the actual work. I keep building a resume, creating my own projects, working hard as well as creating projects for myself that I am not being offered or I don’t see much of out there. I have projects scheduled for the next few years, as well as outside acting goals. My advice is, be a well-rounded person. The smarter you are, the more creative you are, and the more you rely on yourself, the better chance you have to make it. Not only in Hollywood, but in life.