By ALESHA CAPONE
KEILOR resident Stephanie will be kept busy balancing her acting career with school this year.
Stephanie, who has started Year 12 at Gilson College in Taylors Hill, also studies acting at Screen Actors Australia.
During 2013, the talented teenager was cast as a dancer in the television show ‘Neighbours’.
She has also appeared in short films including ‘Youth’ directed by Tess Hutson, ‘Inspirdaily’ directed by Casey Kukolja and a Havoc music video.
Now aged 17, Stephanie said she first fell in love with acting when she starred in a school show during Year 7.
“What I enjoy about acting is that you can become someone else and tell a story to provoke emotional reactions in people and see how they react,” she said.
“My ultimate ambition would be to travel to LA or anywhere in America and be in films.”
Stephanie said she was overwhelmed to be cast in ‘Neighbours’.
“When I first heard that I’d got into ‘Neighbours’, I screamed and Mum said, ‘What’s wrong with you?’” she said.
Stephanie said she was nervous at her very first audition, but now greatly enjoyed this aspect of the industry.
“I love to audition. I love learning dialogue and being able to portray it to someone who is watching,” she said.
When tryng out a role in ‘Youth’, Stephanie was asked to show off her musical talents.
“They asked me to sing straight away, and I had nothing prepared, but I guess they liked it because I was cast,” she said.
“That was the moment I decided I want to do this for the rest of my life.”
Stephanie said she hoped to study acting at university next year and urged other young people to follow their dreams.
“When you fail once, it only means you’re one step closer to success,” she said.
