Oleysa Rulin

How did your acting career start?
My acting career started by my mom getting me involved in Model Search America, where I competed against other kids to be represented by numerous agencies. At first I did it as a way to learn, communicate, and open up, but then it turned into a wonderful creative outlet.

What are the best parts/worst parts of acting?
The best part of acting is I get to be someone new – an out of body experience, almost where reality is put on hold and I get to try and do things I normally wouldn't. The worst thing about acting is separating the work from your personal life. The things I do as an actor are part of the art and I wish people would be more interested with the beauty of acting and movie making and not where and what I was doing last Friday.†

What future projects are you currently working on?
I just finished a movie with Jessica Simpson called Major Movie Star where I play the character Petrovich, who is Jessica's best friend and biggest fan in boot camp. As well as a film with Billy Ray Cyrus and Heather Locklear called Flying By, where I play the supportive daughter who helps her family go through a rough time.

Who's the coolest celebrity you've met?
I have met many individuals in this field of work who have showed that true success comes with an open heart, genuine spirit, and humble mind. Those are the people I have intelligent conversations with and help me strive to be more. I don't care for their status as much as for their work... don't get me wrong, I get excited when I meet celebrities, but it’s usually about what they are a part of.

Who do you most want to work with?
I would love to work with Scarlett Johansen, Angelina Jolie, Natalie Portman, Goldie Hawn, and many more...

How do you balance your acting career and your regular life?
Balancing my career and my "life" is all about surrounding myself with people that I love and I know love me. I like getting away from Los Angeles as much as I can for the simple reason that life is very different elsewhere… not as focused on "who" people are and this business. I also believe it would be much easier for all actors to balance real life if the population stopped reading tabloids and listening to gossip, because that is all nonsense and there are real problems out there which should be paid attention too.

What advice would you give upcoming actors?
Life is funny. Just as you think you finally made a little path to skip on, it whirls you into a different direction and you find yourself lost again. Don't worry, you'll make another path. My advice is… failure can be a beautiful thing. Don't be afraid to have bad auditions, and don't beat yourself up when you do, because that is the only way you can get better. If you think you did bad, okay. Pay attention to what you did wrong and practice – next time you will be a little better.

Oleysa with Lucas Grabeel in High School Musical 3: Senior Year

You also model and dance. How come you don't do those instead of acting?
I still dance and take adult ballet classes, and enjoy it very much. I modelled when I was younger but genetics didn't give me the height requirements :)

Do you prefer ballet to acting?
I don't have a favourite, but they both challenge me.

What's the hardest thing about ballet?
Being in control of your body.... multitasking yet looking graceful.... not paying attention to the pain in your feet and allowing the music to be your compass. What's not hard about ballet? That's the real question. I admire dancers so much.

Teenage girls get teased in high schools because people think ballet is for "sissies." What would you say to that?
I have never been called a sissy for dancing ballet, nor has anyone I know but if they think that that's their right… but they should take a class so they have a better understanding.

Major Movie Star

Can you tell us a bit about the movie?
It is about a movie star who loses a sense of who she is and joins the army on a whim to try and find her identity.

What's your character like?
I play a young girl who joins the army to make her brother proud (a fallen soldier). Petrovich is cute, funny, and innocent but is driven by courage.

Are you anything like her?
I have a brother who is in the army and has done three tours of duty so I could definitely relate to the character.

Best moment during filming:
On the weekends we would all go boating on the lake soaking up the sun and relaxing. While filming the best part of the morning was spraying yourself head to toe in bug spray so the "chigars" wouldn't get you. They are these tiny little bugs that you can't see and they crawl in your skin and leave these red scratchy trails all over your legs and arms. Luckily I never got bit.

Oleysa at the High School Musical 3 premier

Most embarrassing moment on set
Oh geeze I humiliate myself on a daily basis.... I couldn't pick one.

Ever had a Crush on someone on set?
No.

Favourite person you worked with?
My favorite people to work with are those that are motivated, dedicated, and have lots of humor. When you have been working for 12 hours you need someone with good energy around you in order to keep going.

Favourite scene filmed?
There is a scene where we all jump into a Louisiana swamp in all of our gear – and I mean helmet, rifle, camo. Once we got into the swamp, we could hardly move because it was so heavy.

Favourites
Colour: Grey.
Food: Russian, traditional food and chips and salsa.
Soda: I don't buy it at all, ever, but am guilty of drinking diet coke on set when I get tired.
Candy: Not a candy fan, I love fruit – pineapple and green grapes.
Chocolate: Only dark chocolate; 75% cocoa and up, with hot black tea.
Ice cream: Don't eat it.
TV show: “The Girls Next Door” and all the shows on TLC. I love watching “Trading Spaces” and “Dirty Jobs”.
Website: I shop online a lot.
Book: Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad.
Band: I'm really into the 80's right now.
Fairytale: “Beauty and the beast”; it’s set in France and the dishes sing: what more do you need? Plus, the prince is really cute in the end.
Flower: So, so, so many. I love them all… but roses and carnations.

What do you look for in a guy?
A good sense of humour and patience.

Are you single?
I keep my personal life personal.

Best date:
Something interactive, like skateboarding.

Ideal date:
Taking surfing lessons in Hawaii... that would be wonderful

Worst date:
A first date should never be movie and dinner. You can't talk to the person – it seems so lonely.

Who would be your perfect date [celeb crush]?
I would love to hang out with Rob Dyrdek.

Describe your style:
My style is somewhere between classic and artsy. Comfy chic.

Favourite outfit:
Jeans, heels, v-neck t-shirt, and a sweater with a scarf.

Fashion disaster:
When I lived in Paris I cut all my hair off and looked like a boy. Then it grew out and I could finally put it into a tiny ponytail and had a mullet; that was a major oops. You live, you learn. I love all my mistakes… they make great stories to tell.

Beauty tips:
Sleep, lots of water, and sunscreen. Positivity and confidence will do more for you than any eye cream or makeup ever will.

Describe yourself in 3 words.
Passionate, Daydreamer, Multi-tasker.

If you were a super hero, who would you be?
If I was a superhero, I would be Cat Woman because she is a little crazy, but super fun… and I like the leather cat suit.

If you could go anywhere, where would you go?
I want to go to Madagascar, home of the lemurs.

If you were stuck on a desert island with only three things, what would they be and why?
Sunscreen, a book on survival tips on a deserted island and a satellite phone to use to call and be rescued.

Tell me a secret!
Wouldn’t be much of a secret if I told you! Besides, I don't really have any – just great stories, some with not so great endings.

What do you find more boring than watching paint dry?
For the record, I love watching paint dry. I oil paint and that's half the process, but it helps me be creative and think of new ideas. I would have to say the Immigration Office and DMV are on my list of most boring places on this earth.

What's the strangest thing you've had in your mouth?
I ate tongue once. It wasn’t that bad.

How would you survive a crocodile attack?
If you push on their eyes, they are known to stop trying to eat you... hopefully I won't get to try out that theory.

Do you have a myspace? If yes, what is it?
Nope I don't, but I will have my official website up and running and that is rulinyourworld.com, so check it out.