Dove Cameron, Disney's 'Liv and Maddie star,' talks to Kidsday
Kidsday reporters met actress Dove Cameron at the ABC offices in Manhattan. She is with Shannon Muino, Kaela Piarulli, Lindsey Squires and Juliean Baco, all from Massapequa on Jan. 13, 2014. Credit: Newsday / Pat Mullooly
We met actress Dove Cameron, who stars as identical twins Liv and Maddie on the popular Disney show, "Liv and Maddie," while she was in Manhattan recently.
Who is your favorite person to work with?
I can never answer this question accurately because, honestly, it was such a blessing because sets have all very different dynamics. I've never been on one set that was similar to another. "Cloud 9" in particular, though, we all bonded really quickly because we were isolated up at the top of the mountain. There was nothing to do but hang out with each other.
Do you prefer singing or acting?
I could not choose. That's why originally I planned on being on Broadway. The combination between acting and singing together performing on a stage -- there's nothing else like it in the world. I couldn't choose.
Outside of "Liv and Maddie" and movies such as "Cloud 9," what are your hobbies?
I've actually been posting a lot of covers lately on my YouTube channel. So I do that a lot. I'm a bit of a gym rat. I spend a lot of time at the gym. I work out a lot. Actually I love to snowboard and I didn't get a chance to do it this season, but you can usually find me on the slopes in Canada during the winter. I love to bake. I bake all day and all night and I'm actually just sort of getting my feet wet with cooking. So I'm big on baking and cooking and sewing my own clothes.
Do you like being in a movie or having your own TV series?
"Liv and Maddie" is very near and dear to my heart just because it's such a sort of a rare thing to come upon. It's not every day that you get to have an acting challenge every day you come to work. Playing twins never gets old to me. It's always fresh just because I love the characters so much, and they're sort of like me split down the middle. But film is just a completely different thing. I actually never thought I would find myself doing television. So I love them both equally.
What advice can you give kids who want to be like you?
In terms of acting. I would say resilience is the key. But I think back and I imagine if I had stopped after my 95th "no," I would never have gotten to the 96th. And you never know what your big break is going to be. Even if it's a role that you're not absolutely over-the-moon crazy about. In terms of just getting your foot in the door with acting, you have to say yes to your first project, and you have to go until you get that yes and then the doors open and you sort of have more creative freedom. Never let the "Nos" get you down.
If you could act with any star, who would it be?
Wow. I really love Richard Gere. I love Tom Hanks. I would be over the moon to do something with Tom Hanks. Kristin Chenoweth, though, is like my biggest hero in the world. Maybe Idina Menzel. Did you see "Frozen"? Those are probably my top four.
Is it hard for you to be two people?
It was a lot more difficult in the first couple of episodes. Even though we've been airing them out of order, you can sort of watch. The first three episodes were really, I think, hard on all of us just because the beginning of any series is harder because you're studying characters that potentially can be around for years. So you want to make sure you like them and you get them right.
Who inspired you to start acting?
I actually grew up without a television. I grew up without cable. So the only glimpse I had into Hollywood was at my local theater, which was very small because I grew up on an island where the only way off was like a 30-minute ferryboat ride to Seattle. It was always up on the big screen and it was a treat to go out to movie theaters. The theater would always air old, old films. We barely kept up with what was currently out, so I grew up idolizing old film stars. I was influenced by classic film stars.
