Portrait Magazine - September 2006

This is the official Erin Sanders website.  Enjoy!!!

Erin Sanders Interview
Interview by Peachez
Interview date: September 2006

Name: Erin Sanders
Career: Actress (Zoey 101)
Official Site: ErinSanders.com
MySpace page: Myspace.com/ErinZariah
Official Fan Club: movies.groups.yahoo.com/group/ErinsFanClub/

So, Erin, could you start by telling our readers a little about yourself?
Well, I’m Erin, as you know. I’ve been working on Zoey since Season 1, and so I’ve gotten to know everybody really well, and it’s really a wonderful experience. I’m in school, just like all of you guys. I take dance and I enjoy singing. I enjoy hanging out with my friends, just like any of you.

When did you start acting?
I first started acting when I was just nine years old. Actually, it’s kind of a funny story. People ask me if I always dreamed about doing this when I was little. Actually, I’d never really thought about it. I was selling Girl Scout cookies with my mom in my grandma’s apartment building, and we knocked on this one guy’s door, and I told him the names and descriptions of all the cookies. He said he thought I spoke well and his friend worked with an agency. So he gave my mom his friend’s card, because she is the parent and I was only nine, and things just worked out.

What was your first acting job?
My first acting job was a commercial for DirecTV. It wasn’t even a commercial for TVs, actually. It was to be shown in WalMart on the closed circuit TVs in the stores. But I was so excited when I booked it; It was the first audition I went out on. My mom and I went to WalMart and, when we saw it on the TVs there, I started jumping up and down, saying, “I see myself, I see myself!” People thought I was crazy, but I had a blast.

What is your favorite thing you have acted in before? Why?
I worked on a short film called Never Never. I actually really enjoyed working on that, because I was the lead character. There wasn’t much speaking, but there was a lot said without any words spoken at all. I got to work with a bunch of dogs and this really cool environment on location, where they built all this awesome stuff. Another one that you might have heard of is a TV show called Carnivale. It was on HBO, and I believe it ran for two seasons. I was recurring on that and did a few episodes. It was similar to the short film, in that it was a dark show. It was really fun to work on, especially because I had to play the younger version of Amy Madigan and they had to make me look like her. So I wore blue color contacts, and they painted freckles on my face and arms and gave me red hair. It was a blast.

Do you enjoy working on Zoey 101?
So much. It’s such an amazing experience. It’s really great, and playing such a crazy character as Quinn is always fun. Then there are also the people I work with. The kids are not only amazing actors and just wonderful to work with on the show, but we’re also really close and good friends. I think that definitely adds to the chemistry on camera. Then there are all the writers, producer and directors. Everybody on Zoey is wonderful.

What is your favorite part about working on Zoey 101? Why?
Definitely the people I’ve gotten to meet. I want to do acting for as long as possible, but one thing that will always stick with me is the people that I’ve met and the experiences that I’ve had.

Who are you closest to on set?
There’s no way I could pick just one person. We’re all really close.

What are your hobbies other than acting?
I enjoy dancing and take dance classes. I also enjoy singing.

So you and Amy Castle are pretty good friends, right? How long have you been friends with her?
About 5-1/2 years, and going strong, I love Amy so much, and we have the best time together.

Tell us a little about your family!
I don’t have the biggest immediate family. I have my mom and my dad, who support me in my acting so much, which is wonderful, and I have my grandmas. Actually, one of my grandmas used to take me to set in seasons 1 and 2. My parents would switch off, and my grandma also liked to visit set. Now that we’re filming in Santa Clarita, it’s a bit too far of a drive for her. I have other family, obviously, but my immediate family are my two parents, my Grandma Laura, and my Grandma Sonia. They all support me in what I do, which I think is really important.

Are you and your mother pretty close?
I’m closer with her than anybody. We can talk about anything. She’s just one of my friends. We can go and hang out and just do stuff together, and we have a blast. I’m really lucky to have a relationship like that with my mom.

Do you still go to a regular school or no?
I’ve actually never gone to a regular school. I’ve been homeschooled my whole life. I suppose I have nothing to compare it to, but I really do enjoy being homeschooled, because I get to be around my parents so much. It’s also good with my schedule, and it works out very well with acting, because there’s no hassle doing my schoolwork on set.

What is your favorite part about being an actress? Why?
Playing different characters and different people that I never would have been normally in real life, to get to experience all kinds of different things. I just think it’s wonderful.

What is your least favorite part about acting? Why?
Getting up early, definitely. It’s tiring to wake up that early. On a regular job, I don’t think I would have to be quite as instantly awake. I wouldn’t know. But, with acting, I have to be wide awake as soon as I get there, and have to do a scene as though it were the middle of the day and I’m full of energy.

If you could give aspiring actors a piece of advice what would it be?
Stay true to yourself. I know that sounds really cheesy. But, if you start out small and go big, don’t let it go to your head. Keep everything in perspective. Have fun with it. Don’t do it if someone else is pushing you to do it and you’re not into it. And don’t get too competitive about it. It’s a crazy world, doing acting, and everyone is in competition. Stay cool about it, and have other things that are important to you.

Anything you want your fans to know?
I want you all to know that I’m very, very grateful that you watch the show and enjoy it so much because, without you guys, we wouldn’t be going on for a third season like we are right now. Thank you so much for allowing me to be able to have this wonderful experience. I hope you like Season 3 of Zoey. I think it’s going to be really good.