I've been acting since I was 5 years old, from primary school to secondary school, did training at drama school, which was the big thing for me because they trained me, put me out into the industry.
Kellan Gillis was the first celebrity that I worked with - that didn't hurt. Working out after that with Jennifer Lopez was huge in terms of just the platform it gives you. So I think when you get those opportunities, you have to be respectful of them, and you have to try not to just cash out.
I probably wouldn't be acting if I didn't grow up in Hollywood.
I did a whole lot of work before taking up my first movie. From TV commercials to Telugu films, I learnt a lot from them all.
From being in the industry as a teenager, I'm so used to getting makeup done all day.
At 16 years old, I was signed to my very first modeling agency. That was my first real introduction to the entertainment industry. It really opened my eyes to a world that was available to me.
As I got older, I had a bunch of friends that were various teen stars. I've always known people in the spotlight and people who just grew up in LA and had nothing to do with the industry.
I think the process of 'I Love It' becoming such a big song opened my eyes to sides of the industry that I'd never been aware of, which I wasn't so into.
But I grew up in a place where no one knew anyone in the entertainment business, I never knew it was an actual career. The closest I ever got to movies was going to watch them, and I thought that's the way it would be, so I never considered working in this business.
People recognize me, I have scripts, and auditions. And I meet great people.
My mom used to work for Coach and Louis Vuitton, in retail. So, I've always been around it. I've always had that connection. Always.
I've been on sets my whole life.
Working in this industry, I have been exposed to so many products and now realize more than ever how cruel and unnecessary animal testing is.
My dad's a lighting director. Growing up in Hollywood, I was around the entertainment industry all the time. I knew I'd end up in show business in some capacity, eventually.
It was strange, especially because all of the projects I did when I was young, I was always the youngest on set or the only child, so I spent my formative years hanging out with 24-year-olds when I was 13.
Such a big part of acting is getting your face out there and getting recognized.
The way you get your script to the right people is that you put it in an envelope. It's easy. The difficult bit is writing something that is so good people will take a punt on a brand new writer.
The Oscar buzz when I was nominated was totally overwhelming. I think I can cope with anything now that I've coped with that. It was huge. It makes you realize, coming from a small country like Australia, what an enormous industry it is in America.
I feel like I kind of earned my stripes working with The Stereotypes. It was maybe my 6th songwriting session I've ever been to, and they just gave me and a writer I used to write with 3-4 tracks and kinda just let us come up with whatever.
It's a very good thing for students also to be exposed to people who aren't film students or film scholars but who work in the world of film.
I didn't know fashion or any of that until the label gave me a stylist.
Normally, if I'm being acknowledged it is for something in front of the camera. This puts the spotlight on the fact that there are opportunities other than just being an actor.
Real to Reel is a rare opportunity for new filmmakers to screen their work for industry insiders.
When you become a pageant winner, you become a known face. So, winning a pageant helps us in making inroads into the industry.
I've been working in music since I was a little kid. I would do background singing in my dad's studio all the time when I was a kid. I went to label meetings when I was pretty young, and obviously my goal was, like, 'No, we're gonna hold off.'
