interviewing: Olivia Chan

Renouveau Media got the chance to interview Olivia Chan, an up-and-coming actress and model based in London. You may know her as Sofia from the Disney Channel series Penny on M.A.R.S., but actress Olivia Chan is making big moves in the acting industry.

Iuliana: Hey Olivia! How are you? It’s a great pleasure to have you as our guest on Renouveau Media. For those who are not familiar with who you are – tell us a bit about yourself.
Olivia: Hey, thank you so much for having me! I’m an actress/model living in London, but also I’ve recently been focusing more time on creative projects which hopefully I’ll be releasing soon!

Iuliana: What attracted you to begin a career as an actress? How did you start and how was your first experience in the industry?
Olivia: I actually feel like I fell into it a bit, I studied musical theatre but I ended finding myself in front of a camera. As I realised this is where I wanted my career to go, I noticed there were very few people who looked like me, and those I did see were normally a stereotype/token “bame” actor. I knew I wanted to be someone who represented those struggling to identify with their race through misrepresentation of minorities on tv and film and pave a new path for a new generation of actors from all different backgrounds.

Iuliana: What has been your most memorable project so far, and what was it like working with Disney?
Olivia: My most memorable project would have to be Disney! I’m still a newbie and Penny on MARS was the first big job I got and I have now filmed 3 seasons. It was definitely an eye-opening experience as a newcomer in the acting world but I had some of my best times on that show and made life long friends!

Iuliana: What was your funniest blooper?
Olivia: Oh I’ve had a lot of bloopers! One that always comes to mind was when I was actually just in the background not really paying attention and I realised I was staring straight down the camera! I don’t think anyone noticed…

Iuliana: Do you have a dream project in mind? Who would be your dream co-stars?
Olivia: There are so many roles I’d love to play in so many kinds of genres, but a dream of mine has always been to play a spy, and if Michael B Jordan so happens to be involved I wouldn’t be mad about it.

Iuliana: What’s the best and worst aspect of your job?
Olivia: Being able to create and tell stories in a visual, consuming and relatable way is why I do my job but it comes with a lot of rejection which can be difficult.

Iuliana: Where do you find your inspiration? Who is someone you look up to in the industry?
Olivia: You can find a lot of inspiration from simply observing but mostly from sharing stories, movies and life experiences. I can think of a list of actors and directors I look up to, but maybe Mj Rodriguez, Zendaya and Ni Ni off the top of my head!

Iuliana: Any passions or hobbies besides acting?
Olivia: I’ve always been into art, writing, music, dance, directing, etc… every kind of creative outlet there is aha. But then also randomly food, nutrition and I’m obsessed with nail tutorials on instagram!!

Iuliana: Moving forward, what advice would you give to aspiring actors?
Olivia: It sounds so cliché, but truly the best advice is don’t give up! You will get there, but make sure you’re doing research, going to classes, listening and learning, and mostly be patient. It’s not an easy industry to be in and even if you book a job there’s still a lot of work to be done, so always be observant and respectful.

Iuliana: Any upcoming projects you’d like to share with our fellow readers?
Olivia: Over lockdown, I spent time developing some ideas I’ve had as a creative director and played around with some music. I can’t wait to share it all but it’s still a work in progress so I’ll keep you posted!

Follow Olivia on Instagram here.