Gabrielle Christian Interview, January 2010
Gabrielle, I thought you and the fans might like to
know that you’ve received more Fan Questions than
anyone since we’ve been doing these interviews!
Wow. I'm honored, thanks so much! However, not sure
if the fans are more excited about Spencer or ME! Spencer
was a pretty cool chick, ya know. :0)
What have you been doing since the show?
Professionally, I have guest starred on a few series
like CSI Miami, Numb3rs and Maeve Quinlan's web-series
3-Way. I also just finished shooting an indie film called
Girltrash! based on the web-series Mandy Musgrave and
I shot in 2007 with the amazing Angela Robinson. Check
out: http://www.girltrashallnightlong.com/
for more info!
Personally, well, most importantly, I got married last
July of 2009! I married my best friend and boyfriend
of 4 years, Justin Mentzer, who served our country as
a United States Marine Corps infantryman, serving 3
deployments to Iraq! He has now, luckily, completed
his USMC term and is an EMT in an Emergency Room here
in LA. He also plans to go to Nursing School in the
fall. I am very proud of him.
I also started going back to school about 2 years ago,
and have become really involved with my two non-profits:
SIDSES and FAIR Fund.
What are you doing now?
Currently, I am not filming any acting gigs. However,
my hubby and I will be spending our Honeymoon in Europe
this upcoming May, for the entire month! We plan to
visit London, Paris, Rome and Amsterdam!
How did you get into acting?
Well, I started dancing on stage at 3 years old- tap,
jazz, ballet. Then, at 9 years old, I was cast in my
first musical THE WIZ. I was the most excited munchkin
ever! Then, at 12, I got a manager and agent, and have
been working professionally ever since (much thanks
to my mom, who dedicated so much of her time to hauling
around a minor, ha!) In fact, my mom and I even founded
our own theater company to bring more opportunities
to kids acting in my hometown- the Cheverly Young Actors'
Guild is in fact still continuing to thrive to this
very day!
For those who don’t know, do you have
public Myspace, Facebook, and/or Twitter accounts? If
so, what are they?
I currently do not use any form of public/social networking,
however, I have in the past. And I am very honored to
have had some fans make fan pages for me, thank you
thank you!
Do you have a Fan-Mailing Address, and/or a
way for fans to get your autograph or an autographed
picture of you?
Yes, you can write to my agency at The Osbrink Agency;
Attn: Gabrielle Christian; 4343 Lankershim Blvd Suite
100, Universal City, CA 91602
How’s married life?
Wonderful.
How’s your dog, Izzy doing?
Just great! We are very lucky to finally have a healthy
dog on our hands! Poor Buddy Jr. :(, our last dog who
died 2 years ago from liver/kidney failure. Rest in
Peace lil Buddy.
If it’s not too difficult could you please
tell us about your late brother Christian, and what
SIDS is so that we can better understand why you care
deeply about it?
SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) is the sudden death
of an infant that is still very confusing to the medical
world. A baby simply dies in their sleep, and there
is no current procedure (or enough medical research)
to putting an official end to SIDS. My brother, Christian,
died from SIDS when he was only 2 months old (I was
7). My mom has since dedicated her life to SIDS, in
both grief counseling and publishing a book called the
"SIDS & Infant Death Survival Guide,"
educating people on what we DO know about SIDS and how
to deal with the loss of a child. Please visit www.sidssurvivalguide.org
for more information.
What about Fair Fund? What is it, and what
motivated you to get involved?
The character I played on South of Nowhere was actually
a motivating factor for me being a spokesperson for
FAIR Fund! FAIR Fund essentially deals with young girls
and women who have been abused or neglected in some
domestic/social/political way, and helps these women
learn to empower themselves and turn around their social
stigmas. To me, Spencer Carlin set a perfect example
of a young girl who had to fight against social odds
to make the world a better place. And I'm just too grateful
that Andrea Powell (the founder of FAIR Fund, and one
of the best friends I have ever had), recognized this
and asked me to be their spokesperson.
Do you work with any other charities besides
Your Mother’s SIDS organization, and Fair Fund?
I am a very loyal advocate of rescuing animals (particularly
a fan of the East Valley Animal Shelter here in LA),
and have also recently contributed to the Help Haiti
crisis.
Can you tell us how we can donate to your causes?
Oh yes, please do! Even $5.00 can make SUCH a difference,
and is SO appreciated. My mom's site is www.sidssurvivalguide.org
(you can also contact her directly at sidses@aol.com,
her name is Joani Horchler), and for FAIR Fund, please
visit www.fairfund.org (or email Andrea Powell at apowell@fairfund.org).
You’ve gotten to travel a lot for work,
your charities and of course pleasure; Where is your
favorite place you have traveled to and why?
Serbia was one of the most educational and powerful
places I have ever visited. In fact, in August of 2007,
my husband, Andrea Powell and I went to Serbia to shoot
a documentary on our Serbian FAIR Fund girls. I even
got my friend Samantha Farinella (from the N/Teen Nick)
to shoot our documentary for us! It was just an incredible
experience to get to finally meet some of our survivors,
and to realize that although they had been victimized
at some point in their lives, they are very happy to
share their story, and very strong to be able to empower
themselves (and the rest of us) by doing so!
I heard that last year that you started going
back to college is that correct?
Yes I did start going back to college about a year
and a half ago. However, I took this current spring
semester off in order to travel and audition! I actually
went to the University of Pittsburgh right out of high
school at 18, but left after the first year to come
out to LA. Then, at 23, I started back up again at Pasadena
City College! I am now veering towards a sociology degree
so that I can be a social worker (continuing my non-profit
involvement, etc).
What was it like being in The Fray’s
"How to Save a Life" video?
It was so exciting! It's actually funny, because when
I showed up to set I had no idea what these guys looked
like (I had just, obviously, heard them on the radio,
but had no idea what they LOOKED like). Then, me and
Matt Cohen started hanging out with them in their trailer
and I was like "...Oh, this is them! This is the
band! They are so hot!" Hahaha!
Since you’re half Hungarian on your father’s
side and speak the language fluently, could you please
tell us how to say South of Nowhere in Hungarian?
Del el Shehova!
What made you want to be a part of South
of Nowhere?
Initially, I was just excited to audition for a role
that had such depth and intellect! It is, obviously,
quite rare for Hollywood to set such a good example
for its young women, and I thought Spencer was just
inspiring. Then, when I started getting callbacks and
screen tests, and was cast in the PILOT, I was like,
"Wow, this can't be real."
In the interview with Tom, he talked about
how he didn’t pick you up right away after the
pilot, but instead kept having you re-audition because
had to make sure that the combination of you and Mandy
was perfect. What were your thoughts at the time, and
how did you feel once you knew you had the role?
Well, I believe that Tommy didn't necessarily answer
this question correctly in the first place. The funny
thing is he had me read for Ashley Davies just as many
times as he had me read for Spencer! Weird, right? However,
after we shot the pilot, I guess there was some confusion
in how they wanted to portray Spence, so it took about
an 8 month holding period until I finally got the call
that I got the part.
Did you want to do a fourth season? If so,
what do you think would have taken place during it?
Heck yea, I did! We all did! However, I was most excited
about getting to see the trials and tribulations of
college life, and especially Spencer's perspective as
a lesbian adult.
Would you be interested in playing Spencer
Carlin again in a South movie if there ever
is one?
Are you kidding me, of course! Will someone please
just write the script already? :0)
Many who watched the show were or perhaps still
are trying to figure out their sexuality. Did you ever
wonder about it when you were younger?
I definitely get that, and I am of course no different!
I actually had a huge crush on a girl in high school,
but we were just friends. I also find women to be just
beautiful, elegant, striking, etc. However, sexually,
I am into men. But I do agree that it may take a lifetime
for someone to figure out what they truly want, and
can take even longer for someone to actually come out.
It's scary, I get it!
What advice would you give someone who’s
struggling with there sexuality like, Spencer?
Talks to someone you trust, don’t internalize.
And if you don't want to open up to a friend or family
member, please open up to a professional. In fact, the
TREVOR PROJECT is an organization that I highly recommend.
What is the most moving story a South of Nowhere
fan, has told you about how the show affected them?
I have received quite a few very sad letters from kids
who have contemplated suicide due to being gay, however,
most of these letters have ended up being "thank
you's" to Spencer for saving their lives.
What do you miss most about South of Nowhere?
Living out the dreams and ambitions of Spencer, and
my fellow cast mates whom I miss so much!
Did South change you as a person?
If so, it what way?
Yes, it opened my eyes to being more open to the world
and its social injustices. Overall, it motivated me
to make a difference in whatever way I am able.
Fan Questions
Out of all of the episodes, and webisodes,
what was your favorite S.O.N. moment? - Mrs_MusgraveTNG
First season, first episode. I love when Ash and Spence
met for the first time and experience such a powerful
love at first site.
Does it ever concern you that because the role
you brought to life has taken on such importance in
many lives, that it may prove detrimental to your career
by following you, as a considerable number of your fans
have a difficult time accepting/acknowledging the separation
between you and Spencer? - meech1354
Oh no, I am very honored to have played Spencer and
to have made somewhat of a difference.
What is one project or moment that has changed
your life or made an impact with you? - caliwilson7
- Twitter
Losing my baby brother and marrying a former Marine
has definitely made me appreciate life to the fullest.
While doing S.O.N. did you ever feel that you
were going to be a role model, and looked up to by many
people who have watched it? – adreamynorm
- Twitter
Yes, I did indeed feel inkling that this could happen,
and it's what honestly drove me to do the best job I
could possibly do.
Who has had the greatest impact on your life,
and what have you learned from them? - nmk1124
- Twitter
My parents are obviously my lifeline and have set the
world's greatest examples for me. However, my mom's
dedication to my career as an actress has had such an
impact on my overall success on accomplishing my dreams!
I read in an interview that you did not like
the final webisode. What would you have done differently?
- ru2013 - Twitter
Honestly, I personally would not have ended our series
in a webisode. I just believe that better justice would
have been served if we had been given the opportunity
to shoot just one last season.
How is it working with Mandy Musgrave?
- MichieKQR- Twitter
Mandy's adorable, fun, loving, sensitive, she was a
great balance for me on set, both personally and professionally.
And apparently, we have great on-screen chemistry, ha!
:0)
When looking back on S.O.N., was there any
storylines you would have wanted done differently?
- Faith865 - Twitter
Just would have changed that "webisode finale"
BS, hahaha.
If you could be any other celebrity who would
you be and why? - SGGrace1986 - Twitter
Angie Jolie for her power in the charity world and
Rachel McAdams talent-wise.
What was your favorite season of S.O.N. to
shoot, and why? - AshFan92
First season was hands down the best. I loved the authenticity,
grittiness and truth.
Do you, or have you ever read South of
Nowhere Fan Fiction? - aowheels1
Yes, I have in the past! Wish we could have had some
of you write us a 4th season! :0)
What is your all time favorite song? -
tomboy1908
The Way You Look Tonight, Sinatra.
What is your favorite book, or series of books,
if you have one? - IHEARTSON
Currently, anything by Miguel Ruiz. "The Four
Agreements" and "The Voice of Knowledge"
are his best hands down, very inspiring and life-altering.
What was your favorite moment in Dawson’s
Creek revolving your favorite character? –
Cthescientist - Twitter
I really loved Andie and her quirky mannerisms. Also,
the storyline of Andie's unstable mental condition really
hit home for me. I think every teenager goes through
a period where it is just so difficult to feel stable,
and I loved that Andie eventually overcame her disease.
Also, so funny that I just met James Van Der Beek a
few nights ago at my friends wedding! Gosh, I loved
that show. Although, Pacey was totally hotter than Dawson.
:0)
Do you have any hidden talents? -
SpencerChristian
I can touch my tongue to my nose!
What did you do on set? Do you have any funny
stories from your down time on the South of Nowhere
set? – BrandonJohnLee – Twitter
There was quite a lot of burping and farting on set,
hahaha. Not that I ever contributed to such indecencies,
of course! :0)
Do you enjoy working on GirlTrash!
More than you liked South, or do you just like them
equally? – JulietMStarlite - Twitter
Oh man, both were equally as fun. Although, South definitely
made a greater impact on me personally.
If you could travel to any place in the world,
where would u go, and why? - spencerFAN1
Tibet, for meditation, world peace and Mount Everest.
Can you tell us when GirlTrash! will
be released? – SouthShelby
We are hoping for Sundance Film Festival January 2011!
Do you ever have random reunions with the cast
& crew of SON? – RichiRIOT -
Twitter
Ha, all the time! I just hung out with Val, Mandy and
Matt at my latest fundraiser for FAIR Fund. Check out
our pics at http://www.miandmo.com/4_15_Fair_Fund/.
Maeve Quinlan and I have also done a lost of host/MC
type gigs for GLADD, TREVOR PROJECT and POWERUP.
What do you value most in other people?
jbj0469
Honesty, patience and hard work.
Who is your favorite band? - CaptainJaxHavok
– Twitter
Ahh, toss up between Black Eyed Peas, Green Day and
Incubus!
Do you have any final words for the fans?
Thank you so much for continuing to support my career!
It is YOU guys that REALLY make a difference in Hollywood
and the motivation we have as actors. God bless and
love to each and everyone of you, Gabrielle. :0)
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