Ellarose Kaylor is a versatile entertainer. In addition to being an actress and singer, Ellarose is an accomplished ice skater. She’s recognized for her role as Ella in the Elizabeth Banks-produced YouTube web-series called “The Dab Off” and made her debut film cameo alongside Lauren Orlando and Hayden Summerall in ”Next Level”. We had the pleasure of speaking to her about her acting career, ice skating, and future projects.
Hi, Ella Rose! Thank you for granting the interview. Congratulations on your role in the film Next Level, now available for HD Download and On Demand. How was the experience of working with the director Ilyssa Goodman, the cast and crew?
I felt so lucky to make this film! It was a dream! Ilyssa was the sweetest director and she taught me a lot. She was always so kind and funny! The cast was amazing and we became one big family on set. I was the youngest one but everyone was super nice to me and never left me out. They were like my big sisters and big brothers! (I do have a great real big brother.) It was actually like we were at a real performing arts camp because we were there 12 or so days in a row, acting, singing and dancing! Plus we were always having fun, having meals together, launching, planning pranks, doing pranks, eating snacks and playing UNO!
Please tell us more about the film and your role?
Next Level is like Mean Girls meets High School Musical but set in a performing arts camp! It is about a group of girls that all go to Next Level Academy to compete for the title of “Miss Next,” an award given to the “most talented” camper. There is a basketball camp on the same campus and that is how the boys get involved. My character Josie is the youngest one and had to overcome some mean girls when she first arrived. She is befriended by Kelly (played by Lauren Orlando) who is super sweet to her and stands up for her. They support each other even though they are different ages. It shows how friends can come in all ages! I am actually true friends with Lauren and Emily and they are not my age but I just love them so much! I was so lucky because I got to perform two songs in the film and they are also on the soundtrack along with other cast members’ songs. I was a bit nervous at first when I found out I had to sing in the movie because I am not a trained singer but then I just realized that my character Josie is just learning too so I don’t need to sound perfect! That helped me have the confidence for singing in the role and now I LOVE to sing! The film promotes being kind to one another, even in the face of hard situations. It is a good movie to watch with your entire family or just your girlfriends!
You appeared on the YouTube show “The Dab Off” with Jamie Grace. Please tell us how you got the role?
My brother Jack and I met Jamie and watched her perform at a YouTube event. She was amazing! My brother and his friends were dabbing in the front row. (That is when it was popular to do!) AND Jamie noticed them. So afterward we all were chatting and traded numbers. Then a month or so later my mom got an email that Jamie wanted to meet me and my brother for her show. So we met. I got the role along with my brother but he didn’t want to do it so they cast someone else. It was really fun working with her. She was the director and actor! Then I was so excited to have her come do a cameo on the set of Next Level! It’s on YouTube!
You’re also a competitive ice skater. How did you get into ice skating and what are your ice skating ambitions?
About 3 years ago, I was skating at a pop-up Holiday Rink in Santa Monica and I could not skate. I met this girl and Alison and she was my age and an amazing ice skater. I asked her how she learned to skate so pretty and she told me where she took lessons. So…. I signed up! (We are friends to this day!) Then I was officially hooked. I then signed on with an AMAZING coach named Brianna and just practiced all the time. I started to complete and LOVED it and I started to place first, second, third…. It was really exciting! I do technical programs and character programs. I love the character programs mostly because I get to act AND skate! I then auditioned for the Fusion, the Synchronized ice-skating team and I am still on that team today! We won first at Nationals last year which was so exciting! This last US competition I skated my Madeline program for the last time and I was happy to finish strong with first place. Before that, I did the Trolley Song by Judy Garland – an old one but classic! My technical program is Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. I have not placed first with that one yet (only second and fourth) so I am working hard to get that one better. I also recently got cast in the Lion King on Ice! I am so excited for that show and skating with older kids! I play the little cub Nala! My skating ambitions are to be in theater ice teams or something like Disney on Ice. I would also love to be on a synchronized college team… perhaps UCLA!
You’re currently working on an album with producer Andrew Lane (High School Musical). What can you tell us about this project?
Andrew is so talented, kind and great to work with! We are working with some great songwriters (including Andrew) and have been working on my voice. Because I am a year older now my voice has changed and so we are recording some new songs for the album. We also will be doing collaborations with others. I love to sing with others. My best friend Reese Herron and I recorded two songs together. One was on the soundtrack of the film and the other one is coming out next month! It is really fun to make music with others and mix your voices!
Do you have anything else in the pipeline we can look forward to?
I just filmed an episode of Schooled for ABC. That was super fun. They are writing Next Level 2 so we should be making that soon and I just got cast in another film that is starting to shoot in January. I am working on the Holiday Ice Skating Show as I have 4 programs and a solo and I can’t wait for the Lion King to start!
So where can we keep up to date with your activities?
Please follow me on @Ellarosekaylor I love everyone on my Instagram! They are all so sweet and supportive! I love to talk to people and encourage them to follow their dreams. I love all the amazing edits people make on Instagram. Some of my followers are soooooo talented. I wish I could do everything they know how to do with photos. It is really cool.
Thank you! x
Photo credits
Ellarose Kaylor (Photo Credit Dawn Kingston)
Ellarose with Lauren Orlando ( Provided by Key Elements -Courtesy of Next Level Entertainment LLC)
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