Lily Mae Silverstein is a beach girl from sunny California. Lily is known for her recurring roles as “Lydia the Weasel” in the Disney series BUNK’D and “Katie” on the Disney XD series “Walk the Prank.” Lily stars as “Penny” in the Nickelodeon/Warner Bros. July 2018 release of “Alex & Me” starring Alex Morgan (US Women’s National Soccer Team). When Lily is not acting, she’s behind the camera telling stories and creating films as a member of an award-winning cinematic arts program at her middle school.
Lily is passionate about animal pet rescue and has adopted two dogs, Marley and Buster. Every year since turning 5 years old, Lily and her friends collect donations and volunteer at various shelters to celebrate her birthday.
We had the wonderful opportunity to chat with Lily. Check out her interview below.
Hi, Lily! Thank you for granting the interview. It is a pleasure to speak with you about your career. Tell us what inspired your acting career.
I started acting from the young age of two because my mom was taking my brother around for auditions and I got to learn what the acting process was all about. I believe my brother was my inspiration because he loved working on projects. We have a friendly sibling rivalry which has pushed me to work harder. We go through the ups and downs of the industry together. Even though we have very different styles of acting, we try our best and support each other.
You have recurring roles as “Lydia the Weasel” in the Disney series BUNK’D and “Katie” on the Disney XD series Walk the Prank. Tell us more.
Lydia was one of the first real roles I booked on a recurring show. It is one of my personal favorites because I got to experiment so much with the character since we are not at all alike. Lydia is a very physical character. Playing her took a lot of energy but it was worth because the experience was amazing. I would have so much fun on set and I couldn’t have asked to work with a nicer cast. The stunts are an awesome bonus for me.
Katie the reporter has appeared three times on the show, which has also been amazing in developing her character as well. Katie is the absolute opposite of Lydia because she is overly happy and harmless to those around her. She will do anything to get the story. Lydia is feared by all and loves it. These characters have helped me learn to be versatile in my acting techniques and character development.
You star as “Penny” in the Nickelodeon/Warner Bros. July 2018 release of “Alex & Me” that stars Alex Morgan (US Women’s National Soccer Team). Tell us about your role and character.
Penny is a demanding player on the soccer field and is a natural leader when critiquing her teammates. She isn’t intentionally mean like Lydia, and not over-joyed like Katie. But, Penny is a unique character as well. She is not afraid to share her feelings about what others need to work on. She will never back down from a challenge, and will always be there for her team when it counts.
When you’re not acting, you’re behind the camera telling stories and creating films as a member of an award-winning cinematic arts program at your middle school. Tell us more.
Filmmaking is a way for me to express my opinions and how I’m feeling at the moment. Filmmaking is a way that I harness my creativity and experiment with techniques and storylines. I love working with stop motion and hope to do more of that in the future. My favorite part of the filmmaking process is screenwriting because it is a time where I finally put my ideas to paper and get the kinks worked out. I believe that my screenplays are where I am most proud of my work. Unfortunately, I will be leaving my middle school this year, but I plan to continue to make films in my free time.
What has been your biggest takeaway in career, thus far?
Sometimes, it gets really hard in this business because you feel like things aren’t going your way. But, if you work hard, even though the tough times, things will start looking up for you. The process can be very difficult, but you have to keep pushing through to see the light. Positivity is key.
How important is it for an actor to lend his or her voice to activism?
I am so glad that I was finally asked a question like this. I use my voice for activism with my films at the moment. But, for actors that have fans who are truly interested in their opinion, it is important to share it. Since I have a voice, it is important to share positive messages and share my beliefs because I can. It doesn’t matter if you are a child, an adult an elder, speak another language, have a different skin tone, and/or love any gender you can share your opinion through a platform that you make for yourself. Just remember that activism is the act of campaigning to bring about social or political change. It is not hate and should not be responded to with hate. We can all share our opinions, but for others who look up to us actors’ and creators’ opinions, it is respectful and riotous to at least share positive and beneficial output. So, to answer your question, it is extremely important to share positive views through activism right now– whether through filmmaking, marching at the capitol, or posting on social media our voices need to be heard.
If you could choose a role to play, what would it be and why?
If I could choose any role that I would love to play, it would probably Hallie/Annie from Parent Trap. It is one of my favorite movies and I love Lindsay Lohan’s performances of both girls. I believe it would have been a roller coaster being able to play two different characters, with two different locations, and reading to a double. I would have been so honored to play this role and showcase my versatility.
Thus far, what has been the best experience working in the industry?
My favorite experience in this industry so far has been filming Alex & Me. It was the longest time I’ve ever spent on a single project and I loved every second of working in New Orleans. The crew and cast were so incredibly nice and I had so much fun throughout the three weeks of filming. Every night was a play date filled with laughter and adventures. I got the chance to meet some amazing people in this movie, which was a dream come true. Getting to wake up and go through a day of fun working with people I love, makes me smile just thinking about it. Hands down my favorite experience working in this industry. #Blessed.
Do you have any upcoming projects that we haven’t mentioned?
I’m currently going through the process of getting closer to my next role (too soon to talk about now). In the meantime, I may pop up on an episode of Bunk’d. Make sure to go get Alex & Me, which is now available digitally and on DVD. It’s a super fun story everyone seems to love.
Complete this sentence, if I had an opportunity to do anything I want, I would do ___________.
If I had an opportunity to do anything I want, I would create a foundation to adopt dogs of all ages and take them out of kill shelters. I would also make a large donation to charities of my choice. These things may not be in the cards right now, but hopefully with hard work, I can make my goals a reality.
Connect with Lily:
IMDb: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2900737/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lilymaesilverstein/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/lilymaesilver
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LilyMaeSilverstein/
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