On the Rise: an Interview with Ariana Greenblatt
Only five years into her career, Ariana Greenblatt is one of the busiest young actresses in Hollywood, having already been named one to watch on THR’s 2019 Young Hollywood list. She is poised to breakout this summer with her starring turn as ‘Julia’ in Disney+’s upcoming adaptation of the New York Times best-selling and Newbury Award winning novel, The One and Only Ivan, and her five movies that follow. She and a live action Bryan Cranston join a prolific voice cast featuring Helen Mirren, Danny DeVito and Sam Rockwell in the Angelina Jolie produced family film about a gorilla trying to escape captivity out worldwide on August 21st.
Best known for stealing the show as ‘Young Gamora’ in 2018’s biggest film, “Avengers: Infinity War,” Ariana also made her mark in STX’s “Bad Moms Christmas” in 2017 and on the dancefloor as a finalist in ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars Juniors“ in 2018. Later this year she will star with Gina Rodriguez in Netflix’s “Awake” while next year she will be seen in Paramount’s “Monster Problems,” Warner Brothers’ “In the Heights,” two yet to be announced DreamWorks projects and a starring role in a second Netflix film. She most recently voice acted the role of ‘Velma’ in Warner Brothers’ PVOD hit, “Scoob.”
[UNPUBLISHED:] Tell us about yourself.
[ARIANA:] My name is Ariana Greenblatt. I am 12 years old, 13 next month, and I’m an actor, animal lover, artist, and pottery enthusiast.
[UNPUBLISHED:] How did you first get into acting?
[ARIANA:] Let's see, I actually started off as a dancer back in Parkland, Florida. I really wanted at the time to be on Broadway. That is how I found my manager. One summer I went on a family vacation to LA and my manager set up a couple of general acting auditions. I was only six at the time so I really didn’t know what this type of stuff was, so I wasn’t nervous. I just thought I was meeting new people. That general meeting turned into 3 auditions which, to everyone's surprise, turned into 3 bookings including the role of Daphne Diaz on Stuck in the Middle. And my journey with acting began!
[UNPUBLISHED:] What is your favorite role you’ve played?
[ARIANA:] They are all so different and special to me but I’d have to say my upcoming role as Matilda in the Netflix Original Awake was so awesome. This role really pushed me and shows an emotional range and it is very action packed which is something I’ve never done before. It was so much fun. Of course Julia in The One and Only Ivan too because she’s very inspiring, especially to younger girls and for me specifically because she’s an animal lover just like I am. She also loves art just like I do. I got to meet such amazing people, live in England for a few months and just learn from the other actors on set, including Thea Sharrock who is the director. She’s really inspiring and lovely.
[UNPUBLISHED:] How has being on Disney Channel influenced you and your life so far?
[ARIANA:] I’ve always loved Disney Channel. I watched it all the time when I was younger. Doing Stuck in the Middle on Disney Channel taught me everything especially hard work and dedication. It was really like a crash course on storytelling and filmmaking for me. I was very young when I started Stuck and unlike everyone else in the cast I had never done anything in Hollywood. It was all new to me. I just followed my instincts and put a lot of trust in the people. I'm really proud of that show and that time. I also learned the impact you can make on other people’s lives because when I first started out I didn’t expect to change anyone’s lives or inspire anyone. People would come up to me and say things like, “You’re so inspiring” and “You made me want to act”. That is crazy to experience. I haven’t gone anywhere in the world without someone coming up to me and telling me how much they loved that show and Daphne in particular. I'm proud of that.
[UNPUBLISHED:] How was the transition from working on Disney Channel shows to feature length films such as A Bad Moms Christmas and Avengers: Infinity War?
[ARIANA:] They felt very different. For sitcoms on Disney Channel you shoot it quickly. It's a very full weekly schedule of banking school hours, wardrobe fittings, table reads, and shooting. When it comes to movies, such as A Bad Moms Christmas, you can take your time and get it perfect. You can experiment more with the ways you do certain takes. In a movie you can work for some time and then have time off. On Stuck, the days were always filled with something. I love the pace of both. I like to stay busy.
[UNPUBLISHED:] What is the biggest difference between TV shows and films?
[ARIANA:] Movies take a longer time, maybe 2-3 months, but with TV shows you film an episode every week and it took many months to shoot out a season. You have the table read and the rehearsals and because I’m a child actor it goes even quicker. I have school in between all of those things so I have to go as fast as I can. With movies you can take your time and experiment with the directors and writers about how you can form the scene you are working on. It’s a much slower pace. When it comes to drama it’s more intense and reactive but when it’s comedy, like Disney Channel, it’s more about timing and impulse.
[UNPUBLISHED:] What was your experience on Dancing with the Stars Junior?
[ARIANA:] I had literally just finished filming The One and Only Ivan in England when they offered me the opportunity so I went right into it which, in retrospect, was a little crazy but it was still summer and I didn’t have school so I thought “Let's do it!” It was something I had never done before. There was so much pressure. It was so stressful and nerve wracking, but also so exciting. There is a lot of choreography to remember and practice especially the further you advance. Going on stage and performing live, then having to run to the judges and see what they had to say, it was definitely crazy but also very fun. I got to meet Brandon Armstrong, who was my mentor, and Artyon Celestine, who was my partner. He was amazing and it was so much fun. Performing in front of a large, live studio audience was something very new to me and we always had just the one take; the one shot to make an impression. It's intense. My goal was to make it to the finals, which I did! So mission accomplished.
[UNPUBLISHED:] How do you balance work with school and your personal life?
[ARIANA:] Having balance is definitely number one for me. I have to have balance in my life, that’s the key. School has always been the #1 priority for me no matter what I am doing but also finding other interests outside of acting is equally important. You have to have those other interests that give you creative satisfaction. For me I discovered I really love doing pottery. I can lose myself in silence on the wheel shaping clay for hours. It keeps me sane. I go to a regular school when I'm not working on a set instead of homeschooling which I love. I don’t miss out on those little things like school trips and dances. Hanging out with my friends from school keeps me grounded and reminds me what’s normal.
[UNPUBLISHED:] How does going to school work for you?
[ARIANA:] I used to be homeschooled during Stuck in the Middle. It was a set school, which is when they say “cut”, I had to run up to the school room and try to get as much done as possible. Since Stuck, I’ve been in a small private school, which I enjoy much more because I like having a routine, a place to go in the morning, to meet friends, and actually having different school periods. My school is very flexible so if I have to go to Canada or anywhere else in the world for work they are definitely flexible. The curriculum is entirely online which also makes it really helpful. I also have my travel teacher who I use for every project. She was a teacher on the Stuck set and knows how I work. She’s like part of my extended family. Love her. Hi Trish!
[UNPUBLISHED:] What is next for you in your acting career?
[ARIANA:] I have a lot of projects waiting to come out because of Covid, which means 2021 is gonna be a lot of stuff! I have Monster Problems with Dylan O’Brien and Michael Rooker, In the Heights, I mentioned the Netflix Original Awake with Gina Rodriguez and of course The One and Only Ivan which will stream on Disney Plus on August 21. It’s a very beautiful movie. I have 3 more projects on the way too that I can’t wait to announce!
Credits
Black Dress – Fendi
Multicolored Dress - Coach
Photographer - Tiziano Lugli
Stylist - Zadrian Smith
Hair Stylist - Paul Norton
Make-Up Artist - Fabiola
Stylist’s Assistant - Patrick Lynere
