Q&A: Student stars reflect on fame

Three students — Sarah Traina, Diana Alvarado Isguerra and Savannah Green — talked to Falcon reporters about how they got their start in the entertainment business. Traina began hair modeling with her first photoshoot in October this fall. Following her first fashion show at only 2 years old, Isguerra has continued to model quinceanera dresses. Green was cast on a TV show on a Filipino channel in middle school.

 

Sarah Traina, 11 (hair model):

 

Q: What is one of your most memorable experiences modeling?

 

A: [At] the first photo shoot, the one I did in October, there was a really famous photographer: Gary Lyons. We got along very well. He thought I was a lot older than I really was, so he was talking about moving me to L.A. and giving me a model roommate and doing shoots in L.A., but when he figured out I was only 16 at the time, he was like ‘OK, maybe not, but you should definitely get an agent and look more into it.’ It sounded very affirming for my first photoshoot.

 

Q: So do you think you will do it in the future then?

 

A: I really hope so. I’ve done a couple [of] shoots since then — all hair modeling  — but my hair is kind of dead now. I’m hoping to transition into more commercial modeling, but with school and acting and everything else I do, [modeling] is probably going to be more of a summer thing.

 

Diana Alvarado Isguerra, 12 (dress model):

 

Q: How did you get into modeling?  

 

A: There [was] this academy for little girls who wanted to get into modeling, so the owner of [the] modeling [academy] told my mom and me [as] we were shopping, ‘Oh I have this academy for little girls who might want try that.’ At first I was super confused, and he said [I could] think about it. Then I went home with my mom and we told my dad. It was a few weeks later, and we were like ‘OK, let’s give it a try.’

 

Q: What is one of your memorable experiences as a model?

 

A: My first fashion show. I used to be extremely shy. I went on the runway, and there were so many people and lights in my face. I was in shock, like, ‘Wait, I can’t do this.’ I was [thinking], ‘What am I going to do?’ I was super nervous, but then when I looked at the [audience] and they were all super happy and clapping, I went down. That’s when I realized I really liked it. I could totally see myself continuing with this.

 

Savannah Green, 12 (actress):

 

Q: How did you get the acting role and what was your role?

 

A: I did plays when I was younger, from kindergarten through seventh grade. Once I was in middle school, I started doing them outside of school and taking occasional lessons on the side. Then,

one of the directors that had worked with me many times before became a casting director for this new TV show [on the Filipino channel]. When they sent out the first casting call, they did not get the diversity they wanted, so they started recruiting specific people. The director recruited my friend and [me], and that’s how it got started.

 

Q: What was the experience on the show like?

 

A: For the first season, I was a background character, and then for the second season, I became the main character’s best friend. The experience was really interesting, but also very fun. I went to an actual TV set often after school for hours to film episodes.

 

Q: Do you think you will do it again at some point?

A: I do not plan to go back. It was fun while it lasted but I chose sports over acting and for me, that was the right choice.