Courtesy of Justis Bolding
Over chatting with Justis about her new fan club, she was kind enough to take some extra time out to talk with me today and to give the fans a little insight into what makes her character tick, what it’s like to work with such an extensive cast, and Justis’s life outside of One Life to Live, including her love of dogs…
Amy: Before landing the part of Sarah, what were you doing and how did you feel about taking on a recast role?
Justis: "I had moved to LA about 6 months before and was just auditioning away. And going to class to keep things fresh. And getting plans together to start training dogs. I had no idea the role of Sarah was a recast until I got the script. I remember very vaguely a girl who looked NOTHING like me playing a singer (Flash) on OLTL a few years back and I honestly thought my chances were very slim."
Amy: Were you a regular viewer of OLTL before joining the cast?
Justis: "No, unfortunately I was not. I had watched it once or twice but never followed it or knew the characters."
Amy: With your character getting ‘close’ to Cristian (David Fumero), is it weird filming the scenes seeing as his real-life fiancée’ Melissa Gallo (Adriana) is also on the show?
Justis: "Melissa is an awesome chick and everyone is mature about the whole thing. It's just part of the job."
Amy: You’ve done a wonderful job making the part of ‘Sarah’ your own! Was there anything special you did to prepare for the character’s comeback?
Justis: "Thank you! Actually, I was cast on a Friday and had to start work that Monday. So I basically had to move across the country and memorize 13 episodes of dialogue over that weekend!"
Amy: Recently, ‘Sarah’ brought Timbaland to Capricorn! How’d it feel to mix work with fun? If you had to describe the rap icon in five words or less, what would you tell us about Timbaland?
Justis: "Oh man the Timbaland day was a BLAST! Although my job is so awesome I get to mix work with fun EVERY day. While the director/producer/crew were setting up the shots he was goofing around singing- he kept trying to make everyone laugh! I would describe him as 1. talented 2. intelligent 3. charismatic 4. laid back 5. down-to-earth"
Amy: Is there anyone on the cast who you knew personally before coming to the show? Who have you started to make friends with?
Justis: "No, I didn't know anyone before I started working on the show, but everyone has been wonderful. The cast is such a genuinely nice group of people. I have hung out with BethAnn[Talia], Bree [Jessia], and Melissa Archer [Natalie], as well as Tika [Layla], Melissa Gallo [Adriana], John Brotherton [Jared], and David Fumero [Cristian]outside of work. It's a very social cast. I can honestly say I like everyone I work with!"
Justis as Sarah (Soaps.com)
Justis: "Commercial voiceovers are pretty quick- like a wham, bam, thank you ma'am experience. You're in and out within 3 hours and then you don't hear much from them. Sometimes I don't even hear the spots when they air. But Halo 3 was a much more personal experience. They flew me up to Seattle and gave me a tour of their offices. I got to meet the guy who was making my character and see the computer prototype. It was pretty cool. And the game required 2 sessions of recording. The guys at Bungie (where they make the game) are more interested in maintaining a relationship. They just sent me a copy of the game and an "I heart Master Chief" t-shirt. Now I just need to find an X-Box!"
Amy: We’re happy to see you have a new fan club! What can fans expect to take part in when joining?
Justis: "Oh Amy it's very top secret!! Well of course you'll get an autographed picture. You will be privy to updates from yours truly, be invited to any exclusive fan events, and I know there's more that my fan club presidents are throwing in there. They kind of want to keep it on the down low. ;)"
Amy: I know you have a passion for helping homeless dogs and you’re a member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers. Have you ever adopted a dog of your own? If so, would you like to share what its life entailed before you came to its rescue?
Justis: "I bought my dog from a backyard breeder six years ago when I knew nothing about rescue. A backyard breeder is a person who just decides to breed their own personal dog without researching lineage and properly adhering to breed standards. I assumed the only dogs one could get in a shelter were older mixed breeds. I have since learned that 1. older mutts are GREAT and 2. you can get just about any breed you want through rescue. People buy dogs and then just give them away because they have no idea how much work the dogs need. I've worked with beautiful purebred dogs that were rescued from a breed rescue and given up because they need more exercise than the owner was aware- resulting in damages and trouble inside the home. I think a majority of dogs in shelters have not been "abused" per say, but just not socialized properly and not given the lives they deserve. After all the work I've done with dogs, I know I can never buy a dog again."
Soaps.com wants to once again thank Justis for stopping by to chat! To learn more about Justis and her career, feel free to visit her Official Fan Website at Justis Bolding Fan Club.com!
