[NYOTA Magazine ]
star power
Jillian Shea Spaeder Volume 25
from the editor
HELLO THERE, READER! In this Star Power issue, we have actress and singer Jillian Shea Spaeder on the cover. Spaeder got her start after moving from Philadelphia to Los Angeles and booking roles on shows like Disney
Channel's
currently
be
Walk
seen
in
The the
Prank.
She
Disney+
can film
Godmothered and has been releasing original music. I also got to have a quick chat with up and coming actor Lyon Daniels who can be seen in the Netflix original film We Can Be Heroes. I hope you enjoy reading the issue and are inspired to go after yourTRULY, dreams! YOURS
Carol Wright EDITOR IN CHIEF @_CAROL_WRIGHT
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contents 1. Editor's Letter 3. Get to Know Jillian
4. Jillian's PlaylistÂ
5. Star Power: Jillian Shea Spaeder
10. Â Jillian's Top Picks
11. Quick Chat: Lyon Daniels
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#StarPower
I used to play Little League softball (and sang the National Anthem on Opening Day a few times).
I used to get into trouble at school a lot for talking during class!
My first acting/singing role was as the planet Mars in an elementary school musical.
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My parents thought about making “Shea” my first name but thought “Shea Spaeder” sounded like a French restaurant.
Get to know Jillian
My favorite pretend pals growing up were my teddy bear Skippy and my baby doll Kelsey.
#NyotaMusic
Jillian's Playlist The Beatles // Yesterday The Beatles // A Day in the Life John Mayer // My Stupid Mouth Queen // Don’t Stop Me Now Harry Styles // To Be So Lonely The Wrecks // Favorite Liar The Band Camino // What I Want Taylor Swift // Cardigan Shawn Mendes // No Promises Ed Sheeran // New York
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#StarPower
#StarPower
Jillian Shea Spaeder Interview by Carol Wright | Photographer: Storm Santos
Jillian Shea Spaeder took a risk and moved from Philadelphia to Los Angeles to pursue an acting career. It's a risk that paid off and allowed her to star in shows like Walk The Prank and in movies such as Godmothered. Now, she is focusing on creating original music and cementing herself as a young talent to watch in Hollywood. We talked to Jillian about her single "3:43 am" and her advice for aspiring actors.
Growing up did you often put on performances? As a child, I loved putting on shows in my basement for my family and friends. I would spend all day rehearsing, making tickets, and setting up the “stage” and seats. Sometimes my friends would help, but usually, I was a one-girl production – ticket taker, usher, refreshment person, and of course the star of the show!
You moved from Philadelphia to Los Angeles to pursue acting. Were you nervous when you took this leap? I’ve lived in the suburbs of Philadelphia my entire life, so moving completely across the country was definitely scary. After meeting my manager, we went out to L.A. for pilot season in 2015, and that’s when I booked Walk the Prank. Once that happened, my parents thought it made more sense to move to L.A. but still plan to come back to Philly a few times a year to see my siblings. The show would be shooting in L.A., living there would give me more acting opportunities, and it would be convenient for my dad whose work is based in Northern California. Now, both L.A. and Philly feel like home to me.
Tell us a bit about your latest movie Godmothered. What about the movie interested you? Godmothered is about a young fairy godmotherin-training (Eleanor) who finds out her chosen profession is becoming extinct. Wanting to prove that people still need fairy godmothers, she heads to Boston to help a little girl whose letter she found. When she gets there, she realizes that the little girl is now a widowed mom of two girls. I play the older daughter, Jane, who is a gifted musician but has performance anxiety. Eleanor tries to help Jane and her whole family find their happily ever after. I was excited about this movie role because I got to sing and play guitar in the role.
Did you find there were similarities between you and your character Jane? Like Jane, I sing and write songs with my guitar, and we both channel our emotions into our music. But Jane has trouble singing in public, which I’ve never had trouble doing, and she’s introverted, which is the opposite of me. We do have one other similarity, though, and that’s believing in magic...I am a huge Harry Potter fan! 6
Outside of acting you also sing and create music and you covered the song “Rise Up” for Godmothered. Was it exciting to combine your two passions for the film? Jane really was a dream role for me. Filming Godmothered with such a talented and wellknown cast was already a pinch-me moment, but also being able to do three things that I love (acting, singing and playing guitar) made it even more special. And then singing “Rise Up” with a choir behind me was surreal.
Your song “3:43 am” was produced by Blue and your song “Worth My Time” was produced by Avenaim. What did you learn from working with them? I love working with both David and Mike, because they both have an incredible ear for production. David often has unique ideas for song arrangement, so when I’m writing the next song I try to think about how he might arrange it. And Mike is an incredible drummer, so he sometimes “hears” a rhythm that completely changes the tempo from what I originally wrote, and we end up with a cool, upbeat song instead of a ballad. They also both work with me as a peer, incorporating my ideas and changes into the music. I’ve been really fortunate with all my producers that way.
Do you have a certain process when it comes to songwriting? Often, if I’m in the mood to write, I actually sit in the car with my guitar. Sometimes it’s in the garage, and other times I drive somewhere and park. I guess that works for me because it’s quiet and there’s nothing around to distract me!
During the pandemic have you been focusing on learning new instruments or creating new songs? I haven’t learned any new instruments during the pandemic, but I did a lot of writing and recording. One song, “i don’t know,” I actually wrote and recorded the same day at home. Then my dad and I produced it (also at home!), and we released it a few days later. I also did a video for this song with my friend Lilia filming me from a safe distance.
What advice do you have for aspiring singers? Just sing! If it’s what you love to do, then sing as much as you can. Put yourself out there. Try to sing on a stage somewhere, or post yourself singing. Write music if you’re inspired. With the internet, you have lots of options for performing and sharing your voice!
Tell us about your original song “You and Me.” What inspired the lyrics? When I wrote “You and Me,” I didn’t have anyone specific in mind. I sometimes just think of writing from the perspective of a person experiencing something, even if it’s not something I’ve experienced personally. In this case, the person realizes she has been waiting too long for someone she loves to love her back the same way.
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#StarPower
#StarPower
Jillian's Top Picks Book: Harry Potter and the Order of The Phoenix
Movie: Silver Linings Playbook
TV Show: The Office
Fashion Trend: Fun socks
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#QuickChat
Lyon Daniels Interview by Alyssa Winn | Photographer: KatLee D. Photography
#QuickChat
You started your career early. Did a certain television show or movie spark your interest in acting? Well, I would have to say Jurassic Park because I’m a huge dino fanatic. When I saw that they made movies about dinosaurs it really got me excited and inspired!
Your new film We Can Be Heroes has been released on Netflix. Tell us about the movie and your character? We Can Be Heroes is an action-packed adventure where kids have to save the day from aliens. The Heroics all have wild and unique powers, but after a dire situation involving their parents taken under siege by an intergalactic foe, they need to fight back. A new girl comes along to help hone and direct the young heroes’ abilities. My character’s name is Noodles, he is stretchy, fun, friendly, and most importantly can be counted on to help save the day anytime you need him!
Your character in the film has superpowers. How did superheroes play a role in your life growing up? Were you a fan of superhero movies or comics? Superheroes played a big part in my creative process as I would daydream about being spider-man many times. I always loved reading and collecting comics when I was younger and still to this day. Seeing superheroes portrayed in art really inspired me and is what got me drawing superheroes. Finally, the time I met Stan Lee made me realize how much superheroes impacted my life with imagination, and to portray one is a huge honor. I whispered in Stan’s ear that “I was a true believer” too.
You have a passion for cinema; what has been the most influential movie you have ever seen that solidified your love for filmmaking? I’d have to say Django Unchained by Quentin Tarantino. I have seen all his films, but this one stood out to me. The grittiness and heavy dialogue scenes were beautiful and really something to take note of when writing scripts. Also, he is really respected as a filmmaker and I hope to get my status high just like his. One of the movies of his that took me back was The Hateful Eight, it’s just people in a cabin the entirety of the film and to make it interesting and captivating still is so amazing and challenging.
What advice do you have for aspiring actors? Well, you need to be able to handle rejection as this business is filled with that. You need to truly believe in yourself because if you don’t, how can anyone else? Also, don’t get high hopes about an audition because that will just make it hurt even worse if you don’t get it. I like to work hard and do my best on all of my auditions and then walk away once it is over and move on to the next. If you think about it too much, it will start to make you go crazy! Also, most importantly know that everything happens for a reason! I pilot tested for a big ABC television series, flew out to LA had a producer session, etc., and ended up not getting the part. I was devastated to come so close and not get it with a test contract and everything. However, with the support of my parents and my team of agents and managers, I picked my head back up and did my best job on my very next audition I got 4 weeks later for a Netflix film directed by Robert Rodriguez called…. We Can Be Heroes.
When you're not acting, what can we find you doing? Do you have any talents or hobbies that you hope to incorporate into a character one day? I do love acting, but I also hope to become a director one day. I have so many ideas jumbled in my mind that it’s hard to arrange them all. You can see me editing my own movies and going outside with my brothers or action figures and getting all my shots with my camera. I have major plans to go to film school after high school and hopefully get the rights to King Kong so I can film my own version and buy my own studio one day!
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NYOTA Magazine STAR POWER TEAM EDITOR IN CHIEF GRAPHIC DESIGNER
CAROL WRIGHT CAROL WRIGHT
COVER ACTRESS
Jillian Shea Spaeder
CONTRIBUTORS PHOTOGRAPHER
Storm Santos
PHOTOGRAPHER
KatLee D. Photography
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