Very few things are as inspiring to me as people who know exactly what they want to do from a young age, and then have actually gone and put the time and dedication it takes to make that dream come true. Today's interviewee is one such character: Enter Asian-Australian actress ALLEGRA TEO.

Hailing from Perth, Western Australia, Allegra is a young actress trained in stage, screen, and voice acting with additional musical training in singing, piano, and guitar from a very young age. Her talents haven't gone unnoticed, and already she's had her name billed in a veritable laundry list of leading roles in major musicals. More recently, Allegra has scored a role in Disney Channel/Disney+ exclusive production “The Curious Case of Dolphin Bay”, where she plays a Marine biologist intern called Jennifer who -alongside her friends and colleagues- must unravel a mystery surrounding unnatural changes occurring in the local reef.

Allegra was also cast as ‘Violet,’ a trouble teenager, in the lead role in the Australian feature film titled “Pieces,” directed by Martin Wilson, which is due for release in 2022.

1) Tell us about your start in acting.

I have always been drawn to acting, from a young age my cousin and I would always create shows from musicals of us lip syncing to our favorite songs for our family whenever we had family gatherings. When I was 11, I started attending a few different acting schools, and at one stage was attending classes at 3 different schools every week. I ended up choosing just to attend the Ali Roberts Studio, and it was here where I gained confidence, learned lessons that I still carry with me, challenged myself, and made friends for life. Through these classes, I realized how much I valued exploring different worlds where different characters with a range of experiences lived in. I still attend Ali Roberts Studio every Monday, doing stage and screen classes, as well as voice and accent classes and it is definitely a highlight of my week. Ali has always been so encouraging, supportive, and a great mentor for me.

2) What about your time with the Australian Midnite Youth Theater Company? What can you tell us about it and the experience you picked up with them?

I mainly stick to film acting so I wanted to branch out and learn more about the industry. I think it is important to have a well-rounded understanding of anything that you do and to lead with an open mind. I am so grateful that I was able to experience theatre and to have broadened my understanding.

3) Is it something that you’ve always sort of wanted or was it something you tried and then became more and more interested in as you got involved with it?

Acting is definitely something that I have always hoped to achieve as a career, I couldn’t imagine my life without it. Acting is my happy place and a creative outlet for me. Whilst acting in front of the camera is what interests me the most, I hope that one day I can be a part of what goes on behind the camera, whether that be directing or producing.

4) We often ask musicians who influenced their sound, and while it’s not *exactly* the same with acting, I still think you must have acting heroes that inspire you. Who are they?

Kristen Bell will always be my biggest inspiration because of how versatile she is, from playing a Disney princess to playing more serious roles to owning her business, she has achieved so much in her life. Zendaya and Millie Bobbie Brown are actresses who inspire me because at such young ages, they have produced projects that they have also starred in.

5) Tell us about how you got involved with “The Curious Case of Dolphin Bay”. What do you like best about this project?

I first got the audition for Jennifer through my amazing agent and as soon as I read my audition scenes, I immediately felt connected to Jennifer, I loved how bubby and empathetic she is. After submitting my self-tape for Jennifer, I was then requested to audition for the role of Daniela, it was very interesting being able to explore both characters and their differences. I was put on a stronghold for both characters for 2 months and then when I finally got the call saying that I got the role of Jennifer I was ecstatic that I was given the opportunity to bring this character to life. What I like best about this project is the underlying theme of marine biology, my favorite subject at school is science, so I love this aspect of the film.

6) What about your character in it, can you tell us about her?

Jennifer is a very kind-hearted character; she strives to see the best in people, and she will put them first before her. She is deeply empathetic and a very bubbly character who always has something nice or encouraging to say.

7) Being part of a Disney production can be both a great opportunity for rising young actors and even a career highlight for many veterans as well. Do you feel like Disney projects have a lot to offer you in the coming years? Which of their many franchises would you love to be a part of. What are your favorite shows/series right now?

If you had told my younger self watching the Disney channel, that someday she would see herself on that exact same screen she would have freaked out. I think growing up, it was everyone’s dream to be on Disney channel, and to say that I have been fortunate enough to turn that dream into a reality is one of the best things that has happened in my life so far. I would love to be a part of other Disney projects as there is something so magical about the world of Disney. When I was younger, I always looked up to the stars on Disney so, I would love to set the same example and be a role model for the younger audiences watching just like my favorite actresses were to me. It is so hard to pick from Disney’s franchises, so I would have to say any franchise that has a little bit of mystery and adventure. While it isn’t a Disney production, my favorite series at the moment is Stranger Things, I think the whole cast did such an amazing job and they are all very talented actors that brought such an amazing story and journey to life.

8) Let’s talk a bit about music. You have pretty extensive musical theatre experience. What has been your favorite musical so far?

My favorite musical that I have been a part of was my year 6 production when I was living in Paris. It was a musical called Porridge which is an adaptation of many different fairy tales in one musical. It was during this time that I realized my passion for acting and that it was something I wanted to pursue in my life.

9) Is there a specific role in a specific musical that you’d like to play, whether on a stage or in a movie adaptation?

I would love to play any Disney princess in a live-action as I have always loved all the Disney princesses and all the music in these films. My all-time favorite musical is Mamma Mia, it has always been my comfort movie so I would love to be a part of it on stage.

10) On a related note: We know you can sing, play the piano, etc. Do you write songs? Is recording music something you’re interested in?

I love writing songs, like acting, it is my outlet. When discovering my character for a film called Pieces, I wrote a song for my character, from her point of view. Pieces is a film about different experiences of people living with mental illnesses and their carers. My character, Violet, had a lot of big emotions and was a character that I had to really research. Whenever I have big emotions that I can’t comprehend, I write songs to help the process, so for Violet, I did the same thing so I could get into her head. Every day before my call time on set, I would either listen to or play the song I made for her to help get into character.

11) Who are your favorite artists or bands?

I normally gravitate towards soulful artists, with powerful voices. I love songs where you can hear the emotion and picture the story. My favorite artists are Olivia Dean, Lianne La Havas, Jorja Smith, Celeste, and Madison Ryann Ward.

An interview with Allegra Teo

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