“I would love to start a movement that encourages kids to live a better and more successful life” With Amber Romero
“I would love to start a movement that encourages kids to live a better and more successful life. Lots of kids are in underprivileged homes or they can’t pursue their dreams and I want to help with that. I believe that every kid should at least get a fair chance to accomplish what they want in life because they are the future. The more we support kids, the more likely we are to have a brighter future. I try to help kids as much as I can by volunteering to read to them, giving them a safe Halloween, and making sure they have enough to eat.”
I had the pleasure to interview Amber Romero. Amber is an actor, martial artist, dancer, and model, born and raised in San Diego, CA. She is the only child of parents Rachelle and Armando Romero. On her 15th birthday, Amber and her family moved from San Diego to Los Angeles so that she could further pursue her dream to be an actor; a dream that started at the tender age of 3. Amber began her career in musical theater, dance (ballet, jazz, tap, hip hop, modern, and Spanish dancing) and modeling. She has walked the runway and modeled for retail stores such as Macy’s, Nordstrom, JC Penney, and Children’s Place. She has also been a special events model at charity functions. Amber was one of the first ever child models for Fashion Career College in San Diego. In addition to being a dancer, she is also a competitive figure skater, and has earned 2 black belts in traditional Tae Kwon Do and Extreme Martial Arts. She has been training in stunts/action choreography since the age of 15. Amber is best known for her role as a series regular in the web series Clique Wars where she played the role of Molly. She has appeared as a lead in the films CAZADORA and Shattered. When Amber is not busy in acting, school, and martial arts, she loves to give back to the community. She volunteers at various places such as Big Sunday, Magic Penny, LA Mission, and the Ronald McDonald’s House.
Thank you so much for joining us! Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?
When I was 3 years old, I said that I wanted to be on TV and as soon as I was old enough, my parents put me in acting class. I did lots of school plays and musicals for most of my childhood. I was 15 when I officially moved to LA and got serious about my acting career.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started this career?
I think the most interesting that happened to me was being recommended to work on another set after working on one set. I was recording with the nicest woman and we got to talking on break. After we were done working, she told me this other project she was going to work on and said that I was perfect for one of the roles. One of the things I really learned that day was how important it is to network with other people because you never know what opportunities may come up.
Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?
I was in a school play and we had these really cool costumes, but mine was too big for me. It was a good thing I had a leotard and tights on because right in the middle of a dance number, my skirt fell off! Three other people on stage had tried to “smoothly” kick the skirt off stage but it didn’t exactly work until one girl gracefully picked it up and threw it backstage. I definitely learned to make sure that my wardrobe would stay on in any circumstance.
What are some of the most interesting or exciting projects you are working on now?
I am currently working on a show right now the I can’t share details with yet but so far, it has been a really exciting project. I’m so lucky to be a part of this project that is sure to make waves in this industry.
Who are some of the most interesting people you have interacted with? What was that like? Do you have any stories?
I’ve met plenty of interesting of interesting people here in LA. I think one of the most interesting people I’ve known is one of my acting coaches. When you meet her, she is so lovable and sweet but when we start working, it’s all business. She will call you out on your mistakes and do her best to make you a better actor. There’s not a lot of people in LA that will point out your faults and even less that will do it in order to help you grow.
Which tips would you recommend to your colleagues in your industry to help them to thrive and not “burn out”?
I think an important thing to remember is to take care of yourself. You are a person too and there are some things that a person needs to stay happy and healthy and if you neglect yourself of these things, you’re a lot more likely to burn out. A happy, fulfilled, and confident person is more likely to give off successful and trustworthy vibes to other people that will allow them to grow their network.
You are a person of great influence. If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂
I would love to start a movement that encourages kids to live a better and more successful life. Lots of kids are in underprivileged homes or they can’t pursue their dreams and I want to help with that. I believe that every kid should at least get a fair chance to accomplish what they want in life because they are the future. The more we support kids, the more likely we are to have a brighter future. I try to help kids as much as I can by volunteering to read to them, giving them a safe Halloween, and making sure they have enough to eat.
What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started” and why. Please share a story or example for each.
- I wish I would’ve been told that the acting world is very small. Everyone here knows someone that you may know and the longer you’re here, the more connected you become. I actually have a friend whose friend from years back, that he still keeps in touch with, is friends with Justin Bieber. It’s a crazy small world here and you really don’t know who knows who.
- Knowing that starting your career and developing it is a marathon, not a sprint. I used to try to do everything right away and I had the mindset that I needed to be the lead in everything I auditioned for right away. Having that kind of mindset isn’t just unhealthy, but it’s also hard to maintain for too long. It also makes you feel more discouraged to continue when you don’t see results right away.
- I would have loved to have known that making a connection with everyone you meet is a part of this career sooner. There are people that I met a couple of years ago who have come so far in their career and I wish I should have stayed in contact with them. It’s about who you surround yourself with in acting that helps you get to where you want to be. It’s like how the saying goes, “Alone, you go faster, but together, we go further.”
- I would have also liked to have known how much I would come to love the marketing aspect of acting. Learning about how to present yourself has always been very interesting to me. I’m currently taking a marketing class in college right now and all of the things that I’m learning are all so new and intriguing to me and I look forward to being able to apply them.
- I would have liked to have known about how much of living in LA is all about having confidence. If you’re at an event or in an audition, having confidence when you don’t really feel confident is super important and if you pretend like you have confidence enough times, you’re more likely to gain actual confidence.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
My favorite life quote is “everything’s alright in the end and if it’s not alright, it’s not the end”. It’s helped me understand that even if life seems tough and impossible, it’ll get better, you just have to keep going.
None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?
I’m grateful for my mom. She’s the one that allowed me to be able to thrive in this industry. She’s been super great at keeping me organized and on top of what I need to do. I wouldn’t have made it this far if it wasn’t for her.
Some of the biggest names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might see this. 🙂
Amy Poehler for sure. She’s my comedic inspiration and after reading her book, I’d love to have a conversation with her.
How can our readers follow you on social media?
They can follow me @amberromero99 on Instagram, Twitter, and Snapchat!