Billie Jane Finch / actress
Pronouns: Female. She/Her
DOB/Age: July 4th, 1990 (29)
Hometown: Sydney, Australia
Neighborhood: Sherman Oaks
QUESTIONNAIRE
What were you like as a child? And what did you want to be when you grew up?
"Obnoxious,” she answered with a laugh. “Uh, hyperactive? I was pretty much always running around and screaming like a crazy person. My parents nearly went mad and put me in gymnastics, hoping I’d get rid of all my energy running and flipping around. Of course, after I started all of that, I thought I’d be an Olympic athlete. Obliviously that didn’t happen.” Another laugh passed through her lips. “I don’t think I ever had a conventional career in mind. I went from princess to Olympian. From Olympian to dancer. And then dancer to actress.”
How was your home life? And how is your relationship with your family?
"Normal, I think? I mean, I say normal, but what is normal?” She danced around the question, considering her words carefully. “My parents own a milk bar back home, so they did well. We weren’t like, super rich. But I don’t ever remember my parents worrying if they’d be able to pay the bills at the end of the month. So, that definitely allowed my brother and I to be kids, you know? We went to school, came home to do chores and then ran around with friends in our free time.” She shrugged her shoulders, not sure how else she could really describe the lifestyle. Of course, the second portion of the question was much harder for her to answer. “Again, normal?” She laughed, a bit awkwardly. “We spent time together, had a family game night and went on a yearly holiday. My brother and I are have a bit of an age gap so we weren’t as close as some siblings may be. But I love the little ankle biter. Honestly though, the relationship is a bit strained now that I live on the other side of the world. We find time to Skype and have phone calls but it’s hard.”
How did you begin your journey into this career path?
"Well, it started with the gymnastics and the Olympic dream,” she began, a tone of amusement as she spoke. “I was super into it, really. But, uh...I wasn’t the best. I definitely was never going to make it to the Olympics. So, I joined a dance troupe, which is how I met some people who did musical theatre and I got into that. Musicals and I aren’t meant to be together since I’m so not a singer. But it did get me into the idea of acting so I started auditioning for plays in school and at the local playhouses; which eventually opened the door up for a short film for some film students and then small roles on television shows. And now here I am, pursuing acting in America. It’s quite exciting.”
If you weren’t working in your current career, what would you be doing?
"Should I talk about my Olympic dream again?” She jested, a grin spreading across her lips. “In all seriousness, probably working at the milk bar. My parents definitely dream of that being a family establishment. You know, the one where it passes down from parent to child to child’s child and so on and so forth. Thankfully I have my current career. Not that running a shop would be terrible, just not...something that I think would make me fulfilled.”
Do you believe in love at first sight?
"Not really, no. Is that cynical of me?” She was sure others would think she believes wholeheartedly considering her naivety in past relationships. “I do think there is love at first...I don’t know, meeting? Like, I don’t think a person could look at another and be like, “Whoa, I’m in love!” But I do think that you could meet a person and after a few hours of getting to know one another and really, truly connecting, you could fall in love.”
What is something you want to do or plan to do that excites you?
"Career wise, there is a lot I want to do. I did a few television shows and movies back home but they were kind of smaller roles and I usually played a typical teen girl kind of role. So, I’m really excited to branch out into new genre, work on some more serious films and series. I think I’d really, really love to a period drama. Also, and I know this totally contradicts the whole serious roles thing I just said but a Hallmark Christmas movie is so on my bucket list.”
What do you do in your free time?
"If I am being perfectly honest, not a whole lot,” she answered, letting out a breathy laugh. “Once a week, I generally take my dog to Runyon Canyon for a nice, long walk. I go out to eat way more than I probably should? And a couple of my friends and I do like hanging out at this kind of divey bar. It’s super low key so it’s kind of a good place to escape for a bit. But after that, I’m super boring. I’ll just sit in my sweat pants, eat ice cream and watch the same ten movies over and over again.”