Interview with a Willa
Normally she hated these things and she would make her manager promise cookies and lattes in return, but a break from unpacking suddenly made a telephone interview with Cosmo Girl seem appealing. Still, she let out of a bit of a groan when the phone rang, kicking back on the couch to get comfortable.
"Thanks for doing this Willa," the voice on the other end of the receiver said after a few pleasantries and brief introductions "we know you're probably busy so let's get right to it."
"Shoot" she nodded, covering the phone while she munched on an Oreo.
(C) What is your full name?
(W) Willa Joanna Chance Holland
(C) Where and when were you born?
Right here in L.A., on June 18, 1991 - the best decade ever!
(C) Who are your parents?
(W) Darnell Gregorio-De Palma is my mom- she did a little bit of acting but has owned a restaurant with her newest hubbie (Edoardo Baldi) since 2006. She can be a bit uptight and, in my opinion, is overly concerned with 'appearances'. I guess she pressured me a bit as a kid to, but at the same time she has always come through for me and at the end of the day, I always know I can count on her. Keith Holland is my biological dad, he's a cinematographer and director and also very English in that typical stoic, cold sort of way. We lived in England for awhile when I was a kid and back then I guess we were close, but these days, not so much. I've struggled to find a way to connect with him in any meaningful way since I was a teen. Brian De Palma is a film director and also my mom's second husband, and my stepfather. Brian was around more during my adolescence and unlike my mom, I could always be pretty real with him and definitely felt closer to him than I did to my real dad. Him and my mom divorced years ago, but he's always remained a father figure to me. He actually probably knows Willa me better than anyone and I trust him completely. I don't feel like I need to put on a show or hide parts of myself from him. He's always been there, better or worse. He gets a little overprotective sometimes though, even now, and I think he questions my ability to make it on my own because he has a tendency to butt his nose in, even when I don't want him to.
(C) Do you have any siblings? What are they like?
(W) They're awesome. Brianna Holland is three years old and also works in the film industry, but more behind the scenes - camera and electrical sort of stuff. She is the responsible one of us three and often taking on almost a mothering role with both Piper and I. She is bossy and sometimes over-bearing, but always out of concern and worry and I love her more than anything. Piper De Palma is five years younger than me, and technically my half-sister, but I don't usually other with that. She's just my sister. The baby of the family, Piper and I have always had their differences, mostly arising from silly sibling rivalries and jealousy centered around her dad. I was really jealous when we were kids that she was his 'real' kid and kind of took that out on her. We still bicker often, but the last few years we've gotten a lot closer and I really love being her big sister.
(C) Where do you live now, and with whom? Describe the place and the person/people.
(W) Echo Park, L.A. - just got an amazing studio on my own and am looking forward to finding out what this part of town is all about and meeting more of it's people.
(C) What is your occupation?
(W) Actress/Model. Amateur photographer.
(C) Write a full physical description of yourself.
(W) 5'7", 123 lbs, brown hair, green eyes. Faint scars on left wrist (let's not talk about those), no tattoos (yet). I guess my style is pretty casual for the most part. I'm most comfortable in sneakers and a pair of jeans, but when I do get dressed up, I like to do it big.
(C) To which social class do you belong?
(W)I'm no Bill Gates or anything, but I suppose I would fall into the 'upper' area somewhere.
(C) Do you have any allergies, diseases, or other physical weaknesses?
(W) History of bulimia, alcoholism, depression and anxiety. Things I've struggled with since I was a teen.
(C) Are you right- or left-handed?
(W) Right- boring, right?
(C) What does your voice sound like?
(W) Deeper than you would expect, I'm one of those people who hates the sound of their own voice. It sounds so different in my head but I got told it was sexy once, so I suppose it's not all bad. It can get pretty shrilly when I'm excited though.
(C) What words and/or phrases do you use very frequently?
(W) Fuck, Dude, Whatevs. There's a lot of them.
(C) What do you have in your pockets?
(W) Bonne Bell Lip Smacker (Cherry Coke, of course), some lint, my beloved iPhone and a couple Starburst, you know, just in case.
(C) Do you have any quirks, strange mannerisms, annoying habits, or other defining characteristics?
(W) I swear too much, probably drink too much, but mostly in private. I smoke but again, try not to in public because I'm well aware it's a disgusting habit. I'm fiercely protective of my cookies and I tend to babble when I'm nervous.
