Conchita Campbell may only be 11-years-old, but she already has an impressive career and can currently be seen as one of the stars of the USA sci-fi series The 4400. She’s energetic, has been working as an actress for most of her life, and looks to have a promising career ahead of her Conchita spoke with BuddyTV about her work on both The 4400 and Supernatural, how she got started in acting, and her aspirations of one day working with Steven Spielberg.
Below you will find a transcript of the interview as well as the full mp3 audio.
Hi, this is John from Buddy TV, and today we’re talking with the young star of the USA original series The 4400, Conchita Campbell. Hi Conchita!
Hi, how are you?
I’m fine, how are you doing?
Good!
That’s good to hear. So here’s my first question: what is it like starring in a hit TV show when you’re only 12-years-old?
You know what, I’m actually 11-years-old, but…
Oh, 11! I’m sorry.
But you know what, it’s actually… it’s really great. I mean the whole cast and crew, everybody’s really great. We have so much fun on the set, and it’s just a really great experience to be like, so young and be able to be on such a great show, and to have so many great people around you. I love it, it’s really great.
And how did you get involved with acting in the first place?
Well, when I was younger, ’cause my uncle’s a professional photographer. So when I was younger, he was taking pictures of me just like, for family and around the house, right? And so my uncle told my mom that I really like, loved the camera, and he told my mom that I should try out for acting.
And before also when I was younger, I like, I used to… when I had my dance recitals and stuff, I would go to the front of the stage and do like, my own little dance. I wanted to be the center of attention and stuff, so my mom had thought yeah, maybe that would really be a pretty good idea. I tried out for acting, so I tried it out, and I just loved it.
And what was your first job you had doing acting?
My first thing was a Shaw commercial. I was just like, one of the background kind of people sitting in the desk. So like, when I heard that I got it, I was so happy.
Okay, and you’re on The 4400, and you’ve guest-starred last season on the show Supernatural.
Yeah.
And what’s it like? Because for such a young actress to be on these more adult, mature, scary science fiction shows…
You know what, it’s great. Because I mean, not very many kids get to experience filming and acting stuff. So I mean it doesn’t really matter that it’s an adult show or children’s show, it’s just that it’s great to just be on set and to film with everybody. It’s really fun and I love it so much.
And what’s been your favorite experience from doing The 4400?
You know what, probably the filming with everybody and working with Jacqueline McKenzie. She’s great, we have so much fun, and just being able to just… getting into character and you know, having so much fun.
You sound like a really big fan of the show too. Are you like, as excited to find out what’s happening next and what’s going on with the show?
You know what, every time I get the script I’m just like, oh my gosh, I can’t wait to read it. Because I mean all of it is so exciting to read, we have such great writers on the show. And then if I watch TV or something, and I see that, I’m flipping through the channels, I see that The 4400 is on, I’ll definitely watch it. I mean even if I’ve seen that episode what, like a million times or something, I’ll definitely watch it again.
And do you watch any other TV shows, or what’re your favorites right now?
Well I… if I can ask for time off or something, like, to chill out with my friends or something, I maybe like watch TV or something, I really like to watch the shows on Disney Channel.
Those are definitely popular alright. And so what do you do when you have that like, rare off time I guess from filming and TV shows? What do you do with your free time?
Well usually like, I hang out with my friends. Sometimes I go for a hike with my parents and like, go for a bike ride. Or I might go to a, like, if it’s a hot day, to the pool or something like that. You know, just like, normal kid stuff. And also during like, the school year, I’d usually go to school during the day. And then after that I’d do like, kid stuff.
Yeah. Do you have any… what are your goals for acting, what do you hope to… where do you see yourself in five, 10, 15 years?
Yeah, I just hope I can act for as long as possible and just, you know, have fun with it. And I hope to see myself maybe in five years in some big movies or stuff.
And are there any specific actors or directors you hope to work with one day?
Well, I’d love to work with Keira Knightley and Steven Spielberg. I think it’d be really like, I think it’d be an honor to work with Steven Spielberg.
It definitely would. That’s all the questions I have. Do you have anything else you’d like to tell our readers and our listeners?
You know what, I think that it’s fantastic, you know, to be able to be an actor and you know, just to have fun. And I would like to say thank you to the fans.
OK, well, thank you very much, Conchita!
Alright, you too, thank you.
Bye.
Bye!
-Interview conducted by John Kubicek, BuddyTV Senior Writer
(Image courtesy of Conchita Campbell)
Senior Writer, BuddyTV
John watches nearly every show on TV, but he specializes in sci-fi/fantasy like The Vampire Diaries, Supernatural and True Blood. However, he can also be found writing about everything from Survivor and Glee to One Tree Hill and Smallville.
