Rick Malambri was born to perform. As a five-year-old child, he would play his father’s Bryan Adams CD, stand upon the kitchen counter and blast out the words to ‘Summer of ‘69’. It was a surprise to some, then, that his first job wasn’t as a singer or an actor, but as a model. Although he knew he had not yet found his true calling, Malambri enjoyed modeling as it gave him a sense of which clothes suited him and which didn’t. He describes himself as “just an average dude”, but at 6’2” tall with a muscular physique his measurements are anything but average. He found it particularly hard to find clothes that fitted him until he discovered Hugo Boss, whose fit and design worked well with his athletic frame. As for casual threads, he chooses Banana Republic and American Apparel. In line with his easy-going character, he is most comfortable when wearing a simple button up and a pair of well-worn jeans.

Malambri’s first real foray into acting came in 2006 after being spotted on the subway by a talent agent. After moving to Los Angeles (the city he now calls home) his first role was in the hit comedy show How I Met Your Mother. He followed up with his first movie break in 2009, starring in the Surrogates alongside Bruce Willis. Working on the movie was a surreal experience for Malambri. He had grown up watching Willis’s movies and now here he was acting on the same set. Describing Willis as an icon he was blown away by the experience, but adds somewhat mischievously, “I kept wanting to call him John McClane!”

This August, Malambri will appear as the lead in the third installment of Disney’s Step Up series: Step Up 3D. New York’s intense underground street dancing scene is brought to life in spectacular 3D as a tight-knit group of dancers, led by Luke (Malambri) and Natalie (Shami Vinson), find themselves competing against the world’s best break dancers in this adrenaline-fueled final installment of the franchise.

Malambri describes the movie as being about dreams coming true – “But only if you’re willing to let go of what you know and push for that dream”. He had no formal dance training before appearing in the film except for some street and break dancing he dabbled in as a child, so the grueling Step Up 3D training schedule was a shock to his system. For six weeks, he trained ten hours a day, six days a week, rehearsing choreographed routines over and over again. After working the punishing, yet highly enjoyable schedule, Malambri has a new-found respect for dancers, citing them as “some of the hardest working entertainers in the business”.

Malambri admits that although he is new to acting and still finding his feet, at some point in the future he would love the opportunity to dabble in the complete movie-making process of production, writing and directing. This would allow him to blend some of his design skills (he has qualifications in digital media and Web design) with his acting skills. As for now, he is currently shooting a Hallmark Channel movie After The Fall alongside Andrea Bowen from Desperate Housewives, which will air in October. He has other projects on the go right now too, which keep him quite busy.

Like his character Luke in Step Up 3D, Malambri also has a dream. His dream is to emulate Johnny Depp, an actor whom he feels brings a real excitement and curiosity to the screen. “You always want to see what he is going to come up with next, and for that I find him to be one of the best actors out there,” he explains. With an assortment of acting roles behind him and a bright future ahead of him, Malambri has every chance of achieving his dream. We are already curious and excited to see what exactly Rick Malambri has in store for us next.

Far from your typical thirteen year old, the leading lady of the supernatural, psychological thriller, “Within,” Mia Ford seems to be spending more time on-set then on the playground.

Following in her sister’s footsteps, with hopes of also becoming an actress, Mia enrolled in acting classes at the age of five. Eight years and several roles later, Mia is embarking on life as teenager, juggling school, homework, tests, acting classes, auditions, scripts, performing, and everything in between, all the while traveling back-and-forth between Los Angeles and Texas. Landing roles in the Emmy Nominated television show, “Jericho” and alongside Matthew Broderick in the film, “Wonderful World,” Mia is on her way to stardom.

We sat down with Ford to discuss her latest film, “Within,” to find out what it is like growing up as an actress, and to get the scoop on her style.

You have an impressive acting resume for such a young age, can you tell us how you got started?
I started taking up an interest in acting when my sister, Madison Ford, started taking classes from Acting Coach Cathryn Sullivan. I thought it looked like a lot of fun, so I began studying film acting with Cathryn at the age of five. From there, I signed with a local Dallas talent agent, and with them I began auditioning for commercials, films, and TV shows. At the age of seven, I wanted to broaden my acting opportunities, so I went out to Los Angeles and signed with a LA-based agency. A few months later, I headed out to Pilot Season for the first time, where I was fortunate enough to be given amazing opportunities, like auditioning for leads in feature films, TV shows, voice-overs, and also commercials. I booked a Ford car commercial the first month in a LA. A few months later, I booked a lead in the short film, “Imaginary Friend.” Over the past few years, I have had amazing opportunities to work with extremely talented actors and directors in various projects, including in the television series, “Jericho”, the feature film, “Wonderful World”, starring Matthew Broderick, and the psychological thriller “Within.”

You must be very busy. How do you manage schoolwork in between acting? Is it hard?
It’s true that my life can get very busy and crazy at times, but I see it as a fun kind of crazy! With the help of my teachers, principal, manager and family, we can work together to manage my schedule so I can fit it all in! Many times I have a script to learn and homework to complete, so I’ve learned how to manage my time by working in the car or on a plane. Sometimes it can get a little difficult, but at the end of the day, I am doing what I love.

What was it like working on “Within?”
Working on “Within” was probably one of the best experiences of my life, to date. It was a fantastic script, and I landed the lead role. My character, Rachel Weiss, was am in-depth and dramatic role. This character was fun to play because she has the unique gift of seeing dead people. For young actors like myself, such an intriguing role is rare. “Parenthood’s” Sam Jaeger played my dad in the film. He is an amazing actor, fun to work with, and a supportive person. We even played “Uno” during our breaks! I am so thankful that the director, Hanelle Culpepper, gave me this wonderful opportunity!

Did you travel to France for the screening of “Within” at The Strasbourg International Film Festival?
Yes, my mom and dad did take me over to France for The Strasbourg International Film Festival last fall. It was a wonderful experience, I so many interesting directors and actors from around the world. I felt honored to be nominated for in the category for “Best Actress Award in a Feature Film.” I always have a blast going to different film festivals. The town of Strasbourg was beautiful, and I hope to go back and visit again someday.

Tell us about your favorite fashion style.
I would have to say that my fashion style is very eclectic. From Bohemian LA Chic to a classy New York City trendy, everyday I dress in a different style. Maybe as I get older, I will have a favorite style, but right now my style depends on my day-to-day mood. No matter what the style is that I’m wearing, I always make sure that my outfit has color. I like to mix and match clothing from my closet and my sister’s closet, to create a different look everyday. I’m lucky to have a sister who lets me borrow her clothes.

What is your favorite trend for the summer?
My favorite trend for the summer would have to be the denim jacket. I’ve always loved denim jackets, and I’m ecstatic that they’re one of this summer’s hottest trends. They go with everything and they’re flattering. I also love the nautical look this summer. One of my favorite pieces in my closet is my navy blue and white-striped nautical shirt. I can pair it with a denim, white or khaki pair of shorts or a skirt. This look is so cute for a hot day.

Who is your favorite designer?
My favorite designer is Valentino, I admire his style and designs. Every piece is beautiful, sophisticated, and yet still youthful. I love watching “Project Runway” with my sister and my mom every week! I love witnessing what the designers create with the challenge they are given each week. It is fascinating to see what innovative designs they can create.

Photo Credit: JSquared Photography

Wardrobe: Un Deux Trois

From the stage of San Francisco’s Ballet to Sony Picture’s CENTER STAGE, Amanda Schull’s grace remains unforgettable and will continue to stun audiences in the autobiographical flick, MAO’S LAST DANCER.

It takes a true athlete to endure the training to become a professional ballerina, but what Schull has exceeds far beyond discipline. Passionate, multitalented and ambitious, this equally gifted dancer and actor was born to perform. Effortlessly taking on two separate roles, both of which portray the despised antagonists in this summer’s hit shows, “Pretty Little Liars” and “One Tree Hill,” Schull can embrace any given character but in reality she is incredibly down to earth as we recently found out.

We sat down with Schull to discuss her newest film MAO’S LAST DANCER, get the scoop on recent television guest starring appearances, and find out what she is wearing off-stage and off-set.

Tell us about your new movie Mao’s Last Dancer.
MAO’S LAST DANCER is based on the autobiography of the same name written by Li Cunxin. The film follows Li’s amazing true story from life as a peasant in rural communist China to becoming an internationally recognized dancer. His plight is quite unbelievable. I play the role of Liz Mackey, Li’s first wife.

What else are you working on this summer and into fall?
This summer I have been guest starring on recurring roles on ABC Family’s new show “Pretty Little Liars” and The CW’s “One Tree Hill.” It has been a lot of fun working with each cast and I have really enjoyed portraying both characters.

We saw you on Pretty Little Liars, can we expect to see you back?
If the show continues to follow the storyline in the books then I think it is fair to say that we can expect to see Meredith continue to stir up drama!

What about One Tree Hill? Do we get to find out what happens to Katie after shooting Quinn and Clay?
Yes! However, creator Mark Schwahn and the writers of the show are so crafty they have even managed to keep how the chain of events unfold a mystery to me!

How would you describe your style?
In one word, I would describe my personal style as classic. I don’t wear flashy jewelry or over the top makeup and I prefer that my wardrobe is equally modest. Three women whose style I admire are Grace Kelly, Carolyn Bessette and Audrey Hepburn. My wardrobe is pretty laid back on a daily basis, but when I do get dressed up I gravitate towards looks that are very clean and elegant. No hot pink spandex for me!

Who are your top three favorite designers and why?
My top three favorite designers are Calvin Klein, Armani, and Diane Von Furstenburg. I know DFV may seem hypocritical to my style, but I think her wrap dresses are amazing! As for casual designers, I love Theory and J. Crew.

If you could be a model, fashion designer or celebrity stylist- which would you be and why?
That’s a hard question! First of all, I would probably not choose to be a model over the rest because I love to eat sweets way too much. It would be fun to be a fashion designer, but I don’t think I would be very successful because my designs would likely be too conservative. This leaves me with the third option, a celebrity stylist. I think that a career as a stylist would be very enjoyable. The best part about working with a stylist is having someone else choose outfits for you that you would probably never have put together or considered on your own. I love helping my girlfriends put together a look so I can only imagine how much fun it would be to dress one of my favorite actresses!

Photo Credit: Dana Patrick