Name: Olivia Grant
Program: Stage and Screen
Year: 4th
Hometown: Adams, New York
Rachel: What is your favourite food?
Olivia: Pizza, but really all food. How can I choose?
R: Favourite condiment?
O: Barbecue sauce! When I was little, my parents used to make fun of me so much for this – I used to make barbecue sauce sandwiches, just white bread and barbecue sauce. It’s the best!
R: What do you want to be when you grow up?
O: My heart and soul say I want to be a performer, but I’m also really interested in, like my brain’s work is in documentary filmmaking, like on social issues. I don’t know which one I’ll end up doing, but we’ll see! R: Both? O: Maybe both!
R: If you could kidnap one animal from the zoo what would it be and where would you keep it?
O: Ooh that makes it tough! I want to say elephant, but I can’t keep it somewhere – Oh I know! I would kidnap one of those monkeys with the red butt –
R: Baboon?
O: Baboon! I would keep it in my room and hope that it doesn’t kill me (laughs).
R: What is something that you never leave the house without?
O: Lipstick.
R: What is your greatest fear?
O: How deep are we going here? Spiders or…? To be honest, my greatest fear is becoming numb, and unsatisfied with what I’m doing in life and the place where I am in my life. I always want to be feeling something, whether it’s positive or negative. I don’t want to be feeling nothing.
R: If you could switch lives with one TV character who would it be and why?
O: Okay not Making a Murderer, can you imagine? (laughs) Because I’m watching it right now, I’m gonna say Veronica from Riverdale, because I want her eyebrows and she’s also really really cool.
R: What is one thing you wish you could tell you first year self?
O: It’s really hard to follow advice to “be yourself” when you don’t know who you are yet. So I would say be open to the expansion of the definition of yourself. Be open to change, it’s so important, my mind has expanded so much since first year.
R: What is something that surprises people about you?
O: Interesting… I would say the fact that I am in pageants and that I am also an avid feminist and really focused on world issues. I think a lot of the time, pageants stereotypes are a little overblown and there’s a reason I’m in it. I think people are always a little surprised to see that I’m not ditzy and one-layered.
R: What’s your motto?
O: It is what it is. I don’t always follow it, I overthink everything, but it is what it is.
R: What is your favourite thing about Kingston?
O: Oh I love Kingston, Kingston is amazing. I would say, even though a lot of people might disagree with me on this, but coming from a small town, I find that there’s never a lack of something to do. I can always go down to a coffee shop and try a new drink or go to the Screening Room or go to a bar and have fun with my friends. There’s just so much you can do here!
R: Favourite place on campus?
O: This is a cop-out, but I’m going to say my room. I’m such an independent person and I love having time to myself – I’m an extrovert but I have qualities of an introvert, I really just love that time that I can chill by myself and drink tea and watch Netflix.
R: You live in residence, right?
O: I’m in res, yeah.
R: What are you binge-watching right now?
O: I just finished The OA, and I still think about it, it still haunts my dreams.
R: I haven’t seen it.
O: I want to tell you to watch it, but I also want to tell you to just not. I can’t decide if it’s the best show I’ve ever watched or the worst. It’s just really captivating but in a way that is emotionally manipulative.
R: If you were to star in a movie, who would you like as your love interest? Best friend?
O: The guy who played – I truly don’t know his name – he’s my biggest movie crush, the guy who played Kostas in Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants? (Michael Rady.) Ignoring the age difference, my best friend would have to be played by Reese Witherspoon, she’s pretty dope.
R: What’s your favourite pick up line?
O: “If you were a fruit, you’d be a fine-apple.” I mean, I love anything with a pun but specifically that one.
Speed round … Go:
R: Favourite song to jam out to in the shower?
O: (sings) Who run the world? GIRLS!
R: Something that makes you laugh every time?
O: Puns.
R: Dream job?
O: Actress.
R: Kim K or Beyoncé?
O: Can I say both?
R: Ariel or Jasmine?
O: Jasmine.
R: Hot or cold?
O: Hot.
R: Eyebrow pencil or mascara?
O: Ma- oh my god that’s such an unfair question! I can’t choose! Do I have eyelash extensions?
R: Let’s say no.
O: Mascara then.
R: Favourite book?
O: Jane Eyre.
R: Favourite movie?
O: You can’t ask a film major that! I have to say Jane Eyre again, because I’m obsessed with the story. WAIT I change my answer! Rocky Horror (The Rocky Horror Picture Show)!
R: Number one vacation spot on your bucket list?
O: Italy. Somewhere in Italy.
R: Favourite weird food combo?
O: Barbecue sauce on bread.
R: Last CD you bought?
O: Taylor Swift CD.
R: Night owl or early bird?
O: Night owl.